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Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 12:27 pm
by Chris21wen
I'm really struggling to understand fleet stances/postures/auto. If someone could supply a difinitive guide to how the heck they work or are supposed to work I be grateful.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 1:11 pm
by elanaagain
@fleet stances: Link to 'guide to guides'
tm.asp?m=2988049 . Seven guides, most have good info, although possible not updated for shadows - still very, very helpful. Here is the specific one on fleet postures.
tm.asp?m=2973167. Some other misc tips that may not be in guide: when you design a base (mining, etc) set the engagement range to 'all weapons.' ((You can also change the fleet engagement range on already existing bases by going to the ship design, pulling up the current -in use-design - and changing ONLY the fleet stance. A dialog window window will come up warning you not to change anything as the design is in use. But changing the stance works and doesn't scuttle the bases already built.)) This way, the base shoots at attacking enemies/pirates immediately as they come in range. If you design a flag ship, with your fleet commander on board, set it for max range - and give it your best long range weapons.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:11 am
by Starke
I've read the linked guide on fleet stances, and while I find it illuminating, it's not helping me much in my current situation.
Immediately, here's what I'd like to know: I'm playing a pirate - with full manual control - who desperately needs his defense fleet to stay in orbit above 'my' planet building an expensive pirate facility to prevent troop transports from getting through, NOT chasing random escorts around the system. Is there are way to make them stay freaking put? I would have thought setting them to 'target' rather than 'system', 'anywhere', etc., would do it, but they still attack anything in the system.
More generally, I'd like to know if, in fact, fleet postures (either target/system/sector/anywhere and attack/defense) have ANY bearing on autonomous ship behavior when they are under manual control. I haven't seen any changes in how manual-but-idle ships behave no matter what those settings.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:51 am
by Chris21wen
ORIGINAL: Starke
I've read the linked guide on fleet stances, and while I find it illuminating, it's not helping me much in my current situation.
Immediately, here's what I'd like to know: I'm playing a pirate - with full manual control - who desperately needs his defense fleet to stay in orbit above 'my' planet building an expensive pirate facility to prevent troop transports from getting through, NOT chasing random escorts around the system. Is there are way to make them stay freaking put? I would have thought setting them to 'target' rather than 'system', 'anywhere', etc., would do it, but they still attack anything in the system.
More generally, I'd like to know if, in fact, fleet postures (either target/system/sector/anywhere and attack/defense) have ANY bearing on autonomous ship behavior when they are under manual control. I haven't seen any changes in how manual-but-idle ships behave no matter what those settings.
I can help witht he first bit, found out by trial and error. First don't put them on auto. Make sure the planet is the fleets homebase and set the fleet to patrol or move to it (move uses less fuel). Set the posture to defend range nearby targets. Set engagement stance to nearby targets.
Like you the thread does not help much as I use manual control and it mainly deals with automated fleets and does. There's also no mention how engagement stance reacts with it.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 6:02 am
by Tehlongone
There is also a more passive stance, than System targets, I think it's "when attacked" or some such. If you park the fleet over what you need defended they'll still get involved in any attack on that target in my experience.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 6:27 am
by Canute0
1. Try to set the Home base to the planet you like to protect. Not sure if this is possible on planets you are building a hidden base.
2. Set the SHIP stance (its the lowest button on the right side) to "Nearby targets"
3. Set the FLEET stance to Target.
4. Enable automation of the fleet.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 2:55 pm
by Starke
ORIGINAL: Chris H
ORIGINAL: Starke
I've read the linked guide on fleet stances, and while I find it illuminating, it's not helping me much in my current situation.
Immediately, here's what I'd like to know: I'm playing a pirate - with full manual control - who desperately needs his defense fleet to stay in orbit above 'my' planet building an expensive pirate facility to prevent troop transports from getting through, NOT chasing random escorts around the system. Is there are way to make them stay freaking put? I would have thought setting them to 'target' rather than 'system', 'anywhere', etc., would do it, but they still attack anything in the system.
More generally, I'd like to know if, in fact, fleet postures (either target/system/sector/anywhere and attack/defense) have ANY bearing on autonomous ship behavior when they are under manual control. I haven't seen any changes in how manual-but-idle ships behave no matter what those settings.
I can help witht he first bit, found out by trial and error. First don't put them on auto. Make sure the planet is the fleets homebase and set the fleet to patrol or move to it (move uses less fuel). Set the posture to defend range nearby targets. Set engagement stance to nearby targets.
Like you the thread does not help much as I use manual control and it mainly deals with automated fleets and does. There's also no mention how engagement stance reacts with it.
I'm a little confused. I tried setting up a fleet as you said. I already have my fleets manually controlled, set to move to the planet they are defending, and the planet is their home base, check, check and check. But what do you mean by defend range nearby targets? I can set them to defend their home base, but there is no range setting for 'nearby targets', just target (this changes to home base if the fleet has one, which it does)/system/nearby systems/sector/anywhere. Home base is what I've been trying, and it doesn't work, and 'system' is exactly what I'm trying to avoid.
If only there was a way to manually deactivate my ship's hyperdrives once I had them in orbit above the planet. =P
EDIT: Ah-ha, I found the engagement stances menu in Empire Settings, from the Options menu of the pause screen. I had them all set to default. I'll try changing that to 'nearby targets' and see if that helps. Thanks all.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:15 pm
by elanaagain
Chris: Fleet/ship management, as you see from all the above comments, is still something of a mystery. The necessary commands are scattered in several different places, and how they truly interact with one another is a challenge to figure out. I haven't played a pirate yet. Please, keep us posted here on what you discover, and help us all find a way to get pirates to (mis)behave as we wish. Arrgggg.
RE: Understanding Fleet stances
Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 3:11 am
by Chris21wen
ORIGINAL: Starke
I can set them to defend their home base, but there is no range setting for 'nearby targets', just target (this changes to home base if the fleet has one, which it does)/system/nearby systems/sector/anywhere.
Humble appologise I should have said Home base. I answered from memory which became corrupted. I've now rebooted.