How do I make my fleets actually patrol?

[Wagonlitz]

I've come up short in making my fleets actually patrol and searching on these fora I didn't seem to be able to find the answer.

Whenever I set my fleets to patrol they essentially do nothing. As in they move through the path and then just dock, instead of moving back and forth over the patrol line.
So yeah, anybody know how to make your fleets actually patrol?

 

[Bankipriel]

Sorry, I'm not sure about patrol paths. I've actually never tried to set a patrol, which brings me to my suggestion for you: it might be worth your while to reconsider how you're placing your upgraded starbases, and how you're developing the worlds around them. By building a backbone of adjacent anchorages (which prevent 100% of piracy regardless of trade value), and then using connected trade hubs as near to twelve jumps apart as feasible, it is relatively easy to have zero piracy across an empire. In my last game, around 2400 I had over 7k trade, with 0 piracy across my controlled space, which was about 1/2 of an 800 star galaxy. Early- and mid-game, anything not in the trade collection reach of the stations connected to the backbone can be focused on raw resource production, refineries, or modest trade that stays below the protection level of an intervening bastion---since a bastion disconnected from the trade network allows for at least 32 (if not 62 or more) protected trade up to 12 jumps away from the anchorage backbone. And once you get gates, everything can be connected to the trade backbone stations. I can imagine games with settings very different from the ones I like where this strategy would not always function, but I've had no problems on 800 size maps with effectively x1 planets. Respectfully, if you need patrols to keep piracy in check, you're probably not using your starbases as effectively as possible. With careful empire building, patrols should not be necessary. It's a shame that piracy can be completely avoided, however, it can be completely avoided.

 

[Latalir]

You probably use right clik instead of left clik, leading to a normal move instead of a patrol

 

[Piotrzeci]

You select a fleet, choose automated patrol option and use either Left or Right (the one that makes their path be white, not yellow) click on the end of the planned route; it will make a fleet go from their current location to the finish repeatably, but there is no way (as far as I know) to choose the route - only the beginning and end.

 

[Wagonlitz]

Sorry, I'm not sure about patrol paths. I've actually never tried to set a patrol, which brings me to my suggestion for you: it might be worth your while to reconsider how you're placing your upgraded starbases, and how you're developing the worlds around them. By building a backbone of adjacent anchorages (which prevent 100% of piracy regardless of trade value), and then using connected trade hubs as near to twelve jumps apart as feasible, it is relatively easy to have zero piracy across an empire. In my last game, around 2400 I had over 7k trade, with 0 piracy across my controlled space, which was about 1/2 of an 800 star galaxy. Early- and mid-game, anything not in the trade collection reach of the stations connected to the backbone can be focused on raw resource production, refineries, or modest trade that stays below the protection level of an intervening bastion---since a bastion disconnected from the trade network allows for at least 32 (if not 62 or more) protected trade up to 12 jumps away from the anchorage backbone. And once you get gates, everything can be connected to the trade backbone stations. I can imagine games with settings very different from the ones I like where this strategy would not always function, but I've had no problems on 800 size maps with effectively x1 planets. Respectfully, if you need patrols to keep piracy in check, you're probably not using your starbases as effectively as possible. With careful empire building, patrols should not be necessary. It's a shame that piracy can be completely avoided, however, it can be completely avoided.

Interesting. Wouldn't it be hangar bays and not anchorages which were needed, though, or am I misunderstanding how trade works? Since anchorages raise the fleet limit, whereas hangar bays protect 10 more trade a piece.

Though I'm not 100% certain how it is you suggest setting up a trade network.

You probably use right clik instead of left clik, leading to a normal move instead of a patrol

Thanks. Yeah I was right clicking instead of left clicking.

You select a fleet, choose automated patrol option and use either Left or Right (the one that makes their path be white, not yellow) click on the end of the planned route; it will make a fleet go from their current location to the finish repeatably, but there is no way (as far as I know) to choose the route - only the beginning and end.

Holding down shift lets you choose, I think.

 

[MichaelJanuary]

You dont get piracy in a system that has a starbase, regardless what you built on the starbase.

So a string of star bases along a route completely suppresses piracy. You can then stack these with anchorages or whatever you need.

 

[Bankipriel]

Interesting. Wouldn't it be hangar bays and not anchorages which were needed, though, or am I misunderstanding how trade works? Since anchorages raise the fleet limit, whereas hangar bays protect 10 more trade a piece.

Though I'm not 100% certain how it is you suggest setting up a trade network.

Sorry I wasn't more clear. So, bastions provide trade protection in systems that *don't* have an upgraded starbase. As you mentioned, hangar bays provide 10, so with x6 hanger bays, a bastion will provide 60 trade protection (as I'm sure you know.) This, however, is not the optimal way to ensure 100% trade collection, and should really only be used to protect the minor incidental trade from outlying rural worlds. The key to trade collection lies in the fact that systems *with* an upgraded starbase (of any kind) cannot generate piracy---they are immune.

So, imagine seven systems connected in a line by hyperlanes: 1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7

If 1 is your trade capital, and you build anchorages on 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6, and then make 7 is a trade hub with full/six trade modules, then every system within six jumps of starbase #7 will be collected by 7 and transferred down the line of piracy immune systems to the trade capital. I find that 1-3 trade hubs is all I need to collect from 20+ worlds until I am able to get gateway technology. By placing trade hubs 12 jumps apart, connected by contiguous starbases, 14 starbases can collect trade from a huge area of a space with 100% efficiency and 0 piracy.

This is what I meant by a central "backbone" of stations. The intermediary starbases between the trade capital and trade hubs can be anything, but having multiple trade stations with overlapping collection ranges is inefficient and doesn't seem worth the 12 trade that could be generated from modules compared to the 36 naval capacity, so I always them into anchorages. Sometimes I will leave my trade capital as a trade hub, sometimes not. It totally depends on where the planets are and how I can get the best collection coverage from as few trade hubs as possible.

It used to make sense to build starbases over planets, however, that is generally a terrible idea in 2.2.x. Instead, you want to build a trade hub where it should be once it has a reach of 6 to collect from as many planets as possible. And then build bases/anchorages in an unbroken line from trade hubs to your trade capital. So long as all trade is moving from collection hub through systems with starbases, no piracy will ever be generated. Bastions can be built for purely defensive positioning, and no patrols are necessary.

This strategy does mean that some large, "key" worlds may not be in collection range during early game, so building bases in the manner I've described is a strategic choice that will result in less trade collection during early game. I prefer to build my bases where I want them long-term, and I simply don't build up trade on worlds until it can be collected. This often results in generator districts during early game (that provide more energy faster from fewer pops), that I then turn into city districts mid/late game, once the planet's infrastructure (gene clinic, cloning banks, robotics factory, etc.) are in place, and I have the collection range to take advantage of clerk generated trade. Changing districts is much cheaper, as well, costing minerals rather than the alloys needed to relocate or restructure a star base.

Let me know if any part of that is still unclear. No one should suffer pirates needlessly XD

 

[beckermt]

Thanks. Yeah I was right clicking instead of left clicking.
Holding down shift lets you choose, I think.

Shift + Left Click queues an action. You must press either the Patrol button or 'P' and then simply left click the system to which you wish to patrol. Your fleet will then fly to said system and back, repeatedly.

 

[Wagonlitz]

You dont get piracy in a system that has a starbase, regardless what you built on the starbase.

So a string of star bases along a route completely suppresses piracy. You can then stack these with anchorages or whatever you need.

Ah.

So, bastions provide trade protection in systems that *don't* have an upgraded starbase. As you mentioned, hangar bays provide 10, so with x6 hanger bays, a bastion will provide 60 trade protection (as I'm sure you know.)

Yeah 60 protection won't do much once you really start getting trade running.

If 1 is your trade capital, and you build anchorages on 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6, and then make 7 is a trade hub with full/six trade modules, then every system within six jumps of starbase #7 will be collected by 7 and transferred down the line of piracy immune systems to the trade capital. I find that 1-3 trade hubs is all I need to collect from 20+ worlds until I am able to get gateway technology. By placing trade hubs 12 jumps apart, connected by contiguous starbases, 14 starbases can collect trade from a huge area of a space with 100% efficiency and 0 piracy.

That makes full sense. Though it seems to be expensive in starbases too, though. Also why not place the base in system 8 from the trade world, since the lowest level starbases collect from their own system, so the home system will be collected from anyway, so placing it in 8 should give the most.

And I can see why you advice anchorages then. Yeah this seems much better than patrols in many cases.

Shift + Left Click queues an action. You must press either the Patrol button or 'P' and then simply left click the system to which you wish to patrol. Your fleet will then fly to said system and back, repeatedly.

Shift left click when having the patrol button pressed will allow you to customise your patrol route as far as I can see. Though I could be wrong.

 

[Wagonlitz]

You dont get piracy in a system that has a starbase, regardless what you built on the starbase.

So a string of star bases along a route completely suppresses piracy. You can then stack these with anchorages or whatever you need.

Sorry I wasn't more clear. So, bastions provide trade protection in systems that *don't* have an upgraded starbase. As you mentioned, hangar bays provide 10, so with x6 hanger bays, a bastion will provide 60 trade protection (as I'm sure you know.) This, however, is not the optimal way to ensure 100% trade collection, and should really only be used to protect the minor incidental trade from outlying rural worlds. The key to trade collection lies in the fact that systems *with* an upgraded starbase (of any kind) cannot generate piracy---they are immune.

So, imagine seven systems connected in a line by hyperlanes: 1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7

If 1 is your trade capital, and you build anchorages on 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6, and then make 7 is a trade hub with full/six trade modules, then every system within six jumps of starbase #7 will be collected by 7 and transferred down the line of piracy immune systems to the trade capital. I find that 1-3 trade hubs is all I need to collect from 20+ worlds until I am able to get gateway technology. By placing trade hubs 12 jumps apart, connected by contiguous starbases, 14 starbases can collect trade from a huge area of a space with 100% efficiency and 0 piracy.

This is what I meant by a central "backbone" of stations. The intermediary starbases between the trade capital and trade hubs can be anything, but having multiple trade stations with overlapping collection ranges is inefficient and doesn't seem worth the 12 trade that could be generated from modules compared to the 36 naval capacity, so I always them into anchorages. Sometimes I will leave my trade capital as a trade hub, sometimes not. It totally depends on where the planets are and how I can get the best collection coverage from as few trade hubs as possible.

It used to make sense to build starbases over planets, however, that is generally a terrible idea in 2.2.x. Instead, you want to build a trade hub where it should be once it has a reach of 6 to collect from as many planets as possible. And then build bases/anchorages in an unbroken line from trade hubs to your trade capital. So long as all trade is moving from collection hub through systems with starbases, no piracy will ever be generated. Bastions can be built for purely defensive positioning, and no patrols are necessary.

This strategy does mean that some large, "key" worlds may not be in collection range during early game, so building bases in the manner I've described is a strategic choice that will result in less trade collection during early game. I prefer to build my bases where I want them long-term, and I simply don't build up trade on worlds until it can be collected. This often results in generator districts during early game (that provide more energy faster from fewer pops), that I then turn into city districts mid/late game, once the planet's infrastructure (gene clinic, cloning banks, robotics factory, etc.) are in place, and I have the collection range to take advantage of clerk generated trade. Changing districts is much cheaper, as well, costing minerals rather than the alloys needed to relocate or restructure a star base.

Let me know if any part of that is still unclear. No one should suffer pirates needlessly XD

I tried connecting all my trade hubs with starbases in between and now I have double the amount of starbases I'm allowed and hence an enormous deficit.

So either I'm doing something wrong or this strategy has some flaws.

 

[beckermt]

I tried connecting all my trade hubs with starbases in between and now I have double the amount of starbases I'm allowed and hence an enormous deficit.

So either I'm doing something wrong or this strategy has some flaws.

You're doing it wrong.

Shift left click when having the patrol button pressed will allow you to customise your patrol route as far as I can see. Though I could be wrong.

I will have to give that a try. Given the nature of the Patrol command (a continuous one), I didn't think queuing actions would work. For example, I don't think you can queue an action after Assist Research. It simply either never performs it or stops Assist Research immediately.

 

[Wagonlitz]

You're doing it wrong.

Didn't you say that I should build starbases between all my trade hubs? By their nature then there's 12 systems between them, meaning that just connecting up two hubs will be 8 or more starbases per hub, even if you use that they lie radially from your trade world and try and have as many systems as possible be part of the network.

I will have to give that a try. Given the nature of the Patrol command (a continuous one), I didn't think queuing actions would work. For example, I don't think you can queue an action after Assist Research. It simply either never performs it or stops Assist Research immediately.

What it does, in my experience, is to enlarge the patrol route to contain the new route too, thereby allowing you to e.g. make a patrol take a less direct route.

 

[MichaelJanuary]

I tried connecting all my trade hubs with starbases in between and now I have double the amount of starbases I'm allowed and hence an enormous deficit.

So either I'm doing something wrong or this strategy has some flaws.

I usually run a few star bases over the soft cap but by this stage my econ is usually strong enough to cope. Then again, maybe I never took it to extreme, or would have made it to Gateways before it became an issue.

 

[Bankipriel]

That makes full sense. Though it seems to be expensive in starbases too, though. Also why not place the base in system 8 from the trade world, since the lowest level starbases collect from their own system, so the home system will be collected from anyway, so placing it in 8 should give the most.

And I can see why you advice anchorages then. Yeah this seems much better than patrols in many cases.

Yeah, your'e right, my example placements are not optimal. I wasn't trying to provide an actual model for base layout, just the idea of how it works. The exact optimal placement for trade bases will certainly vary in every game. You're also right, in that it requires a near total commitment of starbase capacity to utilize this strategy. I can certainly understand if someone didn't like it for that reason. I often get thousands (and by late game well over ten thousand) of trade value. Given the limited usefulness of bastions for defense, I prefer to use my bases for a secure trade network & anchorages, making sure that I none of my fleets are pinned down on patrol duty. I do like it, though, that totally secure trading requires a strategic commitment of resources, in this case starbases. I haven't played as a hive or machine empire yet, but I'll be curious to see if makes a tangible difference to me in those games, where I don't feel the need to create a trade network with my starbases.

 

[Sinister2202]

I wish Stellaris patrol wasn't typical RTS garbage version. I wish patrol would work like automatic exploration where the fleet would actually patrol high-piracy places on its own, without us having to set a path.