[Tanus]

Davewski - Tactical combat mode where you can input your orders is not currently possible in multiplayer - only single player. As such, the computer deals with all combat already - we're just trying to make it better and smarter for SEV.

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As for what I'd like to see, I must agree with most of what's been said already.

First, with regards to retreats, if your ship is faster, and hasn't been sucked in close to the enemy, it should be able to get away, rather than trapped in corners, as has been said.
As for slower ships able to retreat, this should also be possible so long as you are able to delay the attacking warships long enough for the ship to make its getaway.

For example, it would be worthwhile to place a few escorts with a convoy of colony ships, and if attacked, the escorts would attack and attempt to delay the attacking ships long enough for the colony ships to get enough head start to escape from the attackers. Of course, if the attackers were strong enough to just blow through your escorts, they're not going to be slowed down enough to prevent them catching the fleeing non-combatants.


Secondly, initial 'placement' of ships and bases definitely requires more input. Even if there is not a manual placement option (which would be very nice, and could be set for a fleet when it's created or modified), there needs to be more specific options for where they are located in battle. I just recently had a battle, where I was defending a warp point, and while my mobile defences were enough to win the battle, all of my static, immobile defenses - bases, etc - appeared in the bottom corner of the map and had no chance to fire at all.
Being able to specify that a base is orbiting a planet or defending a warp point would be very helpful in that regard.

Thirdly, I definitely like the idea of either sub-units (Groups of ships that always stay together) and general orders that prevent weaker ships from charging ahead of the main fleet and being slaughtered on their own.