Combat - Revision history

Manicpop at 06:49, 19 October 2026

2026-10-19T06:49:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:49, 19 October 2026
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	When a Droid that sends distress calls takes an attacker as its target, it broadcasts the attacker's name and its sector. The distress system remembers that attacker; a player credited with destroying it while the call is active can receive a bonus based on the Droid's class and have that faction's hostility cleared. See [[Droids]] and [[Kill credit]].		When a Droid that sends distress calls takes an attacker as its target, it broadcasts the attacker's name and its sector. The distress system remembers that attacker; a player credited with destroying it while the call is active can receive a bonus based on the Droid's class and have that faction's hostility cleared. See [[Droids]] and [[Kill credit]].

	NPC fights are deliberately paced more slowly than fights against players, so that users have a chance to notice and attempt a rescue if desired. Cybertrons and Droids targeting another NPC receive a longer interval between behavior updates. Standard and hyper-phaser hits between NPCs also have a toughness-based cap on ''unshielded hull damage'', preventing a powerful phaser shot from ending the fight in one hit. This cap does not describe damage against player ships or every other weapon and shield interaction. See [[Phasers]].		Fights between NPCs are not simulated; both NPC ships use their existing combat and evasion behavior against each other. However, NPC fights are deliberately paced more slowly than fights against players, so that users have a chance to notice and attempt a rescue if desired. Cybertrons and Droids targeting another NPC receive a longer interval between behavior updates. Standard and hyper-phaser hits between NPCs also have a toughness-based cap on ''unshielded hull damage'', preventing a powerful phaser shot from ending the fight in one hit. This cap does not describe damage against player ships or every other weapon and shield interaction. See [[Phasers]].

	== Other threats and rules ==		== Other threats and rules ==

Manicpop at 06:45, 19 October 2026

2026-10-19T06:45:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:45, 19 October 2026
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	== Cybertron vs. Droid behavior in ge-next ==		== Cybertron vs. Droid behavior in ge-next ==
	In ge-next, [[Cybertrons]] and [[Droids]] can fight each other rather than interacting only with player ships. Classic GE does not initiate these Cybertron–Droid encounters. The <code>CATTKD</code> option in [[Main configuration reference\|MPOGEMSG.MSG]] controls how readily new NPC fights begin: 0 prevents new encounters, 10 permits them without the usual limit, and intermediate values affect both the chance of an encounter and the number of Cybertrons that can be pursuing Droids at once. The default is 5. Eligible ships still have to meet their class targeting rules, and Cybertrons do not pick new NPC fights when no players are in the game.		In ge-next, [[Cybertrons]] and [[Droids]] can fight each other rather than interacting only with player ships. Classic GE does not initiate these Cybertron–Droid encounters. The <code>CATTKD</code> option in [[Main configuration reference\|MPOGEMSG.MSG]] controls how readily new NPC fights begin: 0 prevents new encounters, 10 permits them without the usual limit, and intermediate values affect both the chance of an encounter and the number of Cybertrons that can be pursuing Droids at once. The default is 5. Eligible ships still have to meet their class targeting rules, and Cybertrons do not pick new NPC fights when no user players are in the game to witness it. Generally, Cybertrons start fights with Droids; only the [[Sarten Defense Drone]] can choose to target a Cybertron unprovoked.

	When a Droid that sends distress calls takes an attacker as its target, it broadcasts the attacker's name and its sector. The distress system remembers that attacker; a player credited with destroying it while the call is active can receive a bonus based on the Droid's class and have that faction's hostility cleared. See [[Droids]] and [[Kill credit]].		When a Droid that sends distress calls takes an attacker as its target, it broadcasts the attacker's name and its sector. The distress system remembers that attacker; a player credited with destroying it while the call is active can receive a bonus based on the Droid's class and have that faction's hostility cleared. See [[Droids]] and [[Kill credit]].

	NPC fights are deliberately paced more slowly than fights against players. Cybertrons and Droids targeting another NPC receive a longer interval between behavior updates. Standard and hyper-phaser hits between NPCs also have a toughness-based cap on ''unshielded hull damage'', preventing a powerful phaser shot from ending the fight in one hit. This cap does not describe damage against player ships or every other weapon and shield interaction. See [[Phasers]].		NPC fights are deliberately paced more slowly than fights against players, so that users have a chance to notice and attempt a rescue if desired. Cybertrons and Droids targeting another NPC receive a longer interval between behavior updates. Standard and hyper-phaser hits between NPCs also have a toughness-based cap on ''unshielded hull damage'', preventing a powerful phaser shot from ending the fight in one hit. This cap does not describe damage against player ships or every other weapon and shield interaction. See [[Phasers]].

	== Other threats and rules ==		== Other threats and rules ==

CodexBot: Document ge-next Cybertron-Droid combat, CATTKD, distress, and pacing

2026-10-19T06:40:01Z

Document ge-next Cybertron-Droid combat, CATTKD, distress, and pacing

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:40, 19 October 2026
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	ge-arena uses match-specific scoring and respawns rather than deleting a participant's persistent ship. It retains item and gold recovery after kills, but the winner depends on the active [[ge-arena\|mode]], not necessarily the number of ships destroyed.		ge-arena uses match-specific scoring and respawns rather than deleting a participant's persistent ship. It retains item and gold recovery after kills, but the winner depends on the active [[ge-arena\|mode]], not necessarily the number of ships destroyed.

			== Cybertron vs. Droid behavior in ge-next ==
			In ge-next, [[Cybertrons]] and [[Droids]] can fight each other rather than interacting only with player ships. Classic GE does not initiate these Cybertron–Droid encounters. The <code>CATTKD</code> option in [[Main configuration reference\|MPOGEMSG.MSG]] controls how readily new NPC fights begin: 0 prevents new encounters, 10 permits them without the usual limit, and intermediate values affect both the chance of an encounter and the number of Cybertrons that can be pursuing Droids at once. The default is 5. Eligible ships still have to meet their class targeting rules, and Cybertrons do not pick new NPC fights when no players are in the game.

			When a Droid that sends distress calls takes an attacker as its target, it broadcasts the attacker's name and its sector. The distress system remembers that attacker; a player credited with destroying it while the call is active can receive a bonus based on the Droid's class and have that faction's hostility cleared. See [[Droids]] and [[Kill credit]].

			NPC fights are deliberately paced more slowly than fights against players. Cybertrons and Droids targeting another NPC receive a longer interval between behavior updates. Standard and hyper-phaser hits between NPCs also have a toughness-based cap on ''unshielded hull damage'', preventing a powerful phaser shot from ending the fight in one hit. This cap does not describe damage against player ships or every other weapon and shield interaction. See [[Phasers]].

	== Other threats and rules ==		== Other threats and rules ==

Manicpop at 23:35, 16 October 2026

2026-10-16T23:35:03Z

New page

'''Combat''' in ''Galactic Empire'' happens in real time. Ships continue moving and turning, systems recharge, and projectiles continue flying while players choose commands. A target that was in range during a scan may have moved by the time a shot is fired. This page explains how an encounter fits together; the linked weapon and system pages cover the detailed calculations.

== From contact to attack ==
A [[Scan command#Sector scan|sector scan]] or [[Scan command#Range scan|range scan]] reveals ships that the current scanners can detect. A [[Scan command#Ship scan|ship scan]] gives more detail about a selected contact. Scanner jamming, cloaking, nebulas, and distance can limit what is visible. Scan letters identify contacts on the player's current display; a [[Locks|lock]] remembers a particular ship rather than relying on its letter remaining the same.

A [[Locks|lock]] can be used as <code>@</code> with [[Torpedo command|<code>TORPEDO</code>]], [[Missile command|<code>MISSILE</code>]], and [[Scan command|<code>SCAN SHIP</code>]]. It does not guarantee a firing solution or make an out-of-range ship hittable. Standard [[Phaser command|<code>PHASER</code>]] instead takes a relative bearing and fires through an arc; it does not aim at a ship letter or <code>@</code>. A moving target may leave that arc before the shot is processed. See [[Scan command]], [[Lock command]], and [[Bearing]].

Weapons also depend on the firing ship's state. A class may lack a launcher or phaser capability, a system may be damaged or recharging, and a shot may require ammunition or [[Flux|neutron flux]]. Ordinary phasers and torpedoes operate at impulse, while hyper-phasers and missiles can engage ships in hyperspace. [[Neutral zone|Sector 0 0]] imposes additional restrictions.

== Weapons ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Weapon !! Where it operates !! What happens
|-
| [[Phasers]] || Impulse || A directional beam strikes eligible ships in its arc immediately. A wider spread covers more angles but concentrates less damage.
|-
| [[Hyper-phasers]] || Hyperspace || A narrow beam fires at hyperspace contacts and consumes flux. Its range and hit-report behavior differ between classic GE and ge-next.
|-
| [[Torpedoes]] || Impulse || A guided projectile travels toward one ship. A target entering hyperspace breaks its ordinary impulse-space track.
|-
| [[Missiles]] || Impulse and hyperspace || A guided projectile is charged from the launcher's flux supply; charge affects damage and flight. Classic and ge-next have different charge limits and flight rules.
|-
| [[Mines]] || Local area || A laid mine counts down at a fixed position and can damage multiple ships, including its layer. [[Zippers]] can trigger nearby mines early.
|-
| [[Ion cannons]] || Planetary defense || An armed planet fires automatically at qualifying attackers; players do not launch these as ship weapons.
|}

The ship-weapon command pages explain how to fire or lay each weapon; the linked topic pages explain what happens after launch or impact. Planetary ion cannons fire automatically. For [[Attacking planets|planetary assault]], players instead send fighters or troops against a planet's defenses. This is a separate combat path from ship-to-ship fire.

== Defense and countermeasures ==
* [[Shields]] protect against applicable hits while raised and supplied with flux. A standard phaser hit is deflected completely rather than spilling its calculated damage onto the hull; other weapons can still inflict hull damage through shields. Successful phaser, torpedo, and missile firing lowers the player's raised shields, which do not rise again automatically.
* [[Decoys]] can intercept incoming torpedoes or missiles. They are temporary and do not guarantee protection.
* [[Cloaking]] hides a capable ship from ordinary detection and guidance, but uses flux and does not prevent every kind of attack.
* [[Jamming]] interferes with nearby scanners and guidance, including those of the ship using the jammer.
* [[Zippers]] detonate nearby mines, potentially clearing a route but also creating an immediate blast hazard.
* [[Ship upgrades#Armor plating|Armor plating]] ([[ge-next]] only) reduces certain damage when installed on capable ships, see [[Ship upgrades]].

Speed, position, and timing matter too: a ship may outrun or evade a threat that it cannot absorb.

== Damage and the combat timer ==
Hits can increase structural damage, drain or damage shields, and disable individual systems. The displayed damage description does not reveal the ship's exact structural value. Ordinary damage control works during ship updates; [[Maintenance command|planetary maintenance]] is a separate service with its own orbit and hostility requirements. See [[Hull damage]], [[System damage]], and [[Maintenance]].

Combat actions set a timer that temporarily prevents an ordinary <code>X</code> [[Exit command|exit]]. A player who disconnects during that period may lose the ship, with [[kill credit]] assigned under the game's normal rules. In [[ge-arena]], the timer is shorter and maintenance has different costs and availability. Ship destruction is normally processed on an update after structural damage reaches the fatal threshold; this brief interval does not mean a ship is safe. ge-next blocks most functions of an already-doomed ship during it.

== Kill credit, scoring, and salvage ==
A ship records its most recent qualifying attacker in <code>lastfired</code>. The attack that first pushes damage over the fatal threshold is not necessarily the one that receives credit: another effective hit before destruction is processed can change that field. Incoming projectiles and laid mines may strike after their owner has moved or even after that owner's ship was destroyed. Environmental damage and ownerless weapons have their own attribution rules. See [[Kill credit]] for the classic and ge-next differences.

A credited kill can add points and let the attacker recover cargo from the wreck, subject to available hold space; the defeated player's score can also change. In ge-next, recovery prioritizes as much gold as will fit, then attempts a randomized portion of other recoverable items. Men, troops, and spies are presumed lost after ship destruction and not salvageable. Classic GE uses the same randomized recovery but does not prioritize gold, meaning a near-capacity ship might pick up less valuable cargo. See [[Scoring and rosters]], [[Gold]], and [[Ship inventory]].

In classic GE, a player who destroys another player's ship also has a chance to recover a ''secret document'' listing the defeated player's planets. This is enabled by the compile-time <code>SHOWDOC</code> definition, with default odds of one in six set by <code>RNDDOC</code>. Standard ge-next instead makes <code>SHOWDOC</code> a configurable 0–10 option (0 disables it; 10 always awards it), and picks displayed planets at random instead of always displaying the user's first planets established.. This information reward is separate from cargo salvage and does not apply to ge-arena. See [[GEREADME.DOC#01/10/90_Release_2.1a|the 2.1a release notes]].

ge-arena uses match-specific scoring and respawns rather than deleting a participant's persistent ship. It retains item and gold recovery after kills, but the winner depends on the active [[ge-arena|mode]], not necessarily the number of ships destroyed.

== Other threats and rules ==
[[Cybertrons]] and other [[Droids|automated ships]] use many of the same weapons but have their own targeting and movement logic. Planetary combat, [[Self-destruct|self-destruct shock waves]], wormholes, collisions, and the [[Galactic perimeter|galactic boundary]] can also damage a ship. They do not all follow ordinary weapon damage or kill-credit rules.

Classic GE and ge-next differ in several important combat details. ge-next applies [[DAMF]] consistently to phaser damage, rebalances missile charge and flux use, improves projectile ownership and kill attribution, and avoids lowering a player's shields for failed torpedo or missile launches. The linked weapon, shield, and kill-credit pages explain each change without treating ge-next behavior as if it were universal.

== See also ==
* [[Hull damage]], [[System damage]], [[Maintenance]], and [[Kill credit]]
* [[Attacking planets]], [[Neutral zone]], and [[Self-destruct]]
* [[Phaser command]], [[Torpedo command]], [[Missile command]], and [[Mine command]]

{{GE navigation}}
[[Category:Combat]]
[[Category:Game reference]]