[##:##] Command : sweep <PLANES> <ESCORTS> <SECT> route|destination
The sweep command is used to sweep sea mines from the sectors along the route.
<PLANES> represents a list of planes which are to perform the mine-sweeping mission. Only planes with capability sweep and sufficient mobility, based in a sector stocked with petrol, will be successfully selected for the mission.
<ESCORTS> represent a list of fighter planes which are capable of escorting the transports all the way to the target. To be selected, escorts must have fuel and mobility.
<SECT> represents an assembly point, where all of the planes in the mission meet before proceeding on to the target sector. The assembly point must be owned by you or an ally, or you or an ally must have a ship there. It must not be more than four sectors away from any of the planes selected for the mission.
Route is a normal empire path specification. You may also give a destination sector on the command line, or at any time while giving the route, and empire will use the best path from the current sector to the desired destination sector.
When getting a path interactively, empire will show you the information you have (from your bmap) concerning the current area, to help plot your course.
Information given by sweep/recon is not totally accurate.
Sweep missions can be intercepted just like any other mission. See info Intercept.
If the destination sector is not an airport, then all planes in the mission must have V/STOL capability.
Planes will automatically attempt to sweep sea mines in sea sectors they overfly. Their chance of sweeping is (100-acc), and they can only sweep 1 mine per overflight of the sector.
The planes will additionally gather intelligence, just like they do on a recon mission. See info recon.
Note that a plane must be at least 40% efficient before it can leave the ground.
See also : Plane-types , bomb , fly , paradrop , drop , recon , Planes