IntroductionI’d like to discuss 3 issues (in my opinion) with the game as it stands which can be remedied with one proposed mechanic. These issues are:
- Strategic (campaign level) maneuvering has very little bearing on the tactical situation. As it stands, the best you can do is put the battle in a nebula, or in an asteroid belt, etc., none of which have a large effect on how the tactical battle is fought;
- There are very few options on how to build your fleet to challenge a superior foe than “more bigger ships”. In other words, all else being equal, it is very difficult for a smaller fleet to damage or defeat a larger fleet.
- Phase ships (somewhat) lacking strategic impact.
What can be done to tie all these together into a potentially satisfying mechanic that address all of these issues? Introducing:
AmbushesI suggest a mechanic being implemented for a small fleet to catch a larger fleet unawares via strategic maneuvering. Once a larger fleet is caught unaware, the small fleet can choose to engage elements of the larger fleet, either disrupting its logistic capability (and therefore its ability to carry out its mission) or defeating it in detail. This can be done by a small, maneuverable fleet running dark in a nearby piece of space terrain, or by a small (or even medium sized) phase armada, which will be the experts in ambush tactics.
The particularsWhile this mechanic can be implemented in any number of ways, here’s one possible version that highlight some of its benefits:
- When a fleet engages an enemy it did not detect until shortly before engaging (say a day, or half a day), and when the enemy has detected that fleet before that time, that fleet is “Ambushed”.
- Two fleets who stumble upon each other, neither having detected one another before engaging, engage normally and the ambush mechanic is not triggered.
- When engaging an Ambushed fleet, the attacker can choose to proceed with battle normally (move in to engage, attempt to disengage, etc.), but can also choose to “Isolate and attack the enemy fleet in parts” – this would be an additional dialogue option.
- In addition, an Ambushed fleet can never pursue – giving the ambusher some degree of safety after a successful ambush or in case an attack goes badly.
- If the Isolate and Attack option is chosen, both fleets are divided into smaller “elements” by the ambusher. Conceptually, this represents the ambusher dividing up its own forces and isolating smaller elements of the enemy force as it sees fit.
- A dialogue screen (similar, perhaps, to nexerelin’s special task group screen or vanilla’s ship collector sale screen) can be used for this. Each element would be approximately the max disengage size, and the number of elements should be limited so that each element is not much smaller that.
- For example, default max disengage size is 150dp, so each element can contain up to 150dp. An Ambushed fleet of 350dpcan be divided into up to 3 elements, an Ambushed fleet of 500dp into 4 elements, etc.
- However, no matter how small the Ambushed fleet is, the number of elements it can be divided into will never be less than 2.
- After the elements are chosen by the ambusher, the Ambushed fleet chooses an element to protect. This element cannot be targeted by the ambusher. Conceptually, this represents the core of the ambushed fleet, containing its most important/vulnerable ships, which the ambushed fleet takes greatest care to avoid putting into danger.
- The ambusher then chooses one of its elements to attack an enemy element, resulting in a disengage style battle. If the ambusher is victorious, it may conduct salvage operations. This process repeats itself until either fleet runs out of elements to attack/be attacked, or terminates when the ambusher chooses.
- After the Ambush, the ambushing fleet may choose to fight the Ambushed fleet normally, or perform salvage operations and withdraw. Again, if the ambusher withdraws, the Ambushed fleet cannot pursue.
Ambush in practiceBelow are two examples of how the ambush mechanic may work in practice. The first is a basic scenario, where the player uses it to isolate important elements of a superior enemy fleet. The second is a larger application, where we demonstrate the use of multiple ambusher groups, and the cutting off of elements of the enemy fleet from supports needed to synergize with it.
Example 1 – underground bountyA bounty hunter fleet (the player) is tasked with an underworld bounty – a Hegemony patrol. The disposition of the forces are as follows:
Player:
- Medusa (Flagship)
- Medusa
- Wolf
- Wolf
- Buffalo
Hegemony Patrol:
- Eagle (Flagship)
- Dominator
- Hammerhead
- Hammerhead
- Lasher
- Buffalo (A)
- Buffalo (A)
- Dram
A more confident player than I may decide to take the patrol on directly, but let’s presume for this exercise that the player cannot win that fight straight up. However, he observes that:
- There is an asteroid belt near the area the Patrol is stationed, allowing for an ambush
- The patrol is far enough from any Hegemony market that destroying its logistic train could cause it to run out of supplies before making port.
The player lays in wait, running dark in the asteroid belt until the Patrol comes in close, then attacks. The ambush is successful, and he chooses to isolate the elements of the patrol for defeat in detail. He isolates the Patrol as follows:
Element 1:
- Eagle (Flagship)
- Hammerhead
- Lasher
Element 2:
- Dominator
- Hammerhead
- Buffalo (A)
- Buffalo (A)
- Dram
Each element is individually weaker than the player’s full fleet, and each element, if attacked, can achieve the player’s objective. (Of course, the flagship is the bounty – if the player destroys the Eagle, he can leave the rest of the fleet and the bounty would complete). The player is not obliged to and does not divide his own fleet into elements. It would be a meaningless exercise since there would only be one ambushing attack.
Let’s say the Hegemon commander, unwilling to risk his flagship (and his life), Protects the first element. The player attacks the second element. While the Dominator is a hard target to engage, the player’s superior maneuverability allows him to attack the logistic ships (which are forced to deploy in a disengage battle) directly. The battle resolves as follows:
Player:
- Medusa – Undamaged
- Medusa – Undamaged
- Wolf – Moderate Damage
- Wolf – Disabled
Hegemony Patrol:
- Dominator – Light Damage
- Hammerhead – Light Damage
- Buffalo (A) – Disabled
- Buffalo (A) – Destroyed
- Dram – Destroyed
The ambush is over and, still finding himself weaker than the Patrol, the player disengages after some quick salvaging and stalks the slower patrol from a distance.
Over the coming days, the Hegemon Patrol limps back to home. However, due to the sheer distance between it and the closest market, it runs out of supplies and is forced to scuttle its Dominator and Hammerheads.
The player once again engages and his two Medusa and Wolf makes short work of the Eagle and Lasher remaining in the patrol. Mission accomplished.
Example 2 – pitched battleLet’s consider a larger application of this mechanic, and how multiple combat elements can be used by the ambusher. In this scenario, the player is tasked with stopping a large pirate force en route to raid his fledgling colony of Ilium. Disposition of forces are as follows:
Player:
- 2x Aurora (30dp x 2 = 60dp)
- 2x Fury (20dp x 2 = 40dp)
- 2x Doom (35dp x 2 = 70dp)
- 4x Harbinger (18dp x 4 = 72dp)
- 1x Medusa (12dp x 1 = 12dp)
- 4x Wolf (5dp x 4 = 20dp)
- 2x Buffalo (TT) (3dp x 2 = 6dp)
- 3x Phantom (10dp x 3 = 30dp)
- Total 310dp
Pirate:
- 5x Atlas MkII (24dp x 5 = 120dp)
- 5x Eradicator(P) (22dp x 5 = 110dp)
- 3x Venture MkII (14dp x 3 = 42dp)
- 3x Colossus MkIII (8dp x 3 = 24dp)
- 8x Buffalo MkII (4dp x 8 = 32dp)
- 5x Manticore(P) (12dp x 5 = 60dp)
- 3x Shrike(P) (8dp x 3 = 24dp)
- 2x Mule(P) (7dp x 2 = 14dp)
- 8x Wolf(P) (5dp x 8 = 40dp)
- 8x Kite(P) (2dp x 8 = 16dp)
- 6x Hound(P) (3dp x 6 = 18dp)
- 10x Buffalo(P) (3dp x 10 = 30dp)
- 4x Phaeton (4dp x 4 = 16dp)
- Total 546dp
Once again, a better player than I may take this on directly. However, for the purpose of this example, let’s say the player is of such a skill level that a head-on attack is inadvisable. Instead, he lays in wait near the magnetic field of an irradiated planet between his colony and the nearest jump point. The pirate force stumbles by, and the Player’s fleet moves in to ambush. The battle is joined.
The max disengage size is 150, so the player has to divide his fleet into 3 (310/150, rounded up). The pirate fleet, being 546dp in size, is divided into 4. Each element can contain at most 150dp worth of ships.
The player divides his fleet into a conventional assault element, a phase assault element, and a logistic element as follows:
Element 1:
- 2x Aurora (30dp x 2 = 60dp)
- 2x Fury (20dp x 2 = 40dp)
- 1x Medusa (12dp x 1 = 12dp)
- 4x Wolf (5dp x 4 = 20dp)
- Total 132dp
Element 2:
- 2x Doom (35dp x 2 = 70dp)
- 4x Harbinger (18dp x 4 = 72dp)
- Total 142dp
Element 3:
- 2x Buffalo (TT) (3dp x 2 = 6dp)
- 3x Phantom (10dp x 3 = 30dp)
- Total 36dp
Of course, in practice, nothing stops the player from dividing ships of the same class among multiple elements (2 wolves in 1, 2 wolves in 2, for example). However, here for ease of illustration, let’s say he doesn’t.
Note that element 3 is completely unfit for combat. That’s okay. The ambusher is not obliged to deploy every single element, so a spare element can be reserved for non-combat ships. Even when a non-combat ship is forced into a combat element, the nature of a disengage style battle is such that it does not necessarily need to be deployed. As such, the ambushing fleet enjoys much greater safety for its logistics train.
As to the pirate fleet, the player observes that it contains high damage, but squishy Atlas MkII’s, somewhat lower damage but more survivable cruisers, many smaller ships, and a sizeable logistics train. In a conventional battle, all these elements work to support each other and is difficult to deal with. However, if cut off from each other, they can be made much more manageable.
The player divides the pirate fleet as follows:
Element 1:
- 5x Atlas MkII (24dp x 5 = 120dp)
- 4x Buffalo MkII (4dp x 4 = 16dp)
- Total 136dp
Element 2:
- 5x Eradicator(P) (22dp x 5 = 110dp)
- 2x Venture MkII (14dp x 2 = 28dp)
- Total 138dp
Element 3:
- 1x Venture MkII (14dp x 1 = 14dp)
- 3x Colossus MkIII (8dp x 3 = 24dp)
- 4x Buffalo MkII (4dp x 4 = 16dp)
- 5x Manticore(P) (12dp x 5 = 60dp)
- 3x Shrike(P) (8dp x 3 = 24dp)
- Total 138dp
Element 4:
- 2x Mule(P) (7dp x 2 = 14dp)
- 8x Wolf(P) (5dp x 8 = 40dp)
- 8x Kite(P) (2dp x 8 = 16dp)
- 6x Hound(P) (3dp x 6 = 18dp)
- 10x Buffalo(P) (3dp x 10 = 30dp)
- 4x Phaeton (4dp x 4 = 16dp)
- Total 134dp
Element 1, then, is a large group of unsupported Atlas MkII’s, easy pickings for a well-organized strike force; element 2 is a cruiser croup that may present the biggest challenge for the player fleet, but doesn’t necessarily have to be engaged right now; element 3 consist of weak cruisers and pirate destroyers that the player can defeat in a conventional brawl; and element 4 contains weak pirate escorts and the entirety of the pirates’ logistic train.
Let’s say the pirate warlord decides to protect element 1. He thinks it’s important to preserve his most valuable warships for the raid ahead, logistic train be damned. After all, his Ventures (which are tough enough to maybe withdraw, especially grouped with Eradicators) and Hounds (which are fast enough to be all but completely safe in a disengage style battle) still carry significant amount of supplies and, hey, if there’s not enough supplies to make it home, he’d just have to take some from the poor citizens of Ilium.
The player proceeds to attack. He deploys his element 1 against the pirate’s element 2. His faster, better organized fleet route the pirate cruiser force, let’s say the battle resolves as follows:
Player element 1:
- 2x Aurora 2x Light damage
- 2x Fury Light damage, Moderate damage
- 1x Medusa Light damage
- 4x Wolf 2x Disabled, 2x light damage
Pirate element 2:
- 5x Eradicator(P) 4x Disabled, 1x Moderate damage
- 2x Venture MkII 2x Disabled
A good start – the enemy cruiser line is severely damaged and the player’s front line is more-or-less still ready for further action. The player still has its elements 2 and 3 to deploy against the pirate’s elements 3 and 4. He deploys his element 2 against pirate element 3.
While not as competent in a straight up fight, the player’s phase ships use their time acceleration in phase space to catch up with the pirates’ retreating ships and inflict heavy damage on the slower cruisers. However, some of the faster destroyers get away. Let’s say the battle resolves as follows:
Player Element 2:
- 2x Doom 2x Light damage
- 4x Harbinger 2x Light damage, 2x moderate damage
Pirate Element 3:
- 1x Venture MkII Disabled
- 3x Colossus MkIII 3x Disabled
- 4x Buffalo MkII 4x Disabled
- 5x Manticore(P) 2x Light damage, 2x Moderate damage, 1x Disabled
- 3x Shrike(P) 1x Light damage, 2x Disabled
Satisfactory result – the pirate’s cruiser force is further eroded, but 4 manticores still pose something of a threat. The player now only has its element 3 remaining against the pirate’s element 4. Obviously, Element 3 was never meant to enter battle. The player chooses not to deploy and ends the ambush.
Disposition of forces after ambush is as follows:
Player:
- 2x Aurora (30dp x 2 = 60dp) Light damage
- 2x Fury (20dp x 2 = 40dp) Light damage, Moderate damage
- 2x Doom (35dp x 2 = 70dp) Light damage
- 4x Harbinger (18dp x 4 = 72dp) 2x Light damage, 2x Moderate damage
- 1x Medusa (12dp x 1 = 12dp) Light damage
- 2x Wolf (5dp x 2 = 10dp) Light damage
- 2x Buffalo (TT) (3dp x 2 = 6dp)
- 3x Phantom (10dp x 3 = 30dp)
- Total 300dp (10dp lost)
Pirate:
- 5x Atlas MkII (24dp x 5 = 120dp)
- 1x Eradicator(P) (22dp x 1 = 22dp) Moderate damage
- 4x Buffalo MkII (4dp x 4 = 16dp)
- 4x Manticore(P) (12dp x 4 = 48dp) 2x Light damage, 2x Moderate damage
- 1x Shrike(P) (8dp x 1 = 8dp) Light damage
- 2x Mule(P) (7dp x 2 = 14dp)
- 8x Wolf(P) (5dp x 8 = 40dp)
- 8x Kite(P) (2dp x 8 = 16dp)
- 6x Hound(P) (3dp x 6 = 18dp)
- 10x Buffalo(P) (3dp x 10 = 30dp)
- 4x Phaeton (4dp x 4 = 16dp)
- Total 348dp (198dp lost)
The pirates are still strong enough to push on to Ilium, so the player decides to engage the remaining forces in a conventional battle. He takes some losses, but at least the colony is safe.
Ambush in the grander scheme of the gameIn addition to a fun way to defeat larger fleets, this mechanic opens up new ways for AI to interact with the player, and to interact with other AI. It can also interact with other mechanics like bar missions and officer skills.
Ambush tactic and AI fleetsAs a part of the implementation of this mechanic, I propose a new class of AI fleets – the ambusher. These would be separate fleet definitions much like a Fast Picket, Detachment, or Trade fleet. Ambushers go to a predestined area of operations (which, unlike patrols, don’t have to be in its home system) and lays in wait for targets of opportunity. Occasionally, it will change positions to pick up other targets or to avoid detection. Ambushers can be found around markets of a hostile faction to conduct commerce raiding, or deployed near home markets to deter attackers.
Pirates and Tri-Tachyon are masters of ambush tactics, with pirates particularly favoring smaller ships and Tri-Tachyon favoring phase ships.
With ambusher fleets lying around, even a well defended trade fleet ran by the player may have to take care to avoid common ambushing spots such as nebulae and asteroid fields, and players undertaking an attack on pirate bases may have to take different routes or take care to root out ambushers on the way to their target.
Bar missionsA bar mission/contact mission can also interact with this mechanic, in addition to the obvious use of this mechanic in bounty missions. Concerned traders or military officers can ask the player to root out ambushers in a large area. A player may be given information something like:
- Traders are reporting losses between Volturn and Nortia, we suspect pirate ambushers are responsible.
- Based on survivor reports and rate of losses, we estimate 2-4 ambusher fleets may be involved.
- You are asked to destroy these fleets within 60 days, with a bounty for each fleet destroyed.
The player would then go on patrol in the general area, with a focus on ambush-favoring terrain, and hunt down these ambushers.
Officer skillsOfficer skills can be added that specifically synergize with ambush warfare, in addition to combat skills favoring fast, smaller attack ships naturally favoring ambush tactics and navigation/sensor skills making ambushes easier. For example, leadership skill can be added to favor ambush tactics by increasing the number of elements involved by 1 or give various combat bonuses in ambush battles.
Personal bountiesOne other quick note – certain personal pirate bounties can venture out of their rumored hiding spots and instead hide elsewhere to ambush the player fleet – a bit of a twist to the somewhat monotonous gameplay loop of “go to system, fight fleet, get paid, come back”.
Defense against ambushThree main ways of defending against ambushers are:
- Avoiding areas conducive to ambush;
- Using active sensor burst to scope out suspicious areas before passing through; and
- Including ships with higher resolution sensors in the fleet to passively pick up ambushers.
Of these, 1 and 3 require significant changes in how the player plays, but 2 may be too easy – if all we’re doing is dropping a sensor burst before passing asteroid belts, ambushes may be too easy to avoid. I’d like to add a little more risk into that. To that end, I propose that, in addition to triggering when a fleet is attacked by an opposing force it hasn’t seen in the past day (or so), ambush also triggers when a fleet is attacked in the middle of an active sensor burst. After all, the active sensor burst requires putting ships into a lower state of combat readiness. The duration and effectiveness of active sensor burst should be tuned such that it remains an effective way of rooting out ambushers, but only if the fleet takes some precaution to stay some distance away from the potential ambusher’s hiding spot.
This has the added benefit of giving players a new way to deal with patrols – a patrol that otherwise cannot be defeated straight on can be dealt with by hiding from them and, when they inevitably use a sensor burst to find the player’s fleet, rush them, defeating a portion of it in ambush, and (hopefully) fighting the remainder in a more even battle.
BalanceThis mechanic, of course, has many balance levers – element sizes in ambush, time window to trigger an ambush, ability specs of active sensor burst and run dark, sensor ranges of fleets in general, etc. etc., so I think it can be balanced properly one way or another. However, as an initial suggestion, I propose that the mechanic be balanced so that:
- From a hiding spot (mag field, asteroid belt, nebula), a conventional fleet should be able to ambush an unsuspecting fleet 2-3 times its size.
- From a hiding spot, a phase fleet should be able to ambush an unsuspecting fleet 4-6 times its size; and
- A phase fleet running dark should be able to ambush an unsuspecting fleet 2-3 times its size from open space.
This is an initial proposal only, of course, and if this mechanic is implemented, all of the above noted balancing levers should be used in addition to requisite testing to make sure it plays well in the grand scheme of the game.
ConclusionThis proposed mechanic achieves the goal of remedying the issues mentioned at the start of the post, and has a number of other benefits, including:
- Allows for multiple engagements in a battle (which, while being an existing mechanic, almost never happens – a bit of a shame, I think);
- Encourages some degree of strategic planning in travel, even in the core worlds;
- Is entirely optional - a confident pilot/admiral can simply take these fights head on;
- Interacts well with other mechanics already existing in game;
- Can be relatively easy to rebalance, considering the number of “balance levers”; and
- Should be relatively easy to implement (though I’ll admit I’m not a programmer) since many requisite mechanics like battle dialog and escape style battles already exist in game.
Obviously, there’s many things about this proposal I may have thought of but couldn’t put into words, and even more that I haven’t thought of. Nevertheless, I hope this serves as something of a starting point for discussion for the implementation of some form of ambush mechanic, either this incarnation or something different.
