What orders for escorts?

[Ahlos]

So what orders are best to use with my escort fighter? Mimic commander? Defend? Attack with commander? When they enter combat, most just sits there doing nothing.

I also always see my ships never fly in formation even if i selected say circle formation. Lead ship always goes away first, then the smaller comes way behind after. Why is that?

[Niuq]

Defend = it will only engage if you get attacked
Intercept = engage any suitable enemy target within ?40km? of commander
Mimic works better for the AI , on protect position or repeat orders of attack targets in range.

Lead ship leads, subordinates follow. Should fall into formation after travel.

[Wraith]

Are they following you and what ship are you flying?

if so use the wing command and if you want them be more autonomous use role like intereception

wing command can help choose targets and interception will keep them fighting if you have no command to give.

they follow it pretty well for formation if it inside the same sector to another.
once they are going through a gate however then it a different story

For ship with docks I have them set to interception and docked.
I then use wing command to tell them to attack and come back.

[Daemonjax]

You mean like escorts for your miners? Don't bother.

Or do you mean escorts for yourself (wingmen)? Follow is best, and then give manual orders from the map.

[Ahlos]

Its more for a fleet for my own follow, and smaller fleets that patrol sectors i am based in.

The patrol ones i use is like a Jian gunboat, with 8 gladius following.

My own is Osaka i think its called, with some smaller following on defend, katana, gladius, jian. But when i get attacked with my own "fleet" i fly, the escorts never attack, or just get stuck staying on a spot in space somewhere.

Also never botherd to have escorts on miners/tranports.