3
« on: June 26, 2023, 02:51:11 AM »
A better option in my opinion is not to make civilian ships want to be in combat (there is no reason to attempt to force specifically civilian vessels into combat), but to provide a gameplay reason for them to be in combat, such that you have a reason to give them some amount of combat power.
Best idea I can think of is something like a rock paper scissors style minigame: if your fleet gets "ambushed" (exactly what qualifies, not sure. something with sensor readings, e-burn status, etc), you have to decide how to position your forces or respond to the threat (eg, "hold back the bulk of your forces to protect your logistics support" "chase the enemy fleet to force combat" "disengage while the enemy chases a rearguard detatchment", etc style responses).
If you pick badly compared to what the enemy fleet comp is and what they decide to do, you have to do a retreat style scenario where you have a random selection of your ships available for deployment at the start (to represent your fleet being mis-positioned to the enemy, and they've attacked your logistics train), with the ability to deploy as normal once you've successfully retreated your (enforced spawn) logistics vessels off the map.
Speed and ship size could tie into this as well - Perhaps this could be a type of fleet combat only available to ships (on both sides) with a burn speed or tactical speed of a certain limit, or even by ship size (destroyers and frigates) perhaps, to ensure that you need to keep at least some smaller ships in your fleet to act as "fast response" ships for these type of emergencies.
Firstly, this gives a reason to have some amount of combat power, even if just support weapons, on your civilian ships. A phaeton isn't going to add much combat help for instance, but it might help delay the enemy advance if it's got a converted hanger with thunders in, or you've fitted a salamader missle to your dram so it can provide support fire.
Secondly, it gives reasons to take different types of freighters and fuel haulers over just "whatever is biggest". Suddenly it might be better to take 2 collosi or a bunch of tarsus's over an atlas simply to help provide fire support in a ambush situation. This also then opens a reason for more "combat freighters" to exist (and be added), if they may actually have to try and fight off a bunch of hounds and wolves. Taking mules, for instance, might be a good idea over buffalos, whereas currently early on you'd probably just take buffalos.
Lastly, it provides incentive to keep smaller ships around still in late game fleets to act as logistic defense, if that route is taken.
This could even be applied by the player as well, to allow smaller player fleets to make hit and run attacks against trade convoys and attempt to outmaneuver the defenders to force the retreat style pursuit in the same way.
