Orders/formations: fleets, task forces, and ship

[Dogboy]

Is there a FAQ on strategies and formations, for fleets, task forces and ships?

What does each control, and what is the best practice? Say I have a fleet with formation A and orders to fire at optimal range, task forces with formation B and orders to fire point blank, and individual ships in each with orders to fire at maximum range (and not to break formation immediately). Which level (fleet, task force) determines how the ships in the fleet will be laid out, and which order will hold sway?
Thanks!

[Captain Kwok]

Task force formations and strategies will be applied to all ships of that task force. If the ships are set to break formation, then no formation is used. Can't recall how fleet formations are applied, if at all.

It's best to arrange your task forces to contain single ship types that share the same design strategy. For example, all your long range ships in one task force and point blank ships in another etc.

Individual ship strategies are only used if the ship is not in a fleet.

[Dogboy]

Thanks, QK! I assume they start out in formation and then go their own ways, right? Also, do "Targeting Priority Order" and "Target Type Order and Settings" work? What does each do? Or is this one of those things best left untouched?

[Captain Kwok]

If the strategy the task force is using specifies "break formation", then the ships will go on their own course, otherwise they try and remain in their formation.

Targeting priority order is applied to a ship's current set of targets. The potential target that is closest to the requirements will be first targeted.

Target type order is used to determine which enemies a ship will try and approach when it has no available targets.

[Dogboy]

That is really cool. The more I get into this game, the better it seems! But, couldn't your opponent, e.g., just make colonizers that he classifies as "attack ship"s and then you'd go after them when you mean to go after the attack ships?

[Captain Kwok]

No. It's not based on design type, but some sort of internal game classification presumably based on component abilities or vehicle hulls.

[Dogboy]

That is cool! Would you say, on balance, that this game is wonderful/rocks/is dead on? Thanks!

[Captain Kwok]

It's getting there...

[Dogboy]

...with your help. Thanks again.

[Nocturnal]

Could some one give me suggestions for how to make a ship function as a point-defense escort? What are the important differences between strategies in Space Empires IV & V?
I know in IV at least I have to provide the ship with some weapons that can fire on ships, or else it'll flee to the corner. Then I make a custom strategy with the type targeting order: "drones, fighters, seekers, satellites, ships..." but point defense always automatically fires on the first target that comes into range, regardless of what I want it to do, right?
Anything else I should do? I've tried targeting priorities like "nearest, fastest, smallest..." but I'm not really sure of it. Ideally I'd want my ship to stay near the front of the formation, or actively go towards wherever missiles and fighters are coming from and take them down before they reach my capital ships.
What would I do differently in SEV? I know I can set these ships as escorts in the task force for one thing.