                               Command : SONAR

 SYNTAX:
   [##:##] Command: sonar <SHIP/FLEET>

The conar command allows ships to look for submarines and submarines  to  look
for ships.

In the current implementation, sonar works  similar  to  lookout.   The  major
difference  is that a submarines cannot use lookout to sight ships.  Likewise,
submarines cannot be sighted by ships via lookout.

There are two aspects to sonar - passive and active sonar.

ACTIVE SONAR

This is the most visible form of sonar.  It is simply a ship's ability to  use
sonar  pings  to  detect  other  ships.  The range of a ship's active sonar is
identical to the range that  it  can  sight  ships  via  lookout.   (see  info
lookout) When you type "sonar 25", you are using active sonar.

                               Command : SONAR

PASSIVE SONAR

This is more subtle.  Passive sonar is a ship's ability to hear sounds, mainly
active  sonar  pings.  When a ship pings you with active sonar, you can detect
that ping.  If a ship with sonar gets pinged, that country receives a telegram
saying  "Sonar  ping  from x,y detected by ship Z!" In its current implementa-
tion, passive sonar is the ability to detect a ping.

When a ship emits a ping, that ping has  to  travel  out  to  a  target  ship,
reflect  off  of  it, and then return to its source.  So, in order to detect a
ship X sectors away, a sonar ping must be able to travel 2X sectors - from the
source  to  the  target, and back to the source.  So, if a ship can use active
sonar to detect ships X sectors away, passive sonar can detect  active  sonars
from  2X  sectors  away.   So the range at which you can detect sonar pings is
twice the range at which you can use sonar.

The active and passive sonar modes means that you want to be careful when  you
use sonar, because you will tell others where you are long before you actually
detect them.  This also gives you some warning before you get  your  submarine
attacked,  as enemy ships have to use sonar to find you.  The key to submarine

                               Command : SONAR

warfare is "run silent", meaning use your sonar only when you have to.

On the other hand, destroyers are designed to hunt subs.  A destroyer guarding
a player's coast should use sonar often, especially if it has other destroyers
nearby to support him if he gets in trouble.

For example:
   [##:##] Command: sonar 24

   Groonland (#1) patrol boat #10 @-13,7
   Curmudgeon (#4) heavy cruiser #36 @-14,6
   Groonland (#1) oil derrick #41 @-14,6
   Groonland (#1) tender #53 @-14,6
   Groonland (#1) submarine #53 @-14,6
   Groonland (#1) nuclear sub #53 @-14,6

See also : coastwatch, ship-types, sector-types, radar

