POLL->things we'd really like in Next Patch (Platinum II)

[Chronon]

Originally posted by Pax:
I'd like to be able to set fleets up to have seperate Battle Groups, each of which gets it's own strategy; then we could set up a point-blank PDC Aegis group, a Short Range APB "gunline" group, a Medium-range missile group, put the carriers at maximum range on Fighter Attack strategy, and have the troopships try and just bull their way through to the planet -- all in one fleet, with each group focussed on a different strategy, and even formation (putting the PDC/aegis ships into a disperesed formation, at a range where they are spread out among the other Groups, would be a possibility, for example ...)

Pax, I agree! Battle Groups, or nested fleets, would be the best way to solve the present quirks in the fleet orders system. From what I've read MoO3 will have this kind of system. Perhaps for Space Empires V ...?

[capnq]

Version 1.82:
1. Changed - Ships in combat will now follow their fleet's strategy regardless of whether they are in a combat group or not.

I'm not sure people are interpreting what this does correctly.

The manual uses "combat group" to describe an ad hoc formation built in Tactical Combat with the Set Group Leader/Set Group Member Orders.

If that's what this is referring to, I have no idea how to interpret what this change does.

[Edit] &ltlightbulb&gt Unless the entire fleet is considered a combat group when combat starts. I'm still not sure what the change is supposed to be doing, though.

[ November 06, 2002, 19:47: Message edited by: capnq ]

[Mephisto]

Version 1.82:
1. Changed - Ships in combat will now follow their fleet's strategy regardless of whether they are in a combat group or not.

I think it fixes this bug:
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...3;t=007302;p=1

5th post from the top.

[PaladinX]

Why not just do what I do, group your ships up by task, make them into separate fleets, with their own strategies and formations, and then you can just shift-select them all and give them a group move order.

A little more management required, but it seems to work well enough for me. I'll take my line ships and set them to the optimal range strategy, usually in wall formation, my long range, long reload time ships to maximum weapons range strategy in a tighter formation, etc.

It also keeps your support ships from gumming up your formations, since you can keep them in a separate fleet as well... In fact I don't send them into attacks even most of the time, just have them catch up once it's over...

-Paladin

[Chronon]

PaladinX - Thanks for that tip; I didn't know there was a group move order. Will all of your fleets arrive at the same time in simultaneous movement (ie, for PBW games)? I'd hate to have my minesweepers show up AFTER the rest of my fleet has been destroyed by mines.

[DavidG]

Originally posted by PaladinX:
Why not just do what I do, group your ships up by task, make them into separate fleets, with their own strategies and formations, and then you can just shift-select them all and give them a group move order.

A little more management required, -Paladin

I see two problems with this. One as you say is a 'little more management'. Yuck. The other is what happens if the fleets have different speeds. Then I beleive they could end up separated at the end of the turn and if a combat occures one could show up and fight first.

I really hope the interpretation of the 1.82 fix does not mean supply and mine sweeper ships follow the combat guys into the attack. If so the current system is better IMO. Supply ships and other Defense ships that are in for example an 'optimum range' fleet and then run for the corners are as far as I'm concerned obeying their fleet orders since the fleet orders for that strategy tell them to break formation.

I presume some beta testers have played ver 1.82. How about they tell us how it works?

[Suicide Junkie]

You didn't read Pax's post.
Look at what he quoted.

[PaladinX]

Well, granted it would be better if you could create flotillas of fleets... But it works as a workaround. I can't say how it works in simultaneous, I haven't played in simul yet, but it works in turn based. They all move together in the first turn, and will stop as soon as the slowest fleet runs out of movement, however, you have to cancel the order and reissue every turn for long moves or else they end up separating.

Still, it's a way to handle it for now.

I will say I would prefer to have flotillas or else multiple battle Groups within a single fleet and keep the fleet orders override other behavior feature in place.

[capnq]

Will all of your fleets arrive at the same time in simultaneous movement (ie, for PBW games)?

They'll only move together for one turn's worth of movement, in both simultaneous and turn-based. It's been reported that they enter combat separately in simultaneous, even if they moved together.

[geoschmo]

[quote]Originally posted by capnq:

It's been reported that they enter combat separately in simultaneous, even if they moved together.

I must admit I was one of the main one's spreading that bit of apparent misinformation. I did some test's the other day and confirmed that they do in faact enter combat together if they are moving together, which as you say they will do the first turn.

Geoschmo