[TerranC]

Originally posted by Grandpa Kim:
The alternation of one empire fires and moves then the other empire always did seem a little extreme to me. How about alternation by ship. Initiative could be resolved by speed, experience etc. This would make a big difference in large fleet engagements where it really matters, but would make no difference one on one. I do still think the defender at a warp point battle should have an advantage; perhaps a bonus to each ship/unit's initiative.

Unfortunately, this is all just wishful thinking. I doubt Aaron would ever do this.

that's not the question: the real question is COULD he do that?

And Also, the idea of a permanently ready-and-able fleet is lost to me:

A fleet has been stationed over a warp point for 60 turns.
It's orders are to destroy any unidentifiable ship coming through it.
The fleet has been drilling and running continous sweeps of the warp point to see if anybody is coming through.
Nobody has come through for 5 Terran Years (60 turns).

And then, bam, a fleet comes through.

There should be a penalty because in a situation like that since the crew will not run continuous drills for 5 years under the circumstances, and even if it did, the surprise would still leave the defenders finding their jaw.

That creates 2 options:

1. Keep the fleet on a short patrol perimeter along the warp point. although some ships may go through, there is no disadvantage, with the continuous able stance. The defending fleet may even have an advantage as the crew now has the whole drill in their heads: a result of 5 year patrol.

2. Keep the fleet on the warp point. NO ships would get through without you/the fleet commander knowing about it, but they suffer disadvantages, with idleness.

The "idleness" penalty would come when:

A Ship/fleet has been sitting active in a sector for more than 25 turns.
A Ship/fleet has not recieved any orders in 25 turns.
A Ship/fleet has not recieved any reinforcements in 25 turns.
A Ship/fleet has not encountered any of their ship/friendly ships/fleets *encountered=being in the same sector* for 25 turns.

Mines and satellites will have a more workload, since they don't recieve idleness.
Fighter squadrons also recieve idleness, but for 2 turns.
Freighters and bases do not recieve idleness.

Shore-leave is now a new scrap menu item: where the ship is under a semi-mothballing where it's ship maintenence is reduced by 75 percent, and that it does NOT destroy ship experience. The crew after a shore leave will not be affected by idleness for 50 turns.

Planets with spaceports/resupply depots/space yards have the option to perform shore leave.

As soon as you start to temper a shoreleave ship with other scrap options except scrap and analyze, the ship turns mothballed, and cannot be unmothballed for 5 turns.

Scrap and Analyze is turned off for a ship that is shore leaving.

shore leave is only allowed after 20 turn service, only Lasts 1 turn, and after shoreleaving does not recieve shoreleave for 20 turns.

You cannot turn off shoreleave, it turns itself after 1 turn, you may put an extended leave for an experienced ship that Lasts 5 turns, a shoreleave automatically terminates with the presence of an enemy ship/s and cannot be turned on with the presence of enemy ships.