Bad Invasion Feature or Bug?

[Gertjan]

Erik, could you please comment on my question regarding troop management if the option automation is enabled. Thanks in advance!

[Erik Rutins]

For troops, the AI will prioritize planets that it feels are strategic locations for your empire (either based on population and/or resources). So a very key planet deep in your own territory could have more troops than a relatively worthless border world. Given that the enemy can strike deep into your territory if it really wants to, I think this makes reasonably good sense.

[Gertjan]

Ok thanks, I think the system is fine then I have no problems with maintenance costs of troops so far, so I guess I shouldnt be too worried by excessive troop building by the AI on remote planets.

[solops]

The more I play this game the more irritating, burdensome and "unreal" this feature becomes. While it does not break the game, I have to say that I would no longer recommend it to anyone until this is fixed. After another 13 straight hours of playing I feel like my time was wasted due to this "cheat". In addition to the suggestions already made another solution may be available. Is it possble to mod troops and troop transport completely out of the game? A poor solution, but at least this starbase defection thing would go away.

[forsaken1111]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: forsaken1111
3 months later one of my free trade partners swoops in with a colony ship, colonizes the planet, and HE GETS ALL OF MY PLATFORMS! [:@]

Hm, that's a pretty unique situation - I agree it makes no sense in that case. In a full blown invasion though, where the defense bases are engaging any troop transports and trying to prevent them getting to the surface, I don't really see it as a big problem. With that said, I think what we'll try to do here is first add more notification to the player and maybe some kind of pop-up option to scrap or destroy the facilities if the battle is being lost. The interaction with colonization is a bit more tricky, but I agree that what happened to you doesn't make much sense.

I think a better solution, if possible, would be to have the defense stations at least be disabled if they much change hands and require a repair before they are fully functional. It makes no sense that an invading team could so suddenly take control of every defense station and have them fully operational.

Perhaps have the 'defending' player's crew disable the defense platform so that it cannot be used at all until a repair ship can get to it, which would be risky in the middle of a battle.

Perhaps also prioritize defense platforms to fire at incoming troop transports, because if they're shooting at a destroyer or something they will entirely ignore the transports.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: forsaken1111

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: forsaken1111
3 months later one of my free trade partners swoops in with a colony ship, colonizes the planet, and HE GETS ALL OF MY PLATFORMS! [:@]

Hm, that's a pretty unique situation - I agree it makes no sense in that case. In a full blown invasion though, where the defense bases are engaging any troop transports and trying to prevent them getting to the surface, I don't really see it as a big problem. With that said, I think what we'll try to do here is first add more notification to the player and maybe some kind of pop-up option to scrap or destroy the facilities if the battle is being lost. The interaction with colonization is a bit more tricky, but I agree that what happened to you doesn't make much sense.

I think a better solution, if possible, would be to have the defense stations at least be disabled if they much change hands and require a repair before they are fully functional. It makes no sense that an invading team could so suddenly take control of every defense station and have them fully operational.

Perhaps have the 'defending' player's crew disable the defense platform so that it cannot be used at all until a repair ship can get to it, which would be risky in the middle of a battle.

Perhaps also prioritize defense platforms to fire at incoming troop transports, because if they're shooting at a destroyer or something they will entirely ignore the transports.

Well, it was not a total loss since the aliens were your free trade partners. The bases you built and they now control will help secure that place and thus your trade with them. But I understand your points and frustration.

I agree that, with current rules, the defense bases should target incomming troop transports as a priority.

Overall, I think that bases should remain in the control of the builder after an invasion success. The invader would then have to try to destroy the bases above their new planet or deal with trying to run the planet with them there. Maybe the bases will act like a blockade of the conquered planet. That provides a good strategic decision when invading a planet with bases.

Later, if the developers add ship and base capture via troop transports and teleporters then, during battle, it could be attempted to capture the defense bases.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: forsaken1111
I think a better solution, if possible, would be to have the defense stations at least be disabled if they much change hands and require a repair before they are fully functional. It makes no sense that an invading team could so suddenly take control of every defense station and have them fully operational.

Perhaps have the 'defending' player's crew disable the defense platform so that it cannot be used at all until a repair ship can get to it, which would be risky in the middle of a battle.

Perhaps also prioritize defense platforms to fire at incoming troop transports, because if they're shooting at a destroyer or something they will entirely ignore the transports.

Good suggestions, could you also post these in the Master Wishlist thread if you have not already? I think some kind of disablement combined with a chance of self-destruction is probably the best way to tweak this.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: forsaken1111
I think a better solution, if possible, would be to have the defense stations at least be disabled if they much change hands and require a repair before they are fully functional. It makes no sense that an invading team could so suddenly take control of every defense station and have them fully operational.

Perhaps have the 'defending' player's crew disable the defense platform so that it cannot be used at all until a repair ship can get to it, which would be risky in the middle of a battle.

Perhaps also prioritize defense platforms to fire at incoming troop transports, because if they're shooting at a destroyer or something they will entirely ignore the transports.

Good suggestions, could you also post these in the Master Wishlist thread if you have not already? I think some kind of disablement combined with a chance of self-destruction is probably the best way to tweak this.

That's the best alternative to keeping the bases under the control of the builder. I placed all this in my Master Wishlist post.