Attacking Planets (or trying not to)

[Phoenix-D]

I think they will. The Planet checkbox likely refers to the planet itself..so without weapon platforms they will ignore the planet, but the weapon platforms draw them in. Just like the way the capture planet order works differently if you have a mixed force of transports and warships than just transports.

Phoenix-D

[Dan C.]

I think they will. The Planet checkbox likely refers to the planet itself..so without weapon platforms they will ignore the planet

I think that might be it. I have a saved Version of the game at that point, and there are 7 WP with missiles. However the fighters leave behind a nearby BC and CA with lots of weapons at the half-way point to go after the planet. (The near parameter should have kicked in)
As well they obviously keep attacking the planet after the WP are gone (and the ships are near-by attacking) as the population drops from 4000 to 3344, the 53 fighters who are left at the end can only do 1060 max points of damage a round (106 pop) so there has to be at least 4 rounds of firing after the WP are gone.
This would explain why when the second fleet arrives they seem to ignore the planet correctly.

[Suicide Junkie]

Also, your ships & units won't switch targets very often. Try setting the damage % per planet way down to 10% or so, and the fighters should start reevaluating their targetting choices earlier.

[Dan C.]

Try setting the damage % per planet way down to 10% or so

I just tried that and it didn't work. However I noticed that the secondary move was actually point-blank (not drop troops which it was originally, and intended to be.) If anyone is interested in taking a look, I have the save (default 1.78 Gold rules) on my web page Here
Just take the fleet labelled "Problem fleet" in the Xira system and attack the adjacent planet at 3,11.

[capnq]

Have you tried making "Drop Troops (if carrying)" the primary strategy, rather than secondary?

[Dan C.]

Have you tried making "Drop Troops (if carrying)" the primary strategy, rather than secondary?

This didn't Help, same effect. I chose Drop Troops Primary, and Max weapons seconday. The fighters fight though the defending fleet and attack the planet.

[PvK]

I think the problem is probably the "break formation" settings. If your "Ignore Planet" strategy has fighters or ships break formation, then they will use the strategy listed in their design.

"Don't Fire On Planets" does work and does include the weapon platforms, if any (i.e., if they are obeying that tactic, they won't fire at planets at all, even if they have WP's). Only the "Drop Troops" tactic cares if there are weapon platforms (if you have ships and they have WP's, your ships will try to kill the WP's before dropping troops).

PvK