Why don't ships obey their $@#$@# fleet orders

[capnq]

My worst fleet experience was in a PBW game.

I forget how many ships were involved, but I was using the Flying V formation, and trying to intercept a slightly smaller enemy fleet.

Because this was a simultaneous game, it happened that when the fleets met, mine started in the center of the bottom of the map, and the enemy started in the lower right corner.

My fleet leader at the base of the V turned right and moved toward the enemy. As the rest of the formation tried to swing around, the entire right arm of the V hung up on the map border, piling up so badly that the fleet leader was blocked from moving further on the next turn. The whole fleet just sat there, pinned against the "invisible wall" while the enemy closed, not moving at all until a ship blocking the leader was destroyed.

That was how I learned the value of breaking formation.