Newbie Q: ship placement in combat?

[Vezzra]

When attacking a planet with 4 moons with 110 ships split into 7 fleets (see "Mine Sweeping Bug" thread), I encountered another strange thing:

My ships were placed at the center of the combat map, together with the planets and the enemy ships - one huge bulk.

Never seen that before. Usually the contrahents start at opposite edges of the map, at least in all the non-simultaneous games I played before.

Are simultaneous games different? Has it something to do with having five planets in the sector?

This behaviour somewhat defeats my strategy, as it's almost like warp point combat, putting me as the attacker at disadvantage.

Anyone willing to enlighten me?

[oleg]

How many battles did you have that turn ? Is it possible you look up the Last one ? How the first one looks like ? Sometimes, when several fleets arrived to the battle, erllier arrivals can be regarded as "aborigenes" and placed near the center and only newest "guests" attack from the edge.

[Vezzra]

Well, two, both in this sector.

But the battle in question is the first one, it took place before further ships arrived.

The whole alignment of the ships is strange: As I said, 110 ships in 7 fleets, or, to be more precise, 94 ships in 6 fleets, as one fleet of 16 ships was destroyed by the minefield (see the other thread), and all of them more or less aligned in one horizontal line, reaching from the left edge to the center and beyond, with the main bulk crunched between the planets.

The fleets have entered the sector from the sector located southwest.

So normally I would have expected the fleets in the lower left corner.

[ January 20, 2004, 16:33: Message edited by: Vezzra ]

[oleg]

Originally posted by Vezzra:
Well, two, both in this sector.

But the battle in question is the first one, it took place before further ships arrived.

The whole alignment of the ships is strange: As I said, 110 ships in 7 fleets, or, to be more precise, 94 ships in 6 fleets, as one fleet of 16 ships was destroyed by the minefield (see the other thread), and all of them more or less aligned in one horizontal line, reaching from the left edge to the center and beyond, with the main bulk crunched between the planets.

The fleets have entered the sector from the sector located southwest.

So normally I would have expected the fleets in the lower left corner.

Ahh, I see You used "wall" formation but since you come from the side, your waal is turned by 90 degrees. It did happened to me few times next time change formation to "column" when attack from the side. It will be turned 90 degrees too and become "wall". Better yet, use "compact" as a default.

[JLS]

Dome Formation also is very effective, if not missile latent

[Vezzra]

Originally posted by oleg:
Ahh, I see You used "wall" formation but since you come from the side, your waal is turned by 90 degrees.

Strange... when I played non-simultaneous games, this always worked properly. When I attacked from the side, the wall went top-bottom, with the ships facing left or right. When I attacked diagonal, the formation was crunched into the respective corner, IIRC.

One thing I didn't pay attention to, but came to my mind today: Obviously my ships moved and fired first, seems as if the game treated them as defenders. No idea why. My ships moved into the sector, so they should have been the attackers. No enemy ship entered before battle occcured, only afterwards a single ship entered, and was destroyed in the second battle.

[oleg]

Originally posted by Vezzra:
...Strange... when I played non-simultaneous games, this always worked properly. When I attacked from the side, the wall went top-bottom, with the ships facing left or right. When I attacked diagonal, the formation was crunched into the respective corner, IIRC.

...

It is still a mystery to me how particular formation turns up in the battle depending of the angle of approach and the order of fleet movements.

Better drop it as another SEIV mystery but keep it in mind when selecting next fleet formation

[ January 23, 2004, 14:56: Message edited by: oleg ]

[Maerlyn]

something very strange happened to me in a PBW game recently. usually if you fly trough an enemy occupied warpgate his fleet will be gathered around the warpgate (as will yours) and he will have first strike. this is very strong, defense wise.

but recently I entered a warpgate which was defended by three enemy races. I started the combat in the middle of the map (close to the warpgate) but ALL three of them started the combat in different corners. although they still had the first move.

now since their fleet was split up in three parts it was an easy win for me.

any ideas why they werent placed at the center?

[Wardad]

Maerlyn,
I had the same experience defending a warp point with a partner.
I think U could really mess up an ally by leaving one SAT at the warp point.

Vezzra,
Sometimes it is hard to tell who will be the defender. I am sure vetern players like Fyron and GEO could help you.

Maybe the enemy had a fleet pursuing yours? Or a ship arriving late?

[Vezzra]

Originally posted by Wardad:
Maybe the enemy had a fleet pursuing yours? Or a ship arriving late?

Yep, a ship arriving late, however, this ship arrived *after* the first combat, triggering a second combat. In this second combat I was defender of course, but I shouldn't have been in the first one.

Had a few other combats till then, and everything was normal. No idea what the problem with this particular combat was...