I really like this idea, it would reduce micromanagement a lot.

Besides replacing units it would be nice to have them just auto build new units. I mean I've seen many RTS games where you can simply turn on auto build and as long as you have the resources it keeps popping out those units. You can even set it up to rotate between multiple unit types so you maintain a diverse army.

This I think would be nice so you don't have to run back to your factory every few mins to start building a couple new frigs it would just keep building them as the money become available. This would also make it so you didn't have to throw a ton of on hand cash into it to que up the multiple ships at once which is kinda a pain cause that money is just sitting their being wasted and to use it more efficiently means more micromanagement . A great example of this is Dawn of War you simply turn auto build on at the factory and if you aren't at your unit cap and have the resources it starts building the new unit.

I've often thought about this feature myself, I cant remember what game had this ability (Conquest: Frontier Wars maybe?) but I remember it was a life saver. I think the way it functioned was on a per control group basis and was a feature of admirals. Since there are no admirals in Sins...if we had some sort of "Command" ship, not a capital class, and not a frigate, if only we some sort of...middle ground like a cruiser this ability could be assigned to. Hmmmmmmmmm..."IF" indeed.

The function should only be seen when the control group is selected, not really assigned to the ship in question, just as an option triggered when you activate the group. Ideally it should have multiple settings, and draft from the nearest unused shipyard(s).

The settings should reflect the priority you want to give the fleets replacement process similar to the weapon range selection. "Low" Would only trigger if you have 2x the required resources needed to replace a lost ship, "Medium" 1.5x, "High" using all available resources, and finally "Off".

Ron: Just so, but forget this "when the battle is over" stuff. I want those construction frigates out there, replacing each turret as soon as it falls!


One thing this makes occur to me, it would be nice if we could incorporate some kind of "Fleet Orders" language to the game. To allow players to set up their own custom orders.

For example, suppose I had a fleet of three Kols and a Sova. I'd put them in orbit of the sun of a system I had already pacified.

I could give them "Patrol (This Gravity Well) and Chase (All Hostiles) and Destroy (All Hostiles)" as their orders.

When I'm managing an empire, I have neither the time nor inclination to micromanage the HUGE WAR-FLEET I have in orbit of the star (which is there to act as a screen for the pirate attacks). I want them to chase the hostiles through jumps and destroy them.

So, to expand it, say I take that fleet, and add, say, ten Cobolts. I name it collectively the Ignus Defense Fleet or something. I want to be able to give that fleet orders to chase down and destroy any hostiles that come into their gravity well, through as many jumps as it takes to do the job, but not to chase them interstellar. I want any losses incurred to be automatically replaced and sent back to the fleet, and if any of those losses happen to be capital ships, I want them automatically re-trained with the ability decisions I made previously, and their fighter squadrons re-queued as normal.


I'm an Emperor. If I want to do an Admiral's job (or a Captain's, or a Wing Commander's) I should be able to do so, but if I don't want to do it, I'd like those tasks to be carried out automatically.

Plus, it frees us up from a lot of micromanagement, to make the decisions we'd make anyway in every case automatic. Chasing the pirates that "run the blocade" and jump towards my interior, for example. Prioriting bombers (for a planetary defense force) or capital ships (for a war-fleet) or planets (for a glasser fleet).


I know, it's probably a pain in the ass to implement, but it would really, really add something to Sins of a Solar Empire.

Well, ron, with a robust enough "Fleet Programming" language, that should be no problem. You could set if "If (Target) is Fleeing towards (Star then (Chase) and (Destroy)". You could also Set "If (Target) is Fleeing towards (Star A) then (Discontinue Pursuit) and (Return to (Patrol Zone))".

I still think it meets the definition of a real time strategy.

It just frees you up from micromanaging, since you can decide the strategy (at an executive level) and order some other schmoe to make sure it gets done.


Sort of like how you could program your party's (non-controlled) characters to fight alongside you in FFXII. You're still the one deciding the strategy, but you no longer have to make every point and click and issue every order to every individual fleet.


And why not? I think the RTS genre needs a kick in the ass. The person doing the overall commanding shoulden't have to take time out of her or his busy schedule of building up the empire and planning to decieve and destroy the A.I.s to micromanage one fleet's response to a pirate incursion; his admirals should be fully capable of chasing and destroying a pirate raiding party without his direct supervision.

Ron: Perhaps. Perhaps it's too much for the time we have left for Sins, too.

Which is a shame, because of all RTSes, Sins of a Solar Empire is the most uniquely suited to such an incredible innovation, because of it's sheer scope.

Hey, I try to catch it whenever I spell it "differen't"... no clue why I do that, but I do try and catch that! Oh, wait, I didn't do that here...