[Baron Munchausen]

Well, yes, they do need to be much improved. SE IV 'strategies' are actually NOT strategies. They are just single decision flags that only give us control over a part of the single hard-coded strategy that all ships have. When a ship has been given 'maximum weapon range' as a strategy for example, it will decide what to do based on whatever weapon is current available (ready to fire) rather than its maximum weapon range so it will not stay out at maximum missile range if you give it any beam weapons. We need true strategies that the ships will really follow consistently not just access to a few flags to influence some of the decisions in the single hard-coded strategy.

Also, we need different types of strategies. All of the 'strategies' available in SE IV are based on targetting (in other words, there is only ONE strategy). Some ships should NOT be targetting and attacking other ships, even in combat, NOR running away (trying to avoid being targetted). Escorts, for example, should stick with the ship they have been assigned to escort. Moving to attack is contrary to their intended strategy, and also running away is contrary to their intended strategy. This cannot be done at all on SE IV. If we have a properly implemented 'range of vision' in tactical combat (and a large enough combat map to make it matter) there will also be need for a 'scout' strategy. A 'scout' will want to get close enough to see the enemy and broadcast data back to the main fleet, but NOT get close enough to fire or be fired on.