Blocking passages and sea routes

[Skeksis]

As I understand it, opposing taskforces can travel through each other by reason of taskforces could outrun the other or just pass each other through the night, unseen, even just not seeing each other during the day, it’s big ocean. Effectively ending blocking passages.

Taskforces can stand side by side and never engage. This is alittle hard to accept from a gameplay point of view, players want to setup taskforces to block passages and sea routes. Even just to engage taskforces directly, though this is not what been develop and I don't propose this. Maybe this has realistic origins but from the map view this seems really impractical, especially around passages and sea routes. Maybe brought about by the map scale, i.e. scaling condenses the map and fleets are perceived by the player as seen.

This was introduced in 1.05…

Quote

==v1.05 Update==

CAMPAIGN

• Task Forces: Previously you were able to move ships only between ports. You can now also form Task Forces, by grouping ships and sending them to any sea point on the map. In this way you block strategic passages and generate missions according to the ships in the vicinity.

But now removed or disable. Or very bugged? In any case I say 1.05 was much better gameplay. This should be brought back.

Or…...............

Maybe a modified version of it:

Add these values.

'Patrol' chance value added to taskforces. This is a value that tells how effective the taskforce is at seeing other fleets. Could be based on the max range of the fleet and the number of ships. If possible based on ship designs. Can be viewed by player in the taskforce tab.

'Camouflage' chance value added to taskforces. This is the value that tells how effective the taskforce is at avoiding other fleets. Could be based on the combine target signature of the fleet. Though target signature is not its intended purpose, it still could be used. Or use something better. If possible based on ship designs. Can be viewed by player in the taskforce tab.

‘Passage’ value added to the map tiles (or zones if tiles aren’t used), where tiles around sea passages and routes have an increased chance of engaging, and open oceans tlies have a decreased chance of engaging. Under the hood value, though you could add a tool for players to view passage values, QOL.

'Drift' value added to taskforces. This is a counter of how many turns the taskforces have been in close proximity to each other, it increases the chance of contact. Under the hood value, never seen, expires if taskforce moves or isn't within range of each other. Drift could also be used as a straight-out timer for engagements. 

So wherever a taskforce is station and if another taskforce approaches or is station nearby, with all these values the battle generator computes the chance of contact.

So not only that taskforces can be blocked but also they can pass through each other.

If 'Patrol' and 'Camo' values were based on designs then early era ships could have very low chances of blocking taskforces and later era designs with radar etc. would be very effective in blocking fleets. Quite dynamic. 

And with viewed values the player/admiral can understand taskforce interactions alittle more and also have an intuitive strategical command perspective, or visual queue. Players need to understand what's going on.

Might be better to have this variant rather than no blocking or totally blocking passages.  

Edited July 13, 2022 by Skeksis

[Dreadhawk177]

Yeah, task force actions definitely needs to keep getting fleshed out. Outside of relation changes and power projection, having my task forces directly around like 10 enemy ports seems to do absolutely nothing. Similarly, BBs shouldn't be the sole limiter for port raids and blockades based off of class alone. Who says I can't blockade with 20 heavy cruisers? Definitely can't wait for more player-steered options vs the current deploy-and-wait gameplay.