How to get a Fleet to Attack as a group?

[edpovi]

I've noticed that every time I move a fleet for defense / attack, the ships in the fleet move at different speeds or entered hyper at different times and they arrive at the location all strung out.

Anyone have any handy tips and suggestions in managing Fleets?
Perhaps some settings may be troublesome when set on Auto?

Thanks!
-Ed

[Miletkir]

[Psycho78]

Best tip I've seen so far is to warp them into the other side of the system from the enemy, let them all arrive then issue a move command. This will be easier if/when we get queued movement commands.

[Miletkir]

Trolling aside, it's actually a fair and important question, and the issue of fleet formation came up during the Beta. There have been significant improvements in that area, but, yeah, we're not there yet, although I am certain this will get better in later builds.

Until then, I'm afraid there is mostly just micro-management left, and the obvious - harmonizing speed across designs.

[Emperor0Akim]

Trolling aside, it's actually a fair and important question, and the issue of fleet formation came up during the Beta. There have been significant improvements in that area, but, yeah, we're not there yet, although I am certain this will get better in later builds.

Until then, I'm afraid there is mostly just micro-management left, and the obvious - harmonizing speed across designs.

I am quoting this in the Ship-Design Poll. Such a great summary of how two game problems magnify each other.

[zgrssd]

I think this is a mater of relative strenght. Your faster ships are propably captured abandoned ships. Which carry a lot of firepower.

For example, I found ships with teh Torrent drive (816k) while running Gerax (400k) myself.
Against most enemies, those high tech ships themself feel perfectly fine to engagne on their own. But attack a Hive Carrier, and they almost jump synchronous and match speed.

[100thMonkey]

I've noticed that every time I move a fleet for defense / attack, the ships in the fleet move at different speeds or entered hyper at different times and they arrive at the location all strung out.

Anyone have any handy tips and suggestions in managing Fleets?
Perhaps some settings may be troublesome when set on Auto?

Thanks!
-Ed

I might be wrong, but I believe the options "Tight" and "Very Tight" for "Formation" in the fleets' tactical settings are intended to minimize the "spreading" of fleets, presumably when attacking or defending.

Not 100% sure though, because as far as I can tell, there's no documentation for this anywhere (Galactopedia, Manual, Tours). The "Military" tour mention to hover above the tactical settings to get more details, but there doesn't seem to be any.

Also, if that IS the intendend use/effect of that settings, can't say at this point if it works as intended or not.

[Carewolf]

Best tip I've seen so far is to warp them into the other side of the system from the enemy, let them all arrive then issue a move command. This will be easier if/when we get queued movement commands.

Especially important for invasions. I had a neutral planet invasion I failed 4 times with a single attacj command, because the AI landed one troop carrier at a time. For combat ships it is more complicated because you need them to assemble far enough away to not start auto-engaging.