                            Concept : Interception

NAME
   Interception - How plane interdiction works

Level: Expert

Each  time  an enemy plane (i.e. a plane owned by a country that your are HOS-
TILE to or worse) flies into over a sector you own, planes you have  with  the
intercept ability will intercept them if:

   a) The incoming plane is not stealthy, or is detected.
   b) The sector is within 1/2 the interceptor's range (as modified
   by rangeedit)
   b) They have mobility
   c) Their efficiency is 40 or more
   d) They are at an appropriate place:
           1) planes without VTOL ability must be at an airport that
                   is at least 60% efficient.

           2) planes on ships may only fly if the ship can operate
                   that kind of aircraft.

   e) There is petrol there equal to 1/2 the plane's fuel rating.
           (rounded down)

Before planes scramble to intercept incoming planes, any SAMs in range will be
launched.  One SAM is launched at each incoming plane that cost at least $1000
to build.  See below for the damage that the SAM does to the plane it hits.

Enemy  planes  will  be  intercepted by up to 1 more interceptor, i.e. 1 plane
will be intercepted by 2 (if available), 2 by 3, 3 by 4, etc. The highest num-
bered  planes  intercept  first. Incoming missiles will only be intercepted by
ABM's

Once the roster of attackers  &  intercepters  is  determined,  attackers  and
interceptors  dogfight.  First escorts & interceptors fight, then planes being
escorted & surviving non-aborted interceptors.

First, an attacker and a defender are chosen, then each  plane  on  each  list
fights once.

Combat values

The  attacker's  combat  value  is  calculated  by adding up his planes attack
value, and modifying it for efficiency, bomb-load,  and  stealth.  The  attack
value  of  the plane is multiplied times the plane's efficiency, but cannot go
below 1/2 of the plane-type's base value (as shown by show plane stats).   (If
the  plane's  attack  value  is 0, the defensive value is used instead, with a
minimum of 1/2 the plane- type's defensive value)

Two is subtracted if the attacking plane is carrying bombs.

If the plane is stealthy, stealth%/25 is added.

The defender's value is calculated in the same way, except that the  defensive
value is always used.

Odds

Next, an odds ratio is calculated: (att/(def+att))*100.

Combat Intensity

Then, a combat intensity is rolled: (d20+d20+d20+d20)

Combat  For  each point of combat intensity (or until both planes are dead), a
d100 is rolled. If the value is less than the odds, the defender takes a casu-
alty, otherwise the attacker takes a casualty.

Once  all  combat  rolls have been made, the attacker and defender are checked
for aborting. If a plane is damaged below 80%, then it will have a  chance  of
aborting.   The  chance  to abort is (100-plane eff). (Example: a plane at 70%
has a 30% chance to abort.

Missiles intercepting die after the combat is done.
Example

Suppose that a fighter 2 (30% efficient, tech 154, attack value 7) is conduct-
ing  a  recon  mission.  As  it enters an enemy controlled sector, a fighter 1
(100% efficient, tech 131, defense  value  4)  rises  up  to  fight  it.   The
attacker's combat value is calculated:

   1) 7 * (30/100) = 2.1 = 2

   2) 2 is less than 1/2 the base attack value of an f2 (6), so the value
   is changed to 3

   3) The attacking plane is not stealthy. No modifier.

   4) The attacking plane is not carrying bombs. No modifier.

The defender's defense value, calculated similarly, is 4.

The odds ratio is (3/(3+4)) = .429 = 43%

The  intensity  is  randomly  determined  to be 30. A d100 is rolled 30 times.
Each time that is 43 or less, the defender takes a hit. Each time it is 44  or
more, the attacker takes a hit.

In  our  example,  the attacker takes 17, the defender 13, leaving them at 13%
and 87% efficiency, respectively. The attacker has an 87% chance to abort, and
the  defender  a 13%. If neither aborts, the attacker flies on. If both abort,
the mission is over. If only the defender aborts, the attacker will fly on  to
the  next sector in his flight path (perhaps to have combat again) If only the
attacker aborts, the defender flies home with the  knowledge  of  a  job  well
done.

ABM's  ABM's  do  not  use  the  normal combat procedure. They simply have a %
chance of destroying an incoming warhead equal to their defensive value.

If you have land units in the enemy plane's target  sector,  your  plane  will
intercept  the  enemy  planes  AGAIN.  If  you have non-sub ships in the enemy
plane's target sector, your planes will intercept them yet again. If  you  own
the  target  sector,  and have ships & units there, your planes will therefore
intercept them a total of three times in that sector. Note that a 'target sec-
tor'  is a sector that is the target of a bombing or para mission. Merely hav-
ing ships in a sector will not cause interception of planes flying over.

SEE ALSO
   Plane-types, plane, fly, recon, bomb, range, Planes, Missions

