If the "missile dance" was the only problem, it would probably be just as easy to teach the computer to do it as it would be to implement any of these other ideas. For instance, it seems to me that the "Maximum Range" firing strategy could be tweaked for missile ships so that the computer ends up with ships that start their turns out of firing range, dip in to maximum range, fire, then bob back out. (revert to "Don't get hurt" until a new missile is ready to fire?)
Of course if the object is to get rid of the "dance", as well as the hit and run attacks on bases and satelites, then the solution that would be easiest (not most realistic, just easy) is probably going to be the "Movement point penalty when firing" idea that Talenn proposed at the start of this thread.
Actually, I have to admit that I kind of like the part of the idea that forces large ships to stop moving after they fire, while allowing smaller ships more leeway to dodge around. Of course I'm liable to be a little biased in this regard, I usually like things that let me torment my enemies with fleets of nimble ships that dart here and there too fast for anyone to get a decent lock on.
The difficulty with that is it doesn't really make any sense (no inertia so why should small ships fire any differently than big ones?), and it makes it harder to lay down fire to cover retreats. Not, I suppose, that anything really
needs to make that much sense provided it improves the game-play.
If nothing else, the "Movement point penalty when firing" might mix things up a little. It could make smaller hulls useful for a longer period of time (kind of fun).
What if the penalty only applied to missiles? For instance, what if a ship was allowed to zig and zag as much as it wanted provided all it did was fire beam weapons, but it got hit with a movement point penalty for missile type weapons?
That would let people use energy weapons as they do now, but it would still keep the "missile dance" types of moves from being so easy. In this case, a ship with both types of weapons could start its turn in close firing beam weapons, and end its turn by running as far as it can get before firing missiles.
I think this could work provided missiles only deducted movement points when they were there to deduct, but didn't
require the ship to have movement points in order to fire.
Opinions?