Turret damage
where:
Ts = Transversal Speed
R = Range to Target
Tt = Turret Tracking
Ts = Turret Signature Resolution (the s
Sr = Target Signature Radius
Or = Turret Optimal Range
F = Turret Falloff
Gosh. Assuming we're not all working this equation in our heads, what can we usefully learn from it?
To paraphrase Oli Geist, this can be abstracted to:
Chance to hit = 0.5 ^ (tracking term + range term).
General
Remember that anything to the 0th power = 1, so you'll always hit if (tracking+range) = 0. (1 is 100%.) Also remember that for any number 'x' < 1, the value of x^y approaches zero as y increases. Since 0.5 is less than one, we'd like the value of (tracking + range) to be as low as possible for better hits.
Range
So what can we do to maximize hits? Well, the range term becomes zero if we're at or under our turret's optimal range. It goes to 1 at (optimal + falloff), to 4 at (optimal + 2* falloff), and to 9 at (optimal + 3* falloff). 0.5^4 is 0.0625, or a 6.25% chance of hitting a large stationary target at that range. 0.5^9 is 0.002, or a 2/1000 chance of hitting. Good luck with that. So we can say that any range over (optimal + falloff) is very sketchy, and staying at or near optimal is good. No surprises here.
Tracking
What about tracking? Well, if traversal speed = 0, the tracking term evaluates to zero. So getting your target to come straight at you is super if you can do it. If he won't do that, the best way to minimize this term is some combination of: keep the target at longer range, lower the traversal speed, increase your turret's tracking speed, and/or increase the target's signature radius. That's range, webs, tracking computers, and target painters, in concrete terms. You can also choose 'keep at range' on a target to minimize the traversal -- though bear in mind that your target will be able to hit you more easily, too. Note that as range gets smaller, approaching 0, the tracking term inflates toward infinity if there's any traversal speed at all -- so your chance to hit plummets toward zero.
Tracking Examples
coming soon
References:
