As we can't have fighters and bombers show up where there carrier isn't it is too easy to destroy the carrier quickly and then have combat end in the first round and the fighters die of embarrassment.



I would like to mod so that the full number of rounds is played regardless but am wondering if it is hard coded.



This might give bombers a chance for revenge and give a reason to have fighters and close defence.



Anyone know if the xml files code for it or is it hard coded that combat ends when last major ship dies?

I think your problem is the design of your fleet, it might help you if your carriers didn't have weapons but focused on defense. Also you could use the larger, harder to destroy dreadnaughts. Your formation could also be changed to protect your carrier.

If I understand correctly, battles end when one sides's HP is reduced to 0 pts. As you have observed, this only applies to the HP of the capital ships. Seeing as Fighters and Bombers have HP themselves, I believe that it would be possible to implement what you suggest, but I think it would have to be accomplished through the editing of ES's code, which we can't do.



Just to help you along in case it is moddable, the XMLs refer to strike craft as "SubShips". I.e., in the xml BattleSequenceSubShips.xml.

I feel letting 'sub-ships' end of battle would be nifty, but then you could just speed your combat tech towards bombers way early,and win A LOT of pyrrich victories. Late game, there would be some interesting combat, but point defense would be a must for non-carrier fleets.

It is a little annoying that players can just do that, and extending the combat for the strike craft for as long as they are alive would be fine in my opinion.