The Maddening Multiplex

[Baron Munchausen]

Yes, you can also set the percentage of damage per target under strategies (the crown button in the main screen, then the strategies button). I think that what is happening is the AI is allocating as much damage as it thinks will be required to destroy a target and doesn't 'recalculate' and reassign the weapons when it succeeds more easily than it expects. It may also be that the damage bonuses from mounts are not being taken into account. Try setting the percentage of damage per target at different levels and see if this changes multiplex behavior.

[ June 21, 2002, 01:39: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]

[jim]

I experience the problem even when I do not direct the shooter to switch targets after a set damage inflicted.

That is, even if I have it set not to shift fire until after the target is destroyed, it still does not shoot at a second (or sometimes a thrid) target when it has available in range targets.

For example, I'll have a monster base, with gazillions of shield accelerators and APBs. The AI will come at it with several LCs. The base will kill the first, have well over half of its weapons left, and it will not shoot. Once in a while, it will shoot (and kill 2), but it will not use the rest on others. I'll know darn well how many weapons it has, but it will not use them all. I have counted the range, and that's not it.

[Q]

Jim I tested the multiplex in the simulator (SE IV Gold Version 1.67) and it worked as it should: my huge ship with multiplex V destroyed five attacking light cruiser in one single combat turn.

[CW]

Yea Jim, I've seen that often enough and there is no fix yet. Q, multiplex works when you are doing the shooting, but I've never seen the AI shooting at 5 targets in one turn, even if it has the weapons remaining.

[Lisif Deoral]

I think the problem might be related to the fact that bases cannot move... Am I wrong or ships move before changing targets?

[Marvin Kosh]

You know what it is? Damn those weapons technicians, but after scoring a crippling hit on a ship, they get out of their chairs and do their silly victory dance for the rest of the combat turn

[DirectorTsaarx]

Originally posted by Lisif Deoral:
I think the problem might be related to the fact that bases cannot move... Am I wrong or ships move before changing targets?

Maybe; although I've also seen the AI fire at multiple targets without moving in between. Of course, in that case it was a mostly seeker-armed ship with a couple beam weapons, and it launched a couple missiles at the largest ship, then fired it's two beam weapons at the closest ship, and finally launched the rest of it's missiles at the largest ship again. So maybe that makes a difference.

On the other hand, I do know that my Point-Defense cannons change "targets" only after moving. For instance, one of my dedicated point-defense ships will destroy all missiles in a given square, then move one space, then fire at the missiles in another square.