Defender NOT Going First in v1.49 Strategic Combat

[Rusty_Nail]

I don't quite understand the problem about who moves first. Certainly it doesn't matter in tactical combat. And in simulations of strategic combat I notice that the distance between the two ships is fairly random and roughly 58-65 spaces. So it doesn't matter here either, statistically speaking. That leaves simultaneous mode. If the initial distance is still random and fairly large as I always assumed it was, then it doesn't matter here either. I notice that SOMETIMES a combat replay of a warp point combat places the ships within shooting distance on first move, but not always. I have never seen this in a normal sector replay. In this special warp case it would matter who shoots first. Agreed. But how often is this the case? And would the simplest solution not be to avoid the fleets being too close, i.e. use large random distances as in turned-based strategic combat and normal sector simultaneous combat? Why are warp battles treated differently from normal sectors anyway? I am probably misunderstanding something, so please explain.

[Aub]

quote:

---

Originally posted by rusty nail:
I don't quite understand the problem about who moves first. Certainly it doesn't matter in tactical combat.
...
I notice that SOMETIMES a combat replay of a warp point combat places the ships within shooting distance on first move, but not always.

---

Rusty,

in warp point battles, the ships are almost always placed so close that whoever moves first can shoot right away or move and then shoot. This is always true if one fleet has just gone through a warp point.

When two huge fleets meet this way (a major attack force meets the defense), the first fleet to shoot can inflict a lot of damage, leaving the second guy with less guns even before they can do anything about it. The guy with a bigger player number is always at a disadvantage, and since this is a very common situation towards the endgame, naturally it is a concern.

Just to clarify: yes we are talking wormhole battles. They are very common and people always start close to each other without suffucient randomization.

Aub

[ 26 November 2001: Message edited by: Aub ]

[PsychoTechFreak]

I had one !!! The enemy has had the first shot at a WP.

I think there is maybe a problem with the factor for this chance. I guess 0.5 per cent or 5 per cent in maximum than a 50 % chance.