Drone questions!

[sachmo]

Still a newbie, so I get to ask silly questions!

1. Is there a way to group drones? I know they can't be fleeted, but if the only way to move them is with shift-click, doesn't that mean that when they attack a fleet, they will enter combat one at a time??

2. I tested my drones in a simulation against an enemy ship with only missiles and PD weapons. In the simulator, he moved into attack range, but was unable (or unwilling) to fire at the drones. Are they like satellites in that respect, or was it an AI problem?

3. Do drones have accuracy, or do they always hit?

4. If I create a drone with an anti-planet warhead, can I attack any planet not controlled by me, or does it have to have an enemy colony on it?

Thanks!

[Q]

1.) Yes if you group them, they will attack at the same time.
2.) Missiles can't target drones in the unmodded game, but the point defense cannons should fire automatically when the drones come into their range. Are you sure they were in range of the PDC??
3.) As far as I know ramming hits always.
4.) You cannot ram or attack allies.

[sachmo]

Originally posted by Q:
1.) Yes if you group them, they will attack at the same time.

Sorry, misread. So, if you shift-right click, drones will all attack at the same time? This is different from ships grouped in the same way, IIRC. I guess I will experiment with this sometime soo.

[ July 15, 2002, 19:49: Message edited by: sachmo ]

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Q:
1.) Yes if you group them, they will attack at the same time.

I have heard this before, but I don't use drones much. This does work? My experience with ships that were not fleeted was that they attack seperatly, so I expected this to not work. If it doesn't work though it would be bad for the drones, so I suppose he must have changed that specifically. My tests were all pre-Gold. Hey maybe non-fleeted ships will attack simultaneously now. I should test that again.

Geoschmo

[Q]

To confirm it once more:
In SE IV Gold Version 1.67 drones that are grouped (by right clicking) will attack together not individually.

[ July 15, 2002, 19:55: Message edited by: Q ]

[Baron Munchausen]

Originally posted by geoschmo:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Q:
1.) Yes if you group them, they will attack at the same time.

I have heard this before, but I don't use drones much. This does work? My experience with ships that were not fleeted was that they attack seperatly, so I expected this to not work. If it doesn't work though it would be bad for the drones, so I suppose he must have changed that specifically. My tests were all pre-Gold. Hey maybe non-fleeted ships will attack simultaneously now. I should test that again.

Geoschmo

---

In a simultaneous mode game I think that even drones will only attack 'together' if they have the same movement rate. And similarly ships must have the same movement rate. If you use shift-click in sequential mode to move several things -- ships, fleets, units -- they move together the first turn, but then move seperately after the first turn.

[sachmo]

Awesome! thanks a ton, guys!

[Q]

Just my observation in a turn based game:
Group of a ship with 12 movement points and a drone of 11 movement points given an attack order to a target that is 12 sectors away. The group will move 11 sectors together and then stop. The ship will not use its remaining movement point.

[ July 16, 2002, 10:18: Message edited by: Q ]

[Atrocities]

You people have actually used drones?

I guess I am a moron. I could not get them to work. Or at least I didn't try very hard to get them to work. I will have to try it again.

[steveh11]

I'm still not convinced of their utility, but I'm willing to try again in my new Proportions 2.3 game - it's possible to build up a useful stockpile of such things in that.
Steve.