Drone and Anti-Drone Tactics?

[Baron Munchausen]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Q:


That's not what I,ve seen.

The AI however tries to find new attack targets for the launched drones that survived the first combat.

Again one more question to those with the full beta Version:
Is is possible to "cheat" on the lifetime for drones by giving them solar panels or even quantum reactors to prevent the exhaustion of their fuel?

---

Yes. Putting solar panels in will greatly extend their operating time. The QR is awfully expensive for a drone, but I'd presume it would work. Now if only there was an 'explore' command for drones.

[Q]

Thank you Baron for your answer. That opens interesting new possibilities.
I think the vote to introduce a "explore" "move to" "warp" order for drones are unanimous. I hope MM hears us!

[Puke]

since drones are supposed to get only one order then stop (right?) move to and warp would be of limitied utility.

however, if you wanted to guard a location with drones, i suppose that move to and warp would be usefull. you should probably not be able to give them new orders after they have launched (even though we can do this now with cruise missiles) to be in the spirit of the design.

maybe there is a problem where if they have move-to or warp abilities, the hard code in the game will allow them to recieve multiple orders, and the only way to keep them one-shot items was to remove those commands?

[Phoenix-D]

"since drones are supposed to get only one order then stop (right?) move to and warp would be of limitied utility."

Not really. See, with a move-to order you could send them off to attack a location, even if there wasn't an enemy ship there (say, you couldn't see a system but wanted them to attack a enemy planet you knew was there). I'm not sure this can be done currently.

Phoenix-D

[Puke]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
(say, you couldn't see a system but wanted them to attack a enemy planet you knew was there)

---

that sounds almost unscrupoulous, knowing where a planet is in an unexplored system? or did you mean an explored system that you had no current telemetry from?

[PvK]

Yes, currently you have to be seeing an enemy colony to attack it, so you can't attack ones that you've seen in the past and could assume haven't vanished.

Also, currently, if drones destroy their first target, they can be given new attack orders on the next turn.

PvK

[Suicide Junkie]

How about using move-to to get your drones to the front lines without a transport ship?
If you have some launched drones, and no visible enemies, you need to be able to send them moving off somewhere else.