[Feature Suggestion] Allow units to engage enemy while under orders to move

from Sins Forums

Heh, after being "suggested" that this belongs in a thread by its own, I'm putting my suggestion here that units should be allowed to engage enemies while under orders to move to a certain destination. Alternatively known as "attack an area" instead of a target. In this way, you can tell your ship(s) to egage the enemy as near as possible to location X (the specified area).

Here's a way to try this out. Imagine you are under attack and are churning out new frigates while the battle is on.. The freshly minted frigate will come out - "Ready for orders!" - and then proceed to move to wherever the rally point is. After it reaches the rally point, then it will engage the enemy within whatever range is set. If I have my rally point smack in the middle of the battle area, then the poor frigate will fly all the way through the middle of the battle, taking hits left and right and only upon reaching the rally point, then "oh look, there are some enemies in range, let's target them.."

Apologies if I've missed something, hope to hear some feedback.. Cheers!

2,999 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

"Attack Move" order would be useful and would not even need an extra key - simply LMB Attack + "LMB on space" somewhere.
It's such a standard RTS feature... awkward it didn't make it into Sins. I wonder for what reason.

I strongly agree that "Attack Move" (move towards this spot but stop and engage anything you come upon) should be in the game.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

I know I've had issues with it myself, but pressing 'A' and selecting the destination doesn't work for this?

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Attack + LMB on location makes the attack pointer disappear with no effect on unit movement.
Attack + RMB on location does nothing - the pointer doesn't disappear, the units do nothing.

Dunno, maybe the function was intended but nobody noticed it doesn't work?? ;D

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Mazuo, reply 2
I know I've had issues with it myself, but pressing 'A' and selecting the destination doesn't work for this?
End of Mazuo's quote

I don't remember exactly what happens, but if I'm not mistaken, nothing happens at all. Because the 'A' (attack) command will only work if you point it to a "target-able" thing (with due respect to your ship abilities/weapons). I could be wrong, so if I am, do let me know.. I'll try to give it a try again..

That said, my example about the rally point is still true.. I remember that because I was trying to fight off some pirates and didn't want to move my main fleet, so I was churning out a bunch of frigs, and they all moved to the rally point before engaging the enemy. In the mean time, the pirates were free to run around and cause havoc unmolested..

 

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

I think the attack function works exactly the same as the move function in that if you click it on a empty space the unit will move to the location first and then check for an enemy wheras in a ideal world the unit should be checking constantly for units to attack before its reached its destination when on attack move.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Ambro_2, reply 5
I think the attack function works exactly the same as the move function in that if you click it on a empty space the unit will move to the location first and then check for an enemy wheras in a ideal world the unit should be checking constantly for units to attack before its reached its destination when on attack move.
End of Ambro_2's quote

Quoting N3rull, reply 3
Attack + LMB on location makes the attack pointer disappear with no effect on unit movement.
Attack + RMB on location does nothing - the pointer doesn't disappear, the units do nothing.
End of N3rull's quote

I have checked it - opened the game exclusively to try the attack move. It does NOT work.

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

I used it once before, I think it was in the demo verions I downloaded before I bought the game and im pretty certain that it worked then. It even mentioned it in the tutorial.