[Puke]

I think the simulator has more bugs than actual strategic combat does. I have not had problems with fleets obeying orders in strategic combat, its just that fleet orders always override individual ship orders. heck, the simulator cant even model orbital defenses, it sticks them on the other side of the map.

If you are trying to mount a complex planetary assault, sometimes it is best to bring the fleets in with orders to sit outside range and only fire on fighters or ships with weapons. then once you are in orbit, break up the fleet so that ships that need specific orders can do their own thing (ie: your ships with nothing but armor and PD can charge the planet and soak up fire, missile ships can sit at max range and unload, capital weapon ships can be ordered to target defense bases first, then fire on the planet if it has any weapons left, and your troop transport can lumber in for the big landing)

what would be *nice* (like not-gonna-happen nice, but maybe in se5) is if the simulator let you simulate an entire system. you could place defenses (including mines) at a planet, and actually simulate a few turns in that system, giving orders to both sides. that would let you model acceptable losses for your fleet plowing through a minefield, and destroying a smaller colony on the way to the main objective. you could simulate your ships ariving on the scene having already sustained the damage that you would reasonably expect them to have taken.

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"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)