capturing planets in PBW games

[tbontob]

Originally posted by Grandpa Kim:
My troop ships always get a weapon, and they always head to the corners till the WP's are gone.

A bit OT, but I have noticed when you change strategies for ships/fleets (ie from max range to point blank) the change doesn't take effect immediately. Takes at least 2 turns before the new strategy takes hold. The one exception is changing fleet strategy from whatever to "capture planet". This does work. I haven't experienced changing the ship strategy the same way so it may or may not be the same.

GK, are you saying that in your experience, it may take 2 game turns before a change in strategy takes effect rather than immediately?

[rextorres]

Is the ship strategy set to capture? Also if your using a transport the default strategy might be "don't get hurt". I rarely use a transport for transporting just because they allow one less engine.

I'll have to check it out.

[tbontob]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
1. Make sure the troop transport has a ship strategy of capture planet.

2. Make sure the fleet has a strategy of capture planet.

3. Make sure the troop transport has troops onboard.

As long as you do these three things then your fleet will attempt to capture the enemy planet. If the enemy has weapons platforms the attack ships will engage it till the weapons plats are gone or your ships are. The troop transport will run for the corner while this happens. Once the platforms are gone the troop transport will make for the planet. Your attack ships will then concentrate on taking out any ships/bases/fighter/sats/drones left. The troops will drop if your transport can get there before the combat round is over.

If your troops are defeated your fleet will then turn back and attempt to glass the planet.

If your troops are sucesful and the enemy has any bases or sats left they will open fire on the planet.

Sometimes, not too often in the unmodded game, the combat round will end with your troops and the enemy at a stalemate. If this happens combat will resume during your opponents next turn. If it Lasts long enough to get back to your turn you can even try dropping reinforcments on the planet. In the unmodded game though this rarely happens.

Geoschmo

To a newbie who has never captured a planet, this is a pretty concise explanation on how "Capture Planet" works.

But a question. Or two. Or Three.

In Strategies/Capture Planet/Damage, we are presented with a number of choices.

One is "Damage Percent Per planet" which has been set at 100%.

We also have "Damage Target Till All Weapons Gone." which is not ticked.

If a planet has weapon platforms and population. I understand that the order of destruction is weapon platforms, then cargo and then population and facilities.

Question 1. Assume I set the Damage Percent Per planet to 50%. What determines the damage to a planet before it stops? Is it based on tonnage?

Question 2. If "Damage Target Till All Weapons Gone." is ticked, does it stop at Weapon platforms or does it continue until troops in cargo are killed.

Question 3 Which one takes precedence? Damage Percent Per Planet or Damage Targe Till All Weapons Gone?

[couslee]

I have tried to set the planet damage to 50% before and had attack until all weapons are gone. Once the planet reached 50% damage, my ships moved on to an unarmmed base, while the planet WPs continued to erase the rest of the fleet, including the ones that did an end run around the planet to attack the poor base station. grrr.

I never use the default transport designation. i always just make a new one called "transports" and put all my carrying ships in that. makes it easier when building, designing and upgrading. Same with colony ships. i don't need seperate classifications for each world type.

Just make sure you don't do what i just got done doing. I had two ships carring troops. one was my armmed invaders, and one had my "happy puppy" units (cheap no weapon cockpit only police units).... I dropped the wrong troops. It was not a pretty sight.

edit in (sorry, playing turn based Sp tactical. my bad)

[ February 15, 2003, 06:46: Message edited by: couslee ]

[geoschmo]

Tbontob, I don't know the answer to your questions. I have never had a need to mess with those settings. Try some test games and fiddle with the settigns and see what effect they have.

Geoschmo

[Grandpa Kim]

From Tbontob:

GK, are you saying that in your experience, it may take 2 game turns before a change in strategy takes effect rather than immediately?

Correct. That's been my experience. But the actions of the ships in combat is often so at variance with expectations that this could be illusion.

[tbontob]

Originally posted by Grandpa Kim:
From Tbontob:

quote:

---

GK, are you saying that in your experience, it may take 2 game turns before a change in strategy takes effect rather than immediately?

Correct. That's been my experience. But the actions of the ships in combat is often so at variance with expectations that this could be illusion.

---

LOL

Smoke and mirrors?!

But my joking aside, I do wish MM would give us some information on the workings of the strategy menu. It is so confusing to the novice and (most) experts alike.

[capnq]

"Attack until all weapons gone" is supposed to override the other percentages. (IIRC, that's in the Manual [the one you get to from {F1} Help].)