Direct Fire Weapon Accuracy

[Jubala]

Does different DFW's have different base accuracy values or does all weapons have the same base accuray which is them modified by target size and sensors/ecm?

This is interesting because if you look at the Anti-Proton Beam and the Meson BLaster the APB does more and more damage the closer you get while the MB does the same damage at all distances. However, both weapons have the same chance to hit at the same distances and this chance get's higher the closer you are. So why use MB at optimal range with poor chance to hit while you can use APB's at point blank range and have a higher chance to hit and do more damage when you do?

[Taqwus]

Because you may not be able to get close enough to do more damage if your opponent can dish it out while staying at his maximum weapons range; you may want to avoid some of the nastier short-range weaponry like allegiance shifters, mind flailers and ionic dispersers, as well. And if you are fairly far from your nearest shipyard, you may want to avoid a close-up fight to minimize the probability you need to return for repairs.

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[Jubala]

Yes, all good points, but the enemy ships always seems to be able to close for the kill and get maximum utility out of their weapons while my ships (on auto) will move away from point blank good chance to hit range to long range bad chance to hit and then fire. Not fire move, but move fire. I suppose that's due to the Optimal Range movement strategy but still. I'd like to be able to formulate my own movement strategies.

[Lerchey]

You can formulate your own movement strategies. Look under the empire menu, for a button called (oddly enough) strategies.
You can hit the "add" button there and set the movement and firing options for your pet strategy, and then assign your ship types to use it in the ship design area (look for Strategies).

- John

[Jubala]

Lerchey, that's not movement strategies, that's fighting strategies. One of the things you set there are movement strategies under the tab movement. Some of the choices are Optimal Weapons Range, Point Blank Weapons Range, Ram and so on. We can't change these, just pick them. I want to make my own movement strategies that tells my ships how to move in different situations.

[Lerchey]

Ah. I see what you're saying. However, I don't think that I have a clear concept of what's missing from the options that you would like to have. Can you give an example?

John