Drones, noticed something odd...

[Sinapus]

Was there a plan to have small drones be 120kT instead of 100kT? Noticed that the drone launcher I had a cargo capacity of 120kT in a game earlier...

[adder_inf]

On drones, how can you attack a plant from another system? I can't get them to move unless I can see population on the planet. I hate having to send a ship to see the population just to get the drones there.

Also the drones need to be able to be put in a fleet. If you launch from under the range/turn of the drones they attack one at a time. This makes them useless verus defended plants.

[Dracus]

Drones---
To attack a planet in another system. You have to see the planet. This is the way they work.
You send a ship into the system, launch the drones and then pull the ship out. The drones will continue into the system at that point.
Once drones are launched they will continue after a target until either it is taken out or moves to another system. SInce planets can not move, it drones never lose contact once they are launched.
Think of them as IBM's.

They can be grouped upon launch, once grouped they stay grouped.

[geoschmo]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Dracus:

Think of them as IBM's.<hr></blockquote>

Nuclear tipped, self guided, desktop computers? AIIYYEEEEE!!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Dracus]

SInce someone will ask IBM, does that not stand for Intercontinial Balistic missles, what does that have to do with space?
IBM's----
Interglactic Bot-controled Missles


"The future is now, grab it with both hands and hold on"

[adder_inf]

ah but they do not work that way.

I had a drone launcher ship and used it that worked except for the one at a time issue.

But I launched a set of drones from a planet in another system and they stopped once the ship left the system.

[Dracus]

That is right, once the target ship leaves the system, the drones lose contact and do stop.
Planets can not move, so the drones do not lose contact once they are launched, even if your ship leaves the target system.

[adder_inf]

No I was shooting planet to planet. Once my drone ship left the system my drones stopped. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif

I think drones need to be able to target empty planets.

I was hoping for IPMs but drones only seem to be useable in the same system.

[Dracus]

Let me run some tests and as they seem to work in the beta Version but I did not run every possable attack. I will get back to you on this once I am done.

[adder_inf]

Ok I found a way to move drones as a group. Hold down shift and select them.

[Skulky]

Not to be an ******* or anything but it is ICBM, at least to my knowlesge

[Phoenix-D]

Not in this case.

ICBM = Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. I think drones have slightly longer range than that, and they certainly aren't ballistic http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Phoenix-D

[Tsukku]

Anyone notice that in ship to ship combat, drones with antiplanet warheads attack ships? This just doesn't seem right somehow. Perhaps I should pay more attention to drone strategy settings? Specific situation involved a ship carrying a mix of antiplanet and antiship drones. All the drones launched and attacked the enemy ship. No planet was involved.

[adder_inf]

I had them attack a ship with just anti planet warheads. They were the antiplanet type in the type screen as well. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif

[Rlaney]

Notice the damage they do with an anti-planet warhead against a ship though... Only ram damage. The warhead does not go off. I have checked this personally and the drone hits but not for 400 damage.