Searchlights what is the propose?

[Dili]

Searchlight device is in game a type of ground radar(without air search mode so can't detect airplanes) with a range of 0, accuracy of 2, effect of 1. They probably help somewhat detect surface ships but is that the reason they exist?

[Dili]

Ok after Google search it seems to be only a load cost sink , check Symon post tm.asp?m=3344813&mpage=1&key=&#3345440

[el cid again]

Searchlights as radar on ships hunt ships - particularly at night.
Searchlights as radar in land units hunt airplanes - particularly
at night. Actually they work all the time, but increase detection
chances regardless of darkness or daylight.

[szmike]

el cid forgot to sell.... erm, tell you it works in RHS [;)] otherwise it's as Symon says. If you look at database - electronics, its effect is negligible and I don't know what range 0k means for code, if it's multiplier, then good luck making it to work. Regardless, it doesn't work for any practical purposes.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: szmike

el cid forgot to sell.... erm, tell you it works in RHS [;)] otherwise it's as Symon says. If you look at database - electronics, its effect is negligible and I don't know what range 0k means for code, if it's multiplier, then good luck making it to work. Regardless, it doesn't work for any practical purposes.

Then RHS is misusing the device.

Within the existing game code, no searchlight should provide any detection assistance. Their only purpose is to increase an LCUs load cost and thereby make transportation of that unit more difficult. They should never be found on any ship.

Alfred

[SheperdN7]

Wouldn't a searchlight in nighttime naval combat be more of a detriment than a bonus? All it does is show the other side where you are constantly and precisely.

[el cid again]

0 k means zero thousands of yards - the value of the field is expressed
in k yards I guess

a searchlight probably should have a range as a device
I would suggest 16 = 8 nautical miles - the distance to
the horizon for a hull up ship. Or 8 = 4 nautical miles -
as a 'practical night spotting range" (die rolls will
account for it not working all the time)

The stock data is a 10% per device detection rate

[Alfred]

There should be no reliance on die rolls as they will not guarantee 100% non participation in the combat algorithms.
 
Searchlights are not supposed to be present at all in any scenario.  They are not a proper radar device and their presence in any scenario with any input data allocated to the searchlight device (other than load cost) will skewer the combat algorithms.
 
With current code it is impossible to accommodate the historical role of searchlights within the game.  No modder can alter this fact.  No modder has precise knowledge of or access to  the game code, and therefore they cannot make the searchlight device operation be consistent with the game code.
 
Alfred

[el cid again]

The near total lack of code documentation renders modding an
imprecise art. Searchlights appear in stock. It is somewhat
reasonable to assume there is a reason for that.

My view is that searchlights should not be used if you have
a ship with radar devices, or if it is a non-warship. But
an early pre-radar warship does have some ability to detect
things better at night. Generally I use 'night glasses' for
Japan and searchlights for the Allies. Night glasses come in both
surface and air forms - ships use em to find planes - search
planes use em to find ships. Search lights also probably should
be used with land AA units. Air defense systems were effective
and it was almost impossible to avoid being seen and tracked if
enough of them were present. By far the majority of Allied aircraft
lost to enemy action were lost to AA units. There are problems
in terms of the game AA model - it is a bit too simple. But one
way to make AA more deadly is to give it searchlights - particularly
before radar is available. Modders must make compromises because
they cannot alter algorithms or other code features. Sometimes you
use the wrong tool for the right reason - hoping to achieve a balanced
outcome. Searchlights are not very important in the grand scheme of things.
But why are they in the game if they are never to be used at all? Someone
somewhere put them in.