newby's guide to ship and fleet strategy

[tesco samoa]

I have lost whole fleets of 30 ships because I forgot to make sure the fleet breaks formation when it meets anything.

If the leader cannot move then the fleet does not move.

Your fleet dies.

so make sure you break formation, even if it is because the fleet needs to stop for some coffee.

[Fyron]

Yeah, in my first post I said that it would be good to set all strategies to break formation a couple of times. Formations are nice for starting positions, but thats about all.

[Growltigga]

alright, cue howls of laughter and derisive comments

where the flipping nora is the break formation button - I can't find the wretched thing anywhere

[Gryphin]

I would make a comment but it took me 8 minutes to find it and I've been practicing with it all along.
Empire > Strategies > Formations >
There is a list of "Types that break formation"
Choose the ones that you want to do so.
< wry grin > no , make that a < poker face >

[Quikngruvn]

Just be sure to change those settings for every strategy you plan to use (or all of 'em, to play it safe). I've been burned at least once when I changed the strategy of a fleet but forgot to make the new strategy break formation....

Quikngruvn

[PsychoTechFreak]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gryphin:
I would make a comment but it took me 8 minutes to find it and I've been practicing with it all along.
Empire > Strategies > Formations >
There is a list of "Types that break formation"
Choose the ones that you want to do so.
< wry grin > no , make that a < poker face >

---

You are talking about Space Empires IV/Empire Options/Strategies/Formations, aren't you ?

Ok, maybe my eyes are not opened wide enough, but I see the following strategies:

Optimal Firing Range
Don't Get Hurt
Capture Enemy Ships
Capture Planet
Fighter Attack
Kamikaze
Maximum Weapons Range
Short Weapons Range
Point Blank

That's it ! Ok, I can add a strategy, but I have to assign the movement strategy, but break formation is impossible. In the AI_strategy file I can enter a break formation, but obviously not in the game itself. Or do you use a special Mod for it ?

[Gryphin]

PsychoTechFreak,
Using standard SE IV,
Once you have clicked on Formations
You must click on each of the items you listed
You will be provided with:
Bases
Ships
Carriers
Colony Ships
Fighters
Satelights
Mines
Planets
Transports
Bases (no weapons)
Ships (no weapons)
For each strategy on the left, you can select or de-select the desired "Types That Break Formation" strategy on the right.
This is so you can customise the strategy taken based on the type of Attack Strategy you have assigned to a type of ship.
Based on earlier post, it looks like you would want to set this for each strategy.
Possibly with Kamakazi or "Capture Enemy Ships" you may want them to all move in together so they strike at the same time. I don't know if that works. I have not figured out how Mines, Planets, Bases, or Satelites break formation. Neither have I figured out if their is an advantage to it.
Good luck.
Just a thought, but why would I want to capture Allied Ships? < bemused grin >