System Patrols and Sector Fleets

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System Patrols and Sector Fleets - 3/29/2010 10:17:04 AM

Nemo84

Posts: 115
Joined: 3/29/2010
Status: offline

Hi, newcomer here with a couple of questions. I've been greatly enjoying the game over the weekend, still getting used to the mechanics and such. Now, one of the areas I'm most unclear about is the ship automation for my warships.

See, I've encountered some very strange behaviour from my escorts and frigates. For example, in one test game I had several colonies and mining stations in my home system, and a bunch of mining stations scattered across 3 neighbouring systems. All this was protected by about a dozen each of escorts and frigates, all automated. At one point, I got a message that a mining station in my home system was under attack by a pirate frigate. I zoom in, expecting to see my glorious navy obliterate that dastardly scoundrel. However, nothing happened and the pirate had plenty of time to take out my undefended station. Searching around for my warships, I noticed there was only a single escort in the entire home system, escorting a newly arrived freighter. However, one of the mining systems contained three frigates and an escort, to guard a single station and freighter. And that isn't the only time I've seen the automation AI group lots of ships in one system and leave another nearly unprotected.

Also, escorts keep jumping between systems when escorting civilian vessels, creating lots of downtime due to being in transit. Wouldn't it be far more efficient if they merely escorted ships as long as these were inside the system? So a freighter would arrive in system A, get assigned an escort from A which jumps to its position, and when jumping to system B the escort goes back to standby because B will also have escorts waiting.

So my question is, is there a way limit ship movement to a single system or sector? That way I can create automated "System Patrols", who are only worried with patrolling stations and ships in their single system instead of jumping at will across the galaxy, leaving some areas undefended for extended periods. And is it possible to create an automated "Sector Fleet" that will remain on standby to defend against enemy attacks inside their assigned sector, but will not go on the offensive against hostile systems? And if this functionality does not yet exist, could it be added to a future update, pretty please with a cherry on top?

And maybe another suggestion regarding automation. It would be great if there was an overview somewhere for every ship type that listed what automated ships will and won't do, with the priority for every action. And does assigning ships to fleets change their automation actions/priorities?

Post #: 1

RE: System Patrols and Sector Fleets - 3/29/2010 11:46:54 AM

sanderz

Posts: 862
Joined: 1/8/2009
From: Devon, England
Status: offline

agree with all this and particularly this bit

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nemo84
And maybe another suggestion regarding automation. It would be great if there was an overview somewhere for every ship type that listed what automated ships will and won't do, with the priority for every action. And does assigning ships to fleets change their automation actions/priorities?

(in reply to Nemo84)

Post #: 2

RE: System Patrols and Sector Fleets - 3/29/2010 5:21:52 PM

malkuth74

Posts: 115
Joined: 3/27/2010
Status: offline

Yeah this is a little lacking. It seems the AI does not really do a very good job of your defenses.

I have had literally 200 ships under AI control before and have had Enemy AI fleets just run over my home system without a challenge.

They need some work on this aspect, because if you have Ai control of your fleets and ships and you go to war with even a minor race you are going to lose eventually.

(in reply to sanderz)

Post #: 3

RE: System Patrols and Sector Fleets - 3/29/2010 9:21:56 PM

Erik Rutins

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
Status: offline

I'm sure we can make improvements here in the future. However, for now the AI does try to cover all areas that need defending, but it will prioritize strategic worlds and resources, sometimes with multiple ships (which can leave other areas without cover. The more escorts and frigates you have, the better a job it will be able to do cover these areas.

Fleets are generally for "planned" operations rather than immediate response when under AI control. So a fleet will likely respond to an enemy fleet's attack, but it may take longer than you'd like. You can always jump in and direct the response yourself if the AI is not doing what you want. I generally control fleet formation and strategy myself, though I often leave the suggestions on as the AI has some pretty good ideas from time to time when it comes to picking targets.

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(in reply to malkuth74)

Post #: 4

RE: System Patrols and Sector Fleets - 3/29/2010 10:04:54 PM

Nemo84

Posts: 115
Joined: 3/29/2010
Status: offline

I see. Thanks for the information, the automated AI takes some getting used to, I guess. I must say, the support for this game so far is to be commended. And as far as I can see on other forums, it's convincing many people to take the plunge and buy the game.

Still, being able to manually limit ships to certain areas is a feature I would like to request. Even if most escorts and frigates still run automated, this would allow the player to finetune his defenses above the limited strategic insight of an AI.

< Message edited by Nemo84 -- 3/29/2010 10:08:52 PM >

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 5