drone combat?!

I don't use drones. Ever.

Anyway, if you can set the strategy try using point blank. Sounds like your drones are trying to keep the range open.

Drones in stock are set to always "ram" automatically assuming they have been given warheads. If they don't have warheads, they flee. In order to get versatile drones in stock, you need to edit VehicleUnitTypes.txt in the data folder and remove the ability "Seeks Towards Target and Rams" and reduce the total of abilities by 1.

Space Empires Depot | SE:V Balance Mod

I don't know, but I might experiment. Firing a bunch at someone's homeworld does have a certain amount of charm.

Fighters will destroy drones.

Provided your fighters weapons will target units. Lesson learned.

Unole!
Directive 721: Cover your own a$$ first. Solo

I've always had problems just catching somebody else's drones. They can go ridiculously fast.

I think this may have been covered in the distant past, but is there a way to get drones to auto-launch? I would like to build them and have them launch and move to a way point, just like ships do, but I can't seem to configure it to do that.

Too bad drones can't lose their flag and become anonymous. It would be great to scan or blow something up without anyone knowing the responsible party.

Harmonious Hegemony - Id like to be able to do that with fighters too. But the only way you can do this is to have a freighter autoload, move and autounload them. I used to set this kind of thing up in SEIV, but the "auto" looping would breakdown if the freighter ever tried to overload... So I don't know if thats been fixed in SEV.

SEV, more than a feeling.

Vince278 - Thats a cool idea, kind of like the old ocean ships that didn't have a country affiliation acting like pirates (becoming a "Privateer").

Maybe the ability to privateer class ships? I don't know if this is possible.

SEV, more than a feeling.

Drones are useless now . in older versions of stock they were expensive but excellent, but now they could be scouts or warheads only, nothing more. I can remove ram option from them, but can't do same for PBW.

Also in Balance 1.14, i don't know how to use them there, scouts - no, they are not allowed from start, warheads - no, any missile can destroy it, few missile ships can destroy lots of drones. Strange that fighters allowed from start of the game, humanity already can build such drones (or automated scouts), but can't build such kind of space fighters.

In case you are interested, the Devnull mod allows armed drones. Not missiles though. Same restrictions on starting with them though.

actually, if I may point out, a privateer needs an affiliation. They were basically pirates who were given permission to prey on ships from whatever country the country that gave them permission was at war with.

Though granted I suppose said "Privateer" needn't show every one of his victims his certificate.

A privateer (in SE) would be affiliated with whoever built them. They should have the ability to attack anyone, even a friendly empire, while remaining anonymous.

Of course, being caught with them (large numbers in your empire not doing anything) would be a big problem.

Q-ships could also be interesting. I envision them as having a freighter hull but without that minimum cargo box requirement.

I was just thinking of Q-ships the other day. Pity about the cargo requirement though.

Q-ships?

Nick (bearclaw)

"You don't know the Power of the Dark Side. I must obey my Master"

Merchant vessels with hidden weaponry. Used to defend unarmed merchant vessels against attack, or to lure an attacker into a fight they weren't prepared for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-ship

They resemble freighters but the hidden weaponry can give them the kick of a cruiser. The cargo limit can be modded out but I'm not sure how we can keep people from abusing this.

I don't suppose there's a way to limit the number of a certain type (or size) of ships that each empire can possess, is there? So that if you implement a (for example) "Medium Freighter Hull Q-Ship" class, that a particular player can only build a certain number of them? If so, that would make them a workable class of ship to have. If not, then there's definite abuse potential.

Of course, you could add in certain deficiencies to the hull (number of engines, crew requirements, etc) to make it less likely for someone to want a whole fleet of them. After all, Q-ships had to be able to hide their armaments. Arming them to the teeth would make hiding their true nature somewhat difficult.

Q-ships may be an good idea around Somalia right now. I don't think any were intentionally made since WWII.

Here is an idea...
change weapon platforms (Or a new device) so it can fire from cargo holds...
Now, a large freighter can load up with these and open the cargo bay doors and
blow away the other ship....
I found the setting "Can Fire Into Space From Ship Cargo" in VehicleUnitTypes.txt
Don't know how it would work in the game...

I found drones usefull for supply ships...
For combat... in VehicleUnitTypes.txt drones have a setting "Cannot Be Controlled By Player Once Launched".
Try deleting that setting and you should have full drone control....

An awesome idea. The Q ships here could be like the pod ships in the Honorverse. They were basically kicking out missile launchers from cargo and even towing them. I see how this can be adopted. It may need to be a new class of weapon though.