MOD:WCU:AboutTimingOfWC3

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Wing Commander 3 timing analysis

Wing Commander 3 begins after the loss of the Concordia (2669.174) and the victory
at Morpheus (2669.180), but before the victory at Tamayo (2669.225), of course.
But we don't know the exact date. However we know it ends with the destruction of
Kilrah with the Temblor bomb (2669.267). We will therefore count jumps and missions
between Tamayo and Kilrah to obtain a finer grained timeline, then project the time
backwards to the beginning of WC3. Let's recount the events of WC3 from Tamayo.
Next to each mission I indicate nav point count and recommended ship:
  • TCS Victory enters Tamayo
    • Defend TCS Victory (all happens near TCS Victory)(Arrow)
    • Destroy force heading for Tamayo 2 (nav 1, nav 2, back to Victory)(Excalibur)
    • Defeat Flash (nav 1, back to Vic)(Arrow)
  • TCS Victory enters Locanda
    • Clear out Kilrathi forces at designated Nav points (nav 1, 2, 3, 4, Vic)(Arrow/TB)
    • Intercept and destroy warheads heading for Locanda IV (nav 1...)(TB)
    • Find Flint and bring her home (..., 4, Vic)(TB)
  • TCS Victory enters Blackmane
    • Defend Blackmane Base (nav 1, back to Vic)(no recs; let's assume Hellcat)
    • Rendezvous with convoys and escort them to Blackmane (nav 1, 2, Vic)
    • Rendezvous with weapons convoy and escort it to Blackmane (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)
  • TCS Victory enters Ariel system
    • Patrol Nav points and ensure no Kilrathi survive (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(LB)
    • Patrol Nebula and ensure no Kilrathi survive (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(TB)
    • Get Victory to the Jump Point (nav 1, 2, Vic)(Say Hellcat)
  • TCS Victory enters Caliban system
    • Destroy all enemy forces inside the Nebula (nav 1, 2, Vic)(Arrow)
    • Prevent Kilrathi from leaving the nebula (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Hellcat?)
    • Escort Victory to the jump point (nav 1, Vic)(TB)
  • TCS Victory enters Torgo system
    • Scramble : Protect the Behemoth (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Arrow)
    • Drop at least two mines at each of the four Nav points (nav 1, 2, 3, 4, Vic)(LB)
    • Disable three fuel transports (nav 1, Vic)(Say Hellcat)
  • TCS Victory enters Loki system
    • Patrol Loki system and destroy all Kilrathi (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Hellcat)
    • Defend the Behemoth (all happens around Vic)(Arrow)
    • Defend the Behemoth again (nav 1, Vic)(Arrow)
  • (in Heart of the Tiger, TCS Victory enters Blackmane from Loki, then goes to Freya. I'll go with the game, rather than the book, as rescuing Dr. Severin happens in Alcor, and for timing purposes we want to follow the game flow, rather than a book-writer who may have been less concerned than game writers about time.)
  • TCS Victory enters Alcor system
    • Scramble : Destroy incoming forces (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Arrow)
    • Scramble : Destroy incoming forces (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(TB)
    • Kill Hobbes (optional) (nav 1, Vic)(Hellcat)
    • (on failure) Destroy Alcor 5's defenses (nav 1, 2, 3, 5, Vic)(Excalibur)
  • TCS Victory enters Freya system
    • Destroy Kilrathi presence at each Nav point (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Excal)
    • Destroy planet based shield generator (nav 1, 4 (atmo), 6, Vic)(Excal)
    • Defend jump point (nav 1, Vic)(Excal)
  • TCS Victory enters Hyperion system
    • Test the Temblor bomb (nav 1, 2, 3, 4 (atmo), 5, Vic)(Excal)
    • Destroy all Kilrathi presence (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Excal)
    • Jump to Kilrah system and land on first supply depot (nav 1, jump, depot 1)(Excal)
    • Fly to second supply depot and load the T-Bomb (nav 1, 2, 3, depot 2)(Excal)
    • Fly to Kilrah, find a fault, fire T-Bomb (nav 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (atmo), Vic)(Excal)
For timing purposes I will use an abstract (for now) unit of time, representing the
time it takes an Excalibur to fly between 2 Nav points without using afterburner, that is
at 500 kps. Then I'll adjust for the recommended ship's speed relative to an Excal.
Ship          spd.  norm.spd.  norm.time/nav
Excalibur    500 kps    1.00      1.00
Arrow        520 kps    1.04      0.96
Hellcat      420 kps    0.84      1.19
Longbow      320 kps    0.64      1.56
Thunderbolt  380 kps    0.76      1.32
I will also count a mission outside the carrier as 1 nav point's time, and each
carrier jump as one fighter's nav point travel time unit.
Also, flying to nav points in atmos counts as 2 nav flights; and the stop at
depot 2 in Kilrah's moon gets an extra flight count, as they have to manually
unload missiles and load the T-bomb. The timing line under each mission shows
number of nav point flight count units, x normizited time for the preferred
ship for the mission, = time (in abstract units for now), followed by cumulative
time between brackets. Here's then the time analysis:

* TCS Victory enters Tamayo
** Defend TCS Victory (all happens near TCS Victory)(Arrow)
1 x 0.96 = 0.96  [0.00] +  0.00 = 2669.225 victory at Tamayo
2669.225: (counting begins here, really)
           1.00  [1.00] +  0.31
** Destroy force heading for Tamayo 2 (nav 1, nav 2, back to Victory)(Excalibur)
3 x 1.00 = 3.00  [3.00] +  0.94 = 2669.226 (0.94 comes from multiplying [3.00] by 0.31336)
** Defeat Flash (nav 1, back to Vic)(Arrow)
2 x 0.96 = 1.92  [4.92] +  1.54
* TCS Victory enters Locanda
           1.00  [5.92] +  1.86 = 2669.227
** Clear out Kilrathi forces at designated Nav points (nav 1, 2, 3, 4, Vic)(TB)
5 x 1.32 = 6.60 [12.52] +  3.92 = 2669.229
** Intercept and destroy warheads heading for Locanda IV (nav 1...)(TB)
1 x 1.32 = 1.32 [13.84] +  4.34 = 2669.229 Locanda destroyed by bio weapons
** Find Flint and bring her home (..., 4, Vic)(TB)
2 x 1.32 = 2.64 [16.48] +  5.16 = 2669.230
* 2669.230: TCS Victory enters Blackmane
           1.00 [17.48] +  
** Defend Blackmane Base (nav 1, back to Vic)(no recs; let's assume Hellcat)
2 x 1.19 = 2.38 [19.86] +  
** Rendezvous with convoys and escort them to Blackmane (nav 1, 2, Vic)
3 x 1.19 = 3.57 [23.43] +  
** Rendezvous with weapons convoy and escort it to Blackmane (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)
4 x 1.19 = 4.76 [28.19] +  8.83 = ...
* 2669.234: TCS Victory enters Ariel system
           1.00 [29.19] +
** Patrol Nav points and ensure no Kilrathi survive (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(LB)
4 x 1.56 = 6.24 [35.43] +  
** Patrol Nebula and ensure no Kilrathi survive (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(TB)
4 x 1.32 = 5.28 [40.71] +  
** Get Victory to the Jump Point (nav 1, 2, Vic)(Say Hellcat)
3 x 1.19 = 3.57 [44.28] +  
* TCS Victory enters Caliban system
           1.00 [45.28] +  
** Destroy all enemy forces inside the Nebula (nav 1, 2, Vic)(Arrow)
3 x 0.96 = 2.88 [48.16] +  
** Prevent Kilrathi from leaving the nebula (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Hellcat?)
4 x 1.19 = 4.76 [52.92] +  
** Escort Victory to the jump point (nav 1, Vic)(TB)
2 x 1.32 = 2.64 [55.56] +  
* TCS Victory enters Torgo system
           1.00 [56.56] +  17.72 = ...
** 2669.243: Scramble : Protect the Behemoth (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Arrow)
4 x 0.96 = 3.84 [60.40] +  
** Drop at least two mines at each of the four Nav points (nav 1, 2, 3, 4, Vic)(LB)
5 x 1.56 = 7.80 [68.20] +  
** Disable three fuel transports (nav 1, Vic)(Say Hellcat)
2 x 1.19 = 2.38 [70.58] +  
* TCS Victory enters Loki system
           1.00 [71.58] +  
** Patrol Loki system and destroy all Kilrathi (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Hellcat)
4 x 1.19 = 4.76 [76.34] +  
** Defend the Behemoth (all happens around Vic)(Arrow)
1 x 0.96 = 0.96 [77.30] +  
** Defend the Behemoth again (nav 1, Vic)(Arrow)
2 x 0.96 = 1.92 [79.22] +  24.82 = 2669.250 Behemoth lost
* TCS Victory enters Alcor system
           1.00 [80.22] +  
** Scramble : Destroy incoming forces (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Arrow)
4 x 0.96 = 3.84 [84.06] +  
** Scramble : Destroy incoming forces (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(TB)
4 x 1.32 = 5.28 [89.34] +  
** Kill Hobbes (optional) (nav 1, Vic)(Hellcat)
2 x 1.19 = 2.38
** (on failure) Destroy Alcor 5's defenses (nav 1, 2, 3, 5, Vic)(Excalibur)
5 x 1.00 = 5.00
Average  = 3.69 [93.03] +  29.15 = 2669.254 Hobbes killed
* TCS Victory enters Freya system
           1.00 [94.03] +  
** Destroy Kilrathi presence at each Nav point (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Excal)
4 x 1.00 = 4.00 [98.03] +  
** Destroy planet based shield generator (nav 1, 4 (atmo), 6, Vic)(Excal)
5 x 1.00 = 5.00 [103.0] +  
** Defend jump point (nav 1, Vic)(Excal)
2 x 1.00 = 2.00 [105] +  
* TCS Victory enters Hyperion system
           1.00 [106] +  
** Test the Temblor bomb (nav 1, 2, 3, 4 (atmo), 5, Vic)(Excal)
7 x 1.00 = 7.00 [113] +  35.4 = 2669.260 Temblor bomb test
** Destroy all Kilrathi presence (nav 1, 2, 3, Vic)(Excal)
4 x 1.00 = 4.00 [117] +  
** Jump to Kilrah system and land on first supply depot (nav 1, jump, depot 1)(Excal)
4 x 1.00 = 4.00 [121] +  
** Fly to second supply depot and load the T-Bomb (nav 1, 2, 3, depot 2)(Excal)
5 x 1.00 = 5.00 [126] +  
** Fly to Kilrah, find a fault, fire T-Bomb (nav 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (atmo), Vic)(Excal)
8 x 1.00 = 8.00 [134.03] +  42 = 2669.267 Kilrah destroyed
2669:267 (end)

267-225 = 42;  42/134.03 = 0.31336 days per abstract time unit; or 3.19 units per day.

What can we further infer from that? 

If we assume a typical system having 6 navpoints arranged as a hexagon, the maximum
distance across it is 2 radii. And the radius happens to also be the average distance
between neighboring jump points.
In crossing a system, the entering and exiting jump points can't be the same, so we
can consider the minimum travel to be 1 unit of distance. In a hexagon, there are 2
such possible nearby jumps, 2 intermediates, and 1 diametrically opposite. If we try
to average them, we get (1+1+1.4+1.4+2)/5 = 1.364
1.364 x 0.31336 = 0.427423; and if we add an arbitrary 0.072577 for the time spent
through the jump-point, we get 0.5 days... meaning that, at a speed of 500 we could
expect to jump 2 systems per day. In other words, 1 system jump per day at 250 kps.

Notice that this agrees EXACTLY with our earlier calculation for the purpose of timing Privateer/RF... See: MOD:WCU:AboutPrivRFtimelines

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