How do you take over an empty colony?

CW · #1 August 23rd, 2002, 05:39 PM

Eme... I've been playing SEIV for a whole year but I've never encounter something like this before.

There is an empty enemy colony that I'm trying to take but my fleet just wouldn't drop troops on it with the "attack order". I can't get them to drop with the "drop" order too. What can I do?

dogscoff · #2 August 23rd, 2002, 05:44 PM

Hmm. I've taken over zero-pop colinies with troops before. Of course that was long ago in a different patch, and I was playing in tactical. I take it you have the ship/ fleet strategies correct for planet capture. Are you able to take colonies *with* population?

CW · #3 August 23rd, 2002, 06:24 PM

Yes I've no problems with "normal" planets. Taking over everything takeable is my trademark strategy,

but yea, I'm having trouble with an empty undefended enemy colony. What an irony!

Another incident happened with my troop ship in the latest turn. I was on the attack again and there was this occupied planet with an empty moon. The troop ship approached the planet in such a direction that the moon was dead in the way, and my transport got "stucked" next to the moon and wouldn't drop!

Baron Munchausen · #4 August 23rd, 2002, 11:30 PM

Yes, there is a problem with AI combat navigation. I've seen it launch drones 'behind' a moon that was quite close to the launching planet and the drones weren't smart enough to go AROUND the planet. They just sat there while my ships fired missiles at the planet and when it was reduced I just closed in and shot the drones with normal direct-fire weapons. The problem with fleets getting tangled up with themselves because the leader cannot move and troops ships getting clocked by the rest of the fleet is another symptom. Something definitely needs to be 'improved' in the AI combat navigation routines.

cshank2 · #5 August 24th, 2002, 05:38 AM

Umm hi im getting SE4 Gold tonight but ya to take over empty colonys dont you have to drop population on em?

CW · #6 August 24th, 2002, 07:49 AM

cshank2, as I said before, the "drop" order doesn't work, no matter what you are trying to drop.

Kimball · #7 August 24th, 2002, 08:34 PM

Instead of trying to drop troops, just use the "Transfer Cargo" button. I do that all the time with population transports. I have no idea if that works with troops, though.

cshank2 · #8 August 25th, 2002, 12:19 AM

Eh sorry guy. Need sleepy now bed time good (Been up since 11 AM yesterday

Grandpa Kim · #9 August 25th, 2002, 06:15 PM

I've never tried to "transfer" troops to an empty enemy planet, but I don't think you can transfer anything onto any enemy planet!

I think the inability to "capture" a zero pop. planet (in simultaneous mode) must be considered a bug. For now I believe you must slag it then colonize it.

Kim

Suicide Junkie · #10 August 25th, 2002, 06:18 PM

Can't you just attack it with a troop transport?

If you can attack it with ships, surely the transports can capture it...