Attack/Threat investigation queueing

[talentless]

Hello

I don't understand at all the interaction between the Military Attack automation policy, the fleets role, and the attack/threat investigation queueing system.

First let me say that I think it is poorly explained in the galactopedia and I guess counter-intuitive, at least to me, as I don't get how it works.

I am running on the latest beta (1.1.0.6). I have Military Attack automation policy to suggest, some fleets in both defense and attack roles and a single threat out of system queued for investigation. And many questions.


1. I am being suggested by an advisor to send a Defense fleet to investigate a threat that I have not queued.

1.1 I would expect the advisor to suggest using an attack fleet instead of a defense fleet. Since defense fleets purpose is to guard locations and respond to active attacks, I would expect them being assigned attacking or incoming enemies rather than objectives that are not an active threat.
1.2 I would expect the advisor to suggest targets that I have previously designated (meaning for the attack role, in defense roles I expect the assignment to be more reactive and dynamic).

I guess I don't understand what is the Military Attack automation policy exactly automating. The designation of targets? The fleet assignment to a target? Both?
Does this work equally for attack or defense missions?
If the designation of targets is automated, what relation have automated selected targets have with manually queued ones? In terms of priority I guess.


2. No attack fleet is being automatically assigned to the queued threat investigation. I am assuming here that I have an attack fleet with appropriate tactical settings and engagement range.

2.1 I am being suggested by an advisor to send a Defense fleet to investigate the queued threat. But I am not sure if this has anything to do with the manual designation, or just another instance of the point 1 above.

Should I expect an advisor to suggest assigning an attack fleet to investigate the threat?
Or should I expect an attack fleet to be automatically assigned?


I am confused as to why we need two separate automation settings influencing the actual assignment of missions: Military Attack automation and fleet role.
Does having Military Attack automation set to Manual and using non Manual fleet roles serve any purpose? In Scott's guide is says "Never use manual as it serves no function." which confirms my source of confusion.


Is this so hard to explain in a way that can be understood reasonably well by players? Or I am alone in this and really missing something?

[Nightskies]

My guide on Steam addresses these (link) and should demystify it.

Short answers might suffice: if you designed two fleets the same but made one an attack fleet and the other a defense fleet, the only difference between them is that the attack fleet would get an Attack Point. Military Attack automation actually assigns the order to the fleet to respond to threats within their engagement range. There are no "attack or defense missions". Just orders against Threats, and Attack Points. Fleet Postures assigns Attack Points.

Regarding the que, I presume that it is not determined by the order of which it was entered, be it manual or automatic; proximity, readiness, and strength of fleets are likely the biggest determining factors.

[talentless]

haha, ok, I think the Galactopedia is making the automation to be perceived more functional than it really is. It could be actually explained better with less wording.

It would be nice to have an automation setting with which the player would have full manual authority on determining attack targets, but keeping the assignment to fleets with the appropriate roles automated. Much like construction works, which you know, it's confusing that both systems have similar interfaces to create tasks but then having each working differently.

[Nightskies]

You could achieve that by setting the engagement range of Attack Fleets to System. They'll then only engage enemies in the system they are in or the system with the Attack Point, disregarding Threats outside their system. You'll have to disable the empire setting, Fleet Postures, and assign Home Bases yourself.