Re: AI in FT (was Re: Be gentle...)

[snip]
>
>In the books Antares Dawn/Antares Passage by Michael McCollum:
>
>They use newtonian movement for the movement of the ships, and basic
>combat maneuver is where the two forces run past each other.  Usually
>the ships are moving so fast, that there is no way any human gunner
>could hit anything.  They just program their combat computers to open
up
>at the instant the target is in position.
>
>Donald HOsford

Same sort of theory used in Poul Anderson's THE STAR FOX (great book!)
and
the C.J.Cherryh "Merchanter" series (Downbelow Station etc) - both have
space combat consisting (mainly) of the single pass at very high
relative
velocities, with a frantic blast of computer-controlled firing at the
moment of optimum range, then ages (hours, days, weeks??!) of maneuver
to
come round for the next pass, provided one protagonist hasn't been
vapourised the first time!
Could be simulated as an interesting tactical game (probably map/board
based?) but not very FT!!

Jon (GZG)