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« on: September 18, 2018, 12:07:11 AM »
Leave current 'Engage asap' mode as is, and add as separate 'Engage as formation', tweak-able at design time.
Formation would be defined by:
1) Max distance to get ahead of previous step in formation:
Broadsword have speed of 200, Flash bombers 170 - they are closest thing to naturally occurring formation in game as is. And yet Broadswords would get too far ahead of Flashes, if target is too far away. Would be nice, if you could leash them some 100-200 range ahead of Flashes with transition to full speed attack at set range per formation step (you could always fine tune by switching to 'engage asap' manually). Before that formation travels at speed of slowest fighter wing.
2) Spacing within formation step.
Tight - Medium - Wide. (Either space to next wing within formation step, or distance from center if single and offset).
3) Offset of formation step.
Center - Side (whatever is closer from current position, just avoid center) - Other side than behind formation step - Other side than ahead formation step (2 ways to make it possible for slower fighter wing to pick closest, while faster one adapts to it).
4) Distance at which current step will break formation and switch to normal engage
So example formation could look like (6x, Astral):
- Wide, Any side, Break at 1000: 1x Broadsword. Offset left of right to the max - to prevent missing fire from hitting other fighters. (Suffers the brunt of long ranged fire, they are the cheapest + carry flares)
--200 space
- Medium, Center, Break at 1000: 2x Flash. (Deploy mines while Broadswords provide distraction, medium spacing to better protect other fighters and avoid lumping)
--100 space
- Tight, Center, Break at 1000: 2x Longbow. They more or less want to hit center, where shield is most likely to be present. (Hide behind mines, fire sabots safely)
--100 or more space
- Wide, Any side, Break at 1000: 1x Dagger. Offset left of right to the max - shields deploy from dead center on front shield ships, side shots have chance to bypass. (Fire Atropos timed to arrive roughly after sabots hit, while enjoying mine protection for self and Atropos in flight)
This is somewhat similar to what happens with this fighter set naturally, but Daggers fire Atropos too early, Longbows risk by getting ahead of Flashes and Broadswords can goo too far ahead if target is far. So it's very much not ideal.
Or (6x, Astral)):
- Wide, Any side, Break at 1000: 1x Broadsword. (same distraction as above)
--200 space
- Wide, Center, Break at 500: 5x Flashes. (Bomb the enemy from frontal cone and maybe even sides instead of single lump, deny as much area as possible)
Or (2x):
- Wide, Any side, Break at 1000: 1x Broadsword. (same distraction as above)
-- 200 space
- Wide, Other side than ahead step, Break at 1000: 1x Claw (exploit opening created by Broadswords on other side)
Or (2x):
- Wide, Any side, Break at 100: 1x Claw
-- 0 space
- Wide, Other side than ahead step, Break at 100: 1x Claw
Same thing, depends on implementation which would be preferable:
- Wide, Center, Break at 100: 2x Claw
(simultaneous attack from sides to bypass non 360 shields. 1st configuration looks somewhat awkward, but you get the idea. Break distance needs to apply to either wings themselves or formation step center, whatever is closer)
These 3 scenarios just do not happen naturally.
Both Phase Lances are linked.
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