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[Iscariot]

My dislike of fighters is well known around these parts, but fighters are in the game and they're here to stay, so I see no reason not to try and suggest improvements to them that increase their support capabilities and visual flair without adding to their battle-ending overpoweredness.

My suggestion is that interceptors and heavy fighters break formation and chase down incoming fighter theats to ships they've been ordered to escort. Most fighters stay in formation quite tightly-- there are cases of fighter formations getting stretched out quite a bit but I've never seen them do it 'voluntarily' or to the degree that I am suggesting.

The advantages to flying in formation are pretty obvious when coming in on attack runs or travelling to your target, you can control the facing and weapons output of all ships in your wing, but on the defense against fighters, you don't need to fire on your targets all at once. It would be more interesting visually-- and better tactically, since one wing could cover much more battlespace defensively-- if wings broke apart and individually chased down, circled, and engaged enemy fighters.

[Thaago]

I would like this also - I've noticed in fighter-fighter and fighter-bomber skirmishes that some members of a formation just aren't shooting very often because they are so locked into formation that they can't point at an enemy (There was a funny video posted a while back of Talons circling a bomber with only the lead one firing - and consistently missing ).

[Upgradecap]

Yes! Exactly what we need, because i doubt that real fighters stay locked in a fighter formation in the heat of battle.
Could be great for increasing epicness, and giving that "Dogfighting" feeling to fighters

[Iscariot]

Oh, hey, Upgradecap, I forgot to mention that this suggestion was triggered by my reading your 'how to make starfarer more epic' thread. Anyway, I think it's a pretty reasonable suggestion, it doesn't give fighters any more offensive powers, but it makes them better defensively.

[Nori]

I approve of this idea... Though it would be important for the fighters to know if they can take out a threat by themselves and to allocate the appropriate force in each situation...

[Upgradecap]

Oh, hey, Upgradecap, I forgot to mention that this suggestion was triggered by my reading your 'how to make starfarer more epic' thread. Anyway, I think it's a pretty reasonable suggestion, it doesn't give fighters any more offensive powers, but it makes them better defensively.

Guess it was because of the second video, huh? Well, that's pretty much dogfighting epicness, yeah

[Nanostrike]

The problem is that if they split, it's a royal pain in the ass to chase them down with PD ships or other fighters.  And it'd be frustrating to see all of your fighters fly off chasing fighters and dogfighting while a squadron of Bombers flies right through and wastes you.

It would shake up a lot of weapon balance, too.  Flak would be a lot less useful and Beam PD would be more useful.


Perhaps a compromise...

Fighters/Bombers staying in formation get a small bonus (10%-20%) to their attack.  This would give incentive for Bombers and fighters doing Attack Runs to stay in formation.  The flipside would be Fighters out of formation would be able to easily flank fighters/bombers stuck in Formation and be less vulnerable to AoE Point Defense.  Also, perhaps limiting the "Break and Engage" to Interceptors would give them somewhat of a buff against the currently-dominating Heavy Fighters?

I also believe there needs to be a special option called "Fighter Screen" in the Commands.  It would put an Interceptor or Heavy Fighter (Preferring Interceptors if they're available) squadron on a specialized Escort around the targeted ship.  While on the specialized escort, they will swarm around their target, covering it from most angles.  They'll take off and engage any Fighter or Missile threats that come at their target, but will largely ignore anything bigger than a Frigate.


Kinda like they do in Space Pirates and Zombies.  Skip to about 1:30 in to see the Drones in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZeCi8I4zvY

They swarm around like flies, making it easy for them to intercept threats and a pain in the ass to specifically target.

[Iscariot]

I did specify fighters designated to escorts. Wings coming in on attack runs would remain in formation.