Dealing with Large Number of Fleets

I don't use the fleets list.

 

Anything i don't need is set to 'guard' or sitting in a planet or starbase.

 

The big problem is that 'sentry' is pretty much unusable.

I have to place sacrificial ships at strategic locations set to 'guard' and they will let me know when an enemy comes by being destroyed. It is just stupid,,, Even an old game like SMAC knows to give your sentry units the option to ignore units of players you are not at war with.... hallelujah.

 

 

So how do you move from Fleet to Fleet? Are you just manually selecting each one? is there any sort of "next" button that would let me quickly jump through all my fleets?

Yea, the end turn button..... i have it set to scroll through all the active units and empty build queues. But I cannot end turn if i get bored though! that is another big problem..... I assume this is fixed by now but i don't know? I am still playing an older saved game.

In Galciv2 you could ask it to take you to any active units with movement left, that is what you really need here.

 

The best way i manage my fleets right now is by setting all the ones i am not currently using to 'guard' and then they do not com up in the end turn scroll list, so it only shows me the active units. It is not the best, but it is functional.

Thanks for the replies and information!

Doesn't seem like fleet management was given much thought in this game. Perhaps I am outside the norm and most people prefer smaller, faster games.

Hehe, for me the "Guard" button is going to become the "forget" button but it sounds like that's what I need to be doing. I guess there is also no way to re-order my fleets?

Well like i said... you have to place sacrificial units in strategic locations so the AI will destroy that unit first, and that is what will draw your attention to that area of the map, so you can activate the nearest 'guard' fleets and respond to that threat.

 

This is the only reasonable way of doing things on a large map with lots of stuff going on.

 

And forget about 'sentry'.... its completely useless, unless you enjoy relentless disturbances from morons you are not at war with.

Yup - looks like I'll just have to set up that way. All Aboard the T.S.S Sacrificial Lamb class frigates.

 

Hehehehe.... oh and it teems the AI loves to target ships with sensors as a priority as if they think you have time to look around every turn or something?? lol

 

So i use tiny hulls with sensors, no engines or weapons,, AI loves to target them first! Or it could just be the way i strategically place them out in front??

 

set them on guard.... they could sit there for a thousand turns and never be touched,,, but when that enemy fleet does come,,, you wont have any way of knowing.... the morons your not at war with will have forced you to shut down all your sentry vessels.... so the only reasonable way to know they are coming is with that sacrificial sensor ship.

I like to park ships with lots of sensors in orbit of key planets and space stations, and fleets with lots of move back a half move from the front lines, again in orbit of a planet or starbase. When needed they pop out and counter attack. Usually my picket lines of undefended culture bases act as my sacrificial lambs when needed.

 

Fleets in orbit don't come up to be activated and they don't clutter the map visually. For me this works.

 

Well, i will lose track of ships in orbit, so i never usually do it for that reason except to defend vulnerable starbases and to take advantage of the orbital logistics.

 

I do occasionally use culture bases as bait but tiny hulled sensor ships are cheaper, and can easily be moved if ever the need arises.

 

I don't usually waste the logistics of a good fleet on sensor ships... but i do usually put some sensors on a more valuable technical support ship.... its no problem because technical support ships in my defensive fleets aren't allowed to use components with a resource requirement, so there is always plenty of space

But that's defensive fleets... offensive fleets are a totally different ball game!

 

 

 

 

The Guard option always alerts me when an enemy vessel has moved within sensor range of that unit, what's wrong with your game Mystik? Guard is life!

 

Nice tip about the sensor units being prioritised by the AI though, exploiting the shit out of that!

 

They must have finally fixed it then? I am still playing my old game from before the recent updates.

 

Sensors.... it is my observation the AI seems to know your sensor range? And it loves to hide in the fog of war.... and yes, seems overly keen to take out sensor ships.... but also it could simply be that sensor ships are weak.... the AI does seem to prefer to hit weaker targets first.

I use culture bases because they expand my zone of control as well as providing a picket line. They also increase the range of my offensive fleets. But the most important thing is they prevent the enemy from expanding his zone of control. To me, that's worth the extra price. But I also try to avoid conflicts, so if you need to move your front lines for battle, I agree the tiny hulls are probably the way to go. Though do consider a few military bases, they get some cool auras that slow enemies and haste allies. For a dynamic front line that can be handy.

 
logistics is why I usually park my sensor ships around planets. Planet logistics are always higher than my fleet logistics. 

You mean tactical, not technical. 

The UI is not balanced for large maps. So for now those of us who enjoy large maps get the burden. I haven't played in a while because of this kind of stuff. Eventually you get tired of fighting against the UI.

 

Yea it slowly wears you down.

 

I have been playing a very old civilization call to power 2 lately and you should see how well the UI works in that game, the attention to detail to make it such a pleasure to play.... i am constantly thinking "oh this would be great in Galciv3"

 

So this is the thing... I am sure the developers also have played allot of other games, so everyone knows what works well.... and since everyone knows what works well,, that is why i am a bit confused about what we actually got?? Of course there are plenty of great things in the Galciv3 UI but, a UI is like a chain, it is only as strong as its weakest link.