I guess there won't be some kind of convenient library like there is for physics in driving games that I could just use to take care of everything?
My trouble already begins with the launch.
- I'm assuming small missiles achieve aerodynamic flight right out of the launcher (their acceleration is huge), so these can go right over to the targeting phase.
- Manned rockets seem to be launched vertically and have an acceleration phase during which they are unstable (being prevented from falling over by thrust vectoring) - is that the case with larger missiles like ICBMs, too? Are there any big missiles that are launched at an angle?
Next is targeting:
- How does a missile hit a certain position on the ground? Probably, there is a cruise phase where the missile climbs to and holds a certain height, but at some point, it has to dive to the target. If the missile was capable of instantaneous direction changes, I could calculate the point where the dive begins given the desired angle of impact, but the direction change will hardly be that abrupt.
- It gets even more difficult for missiles designed to intercept other missiles. If I have an object's position, direction & velocity, it's probably possible to calculate the direction a missile needs to travel in order to hit the target given an initial position and constant velocity. Any got such a formula or links to it?
I'm not aiming for total realism, I just want it to look good ;)