Manual fleets that aren't - just excruciating!

[concern]

Assign a fleet to manual. All policies on manual fleets set to leave me alone. Direct them to refuel at a nearby base.

Half continue whatever it is they're doing (retrofit). A small quantity appears to head where you want, and then suddenly change their mind. The rest just do what they want.

I love the automated layer and letting the computer do as it pleases, flawed as it sometimes is. But when I take control, I would very much like control. Sadly that doesn't happen very often.

Hints and suggestions appreciated before I go insane.

[StormingKiwi]

Assign a fleet to manual. All policies on manual fleets set to leave me alone. Direct them to refuel at a nearby base.

Half continue whatever it is they're doing (retrofit). A small quantity appears to head where you want, and then suddenly change their mind. The rest just do what they want.

I love the automated layer and letting the computer do as it pleases, flawed as it sometimes is. But when I take control, I would very much like control. Sadly that doesn't happen very often.

Hints and suggestions appreciated before I go insane.

Some of the related controls are in different places. There is no real hierarchy in the organisation of these.

Policy Settings>Fleets,
Policy Settings>Military,
Selection Panel>Fleet Tactics
Selection Panel>Ship Tactics

Plus
Fleets>Fleet Templates>Edit Fleet Template
Designs>Design>Tactics and Settings

It could be that your fleet's fleet or ship tactics differ unexpectedly from those prescribed by the fleet template or design.

If a ship was still automated but in a manual fleet, would that conflict?

[Ax]

Yeah it's fuzzy that how it works. Press the Stop buttón before you assign them a new order.

[Nightskies]

If they're in the middle of retrofitting, they can't stop doing that until the station/colony finishes the work.

A fully manual fleet will do what they're ordered to unless they can't do it. The only other thing that would stop them from doing an order off the top of my head is if they're retreating or are disabled.

[btd64]

Yeah it's fuzzy that how it works. Press the Stop buttón before you assign them a new order.

Fleets need a stop button....GP