Ship design and battle orders

[aprezto]

I know threads like this have been doing the rounds (so sorry if it is old news), but not with the battle orders that I can tell (although I haven't read every thread)

Can I just get the design decisions straight for ships - especially warships:

1. Battle orders are allocated to ships at a macro level via their design type i.e. every frigate, every escort etc
2. We can have multiple different makes of ship for each design type i.e torp-centric, beam-centric, area effect-centric etc
3. Every time we create a new design type it overwrites any previous types in the design screen and becomes the default version built if automation is on. However, it also only does it to a computer template - you are back to using the default starting component layout only with newer items.

This seems to be the procedure in place for creation of ships. Please refine this if I have it wrong.

The issues I have with this is that an early-tech beam type frigate, that has stand off orders (because it can afford to, as it hits with its weapons - even if they don't do much damage) then gets superceded with a new torp design, tries to use the stand off orders it becomes useless, as early torps have such pitiful accuracy.

Refitting is now less-than-optimal as my beam frigates get upgraded to the newer design torp frigates, (which at least gets them torp orders), but makes for a bit of a mess trying to keep together what's what.

Seems to me that either there be more 'job-based' designs, a change that seems to have been specifically opted against by the designers; or, that refitting acts a bit like automated upgrades do (the button you can click in the design screen that changes all old type tech to new along component restrictions - beam with beam, engine with engine etc): a refit only changes the components not the whole design.

The first of my options above allows continuity of orders - a missile cruiser will continue to have main weapon = torps and orders that are best used with them.

And that the second option at least keep some continuity of design, which aligns with naming convention (I usually try and name my ships with a give-away title e.g. trebuchet for a torp shooter), but this still doesn't get around the orders incongruity. There is also the added problem of how you upgrade to a new design if that is actually what you want to achieve.

[2ndACR]

Nope,  wrong on all accounts right now.

If under AI control, they will be used mainly for patrol and escort unless in a fleet. No matter the size ship.
Currently you can only have 1 design of each ship. That is it.

We are all awaiting the newest patch to see the design changes. And I am still getting a grip on design myself. All manual control warships should have a energy collector installed so the ship does not burn fuel just hovering while you decide what to do with it etc. All troopships should have them too.