Combat Movement

posted on August 7th, 2012, 2:10 pm

Retreat @ X% damage.

While it's unlikely that such a thing would be implemented (it would be a drastic change for units to have that much autonomy), if it was I would add a "Retreat at 25% shields" option as well, specifically aimed at letting the Feds use it (they have a significantly larger proportion of their hit points in shields than other races; an Intrepid with no shields is a lot close to destruction than its Klingon equivalent, for example).

Probably in the wrong way so they'll be blown apart when they decide to turn around.
Though, I might be basing my comments on bad experiences from SoTS.

Agreed, that was something that came to mind. The main thing I wanted to draw attention to with that statement is that the outcomes will be different, and potentially not in a way that's favourable to game balance.

posted on August 7th, 2012, 4:16 pm

@ MadHatter

well... the options could be pretty endless, and hypothetically could be race tailored, Specially since the Borg don't have shields, and Klingon/Romulan shielding is kind of pathetic. (Shields are for the WEAK Bwa ha ha!) I would actually think that tailoring certain tactics to races would be a good idea. Klingons have a lot of forward facing disruptors so have them more likely to joust or something... Feds can smack two or three different guys with a single strafing run...

Some seriously good arguments out of the folks here, and some GREAT IDEAS!

I had a thought last night as I was thinking about order of operations for a sim I am planning...

Combat Phase
at start of combat


what is my priority target (Small Ship, Medium ship, Large ship, station, Manual target)
what fire tactic do I use (Hold fire(which MAYBE defaults retreat state to "run away"), Return Fire, Fire at will)
What's my attack state (Attack nearest, Attack farthest (in LOS), attack strongest, attack weakest, attack any, attack specific(right click flag) which should point to a guard flag (if set to gaurd, Nearest/farthest in LOS of guard target)
what is my retreat state (Fight to death, Heavy damage, medium damage, light damage, Shields down, run away)... have the retreat state to nearest repair dock, or starting station, or gaurd target...
What is my attack pattern (from a series of button states, I'll just use A2's options (Arrow, Circle, Clover, Stand Ground)
Attack pattern states check target in range, check target in fire arc,

I'd call that situational analisys check, and run it in this order


Fire tactic
Attack state
Retreat state
Priority target
Attack pattern

If i see an enemy, check fire tactic state. Target per Attack state
if I can shoot (conditions for fire(fire tactic State) are met) then
if retreat state is false (I don't need to run) however if retreating still return fire on pursuers
if I can see a priority target, target it
else target different enemy target
engage attack pattern until attack a condition in attack pattern is false (I.E. not in fire arc, out of range, no target (destroyed))
Recalculate situational analisys

and HOLY CRUD that'd be a good chunk of code

what you could end up with is the potential to have some really specific fleets, with really specific goals, actually working towards that goal

have a small fleet of artillery pummeling turrets, and another fleet covering them from counterattacks ('cause someone ALWAYS tries to take out artillery first).

Escorts could actually be escorts (couple of B'rel and a K'vort defending a Vor'cha)... watch the escorts break off when an enemy comes into sight, beat the snot out of it, then return to the Vor'cha... heck, with the attack pattern checks, you could indadvertantly have the escorts simply Drive off the attackers.
if the attackers in this situation are set to retreat @ heavy damage, they'd break off at that much damage, and when the defenders recalculate situational analisys, if they're set to "target nearest" in the guard state they would look for the nearest target in the Vor'Cha's LOS and return to the Vor'cha when said Vor'cha didn't seen anyone ...

ooh, it gives me little chills thinking about it.

the only thing is somehow you would have to have the game check the states and execute. then you'd also have to add movement states (which i was hoping to find in the FClover.ODF in the vanilla STAII to no avail.) which tells me that the movement part of the formations is buried somewhere else...

I like really fluid fights, and combat but anyways, Just a thought.