Torpedo ships

[[C.S.F]Hexxyz]

How do i tell them to stand off at range and shoot and not suicide crash into a station and stay around until it explodes and blows them up?

[Wraith]

they should do it automatically

Or at least that my experience with them

[Despiser]

Originally posted by C.S.FHexxyz:

How do i tell them to stand off at range and shoot and not suicide crash into a station and stay around until it explodes and blows them up?

If you have short range turrets either turn them off or set to defend against fighters. Also, assign them to attack with a carrier in your fleet as the carrier will not close.

[Yuki]

Welcome to the wonders that are the X4 AI!

Anyhow, to get you started:
-If they have short range weapons they will close in to that range as Despiser mentioned. Build them with torpedos only and use dedicated interceptors for enemy fighters.
Also make sure to select the right ammunition! You can do so while constructing them in the behavior tab, do eht. (Thats also where you set turrets, do it during construction so you dont have to do it manually for each)

-While torpedos have a max flight range, the launch point is usually shorter. That and "turning around" may potentially bring them inside a stations range. Although they usually just "dip into" that danger zone and leave immediately, not sit there.

Them standing there on the impact site sounds like the ammo isnt set up properly, that tents to bug them like that. Yes they will still fire a volley anyhow. But then- dont know what to do, in the meanwhile bump into the station and then just sit there and watch the impending fireworks show.

-They target random modules. If they target a module at the other side of the base they may fly very close over another still active and armed module! Or bump into it...
A behavior they sadly share with capitals as well. Just like with them attacking from above helps with those horizontally spread out Xeno bases- somewhat. (Other NPC stations have different often more vertical designs, adjust accordingly)
The more agile torpedo fighters will naturally more often be found somewhere at the side so thats a problem that will persist.

For those points above: Fighters with a good speed have a better survivability than those with high shields. ~500 m/s and you may see a base go down without a single loss. So "dipping into the danger zone" isnt even much of a problem anymore. Except for module explosions.

And last but not least a few general suggestions:
Figthers VS bases can work, very well actually, but you will most likely loose quite some. Of those a lot of fighters will probably be lost due to module explosions. A fighter can withstand a single one, but due to the random targetting (and their good killspeed!) you will often see modules plopp in rapid succession. Which can take dozens of fighters out at once.

Another strategy therefor would be to just let them strip the defenses of a base. They are very good at it. And then finish it off either with an intentionally smaller squad of bombers, or destroyers.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3015337124
If you love missiles and torpedos, cluster missiles are awesome at stripping defenses. They also bring lots of "boom" to the battlefield.
If you set them to attack surface modules you can see when they are done. They will keep being "on guard" around their target. Recall, blow it up.
Just be aware thats more for Xeno bases which got like 50 times the HP or so.
Normal NPC bases are easily blown to shreds with the surface attack alone. But it still helps because the bombers focus on those turrets first and the base is very quickly very toothless.

Blast mortars albeit even lower in range also work really well! A squad of chimeras with those can easily shred a K- by covering it in hundreds of smaller flashy explosions and black dust. No ammo needed neither.
They have even more troubles with module explosions though, so be aware. But a capital ship is always just a single explosion, all units fire at will!
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3015937529

And happy bombing!

[noviastar]

How is the Bombard mechanic working for people?