Clearer Combat Trajectories, Targets, and Tactics

Combat is in a messy state right now, in my opinion. While it looks great, it is incredibly difficult to glean useful information from it, and next to impossible to adequately predict which targets your flotilla will shoot at what ranges for how long. To that end, I want to suggest a solution that clarifies the simulation without impacting the visual presentation.

EDIT: Let me clarify that the word Simulation refers to the resolution of combat and the calculations involved in it, not the animation/cutscene.

Both fleets begins the battle 130 units apart, and the maximum duration of a battle is divided into 12 phases (e.g. 5 seconds if battle can last up to 1 minute). Each flotilla moves directly towards its opponent at a speed of 10 units per phase, until they are within the range determined by the battle plan. This will naturally create 6 different phase sequences for the different range matchups without artificially skipping phases (See graphic below).

The base distance is divided into 13 tiles of width 10. Rather than measuring the exact distance, firing ranges are based on the number of tiles the shot enters counting parallel to the center line of battle (not counting the starting band), with short range covering 4, medium range 8, and long range 12 tiles. While moving forward, ships will engage targets of opportunity in adjacent lanes (either the closest or the one in their most efficient range), adding 2 tiles of "virtual" range if firing at an adjacent lane, 4 if firing one flank to the other.

I realize that this is a rather "boardgamey" solution, but I believe it could give more clarity to the events of the battles while leaving some freedom with the specifics of the visualization.

As an added suggestion, the fleet movement should be previewed in the advanced battle setup screen (e.g. as a small highlight moving down the lanes), and mousing over a flotilla should display  a transparent overly of firing arcs and ranges. (Mockup of that coming as soon as I have the time to create it).

The basic direction of flanking trajectories could also be angled inward to generate a less rigidly geometric appearance.

Note: The base distance of 130 and division into 12 phases have been chosen arbitrarily for easy calculation, while all other numbers are based on them. All numbers can be scaled up or down as needed.

Advantages:

- Less arbitrary that current system (no skipping ranges entirely, finer differences than 3 pahse system)

- clearer targets of opportunity (especially with matching UI update)

- could work with different flotilla speeds (e.g from engine modules or Battle Plans)

- (Edit) Can also work with different starting distances, e.g. shorter distance in nebulae and asteroid fields.

- greater freedom in exact placement of ships (as long as they stay reasonably within a tile)

- tilted trajectories would give room for long-range fleets to visually move towards center without being slowed to a crawl

Disadvantages:

- Difference between actual visual range and "virtual" simulation range quite large in some extreme cases (up to 30 units)

- reduced connection of visuals and simulation

- Tilted trajectory turns broadsides away from potential targets of opportunity during movement