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Author Topic: Ships idling behind the station in battle  (Read 1686 times)

SCC

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Ships idling behind the station in battle
« on: May 20, 2019, 01:24:57 AM »

Usually not a big deal, station is plenty powerful by itself. This happens without mods as well.

Alex

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2019, 08:43:28 AM »

This is actually intentional - having too many ships try to "escort" the station can be a bad deal since there's little room to maneuver.
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Schwartz

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2019, 10:21:59 AM »

With the attackers trying to hug the station by default, it may be a good tactic if the defenders tried to flank by default rather than 'giving' their enemies the field.

I guess this is a game-y answer to a game-y problem. When one side has a default strategy, and you implement the best counter-strategy by default, where does it end?
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Rokiyo

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2019, 05:21:35 PM »

I've seen a number of battles where the defenders have lost the station due to this issue. Instead of using the station for cover to pick off flankers, they wait for the station to die and then get swarmed by the remaining attackers.

I would suggest one of the following options:
1) Don't deploy the ships that aren't going to contribute (leaving more battle points for the player, who can prevent flanking)
or
2) Have them wait at waypoints to either side of the station instead of behind the station, so that they form a wide line across the battlefield and prevent the station from getting surrounded.

Not letting the station get surrounded is a big deal, because that allows it to vent flux on the modules that aren't facing the enemy.
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Alex

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2019, 05:27:38 PM »

Hmm - the ships defending behind the station should be close enough to prevent the station from getting totally surrounded. Let me make a note to take a look and make sure this is actually happening. Will also see how waypoints to the side work out.
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Rokiyo

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2019, 06:03:54 PM »

Come to think of it, these side waypoints could be actual battlefield objectives: Nav buoy locations/etc that confer a minor advantage to defenders until they lose them.
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BringerofBabies

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2019, 06:48:57 PM »

Dropping a defend waypoint on each side (and slightly back) of the station is what I have been doing when using a carrier group to help out stations. It works pretty well, only really getting in the station's way if I start assigning fighter strikes that pull the carriers across the map.
« Last Edit: June 25, 2019, 06:51:21 PM by BringerofBabies »
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Tartiflette

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2019, 11:33:31 PM »

Personally I'm more bothered by my ships insisting on placing themselves between the station and the enemy fleet, taking the maximum concentrated fire they can find, unable to back out of that position, blocking the station fire in the process and allowing the enemy to advance.
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Rokiyo

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2019, 11:51:36 PM »

Just do what the AI does and wait behind the station until it dies, problem solved!  ;D
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Tartiflette

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Re: Ships idling behind the station in battle
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2019, 12:41:53 PM »

I meant my AI ships...
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