# Building Realistic Mobility Models for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
## 5 Battlefield Simulation Model
### Producing the Battlefield Model Using Timemaps
#### 5.6.2 Use of Timemaps  
Timemaps is a graphical application that is originally written to aid in the teaching of history and, in particular, the evolvement of features or events over time. A Timemap consists of a set of objects representing fixed items, such as buildings and movable items, such as army units. Timemaps allows a bitmap image to be imported as a drawing guide, enabling the user to accurately represent real-world objects, such as buildings, within the program. It incorporates a clock with a changeable granularity, which covers a time period ranging from a few seconds to many years. The progress of a battle is modelled showing the movements of units over any period. Timemaps works on a cartoon animation principle, where objects (in this case, soldiers) can be placed at certain times, and their movements in the interim are interpolated. The interpolations are generally straight lines, so each soldier in this model has to be placed at each point where they change direction. For example, as they enter a room, there is a need to understand the tactical movements of soldiers in the operation in detail. Their movements between these points are then filled in by Timemaps. Due to the fact that each fixed point for each node has a timestamp associated with it, the overall timing of the operation could be accurately completed in the initial setup of the model. Additionally, the movements between points could be appropriately timed to give realistic node speeds. Figures 4-6 show the Timemaps model for this example at three stages during the operation: the start, partway through, and the end. Figure 3 depicts a building, which is a model of the real building. Each small square represents one soldier. On the screen, each fire team has a different colour, allowing the movements of each group of soldiers to be followed easily. Figure 4 shows the Timemaps animation screen at the start of the operation. The first fire team, coloured black in the display, is proceeding down the stairs from the floor above. This team will first secure the stairwell, thus ensuring the safe entry of the remaining soldiers. Figure 4: Start of the Operation. Note: each black square—each soldier in first fire team. Each square represents one soldier. Each fire team is represented by different colour. Their progress through the operation can be seen in Figures 5 and 6. The black squares represent the first fire team, shown at the start of the operation in Figure 4. The first fire team is in a position on the upper stairwell, ready to take control of the stairs to this floor. Figure 5 shows the position of the soldiers after one minute into the operation. Fire teams have secured the stairs (the team colored black in the figure), Rooms 203 (off the stairwell--the blue team), 205 (off the lift hall--cleared by the brown team, who then go on to secure the front of the lift hall), 200 (grey team), and 201 (green team). The remainder of lift hall has also been cleared and secured by the cyan fire team. The soldiers can be seen in the appropriate locations in the rooms that have been secured, as dictated by the tactics given in the army training manuals. Other fire teams can be seen proceeding along the corridor, entering Room 209 (light cyan), moving through the lift hall (light green), and coming down the stairs to join the operation (light red and light magenta). Figure 6 shows the end of the operation, where all the fire teams are in position holding their targets. Most rooms are held by a full team of four, but smaller rooms only require one or two soldiers,  
Figure 5: Partway through the operation. Figure 6: The end of the operation. with the remaining fire teams securing the corridors. The text is included on the animation screen to show the progress of the battle. As each room is cleared, it is indicated on the screen, and so is the blowing of mouse holes.