One possibility to help prevent fleet-chasing

from Sins Forums
One thing I've noticed is if a fleet positions its self just right, it can jump into a system at the edge of the 45 degree angle from the phase lane making it super easy for that fleet to jump into one system right after the other if the phase lanes link into the gravity well like an L. Also this makes it harder to defend a planet with stationary defenses with this huge angle that the incoming fleet has to enter into your system. Why not lessen this angle to be only a 15-25 degree angle?

It just seems to me that the current angle is way too large and makes stationary defense turrets less effective at engaging a fleet on the edges of the gravity well and it makes it much easier for a retreating fleet to get away and cause you to send a fleet after it while you play cat and mouse.

I also think that the gravity wells should be increased in size to allow a bit more room to maneuver.
strategy
6,249 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
actually the AI takes this into account when calculating fly paths. I have seen it take paths that require more jumps, but will take less time overall due to L ship jump locations.

The defense turrents are meant more to protect the planet then to shred a passing fleet. Even if the lanes are EXACTLY opposite each other you could just circle around the turrets, turrets have to be in the gravity well and you can fly way outside of it.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
I doubt such a large change is going to be made to the jump angle at this point, but if you want to mod it, it couldn't be easier: just change the "JumpAngle" in Gameplay.constants. (Check the modding forum for instructions on how to do that). The variables for gravity well size are in the same file.
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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
I agree that turrets are meant for planets. Put them close to your planets but facing where you think the enemy will phase in from. However, hangers are your best bet. Bombers will fly straight away to fleets just “passing by”.

I agree with the 45 degree angle thing. If planned properly ships can by-pass defense choke planets and infiltrate those planets in the back which probably don’t have defenses.

My advice for peeps and AI that are doing this to you - Keep some of your fleet in the back. Don’t really just on defenses. When my fleets are not “attacking”, I keep them on planets in the middle of my empire and make sure they not too may phase lanes away from all my planets. Also, if a fleet just by-passed your defense choke point, jump your fleet the quickest way to where you “think” they are going. Don’t follow them. If you keep fleets centered, you can time arrivals so that your fleet arrives perfectly to when enemy or pirate fleets arrive.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

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My advice for peeps and AI that are doing this to you - Keep some of your fleet in the back. Don’t really just on defenses. When my fleets are not “attacking”, I keep them on planets in the middle of my empire and make sure they not too may phase lanes away from all my planets. Also, if a fleet just by-passed your defense choke point, jump your fleet the quickest way to where you “think” they are going. Don’t follow them. If you keep fleets centered, you can time arrivals so that your fleet arrives perfectly to when enemy or pirate fleets arrive.



I agree this is my best defense as well..however i like to also keep a small fleet of 1 cap ship with a handful of frigs to assist with defense when my main fleet is out doing what they do so well this smaller fleet cant stop a large attack but they sure can slow them down long enough for my main fleet to get back
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I rely less and less on static defensis, especially turrets. Planet shields, repair platforms and at least 10 fighter slots seem to be more effective. I use the static defenses to encourage frigates to stay away from the other structures.

Then again, thats resources spent on going nowhere rather than taking it to the bad guys.
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
Or rather then build defenses around a useless, unimportant, and avoidable rock you could build the defenses around your important planets?  :p 
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
I was just thinking, what if all ships were given two "modes"? One would be a transportation mode, and the other an attack mode. While in transportation mode your fleet would be able to jump as quickly as they are now, but if they are in attack mode then it would take longer for them to jump. I don't think this necessarily needs to be an actual mode that should be toggled on and off by the player, but rather make it an automatic ability. So if your fleet is being fired upon, then it would take them allot longer to jump then if they weren't being fired upon. There could even be some research that could be added to decrease the slower jump time while the ships are being fired upon.

Or maybe this could be a passive special ability associated with a cap ship or some other type of ship.
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
hopefully PJI's will be more significant in 1.03.
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
Yeah, but I'm talking about something that can be mobile, like when you're chasing an enemy fleet thats fleeing.
Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top
I've never built planetary-defense hangars (sorry, I'm a n00b).

If I do, what would be the ideal fighter/bomber ratio for gravity-well defense ?

(On another thread, a 50/50 ratio was recommended.)
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
Fighters are good against siege frigates, LRM, scouts, and strike craft. Anything heavier than that you're better off with a bomber. Since siege frigates, pesky scouts, and enemy bombers are prime concerns for planetary defense, I tend to go a little heavy on the fighters. Usually at least two fighter squads for every bomber squad.

Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top
I'm wondering about cross-system phase jumping. Can I make a phase jump to any starsystem from any point in my starsystem? I've got no current understanding on how multi-star phase jumping works in this game.

I've got a friendly game on a friend's map, 4 player FFA with 5 stars of 20 planets each. I'd like some understanding of multi-star strategy before I play this game.