Capturing planets in Simultaneous play

[Dragonlord]

Hello all,

I have a new question for y'all. It has to do with capturing planets
from the AI in a PBW game.
I have a large attack fleet in orbit of an AI planet. The fleet contains one
cargo ship full of troops. The enemy planet only has about 50M in
population, so I don't want to shoot at it in fear of destroying it. However
the planet has a missile platform on it. My fleet has plenty of PD to deal
with the missiles.
My fleet orders are "Capture Planet", with "don't shoot at planet". The ship
type orders for the cargo ship are "Capture Planet", with primary movement
of "Drop Troops if carrying" and secondary movement of Optimal Weapons
range. (that is pretty much the same as Dont get Hurt since the cargo ship
has no weapons).
What I want my fleet to do is move up to the planet, shoot down the missiles
(but not the platform), and drop troops which can then destroy the local
militia and the weapons platform without damaging the population and
facilities too much. What actually happens is that my PD ships mill around
the planet shooting down missiles, while my cargo ship runs to a corner.
Does anyone know if I can accomplish what I want, in Simultaneous play?

Thanks in advance,

Dragonlord

[Baal]

Is this a Cargo Ship design or a Troop Transport Ship design? If you are just using a cargo ship full of troops then yeah it's going to run to the corner.

When you select troop transport design it gives the ship special ship orders. you may want to build a troop transport design and see what those orders are.

[Phoenix-D]

In my experience the troop ship acts as a coward until the weapons platforms are destroyed along with any other threats.. THEN it moves in. Never mind that it has 1800 shields, it won't go towards the planet.

Phoenix-D

[Dragonlord]

I think it's a cargo ship design, but I have succesfully captured two planets with it so far. I think it's afraid of the weapons platform.

Right now I see only two solutions: 1: detach the weakest attack ship from the fleet, send it in alone to attack the planet, and hope that in 30 combat turns it will destry the weapons platform but not all population.

2: don't be bothered and just glass the planet.

[BeeDee10]

Personally, I would give the first option a shot; 50M isn't all _that_ fragile a population. I've found that the most "surgical" weapons to use against planets are direct-fire weapons, if you use seekers then your ships will fire a salvo that will deliver overkill damage whereas with direct-fire weapons they stop firing as soon as the weapons platforms are all gone.

[PvK]

Yes:

It's the WP scaring the transport.

Use direct fire weapons, not seekers.

You don't have to limit your warship fleet to a small ship. If you set their orders accordingly, they will stop firing as soon as the WP is knocked out.

PvK