Ships, Fleets, Roles, and Objectives

[Airshipjones]

I think that there needs to be some clarification on how fleets work together and what they are working toward (a goal).

Fleets should be built of hetrogenous groups of ships which each take a specific role within the fleet. Usually, a fleet will be built around one (or more) large ship(s) which pretty much define the Role of the fleet. But each ship has a Role with in the fleet, and it will define how that ship behaves in combat. In addition, a fleet should have an objective, even if it is to hold and observe. This will define how the fleet will react to new threats, and can make handling epic battles much easier.

So, an example:

A Battle Group is built around a Carrier, 2 Battleships, with 4 cruisers, 8 destroyers, and 12 frigates. The fleet is deployed in a typical clamshell, with the largest ships in the middle, with the cruisers deployed in a diamond pattern around the Capital ships for main fire support, and the DDs and half the FGs deployed around them evenly for secondary fire support and defensive fire, and the rest of the FGs out in wide deployment to provide better targetting and sensing support. This Battle Group has been been given orders to capture a chokepoint and hold it until reinforcement arrive. On arrival at the site, an opposing force is discovered by sensors. The player has the ranging FGs use passive sensors and the main fleet use active sensors. The CAP from the Carrier is sent to probe the opposing force, and the forward FGs and a couple DDs move a bit further forward and to one side as a feint and to gain more info. The goal (Objective) is to destroy or drive off the opposing fleet. If the ranging FGs can successfully slip past the enemy, they can be used in several way at the height of the battle.

So, how would the player implement this? It would be simpler than you might think.

The fleet layout can be determined by simple templates. Several games use something like this, even the Baldurs Gate and Diablo series. The roles of the ships within the Fleet will be determined by the template, though the player can override during the combat. The goal can be determined at the time of the fleet deployment, or at the time of contact. If a fleet has no goal, depending on the nature of the species, they will respond differently when attacked. The more aggressive the species, the more aggressive the default 'template; will be for individual or fleet response will be. The more neutral or pacifist leaning the species, the more likely the ship or fleet is to retreat (except when defending existing colonies).

[Geoff the Medio]

Fleets should be built of hetrogenous groups of ships which each take a specific role within the fleet.

Why do you assume / require that all fleets have more than one type of ship?

Usually, a fleet will be built around one (or more) large ship(s) which pretty much define the Role of the fleet.

Why exclude the possibility of having a non-ship-focused strategy, in which an empire doesn't build any large ships due to focusing on other things?

But each ship has a Role with in the fleet, and it will define how that ship behaves in combat. In addition, a fleet should have an objective, even if it is to hold and observe. This will define how the fleet will react to new threats, and can make handling epic battles much easier.

You don't seem to be acknowledging any purpose for ships other than fighting other ships. What about carrying and deploying and supporting ground troops? What about map area-effect projection ships (social effects, production bonuses or penalties)? What about specialized planetary seige / bombardment ships? What about spy ships? What about economic raiding / pirate ships? What about research, industry, mining, or farming ships or ships that just hold population? Not all necessarily should be included, but not all necessariliy won't be.

[utilae]

I also think that fleet does not have to be the classic capitol ship + a few smaller ships escorting.

They can all be small, random size, be of whatever role.

I think that as long as ship design allows for unique roles that are able to be created, then players will group ships in a way that they think will best achieve their intended objective.
eg
A player may choose to put good combat ships with his planet killer, rather than send those things without protection. Or the player might send a fleet of small ships as a raiding party so great in number, but as a result certain to confuse the enemy and ensure at least one ship strikes its target.

[marhawkman]

Hehe... Or grouping the long range ships in the back, and the short range heavily armored ships in the front. Yeah it's simplistic, but it works.

Then there's the Uber fun of building an enormous fleet of tiny boarding ships.

[utilae]

I would like to a see a fleet of one hundred tiny ships each armed with a bomb powerful enough to blow up a moon.

[Airshipjones]

Because, well, it works. This is not to say that other models should not be supported, but that a model that supports a battle group should be supported. The reasons it works are many and varied, but they are supported by decades of military practice and study.

I think that fleets of uniform mid-sized ships would be interesting to work with as well (a la Babylon 5 and the White Star fleet). And I think that groups (or fleets) of smaller ships for raiding, pirating, and trading, and other specialized functions should be supported as well. I think the options for battle will not necessarily change much for non-traditional fleets, though the choice of tactics would. I think the use of fleets for trade and other non-military options would make the game much more flexible, rather than abstracting it out like MOOII.

[marhawkman]

I would like to a see a fleet of one hundred tiny ships each armed with a bomb powerful enough to blow up a moon.

GOOD ONE!!! It's THAT sort of Variety that space combat needs.