Scherezad
Revenent Defence Corperation
Ishuk-Raata Enforcement Directive
1710
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Posted - 2014.04.22 17:21:00 -
[1] - Quote
With regards to the timing and deployment window of the brave defenders of Shiigeru, The detection and deployment was almost certainly an automated process. My specialty is pattern detection algorithm development, so I feel a little more confident in commenting on this topic than I would normally.
Detection of the window event could have been done in two ways - detection of the Federal message-passing involved in opening the deployment window, or detection of the window opening itself. Likely both of these techniques were used. The former would have been accomplished through interception of communication streams somewhere within the CONCORD jamming network - likely at the jamming hardware itself, distributed throughout the system. These likely used a randomized staggered-sawtooth polling pattern such as is seen in SCSS router controllers.
The latter would use cloaked sensing stations throughout Federal space, in the target system and in systems from which ships would be suspected of deployment. These would use a similar polling pattern to test cyno viability through microsingularity formation. Given the nature of the task, I suspect that these would be manned operations with strict no-capture orders. Once detected by either process, the cyno signal would be passed back to waiting deployables through a secured fluid router network, which would automatically trigger the jump. No doubt the Federal attackers started jumping as soon as the cynosural fields dropped below the jamming threshold, and the jammers were immediately reactivated as soon as the clock ticked over the reflex period.
Reasons for assuming a computer-controlled deployment are numerous. The largest of these is the very small window. The Federal attackers had the luxury of choosing the window size, and no doubt chose one as small as possible to prevent a large Caldari response. Given that they did not have the lag from state detection or message passing, they had a much larger opening and could pass jump orders to a larger group. To ensure as large a defensive deployment as possible, the Caldari needed to reduce that lag as much as possible. Adding the human decision system in would have reduced the window to the point where the entire thing could have easily been missed.
Notably, the crews of the Federal ships would be prepared for the assault and could more easily maintain a state of readiness for the engagement. The Caldari had no knowledge of the deployment and had to maintain readiness for a much longer period. No doubt there were several squadrons ready to jump, each staggering high and low alertness. The requirement for a prolonged state of high readiness is exhausting for commanders and would have almost certainly resulted in a missed or deficient window.
Relying on human systems in time-critical situations is an investment in disaster. Better to put your stock into good detection algorithms and worry about preparation instead.
((This statement is officially endorsed by Lai Dai Research Biomedical and Cybernetic)) |