Micromanaging Fleets Within a System

[AngryWelshman]

So I picked up DW during the steam sale and it's super fun. Started a pre-warp game as the Ungari and my little mercantile molemen have finally overcome their initial hurdles and developed hyperdrive.

I am having some trouble commanding ships however. I currently have 3 colonies (2 in my home system) and a half dozen extant mining bases. There are two fleets, one of which has been set to defend my distant colony using fleet postures and the other which I am attempting to control manually. That's not working very well. Despite the fact that I have toggled off every kind of fleet automation I can find, these ships continue to take the initiative when 'engaging system targets'. This has caused two very serious problems:

1) I cannot attack enemy systems (a pirate base in this case) without the ships deciding to warp off and attack things without being told. So here I am trying to camp a caslon mine to draw the pirate fleet out and my genius fleet admiral gets bored and decides to warp to the enemy starbase where he and his buddies get destroyed.

2) I cannot refit my ships. My only starbase is in my home system. I share a sector with 3 pirate factions all of whom hate me. As a result my home system is constantly getting raided. I have all these shiny new destroyer designs and the money to retrofit my existing fleet, but every time I order a retrofit the fleet is interrupted by a raiding pirate frigate. This has led to an annoying situation where I can build new ship designs but cannot successfully retrofit anything.

Please help.

[RemoteLeg]

Here are some things you can try:

1) Pay off some pirates so they stop attacking you.

2) Not sure why your ships are misbehaving. Ensure that fleet range is set to "Current system only" then set the fleet's home to your star-base.
2b) If it's still a problem, set ships to manual.

3) Upgrade your star-base with the best offense & defense you can afford.

4) Build a defensive base or two in your home system.

[AngryWelshman]

2b) If it's still a problem, set ships to manual.

I think this is maybe the heart of the issue. How do I do this?

Just to be clear, my problem isn't that my ships are leaving my system to go fight enemies, it's that when enemies enter the solar system they leave their current positions (or abort their refit mission) in order to 'engage system targets'. I want the ships in this fleet to ignore system targets unless specifically ordered to engage.

[Bingeling]

Trying to prevent them from doing that is close to fighting a losing battle. This is how you can possibly achieve it:

1: Notice the button to change engagement stance. It is, from memory, either the top right or lower right button around the selection panel (lower left panel). The default stance is "engage system targets", you want something more like "engage when attacked" or similar.

2: This will reset ever time you give the ship an order. You can change the default orders by going to (also from memory):

Escape or press top left screen button to get the game menu.
Select options.
Press "empire settings" or similar, a button in the central part of the screen.

In there you find some hidden options (suppress all popups, newly built ships start automated, and the default engagement stances).

3: My best advice, though, is to live with it. It is hard to impossible to have a ship or fleet sit idle in a system where there is a fight going on. And I am not sure you really want to play the game with different default engagement stances.

[aaatoysandmore]

Every fleet has a little button at the bottom that looks like an * and goes from very small size to a large sunflower looking one. You can click on this to prevent fleets from at least leaving the sector they are in. It goes kinda like target, sector, system, surrounding systems and anywhere I believe. If you want them to stay put bring them down to target level. That at least will keep them pretty close to what you want them to cover.

Edit: Oh and be sure your auto button is turned off or they will still do what they want after you change this setting.

2nd Edit: Keep in mind if they get low on fuel they will take matters into their hands if you give them an order other than move to target.

Edit 3: The last part about retrofitting and Pirates that's just part of the game to keep you from retrofitting. You'll just have to learn to overcome and build more newly designed fleets to relieve your old one.

[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: AngryWelshman

2b) If it's still a problem, set ships to manual.

I think this is maybe the heart of the issue. How do I do this?

Just to be clear, my problem isn't that my ships are leaving my system to go fight enemies, it's that when enemies enter the solar system they leave their current positions (or abort their refit mission) in order to 'engage system targets'. I want the ships in this fleet to ignore system targets unless specifically ordered to engage.

Sounds like you just need to turn off auto and put your ships in defensive posture and make sure in your policy screen that you don't have it set to fully automated or the AI will take over no matter what you set.

[RemoteLeg]

I think this is maybe the heart of the issue. How do I do this?

Ah, I hear you.
To turn off automation for the entire fleet, begin by selecting your fleet. Press the button to disable automation in the bottom right corner of the information panel.
I've attached a screen shot that shows the panel where you'll find the button to turn off automation circled in red.