Mine Sweeping Bug???

[Vezzra]

I've encountered something strange: In a PBW game (NGC3) I ordered an attack force of 110 ships that were split into seven fleets to attack a planet with 4 moons (FQM). Every fleet had a minesweeper which could sweep 30 mines, so the total mine sweeping capacity of the attack force should have been 210.

The fleets were starting from the same location, and had the same maximum speed. Movement replay revealed that they entered the sector of the planet the same day, as it should be.

But now something strange happened: Instead of applying the mine sweeping capacity of all 7 minesweepers, only one mine sweeper removed 30 mines. Then the remaining mines hit one fleet which was entirely destroyed (16 ships) . Then the next mine sweeper removed 4 mines, and the rest of the attack force went unharmed.

Looks like the program moved the first fleet, let the mine sweeper of this fleet sweep mines and let the remainig mines hit the fleet. Then the second fleet was moved. Luckily only 4 mines remained, so that the mine sweeper of this fleet could remove them completely.

Now I'm somewhat confused: Is this how it should be? I can't believe that... I mean, it's called "simultaneous game", consequently I expected my fleets to enter the sector of the planet *simultaneously*, so the mine sweepers should have been able to remove all the mines, or do I get something completely wrong here?

And, before asking: yes, the fleets did get their move-to order by shift-clicking them and giving the move-to command.

I would consider this a bug, comments?

16 ships are no big deal, nevertheless this is annoying...

[ January 20, 2004, 12:18: Message edited by: Vezzra ]

[Captain Kwok]

It would seem that each fleet is moved individually, regardless if all the ships are moving on same "day".

This is actually what I would have expected.

[geoschmo]

When you gave the fleets the shift+click move to order, was that on the same turn that they reached the planet? There is an issue with shift+click fleets only moving together on the actual turn you give the order. Subsequent turns they will move as separate fleets. If they were more then one turn away from the planet when you gave the order that could be what caused it.

Not saying it's not a bug, it just might not be exactly a mine sweeping bug but more of a movement in general bug.

The whole shift+click move thing is a bit unreliable in general though. I am not totally convinced it works every time, even though I have tested it for combat and gotten good results at times. I have never tested it to see if it works for mineswpeeping.

In retrospect you probably should have had one more sweeper and then both fleets could have had 100+ sweeping capacity.

[Vezzra]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
When you gave the fleets the shift+click move to order, was that on the same turn that they reached the planet?

Yes.

There is an issue with shift+click fleets only moving together on the actual turn you give the order. Subsequent turns they will move as separate fleets.

Well, good to know...

Shall I report this to MM? I still have the turn files, and the .plr file.

In retrospect you probably should have had one more sweeper and then both fleets could have had 100+ sweeping capacity.

If I had known before... but I didn't expect this at all.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Vezzra:
Shall I report this to MM? I still have the turn files, and the .plr file.

Yes, and if you don't mind copy me in on the email. We've been trying to help him on the time crunch issue by doing some testing with the bug reports.

Geoschmo

[Vezzra]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Yes, and if you don't mind copy me in on the email.

Done. Used the email address I got when clicking on the mail-icon of your post.

The mail got quite big, 4.5 MB. I hope it will make it through, otherwise send me an email or PM, then I'll split it.