The issue is from my experience retreating is OP as implemented and the AI abuses it in a way that I think isn't intended



So in my current game I was using missile ships, however I noticed that the AI will enter a system that i'm blocking (e.g. to prevent people moving)



This blocks the system

It does this with many silly small fleets

It ever starts a fight with my fleet or waits till I attack

Then it retreats

Then it moves back

It does this all the time when my ships are stronger



It will never accept fighting a fleet better than its (this is broken)



In addition to this missile because they take 3 rounds to hit do not fire.



Note: I don't have the fleets to go full aggro to block their retreats (1v7) and this isn't really a counter to the retreats



This single strat/mechanic INVALIDATES one type of weapon and I think this is bad/not working correctly or fairly.



I am forced to use lasers and the card that powers lasers to prevent the AI using the best retreat card now so that I can kill them before they get their retreat off.



This is not fun because I liked using other weapon types and makes It so I will NEVER pick missile now.



Overall the Lights of Polaris was a great addition



I don't really know how to fix this I threw an idea around my head is that retreats should take 3 rounds so missile fire and the retreats gives you bonus to defence modules and what lives escapes (preferred change)



this means a fleet that is weak will die and not be able to escape a strong fleet, And a equal strength fleet can escape if wanted with possible losses, it would also make it so Glass Cannons, e.g. without any defence modules not be able to retreat and fire.

You can destroy an enemy fleet before it has a chance to retreat.



This isn't an issue with the Lights of Polaris, this is an issue with how you're constructing your fleets.

Waylander1982 wrote:
You can destroy an enemy fleet before it has a chance to retreat.



This isn't an issue with the Lights of Polaris, this is an issue with how you're constructing your fleets.

How about you actually read the OPs post before you just go and dismiss it out of hand? No one needs the kind of unhelpful input you provided...



As the OP said, it's not merely about simply destroying the enemy ships before they retreat; it's about the AI playing the retreat card all the time. And, to be honest, that would annoy the hell out of me, too!



I'm curious as to whether anyone else has noticed this happening since the latest add-on?

Yeah it is an extremely annoying situation. A script should be added to AI so that it will not enter a system with a hostile fleet that is much stronger. A human player would not do this, so why should AI?



I do want them to be retreating when out-matched though; that part was a good idea. Previously, it was problem that they would continuously suicide tiny fleets instead of retreating and combining them.

So like no1 read my post.



I clearly stated is you use missile fleets you won't fire becuase they take 3 rounds to hit and the slowest retreat is 2 rounds



This FORCES you to re-tech to lasers and INVALIDATES MISSILES



Also The AI is using this to continuously block your systems (its stops doing this when you get the tech that ignores blocked, then only enters your systems if it can do damage to your fleet)

Missiles are already arguably the best weapon, the ability to retreat before they hit is missiles biggest drawback. Early game put a couple of kinetics on your ships and you will slowly kill all those retreating ships, or follow them and invade/colonize the system they are coming from so they don't have anywhere to retreat to. The fact that the AI doesn't adapt well to your actions is a bad excuse when you find a strategy that doesn't work against it.



As far as constantly returning and retreating from an enemy system and no human doing it... you would be wrong. 2-3 Scouts can blockade a system early game thus denying them research points if your opponent is running pure missile ships.



ADAPT AND CONQUER!

Kareal wrote:


As far as constantly returning and retreating from an enemy system and no human doing it... you would be wrong. 2-3 Scouts can blockade a system early game thus denying them research points if your opponent is running pure missile ships.

Except if the fleets are not in the system at the end of the turn, as is happening here, no blockade effects will be felt. Then the person would just be annoying. Hope that idea doesn't catch on >.>

ThatMG wrote:
So like no1 read my post.



I clearly stated is you use missile fleets you won't fire becuase they take 3 rounds to hit and the slowest retreat is 2 rounds



This FORCES you to re-tech to lasers and INVALIDATES MISSILES



Also The AI is using this to continuously block your systems (its stops doing this when you get the tech that ignores blocked, then only enters your systems if it can do damage to your fleet)

We heard you but I doubt you will find many people supporting the idea of allowing missiles to hit on retreats, for several reasons. The solution should probably come from somewhere else.

I read the OP, he can still destroy the enemy fleet before it has a chance to retreat. They play the card in almost every damn battle in Endless (if only because you need to double their MP to have a chance of beating them anyway) and in 2/3 cases I'll get off enough hits to wipe them out before they retreat.

Missiles are anti-capital anyway, so you shouldn't be using them by themselves.



Beam/Kinetics are thus improved by giving the player a reason to not use missiles all the freaking time.





And frankly this is just the AI trying to prevent the loss of its ships in a battle it cannot win, and that's smart conversation of forces. If they always retreat, then remove the places they retreat to.

Igncom1 wrote:
And frankly this is just the AI trying to prevent the loss of its ships in a battle it cannot win, and that's smart conversation of forces. If they always retreat, then remove the places they retreat to.

This is a bit along the lines of "win wars, not battles", but I can agree with your sentiment

If your going to lose the battle, then why fight?



Save your forces for a better situation.

im kinda curious as to why retreat overrides the system lockdown you have put onto the system, it makes little sense that if you get caught in a fight you can get out the system but you cant get out any other way at the same time ?

Tiggy wrote:
im kinda curious as to why retreat overrides the system lockdown you have put onto the system, it makes little sense that if you get caught in a fight you can get out the system but you cant get out any other way at the same time ?

Hm, I think the question here is: do you retreat from the system or just from the battle within that system? I cannot remember now off the top of my head but I believe it's the latter

n18991c wrote:
Hm, I think the question here is: do you retreat from the system or just from the battle within that system? I cannot remember now off the top of my head but I believe it's the latter

You retreat back to an allied system, this instead means you cant BLOCK their retreats because they will always have a system behind them.

Yes and if there are no allied systems adjacent, the fleet is destroyed.

In that case I agree with Igncom1: blockade or seize the places they could retreat to and so trap and destroy their fleets