I myself was not too sure that the idea was useful but now I got used to think about it and I think it could be quite fine.
So I would like to know from the community what one thinks about such split combat and multi-turn mechanics. Maybe also let the ideas sink in first.
So the idea has two components which mix neatly:
- split-turn combat (i.e. only some of the combat bouts happen in the turn the combat starts
- multi-turn combat (i.e. combat will be different for ships which were participating the last turn in combat)
The start combat phase happens like current combat after movement is done.
The finish combat phase continues a previously started combat before movement orders are executed.
That means for the user that one can reorganise fleets, switch fleet focus, etc in the middle of combat.
As example:
- Turn 10 / Empires issue orders: ophiuchus sends a fleet to a neighbouring system in turn 10 and finishes the turn.
- Movement is executed: The fleet arrives in the neighbouring system.
- There are enemy ships so start combat phase is executed (3 combat bouts).
- other effects happening
- Turn 11 / Empires issue orders: The enemy is strong and ophiuchus wants to send some of the damaged ships back home. In order to take out the most dangerous enemy ships ophiuchus chooses "target big guns first" combat policy. And finishes turn 11. The enemy chooses "target fleeing enemies first" combat policy and finishes turn 11.
- Finish combat phase is executed (2 combat bouts). Some of the damaged ships get shot down by the enemy
- Movement is executed: the non-destroyed ships in the damaged fleet jump out of the system
- other effects happening
- Start combat phase is executed (3 combat bouts): the remaining ships fight
- Turn 12 / Empires issue orders: Rinse and repeat
I used in the example policies for combat targeting orders to skip the micromanagement of fleet focus. But actually I think having the choice/burden to set focus per combat would be definitly ok. Also extra fleet focus available only in combat might still be acceptable: its not possible to (micro)manage fleets which are not in combat and at the end of the start combat phase one probably has enough information about the enemy to make an informed choice/tactical decision.
So e.g. with combined with the ranges approach, after three combat bouts all ships are unhidden and all weapons are in firing range.
Multi-turn combat means that there are differences in combat depending if a fleet was already fighting, entering combat, or fleeing combat.
A minimal model for multi turn combat could be: give a stealth malus if the ship was in the battle last turn (Maybe one and a half levels, so 30 stealth with current content).
Multi-turn combat in combination with the range proposal would mean that ships which were last turn in combat start the combat still unhidden and already in close range combat.
Ships entering in a later turn would have to go through LR (SR/CR weapons cant hit), SR (CR weapons cant hit) bouts before reaching CR.
Combined with split-turn combat, fleeing ships could be prevented from firing and maybe go through SR, LR bouts before coming clear to jump.
The good thing about this is that for combining stealth etc. you basically do not have to reason about what happens for which number of bouts per combat (which one can set at game creation). You basically have "endless" combat bouts per combat. Basically a lower number of bouts per combat only means more "breakpoints" where ships may enter or flee from combat. Note that for balancing one still has to decide for a default number of combat bouts per combat (e.g. one LR, one SR, then typically three CR) in order to choose the damage level of e.g. CR weapons.
One more variant as an example how bouts could be split and how this combines with multi-turn and ranges
- Turn A...
- Start combat phase - Bout 1: LR for all fleets
- Start combat phase - Bout 2: SR for all fleets
- Start combat phase - Bout 3: CR for all fleets
- Turn B...
- Finish Combat Phase - Bout 1: CR for all fleets
- Finish Combat Phase - Bout 2: SR for fleeing fleets, CR for all other fleets
- Finish Combat Phase - Bout 3: LR for fleeing fleets, CR for all other fleets
- Fleeing fleets move out, other fleets may arrive
- Start Combat Phase - Bout 1: LR for arriving fleets, CR for all other fleets
- Start Combat Phase - Bout 2: SR for arriving fleets, CR for all other fleets
- Start Combat Phase - Bout 3: CR for arriving fleets, CR for all other fleets
- Turn C...
Note 2: Setting the number of combat bouts in game creation would have to change to setting the "optional number of short range combat bouts". So in the example that would be set to one - "Finish Combat Phase - Bout 1" is the only ~optional bout. One can add more CRa bouts between bullet points 6. and 7. ; so if "optional number of short range combat bouts" is set to three, the Start Combat Phase would have five bouts
Note 3: A higher number of combat bouts can easily be balanced by scaling damage and structure values accordingly