From: Mikko Kurki-Suonio <maxxon@s...>
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 23:33:52 +0300 (EEST)
Subject: First comments on The Interception Challenge(tm)
Laserlight: Please, do the math if you plan to submit that. Also, no points
equivalence was called for. If you find a solution that depends on
e.g. A having ten times the points/ships B has, submit it. But you must
do
the math and give hard figures (and/or free variables), but you can't
assume that any single one of A's ships is better than B's ("If A can fly it,
so can B").
Roger: Please re-read the rules. Trivial solutions are not accepted.
Brian: The idea behind the 20 turn limit is that if you are that close to C,
the defenses C has start to come into play turning this effectively into a
raid against C, not an intercept against B. If it helps your thinking, assume
C is a VERY VERY powerful, but immobile base. The very
idea of intercepting something is to stop/divert it *before* it gets
where it wants to go.
Matthew: Very good. Work on it. As a clarification, though, B plans to stop at
C, so vector is not a completely dead cause.
KH: Please re-read the rules. "A must be able to *stay* within weapon
range". So it would be your case 3. However, if no one is able to come up
with that, the best "drive-by" solutions are considered.
Oh, and btw: If anyone is serious about taking up the challenge, I will
gladly examine your proposals and offer comments -- but I cannot archive
intermediate versions! So keep the entire text of the final truth on *your*
disk safe and sound.
Also, anyone else brave enough to chip in the prize purse is welcome. I won't
be submitting mýself and Jon will probably be more than happy to arrange for
the actual prize, so no need to fear I engineered this just to rip off
someone.