[couslee]

A lot depends on what strategy is best. In my testing/learning game (I have the same questions you do), I have seen some really weird things. Some choices that I feel should work, are useless. A brief example:
the battle:
AI:
2 destroyers with three CSM2 each
Me:
7 Frigates with two CSM1 and one PDC2 each
1 PDC2 only frigate (6 guns).

All ships have the speed except for the PDC frig, which has one less engine.

the battle had to be set up using the patrol function, and at turn start the AI is over a well defended planet, but sends the ships out to attack an undefended planet I captured from it.

Using both optimal range, and maximum range choices for the fleet and default ship strategy, allowed the AI to escape every time. the extra rance of his CSM2 missles meant he could fire and back off and out run all my shots. my PDC2s worked most of the time, but I still took damage with the few that got through. namely because of stupid moves my ships made (strategic combat).

I switched to short range, and destroyed both of his, taking no damage myself. Upon watching the replay tho, they still fired at range 8 and backed up. Not sure how to get them to be a little more aggressive. the battle was still mainly my shots running out of gas, and his getting hit by pdc. but i wonder if the switch caused the two odd sets that the AI ran a full movement up before firing.

I know this don't help much, but at least I saw something different with the short range choice. All i can say is try different ones, and see what works best against different enemy weapons/ships. I am not use to having to change strategies and firing choices and such so often. (thats why I prefer tactical combat.) Maybe this example can help others here to make some more suggestions.

Edit in: the PDC only frigate did a corner run, and provided no cover for the missle ships. grrrr. I want a "brig" component for the captains of the ships that do that. lol

[ January 31, 2003, 21:38: Message edited by: couslee ]