space combat

[johnsje]

Hey everyone,

This is my first post here and I would like to say that I am excited about this game. It sounds like its trying to bring the best of all the good games if its kind and mold them together as well as add new things.

I did read a lot of the threads but was not able to find out much info on how the space combat works. I am assuming that it is actually turn based, the same as the rest of the game will be, or is the combat realtime ( Please No )?

Now I know that most turn based combat usually favored the first to attack ( moo1 and moo2 ), and was flawed. But I still think its the best model to follow, with only a few changes.

The way I would like to see it is that when 2 or even 3 fleets from different races face off you are able to assign commands to each ship or task force. After you have assiged all movement and what to fire and where to fire it you would hit next turn. You would then see what happens. When the turn is over you can change your tactics as needed. So basically everyone would give commands to all there ships then go. I think this would eliminate the first to attack problem, and you would have to rely more on tactics than brute force.

I guess its just my view of combat and as I don't know how it will actually work I will leave it at that until I know more.

[Sobriquet]

First off: Welcome to the discussion johnsje. Intelligent discourse is always welcome.

I like your ideas. "Initiative" can be a sticky concept when battling. I absolutley hated the pre-patch MOO2 approach of human always attacking first. One of many reasons why I did not like the game.

I skimmed through some of the earlier posts as well and could not find a direct answer to your question. Zaimat is pretty good about answering, though. He should be around soon enough.
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i am sofa king we todd it

[Sobriquet]

How about being able to send in reinforcements during combat.

Say you send out an expeditionary force to do probing attacks, checking for weak spots. Then, when you find one, you engage the enemy fleet. The player is then able to order more ships into combat while it is still going on.

I don't mean after combat is over, or after you've either lost all of your intial ships or decide to retreat. But rather, while you're still fighting, more ships materialize from over the horizon to bolster your fleet hopefully ensuring vicotry.
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i am sofa king we todd it

[johnsje]

Its an intersting idea, but I am not sure its a very workable idea. If you have a few fleets of ships in the sector and you are attacked, all the ships sould defend you, in the same situation, if you are attacking, it would be hard I think to just choose the ships that you want to attack first, then send in more. MAybe the thing to do is have a batle screen big enough where you would be able to only send a few ships in while leaving the others out of range, then when you decide where the week point is you attack with the rest.


But again much of this depends on how battle will actually take place, so I will wait to hear from the developers on this before I start making any more suggestions.

[Sobriquet]

Zaimat posted about how the sectors are huge. Spanning several screens, in fact.

So maybe you could have your fleet spread out in a sector. Give one section of the fleet a move command to perform the probe. If they encounter something worth fighting over, order whatever vessels are in the immediate area into the fray.

This could be spread out over several turns. As the exploratory fleet is engaged, the secondary fleet is moving in. After so many turns, they arrive and are automatically enjoined in the combat.
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i am sofa king we todd it

[Therlun]

what i also would like is a battle simulator!
space empires 4 had one, and IMO it was a very good tool.

you could create design ships and then test them in combat vs your other ships, or ships of your enemy!
(only those desings you had contact with in battle already)

enemy ships should perhaps only be made avaiable when you spied on that race and got plans for that ship (as a random spying succes you could get an overview of one ship class).

would such a simulator be technically possible?(i guess so....)
how much work do you think would it be for horizon?

[Sim-Mania]

[Zaimat]

[Sobriquet]

[Ravana]

[Sobriquet]

[Ravana]

Not too bad Sobriquet. Internet access has been a little...patchy of late. Hence, the awkward silences. As opposed to the awkward silences when I do post something!

[Sim-Mania]

I have a question about evasion in space combat. In moo3, space combat did not facilitate at all, the ability or capacity for your ships to dodge incoming missiles or energy weapons. Zaimat, you have said that the speed of ships in Horizon will actually mean something, so does that mean, ships and fleets will have a greater capacity to dodge and evade incoming missiles and energy weapons?

[Zaimat]

I think what I've said before is that speed is important because a faster fleet can maneuver or go around a slower one. It can be a strategic advantage to focus on strong propulsion technology.

For combat, smaller and faster ships do gain a defensive advantage as they are harder to target and thus able to dodge energy weapons or missiles better. Although highly advanced races can have superior targetting technology and well you get the idea

On another note Happy thanksgiving to our american friends!
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Horizon - Lead Designer

[Sim-Mania]

I was wondering how well Horizon caters for subversive actions in enemy or neigbouring territory. After reading the recent description of Stargates posted in the Galaxy section, and knowing that sectors in Horizon will be huge, I was wondering if it would be possible to build a Stargate in enemy territory without them knowing about it and luanch a suprise attack. Or is the likelyhood of that just pure fantasy.

[Zaimat]

With the current design, you need to establish a foothold (have an outpost) before you can build a stargate.

Stargates are BIG projects so it would be pretty difficult to build one in enemy territory without them noticing it and trying to stop it.

Stargates are very powerful in the scheme of things, they are basically your own personal wormholes so care must be taken from a balance point of view.
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Horizon - Lead Designer

[Warcaster]

you say 'foothold', does this mean we will be able to set up covert bases within others territories, even if they merely provide haven for spies rather than military formation points? i'd love that, if a neighbour of mine went to war with me and all of a sudden has little bases popup all over my empire. it would be so slimy and sneeky i would have to submit defeat and smile.

warcaster

[Zaimat]

You will be able to setup a listening post (a base in another word) near another's border or even inside their border if you wish.

They won't like it and they may try to do something about it. You may be able to keep it hidden (covert) for a short period but not likely for long if they have ship patrols in the area.
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Horizon - Lead Designer