More questions about reserves

[GePap]

In a previous thread, the issue of reserves was brought up, so i ave a few questions.

Is the reserve abstracted or does it have alocation? What I mean by that question is this: Lets say i whish to create a taskforce to guard a new , far-off outpost. When I create and assign the fleet, will it appear automatically in that system the next turn, or will they ships take various turns to get there. If it takes various terms to get there, must they take some sort of path,. which theoretically can be blocked, or will it be much as in MOO2 with leaders, who took a few turns to arrive anywhere outside home system, but always get there?
Also, does age of a ship affect the cost of maintanence, thus mking large but old fleets ever more expensive to maintain as they theoretically degrade with age?

[Stormhound]

I believe I mentioned that the reserve was abstracted.

You may only form task forces at a limited number of locations (I can't be more specific than that at this time), but they should appear there immediately. From there, they'll have to head wherever you want them to go. Since interstellar ships have the option of non-Jump travel, they can theoretically always get to wherever they're going, but it wouldn't be as fast as the Jump lane path.

I can't give you further details on maintenance at this time.

[loinburger]

tactical reserves

I was going to start a new thread for this, but since it would have had the world "reserves" in the title I decided to ask my question here in order to save you much rending of hair.


Will task forces have tactical reserves, or will the task force AI commit all of its forces at once? For example, let's say that I've got 50 destroyers (or some other fast, maneuverable, reasonably powerful type of ship with a limited attack range) in a Space Superiority task force, and I engage an enemy Space Superiority task force. Assume that I have pickets and scouts that will give advance warning if the enemy tries to flank or encircle me, so the destroyers are not immediately necessary to protect the center of the task force. Will my commodore always send all 50 destroyers at the enemy task force, or is it possible that the commodore is going to hold some back out of combat (maybe 10 or so) in order to exploit any tactical weaknesses that emerge in the enemy formation?

[GePap]

Thanks!

Thanks stormhound!

How wonderful to know that if I post a question, someone from the game team will take the care to answer. Just make sure this sort of excellent customer service continues after the release.

[Stormhound]

Loinburger: I'll see if I can get someone who's worked with the AI to give me an answer to that; I certainly couldn't tell you myself.

GePaP: I try, and I'm sure that continuing the service is part of Bill Fisher's plan. It would (IMO) be pretty stupid to just run off and abandon you folks, don't you think?

[Kc7mxo]

Hmm. Well, stormhound might find you an answer, but i doubt it. QS has been pretty tightlipped about the combat engine. And they've said they're still working on it, so they probably just haven't finished it yet.

[Stormhound]

A task force will fully commit against its target. If we have time to add 'reserve' logic (and make it work well) we will.

[loinburger]

Originally posted by Stormhound
A task force will fully commit against its target. If we have time to add 'reserve' logic (and make it work well) we will.

Thanks for the info.