                               Command : SWEEP

NAME
   sweep - Use planes to remove mines from sea sectors

Level: Expert

SYNTAX
   [##:##]% sweep <PLANES> <ESCORTS> <SECT> route|destination

The sweep command is identical to the recon command, except that  if  you  use
planes capable of minesweeping, they will sweep mines from sectors along their
route.

<PLANES> represents a list of planes which are to be performing  the  intelli-
gence  gathering operation.  Only planes which are provided with gas, and have
sufficient mobility will be successfully selected for the mission.

<ESCORTS> represent a list of fighter planes which are  capable  of  escorting
the  transports  all the way to the target.  To be selected, escorts must have
fuel and mobility.

<SECT> represents an assembly point, where all of the planes  in  the  mission
meet  before  proceeding  on to the target sector.  The assembly point must be
owned by you, and must not be more than four sectors  away  from  any  of  the
planes selected for the mission.

Route is a normal empire path specification. You may also give  a  destination
sector  on the command line, or at any time while giving the route, and empire
will use the best path from the current sector to the desired destination sec-
tor.

When getting a path interactively, empire will show you  the  information  you
have (from your bmap) concerning the current area, to help plot your course.

Information given by sweep/recon is not totally accurate.

Sweep/recon missions can be intercepted just like any other mission.   If  the
destination sector is not an airport, then all planes in the mission must have
V/STOL capability.

Planes with the ASW ability will perform a sonar search on each sector as they
fly  through it.  Each sub contact will be reported only once, giving the sec-
tor and number of the sub, from the sector  in  which  it  is  first  detected
(which  may not be the sector the sub is in, as plane sonar has a range depen-
dent  on  acc,  and  a  chance  of  finding   a   sub   of   ((100-acc)-(4-sub
visib)*10))+((100-effic)/5)  percent.   The  sub  being sonared may detect the
sonar ping.

Planes with the sweep ability will automatically attempt to sweep mines in sea
or  harbor  sectors  they overfly.  Their chance of sweeping is (100-acc), and
they can only sweep 1 mine per overflight of the sector.

Note that a plane must be at least 40%  efficient  before  it  can  leave  the
ground.

SEE ALSO
   Plane-types, bomb, fly, paradrop, drop, Planes

