Barnacle Bill:
Yes, I have a tendancy to want to make the game have Naval traits too.
But SE4 has some fundamental differences from the Wet Navy . The most glaring would be that large ships can usually achieve the same speeds as small one (and more efficiently). Not until BBs do they start to slow down.
Smaller ships sacrifice a far greater capability to achieve speed 6 than large ones in SE4 which is quite the opposite of water based BBs and BCs vs CLs and DDs. 60kt of engines propels a FG or a BC at speed 6 but its a SIGNIFICANTLY higher percentage of the ship mass on the smaller hulls. There is little trade-off in making your ships faster. A 10kt differnce in other components in negligible. Personally, I liked the older SE3 model where it took more engines to propel the larger ships or the Starfire model where the larger ship's engines were simply bigger.
So the upshot of all of this is that you only see speed 6 ships until tech allows them to go higher through better engines and/or solar sails. And even at that the progression will be similar between players. So, for the most part, all ships will be the same speed. Given that, the disengagement rules wont work as everyone is going the same speed (roughly).
Even assuming it DID work correctly, would you really want 'raiders' being able to move around behind you at will? I know I wouldnt and it opens all kinds of cans of worms. Certain techs and trees would be so absolutely critical that players are pigeon-holed in their choices. IMO, that is bad as it makes all games feel the same when you are forced into researching the same items game after game in order to compete.
Of course a system COULD be implemented that could handle all of this, but it certainly isnt in place and adding a forgiving retreat would be very bad without significant change to the game mechanics and tech tree. Again, this is something that I just dont see happening in the near future if ever. So, IMO, a retreat system should stay out until/if the mechanics are capable of handling CORRECTLY. As usual, I dont see that it could hurt having it as an option for players who really want to give it a try or who want to mod their techs to allow for it.
ColdSteel:
Yes, SE4 and MOO2, while similar, definately have varying dynamics and interactions. Small ships could barely hurt a world in MOO2, but a few Frigates can easily glass a planet in SE4. That makes it an attacker's game and if you prevent the ability of the defender to intercept the enemy, it becomes much like the 'Mutually Assured Destruction' of the Nuclear Age..ie both player simply fly around and vaporize each other's econs while evading the enemy fleets.
So far, this has been a great discussion and I've enjoyed it very much. I hope that we have given SG and MM some interesting food for thought and that at the very least, an initiative system grows out of it.
Thanx,
Talenn