Having Trouble with weapons not engaging.

[Doc (OP)]

I am having trouble with my PDC laser turrets not engaging missiles.  Four nice little destroyers are getting, well, destroyed, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  Posted ship design and attached screenshots of the Fire Control Setup & Combat so you can see that all 18 missiles are getting through.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I know I'm very new! Any help is appreciated.  Let me know if I need to post more info, or post it differently or something.  Thanks!

PS, ship design help is always appreciated.  Very little idea what I'm doing.

Code: [Select]

Fletcher class Destroyer      12,000 tons       265 Crew       1,613.8 BP       TCS 240    TH 640    EM 600
2666 km/s      Armour 11-46       Shields 20-300       HTK 61      Sensors 16/16/0/0      DCR 4      PPV 35.4
Maint Life 2.86 Years     MSP 836    AFR 288%    IFR 4.0%    1YR 150    5YR 2,251    Max Repair 187.5 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 3   BRG   AUX   ENG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP160.00 (4)    Power 640.0    Fuel Use 56.57%    Signature 160.00    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,009,000 Litres    Range 26.7 billion km (116 days at full power)
Gamma S20 / R300 Shields (1)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0.1 per second)

18.750cm C2 Near Ultraviolet Laser (1)    Range 128,000km     TS: 2,666 km/s     Power 9-2     RM 30,000 km    ROF 25       
Twin 10cm C2 Near Ultraviolet Laser Turret (4x2)    Range 90,000km     TS: 10000 km/s     Power 6-4     RM 30,000 km    ROF 10       
Beam Fire Control R128-TS3200 (SW) (1)     Max Range: 128,000 km   TS: 3,200 km/s   
Beam Fire Control R64-TS8000 (1)     Max Range: 64,000 km   TS: 8,000 km/s   
Improved Pebble Bed Reactor R62 (1)     Total Power Output 62.5    Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor AS57-R100 (1)     GPS 6000     Range 57.4m km    Resolution 100
EM Sensor EM2-16 (1)     Sensitivity 16     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  31.6m km
Thermal Sensor TH2-16 (1)     Sensitivity 16     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  31.6m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a c for auto-assignment purposes


[Steve Walmsley]

Do you have active sensors that can detect the missiles?

[Doc (OP)]

If you're asking if the ships have active sensors, and if those sensors are on, yes I believe so.  Is it incorrectly designed?

[nuclearslurpee]

If you're asking if the ships have active sensors, and if those sensors are on, yes I believe so.  Is it incorrectly designed?

Yes. You have RES-100 sensors, which will detect missiles at 57.4m x (0.3/100)^2 = 516 km. This is less than the final fire range of 10,000 km, so you are basically unable to detect the missiles until they hit you. Note that when trying to detect a target smaller than the sensor resolution, the range at which you could detect that target drops off quadratically, i.e. as (target_size / sensor_resolution)^2.

Also note that you do not need to "open fire" for final fire PD to function, in fact doing this can be detrimental as it incurs a fire delay which may prevent the weapons from firing.

[Doc (OP)]

If you're asking if the ships have active sensors, and if those sensors are on, yes I believe so.   Is it incorrectly designed?

Yes.  You have RES-100 sensors, which will detect missiles at 57. 4m x (0. 3/100)^2 = 516 km.  This is less than the final fire range of 10,000 km, so you are basically unable to detect the missiles until they hit you.  Note that when trying to detect a target smaller than the sensor resolution, the range at which you could detect that target drops off quadratically, i. e.  as (target_size / sensor_resolution)^2.

Also note that you do not need to "open fire" for final fire PD to function, in fact doing this can be detrimental as it incurs a fire delay which may prevent the weapons from firing.

Oh, my, GOD.  Thank you.  Stupid rookie mistake.

[TallTroll]

We've all been there...

[nuclearslurpee]

We've all been there...

I haven't, because I'm SMART and READ THE DOCUMENTATION.

Please don't ask me how I know about the fire delay thing... 

 

[Steve Walmsley]

I still occasionally find myself resorting to SM Mode for a little historical restructuring when I realise that my 'dual purpose' railgun designs turns out to be single purpose because I forgot to include a small res-1 sensor.

[Arwyn]

I still occasionally find myself resorting to SM Mode for a little historical restructuring when I realise that my 'dual purpose' railgun designs turns out to be single purpose because I forgot to include a small res-1 sensor.

Ok Steve, you just made my whole day with that! LOL, makes me feel I lot better when I go back to fix my own stupidity!