I don't think players should be engaging in true tactical combat, or that this would be possible to implement, but I want to see tactical combat *simulation* that can be guided from a very high level, but not to such a degree that it lets humans easily defeat much stronger AI fleets using our superior brains. I don't know how possible it is to implement my idea with this modding system, and if other people are already working on something like this, I'm more than willing to compromise on my concepts or work on theirs.
My idea is that fleets under one Admiral would be divided into a small number of Battle Groups, which would determine the formation of the fleet. You still wouldn't command ships or groups in battle, but you could organize the fleet before battle to get more realistic behavior in the battles we see.
Strike Groups would focus on destroying an assigned priority target type, such as Wormhole Stations, Space Ports, Corvettes, or Battleships. They would otherwise behave in a standard aggressive(1.1)/swarm(1.2) manner.
Screen Groups would generally consist of small ships and would interpose themselves between the enemy force and the rest of your fleet, prioritizing things like shooting down missiles and strike craft and preventing Strike Groups from getting to the back ranks.
The Main Battle Group would follow a basic defensive(1.1)/bombardment(1.2) strategy and primarily consist of large capital ships.
Carrier Groups would stay far behind the battle lines and deploy Strike Craft, using other weapons only if enemies come in range.
Escort Groups would try to protect an assigned battle group, civilian ship, or space station.
Combat behavior would not be determined by the combat computer installed on the ship, but by the role of the battle group. It's rather silly that ships need to be modified at a space port to change their tactics. Computers would just have levels, and would assign different bonuses based on the role of the battle group the ship is currently in.
Also, non-FTL disengagement should be a thing. Damaged ships and carriers without strike craft should automatically disengage if they can escape that way, and you should be able to order the fleet to disengage, in which case it will retreat with thrusters, in which case it would leave only a Screen group in combat.
My idea is that fleets under one Admiral would be divided into a small number of Battle Groups, which would determine the formation of the fleet. You still wouldn't command ships or groups in battle, but you could organize the fleet before battle to get more realistic behavior in the battles we see.
Strike Groups would focus on destroying an assigned priority target type, such as Wormhole Stations, Space Ports, Corvettes, or Battleships. They would otherwise behave in a standard aggressive(1.1)/swarm(1.2) manner.
Screen Groups would generally consist of small ships and would interpose themselves between the enemy force and the rest of your fleet, prioritizing things like shooting down missiles and strike craft and preventing Strike Groups from getting to the back ranks.
The Main Battle Group would follow a basic defensive(1.1)/bombardment(1.2) strategy and primarily consist of large capital ships.
Carrier Groups would stay far behind the battle lines and deploy Strike Craft, using other weapons only if enemies come in range.
Escort Groups would try to protect an assigned battle group, civilian ship, or space station.
Combat behavior would not be determined by the combat computer installed on the ship, but by the role of the battle group. It's rather silly that ships need to be modified at a space port to change their tactics. Computers would just have levels, and would assign different bonuses based on the role of the battle group the ship is currently in.
Also, non-FTL disengagement should be a thing. Damaged ships and carriers without strike craft should automatically disengage if they can escape that way, and you should be able to order the fleet to disengage, in which case it will retreat with thrusters, in which case it would leave only a Screen group in combat.
