Stupid troop transports that don't drop troops...

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Roanon:
Does it work with drop troops / point blank maybe? I guess the optimum range strategy is chosen for this ship if it is not directly adjacent to the planet, and makes sure the ship stays out of range, forcing it to choose optimum again next move - ad infinitum. If dropping troops doesn't even work with drop/drop strategy, then there is something stupid hardcoded (I never tried to mix troop transports with weapons other than PDs, and this worked), and only Aaron could answer it - and, hopefully, do it better in SEV.

If there are weapon platforms on a planet, troop transports will not drop as long as there are warships present, letting these attack the WPs first (and maybe glass the planet). This utterly stupid behaviour is hard-coded, it is just not possible to land troops screened by warships and capture the planet unglassed despite a few functioning WPs. Only if the transport is not stacked with warships, it will try to drop the troops running the gauntlet against the WPs.

As to really "forcing" a particular type of activity by modifying a strategy, I should tell you of my dismal results in a vain effort to get my ships to attack the nearest ships without regard to anything else (I coded nearest, nearest, nearest, well, you get the point). I just KNEW they would attack anything near them but they wandered around aimlessly! Go figure.

As to warships being in the area...I'm pretty sure Geo captured a planet of mine in a game when I had weapon sats still active. If I am remembering correctly, makes me wonder why there would be a difference between having sats around and ships around.

[Alneyan]

With some more testing... You *can* make your ship fire its weapons against the planet and still capture the said planet, but it will behave like a Troop Transport (meaning it will not do any capture before all weapon platforms are gone, unless there are no "proper" warships in the battle). So your ship will rush to the planet, fire its weapons as they become available, but its main purpose is to capture the planet. If the capture fails, it will either try to glass the planet (if acting as a warship) or flee (if a troop transport)

It might be useful for you Trooper, if you intend to use such ships as "stand-alone" troop transports. If so, Drop Troops/Optimal Range works fine, but the ship will attempt to glass the planet if the capture fails. Besides, the ship will remain at range 1, meaning it will take a lot of punishment from the remaining platforms. The secondary strategy doesn't matter one bit to the ship by the looks of it, as "Optimal" doesn't mean "next to the target" Last time I checked.

Otherwise, Drop Troops/Drop Troops should force your ship to behave as a Troop ship (allowing it to flee if it cannot capture the planet, while stile firing its weapons as targets become available).

Aiken, the option "Stop firing when all weapons are gone" is said to be broken under SEIV. I have never toyed around it much, so don't quote me on that. At least, it seems like your warships *will* destroy crippled ships with no weapons left once there are no other targets, and they will only left powerless ships alone if there are other targets available.

[Atrocities]

Troops are over rated... Just glass the planet and recolonize it. Or better yet, bombard it with neutron weapons then drop troops.

[trooper]

I think there must have been a problem while executing the turn. I saw that I had the same problem during that turn with a classical non-armed small transport hull sized troop transport.

Another bug I've noticed during that turn (I checked the saved Version just before submitting the turn ) : I've declared war to the enemy empire, and after turn execution, I have a "treaty none" state with it.
Strange, strange...

[Wardad]

Trooper
A few strange things happened to me in that game. Maybe the size of the game is a problem.

I broke a treaty with the double crossing Electrum. His fleet attacked my partner's planet the next turn while my fleet was in orbit. He had enough fuel to destroy the planet and handfull of my partners ships. My ships slaughtered his fleet. His fleet never fired at mine.

I wish he had answered my questions about: fuel, firing strategy, etc...
A good answer with some third party verification, and I would have scrapped my fleet.

[Grandpa Kim]

Trooper, I can't see why your ship won't capture the planet.

I capture planets all the time with no difficulty. Well, two difficulties: The transport could be locked in the corner by other non-combatant ships (not the case in your graphic) or the transport is blocked from the planet by the warships.

Other than those it always works for me. The location of your troop transport, in the corner, tells me your strategy is probably right.

One possible that I have never run into: Is your transport cloaked? This may prevent planet capture.

is the ship hull important for the role ?

No, of no importance at all.

R these ships refits? refits keep prior strategy.

To the best of my knowledge this is not true. I've made all kinds of refits and the new design always acts as expected. The refit ship takes on the new strategy.

Is it possible they don't attack because I'haven't declared war "officialy" to the ennemy empire ?

No, only if you have a "green" treaty will you not be able to attack... and then not attack at all!

having both weapons (a Warship role) and troops on board the ship.

This is no problem. Virtually all my troop transports have a standard weapon and a PDC. They have never caused a problem with planet capture... but with troops aboard, they will not go on the offensive against enemy ships even if there is no planet in the sector.
My strategy is Primary: Drop troops (if carrying), Secondary: Maximum Range.

Are you sure all the weapon platforms are gone.

I have captured planets with intact WP's. In all cases, though, they contained only PD weapons.

I'm pretty sure Geo captured a planet of mine in a game when I had weapon sats still active.

Quite right! The troop transport is only concerned with the planet. Sats, fighters,(in space or on the planet) even enemy warships will not prevent it from attempting to capture the planet.

Troops are over rated... Just glass the planet and recolonize it.

Glassing is obscene!

His fleet never fired at mine.

Same thing happened to me. My enemy fired mercilessly at me and my ships just sat there and took it. *Sigh*

[JLS]

Great stuff Grandpa Kim - Thanks, you answered many of my questions.

Your site (in your sig) is fantastic did you do the graphics?