SE5 - Strategies

[Randallw]

4) And while not pure combat strategy, but strategy none the less. I would like to see income from trade moved by ships. This would add some depth to the game by making the blockade a real part of the wars. And require each empire to build, maintain and protect a trade fleet. I think this would add realism and depth to the game. Of course there would need to be a minister for this too, it could be a lot of work with a large empire.

In "Hearts of Iron" when you build a transport you have the option of using it to carry troops or as a supply transport in a pool divided around the empire to move supplies.

[dogscoff]

I only use strategic these days- either in PBW (Where you don't get the choice) or in single player (Where tactical gives you an unfair advantage over the AI).

I like the idea of giving different parts of your force different strategies. Just the other day I sent a fleet against a heavily-defended enemy planet. I had a load of well-armoured troop transports capable of wading through the planet's defensive fire, and more than enough warships and boarding craft to take care of the defending ships. What happened? The warships went to attack the planet, and were destroyed. The boarders milled about uselessly and were destroyed. The troop transports hid in the corner and were picked off by fighters and enemy warships. If I'd been able to give one set of specific orders to the transports (charge straight for the planet) and a different set of orders to my attack ships (attack ships, NOT the planet) I'd have won that battle.

I also like the idea of some kind of code-like scripts: I've often wished for this on a strategic level (ie out of combat) and it would be great if it could somehow extend into combat as well. Maybe it could be coded so that one script governs a ship's behaviour both in and out of combat..?

[Antonin]

I think the option to retreat would be great. Too often, combat in SE4 is an all or nothing thing. One fleet or the other is wiped out, and combat ends. I think a fleet should automatically disengage once its strength is worn down to a certain point.

[se5a]

how about if you can STEAL the scripts via intel!!!!!
(and even ship capture)

I dooubt we will have to worry to much about them becomming "cookycutter" type things, since the game is to fluid, your going to want to use a diferent stratergie for glassing plannets than you would if you wanted to capture it or blockade it. same with WP. are you going throug the wp or blockadeing it? its going to be diferent. then your probibly going to want to change it slighly depending on what empire your expecing to come throuhg the wp. are they using APB? nulspace? missiles? ppb? *gulp* are they armed with computer viruses? are they using more shields or more weapons?