This is supposed to fix two problems and add a little bit of strategical depth to the game.
1. Currently a ships' place in a fleet is determined in an annoying and difficult way to handle. I propose that the formation is structured by preset ship roles. (see first picture)
2. The player has very limited influence on fleet engagements. Engagement speed and range are pretty much set. I propose that deployment formations should be governed by their roles and the player's choice of fleet stance. (see second picture for a regular formation according to ship roles)
Ship Roles
Vanguard: Always in the first line(s) of the fleet, these set the maximum speed for the attacking ships, as well as the minimum distance to the other fleet. They also draw aggro, which reduces the likelyhood of other ships to become targeted. Tanks obviously should prefer shields, armor or evasion over weapon strength.
Assault: The second offensive line. These ships are damage dealers with still decent defensive capabilities.
Backline: These ships will stop moving towards the enemy as soon as they have reached the shortest firing range of their largest weapon (so a destroyer with a tachyon lance will engage from a longer distances than a battleship with only L mass drivers). Good for dedicated carriers and ships with lots of (X)L weapon slots.
Escort: Mostly corvettes and destroyers that spread between the other ships to offer protection from missiles, bombers, Interceptors (see below) and possibly stealth weapons/ships.
Offensive / Defensive Support: Aura ships. Offensive Support ships will form the last line of the assault wave, Defensive Support ships stay behind with the Backline.
Raider: Raiders operate outside the regular formations to pincer the enemy's backline ships (which is why those need escorts). Unless told otherwise, they will try to evade the opposing front line. Ships that fit this role usually also make good raiders to destroy civilian structures as small, independent fleets.
Escort Behaviours
Split: Escorts will split 50/50 to protect both offensive and backline ships.
Offensive: All Escorts will stay with the Vanguard or whoever forms the first line in the formation.
Defensive: All Escorts will stay with the backline ships or whoever forms the last line in the formation.
Fleet Stances
Programmed (L, M, S): All ships behave according to their role. You choose which weapon slot size determines the optimal engagement range for the Vanguard (if equipped with different weapons of equal size, the lowest range counts).
Line (L, M, S): The fleet deploys in three rows: Vanguard, Assault, Backline. You choose which weapon slot size determines the optimal engagement range for the Vanguard (if equipped with different weapons of equal size, the lowest range counts). Unlike the Programmed Stance, there can be no gap between the Backline and the offensive fleet part. The first line determines both the maximum and minimum speed. Raiders and Escorts still behave according to their role.
Full Assault: All ships engage the enemy at maximum speed until all ships are in firing range.
Passive: All ships stay in formation and do not try to reach firing range, waiting for the enemy to come to them.
Evasive: The fleet will try to get away from the enemy, but still hold the initial formation, allowing the vanguard to take the hits.
Full Retreat: The fleet breaks formation and everyone will try to flee as fast as possible, exposing the slowest ships to concentrated enemy fire.
1. Currently a ships' place in a fleet is determined in an annoying and difficult way to handle. I propose that the formation is structured by preset ship roles. (see first picture)
2. The player has very limited influence on fleet engagements. Engagement speed and range are pretty much set. I propose that deployment formations should be governed by their roles and the player's choice of fleet stance. (see second picture for a regular formation according to ship roles)
Ship Roles
Vanguard: Always in the first line(s) of the fleet, these set the maximum speed for the attacking ships, as well as the minimum distance to the other fleet. They also draw aggro, which reduces the likelyhood of other ships to become targeted. Tanks obviously should prefer shields, armor or evasion over weapon strength.
Assault: The second offensive line. These ships are damage dealers with still decent defensive capabilities.
Backline: These ships will stop moving towards the enemy as soon as they have reached the shortest firing range of their largest weapon (so a destroyer with a tachyon lance will engage from a longer distances than a battleship with only L mass drivers). Good for dedicated carriers and ships with lots of (X)L weapon slots.
Escort: Mostly corvettes and destroyers that spread between the other ships to offer protection from missiles, bombers, Interceptors (see below) and possibly stealth weapons/ships.
Offensive / Defensive Support: Aura ships. Offensive Support ships will form the last line of the assault wave, Defensive Support ships stay behind with the Backline.
Raider: Raiders operate outside the regular formations to pincer the enemy's backline ships (which is why those need escorts). Unless told otherwise, they will try to evade the opposing front line. Ships that fit this role usually also make good raiders to destroy civilian structures as small, independent fleets.
Escort Behaviours
Split: Escorts will split 50/50 to protect both offensive and backline ships.
Offensive: All Escorts will stay with the Vanguard or whoever forms the first line in the formation.
Defensive: All Escorts will stay with the backline ships or whoever forms the last line in the formation.
Fleet Stances
Programmed (L, M, S): All ships behave according to their role. You choose which weapon slot size determines the optimal engagement range for the Vanguard (if equipped with different weapons of equal size, the lowest range counts).
Line (L, M, S): The fleet deploys in three rows: Vanguard, Assault, Backline. You choose which weapon slot size determines the optimal engagement range for the Vanguard (if equipped with different weapons of equal size, the lowest range counts). Unlike the Programmed Stance, there can be no gap between the Backline and the offensive fleet part. The first line determines both the maximum and minimum speed. Raiders and Escorts still behave according to their role.
Full Assault: All ships engage the enemy at maximum speed until all ships are in firing range.
Passive: All ships stay in formation and do not try to reach firing range, waiting for the enemy to come to them.
Evasive: The fleet will try to get away from the enemy, but still hold the initial formation, allowing the vanguard to take the hits.
Full Retreat: The fleet breaks formation and everyone will try to flee as fast as possible, exposing the slowest ships to concentrated enemy fire.
- 1
Upvote
0