Movement and Combat

[jack00]

Assume 2 fleets end the game turn in the same space. Also assume that at least one of the fleets has no movement points left.

Does combat occur at the end of said turn?
If no, then does combat occur immediately at the begining of the next turn?
Is it always necessary that both fleets have at least 1 movement point left for combat to occur?

Thanks

[Slick]

First, if the 2 fleets are in empires with a "peace" treaty (non-aggression or better) there will be no combat since you are at peace.

Second, in sequential games, combat occurs as soon as the 2 fleets occupy the same square (known as the same sector).

Last, in simultaneous games, the turn is broken up into 30 "days" for a total of 1 "month" during the turn. I am not 100% sure about this one, but I believe that combat occurs when the 2 fleets occupy the same sector AND combat occurs only on every 5th "day". If the 2 fleets are in the same sector on any (or every) 5th day, combat will take place. This essentially means combat occurs during the processing of the turn but not necessarily as soon as the 2 fleets meet. Additionally, if combat is not completely resolved during the first battle (i.e. 30 combat turns), there can be other battles during the same turn. Someone please verify this or tell me it's all wrong.

Slick

[steelpanther]

Yes, In sequential games as soon as you, (or the AI) moves into an enemy occupied square, be it occupied with satellites, bases, ships, and or drones, combat begins. I never play simultaneous games, so i cant tell you about that.

[Grandpa Kim]

Posted by Slick

combat occurs only on every 5th "day"

Slick, this is a generalization in simul games, and not a very good one either.

A ship/fleet moving at speed 6 can initiate combat each time it moves. In other words, every 5 days. But faster ship/fleets can initiate more battles, of course. With multiple fleets and multiple speeds, combat could occur just about any day.

The odd thing is, if two fleets still have some ships left at the end of the day (the thirty combat turns) they will not necessarily battle again that turn. I have not yet figured out how the timing of battles is calculated for units/ship/fleets stationary in the same sector.

One thing for sure, it is not uncommon to have a battle on say, day 18, have an enemy fleet move into the sector on day 19 and then have another battle. A simple way to put it is "Battle will occur whenever a unit/ship/fleet moves into an enemy (war, none, non-intercourse treaties) occupied sector."

The five day rule had me fooled at first too, but the way it actually works makes much more sense.

Kim

[PvK]

The reason sometimes you don't get more than one combat per turn in stationary stand-offs, is that if the combat is a stalemate, where neither side gets hurt, then they'll stop trying until the situation changes. This avoids what would otherwise happen - heaps of no-event combats when a planet and its moon, or two derelict ships, were hostile, etc.

PvK

[Grandpa Kim]

Originally posted by PvK:
The reason sometimes you don't get more than one combat per turn in stationary stand-offs, is that if the combat is a stalemate, where neither side gets hurt, then they'll stop trying until the situation changes. This avoids what would otherwise happen - heaps of no-event combats when a planet and its moon, or two derelict ships, were hostile, etc.

PvK

Well, that could be the case, but its not consistent. I remember one solo game against TDM races where I had a sat group at an enemy planet. On one turn there was about 20 "combats' without a shot being fired-- they were too far apart!

Uh, PvK, assuming you are correct, how do you know that is the reason?

[Slick]

Here is a quote from the SE 4 gold manual under "combat":

Combat in a simultaneous game takes place when enemy forces are in the same location in a solar system. Different than in a Turn-Based game, combat does not begin automatically when enemy ships first enter the same location. Combat only takes place every 5 days in the 30 days of the turn month. If the enemy forces are at the same location on a 5th day, then combat will take place.

[Grandpa Kim]

Slick, the manual is wrong!

I watched an enemy ship at speed 12 and with emergency propulsion engaged move one sector per day and slag 3 planets by day 5 when the emergency prop. gave out. Not a planet with two moons, but three planets at three different sectors.

You are limited only by how many enemies you can get to.

The five day rule would allow enemy fleets to enter the same sector, stick around for a few days, then both leave without engaging in combat. I have never seen that happen.