Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

what is with this strategic combat lark? I have tried it on my first SE IV game but everything blitzes around so darned fast you dont seem to be able to influence it in any way. Also, various threads seem to say there is a playback mechanism but I cant find that anywhere - can someone please tell me what this strategic combat bit is?

one more question, what do the explore and sentry buttons do - given that you can see the whole system as soon as you enter it, the explore doesn't seem any use - I am not sure what the purpose of the sentry is either as it doesnt seem to make any difference

Any assistance or sarcastic remarks greatly appreciated

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

OK: Strategic combat - no you can't influence it when battle has commenced. You have to influence it in advance by designing your ships properly and giving them formations / strategies which suit their designs, what you think you're up against and how you want to fight. It's a whole other way of playing.
I prefer tactical but if you play by email (PBEM) or by web (PBW) you have to use strategic - tactical is not available.

I reckon you'll get a lot of replies on this topic=-)

Give a ship the explore command and it will automatically seek out unexplored systems. That simple.

Sentry. GIving a ship "sentry" status doesn't actually *do* anything, but it puts an order into the ship's order queue. This is useful, becasue it allows you to differentiate between ships doing nothing and waiting for new orders and ships doing nothing but guarding an important position. In other words, when you click through your ships using the "next ship with no orders" button, "sentry" ships will be skipped.

Does that make sense? Doubt it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[ 19 December 2001: Message edited by: dogscoff ]</p>

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

I reckon you'll get a lot of replies on this topic=-)

hope so, only way us SE IV virgins will learn anything if reading lots of threads, picking up tips from you guys and being whomped by the Phong (who came up with that name? sounds like someone chewing a sock)

good point, I need to pay far more attention to the strategies section for fleets, especially as I go missile heavy on ships and need to put in that 'engage at maximum range' option

explore button - good call and many thanks, likewise on the sentry button - havn't found the 'next ship with no orders' button yet but can definately see the use.

Cheers for responding

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>
and being whomped by the Phong
<hr></blockquote>

Well, until you start playing against the Rage, the Vikings and the Aquileans anyway=-)

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>
good point, I need to pay far more attention to the strategies section for fleets, especially as I go missile heavy on ships and need to put in that 'engage at maximum range' option
<hr></blockquote>

Well, you can get away with ignoring it as long as you only use tactical. I don't play much multiplayer so I'm still not too good with strategic yet.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>
havn't found the 'next ship with no orders' button yet but can definately see the use.
<hr></blockquote>

I don't know where it is either, I do everything the hard way=-) Like most of the SEIV knowledge I dispense on this forum, it's something I learned rfom someone else's post http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>
Cheers for responding
<hr></blockquote>
Well, us UK players have to stick together. Besides, us crusty old forum dogs like to compete and see who can get in first with an answer to newbie questions. Being one of the only regular posters in a European time zone gives me a distinct advantage= http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[ 19 December 2001: Message edited by: dogscoff ]</p>

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

Well, us UK players have to stick together. Besides, us crusty old forum dogs like to compete and see who can get in first with an answer to newbie questions. Being one of the only regular posters in a European time zone gives me a distinct advantage=

Fair comment, maybe we need to set up a PBW/PBEM SE IV Version of 'Jeux sans Frontieres' so that us players on this side of the pond can challenge and take on the US/Canadian/South American players

Beware, give me another month on this game and I might end up as a crusty old forum dog as well!

Seen a couple of other threads on strategic battles which are good, question Dogscoff - on tactical battles, do you tend to clear all group assignments and go ship by ship - seems the best way forward but a pain in la derriere when you've got 20 ships (and fighters) in a fleet

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Growltigga:
havn't found the 'next ship with no orders' button yet but can definately see the use.<hr></blockquote>

The button itself is at the upper right corner--there's a little ship with a left and right arrow on either side. Or, because it's quick and easy, you can just use the space bar. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Eric/LL
PBW UI Guy

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

In this game everyone has their own style, in Tactical, if your ships are far apart, you can use the quick tac combat button, go to options in tactical combat screen click on it, until your ships get close or within range, then its really up to you, be sure to go back and turn off quick button unless that is what you want to do, I usually move fast until close to combat range, then clear orders and move individually if good size fleet engage, if I outnumber them, I check their stats and if I feel I outgun them, go to fast combat, otherwise I like to move and fight each ship, slower but far more enjoyable, my opinion, this is the way I do it, it doesn't mean that's what everyone does, each of us has own likes/preferences/styles, best way see is experiment until you see which you prefer. Also you can use the "E" button (hold down) on computer to end tac combat sequence fast instead of going thru full 30 turns.

just some ideas mac http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

thanks mac

which is the quick tac button - I have seen the auto button but cant seem to switch this off once I turn it on - which is a right pain up the jacksy when your ships start doing daft things and get blown apart

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

Some people find it too easy to beat the AI races in Tactical Combat, so they voluntarily limit themselves to Strategic for more of a challenge.

The playback is accessed from the (F10) Log screen; click on the message "Combat in &lt;system&gt;", which lists the results, then click the Combat Replay button. (Note this is not the same thing as the Replay Movement button on the main screen in simultaneous games, which tends to do odd things if you use it.)

The (E) Explore command will send the ship through the nearest unexplored warp point. This can lead to a nasty surprise if you don't notice that the nearest unexplored warp point is one that does damage.

The (Y) Sentry command will let the ship stay where it is until an enemy ship enters the system, which clears the order. You can't put a ship on Sentry if there's already an enemy in the system, or if the ship is low on supplies.

Another way to end tactical combat faster is Orders/Resolve Combat. You should be able to turn Auto off; it only executes one turn at a time, IIRC. Unless you've put the formation leader on Auto and don't have any other ships that aren't in the formation and still on manual; that might be why you couldn't stop it.

[ 19 December 2001: Message edited by: capnq ]</p>

Re: Strategic combat - a couple of Newby questions
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Growltigga:
Seen a couple of other threads on strategic battles which are good...<hr></blockquote>

Was this a question? If so, here are a couple...

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...23&t=003931&p=

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...23&t=003805&p=