A few questions from a newbie

[Alneyan]

Erh, is the drone able to survive until it delivers its payload? If you are attacking the target, you will need at best two combat turns to rearch the target, which means they might hit you with their beams (if they are lucky), and then after that with PDC. Even a lot of drones will have trouble to slip through their defenses.

I was thinking of using them at warp points as a first defense, with fighters and the regular defenses. Either the drones will be targeted by the PDC, paving the way for the fighters, or a few wings of fighters will be send to divert the PDC, leaving the drones the opportunity to deliver their payload. However, the main problem with this kind of tactics is that it doesn't seem to be working in strategic combat.

It isn't very cost-effective either, but it was a special occasion where I had many fighters and a very good income, but few warships, in the case I am attacked. But it seems like the attack won't occur so I should instead set up more efficient defenses instead of relying on drones.

EDIT: can the drones warp? If so, they would be more useful indeed (for suicide recon for instance, if you could say a "drone" is suicidal), but what would be the point of drone launchers then?

[ September 07, 2003, 16:13: Message edited by: Alneyan ]

[Loser]

Originally posted by Alneyan:
if they are lucky

Or Deeply Religious.

[Alneyan]

Originally posted by Loser:

quote:

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Originally posted by Alneyan:
if they are lucky

Or Deeply Religious.

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You mean, if they are Deeply Religious AND lucky to survive long enough to have these Talismans.

[Ed Kolis]

Originally posted by Alneyan:
EDIT: can the drones warp? If so, they would be more useful indeed (for suicide recon for instance, if you could say a "drone" is suicidal), but what would be the point of drone launchers then?

Yep, drones can warp - you can tell them to do so explicitly by telling them to attack a warp point, or you can just send them after something that's in a different system

[mac5732]

I use drones in all my games, if you want to send more then 1 at a target, hold down the "shift button", clik on the drones you want to send, you will see a check mark next to each one, they will then move in a group to the target, once the target is destsroyed, if there is more then l enemy ship with the target, those that are still left will attack the next ship and so on. otherwise they will just sit in that location until out of supply or until you move them again or are destroyed. If you want them to warp, you must have a spotter in whatever system you are sending them to. also if you are warping them, put a supply component on them,

to target, clik on your drone/s then your target, they will go after it

drones are good for defense of warp points if you have enough of them,

I use tactical combat and use drone cv's and launch them during combat, excellent use

also good for attacking enemy colony ships or lone units especially enemy mine layers or enemy planets that don't any or few wp's

Sats - in tactical combat, clik on the sats, they will show sats and numbers, clik on them and they will show the make up of each group and what they contain

just some ideas Mac

[ September 08, 2003, 05:52: Message edited by: mac5732 ]

[Alneyan]

Thanks to both of you, then drones may be useful, especially at a warp point in the defending side, or to make some diVersions, or... Well, a few annoying tactics. (I am always playing without Tactical Combat, so that's why they are less effective for me)

I forgot the "Combat Replay" option, now I can see the designs of these annoying enemy satellites, and I have the pleasure to see how poorly my fleet done in the Last combat.

[Phoenix-D]

"Thanks to both of you, then drones may be useful, especially at a warp point in the defending side, or to make some diVersions, or... Well, a few annoying tactics. (I am always playing without Tactical Combat, so that's why they are less effective for me) "

Actually..drones are always automated. Even in tactical, all you can do is watch.