Does speed matter in combat?

Strictly in the timing and choice of engagement. If I'm faster I can run, and you can't. No effect in the actual battle.

To clarify Dark Snathi's comment, you can run from the enemy fleet on the main map and avoid a battle altogether if you're faster. You cannot retreat once battle has commenced; the battle will continue until one side is destroyed no matter what.

It's less important since 1.2. Before then First strike was very important. Speed still allows you to pick your battles, which can make a lot of difference. Also allows damaged ships to return to somewhere safe without being intercepted.

There's also the issue of dying of boredom while you wait for your ships to arrive. On a gigantic map, it can take months of game time for a ship to get where you want it if you don't put engines on it. Getting your ships to where they are needed most is very important.

First, thanks to all of you for responses. Just to clarify, no matter how fast you are, in a combat situation it is irrelevant?

Speed does affect the number of times you can engage in a battle. If your ship is speed 3, you can attack 3 times per turn (each attack costs 1 move).

But speed doesn't make your ships any better at actually fighting, it just means they can move around more.

Speed does affect the number of times you can engage in a battle. If your ship is speed 3, you can attack 3 times per turn (each attack costs 1 move).

To clarify, you mean that you can attack adjacent units on the main screen once per movement point, right? For example, if you're attacking a planet without an orbital fleet manager and your speed three fleet is adjacent to the planet, that fleet can attack the ships orbiting the plant three times.

Or do you mean that a ship with a speed of three can attack three times per turn during a combat? If so, that's something I didn't realize and would make a HUGE difference to my ship design choices (since speed would become a LOT more critical).

Try a ship/fleet with more like 19 speed and you will see a much bigger difference. It is nice to be able to stay out of enemy range, then swoop in and take three or four troop transports and/or fleets in one turn.

You can move and attack as long as you have movement points left.

To clarify, you mean that you can attack adjacent units on the main screen once per movement point, right? For example, if you're attacking a planet without an orbital fleet manager and your speed three fleet is adjacent to the planet, that fleet can attack the ships orbiting the plant three times.

Yes.

Or do you mean that a ship with a speed of three can attack three times per turn during a combat? If so, that's something I didn't realize and would make a HUGE difference to my ship design choices (since speed would become a LOT more critical).

No.

Speed Kills.

A ships speed makes no difference in the tactical resolution of the battle. But.....



Strategically speed is decisive.

It allows you to attack (non- orbital fleet structure defended) planets multiple times per turn. If there are 20 ships there you must pound at it 20 times when they don't defend as a fleet. Might slow you down.

Each attack takes a movement point. Speed allows you to keep on killing like a predator when you have a technological advantage. Fair fights are for poets not warriors.

Speed allows you to concentrate forces from your production worlds and form effective battle fleets. I unusually standardize on 2-3 of my best engines for all my main battle fleets.

maxed out speed (all best engines on a small hull) plus 1 weapon maybe a sensor, allows you to create cheap screening ships on your low production worlds and get those ships to the front to be replacement.

Speed allows deep strike missions either as suicide runs with fast small ships or with fast predator fleets.
A speed 29 ship can dive in and kill unprotected transports before they become escorted, or destroy your enemies economy by shooting up his transports and economic starbases.

Speed allows you to form up fleets outside his sensor range and then thrust in with your concentrated forces.

Speed allows you to use economy of force and leave undefended a region, so you can concentrate on another and still get reinforcements to battle if you need to.

And speed allows you flexibility to send off your damaged ships to rest and refit on planets.

Speed creates initiative and flexibility which is you most decisive strategic advantage.

Speed allows for warp 49 transports dashing across the map to fully recreate that 49% econ or military star base you just destroyed in enemy territory.

Speed allows for packs of warp 59 transports dashing form your rear to invade planets and then dash out of the range of any enemy retaliation.

Speed Kills.

Oh ffs! Edit because of the stupid god damned forum bug posting in the wrong thread.

So the answer is:

Does speed matter in combat? None at all
Does speed matter in the game? A lot

This is one aspect of the game that I think needs a rework. The tatical side should be just that tatical, let the player control the battles, and ship speed should play a part in the tatical battle.

Something everyone has forgotten to mention is the importance of sensor range to picking and choosing your battles. A fast ship/fleet can easily run out of movement just as an enemy ship/fleet comes into its sensor range; in that sensor range is short then the enemy may be able to attack you before you can escape. "Eyes of the Universe" will give all your ships 15 sensor range without wasting any space on sensors.

Which is one of the imbalance in the game, I think. Eye of the Universe is at the end of a pretty much cheap tech line, that the AI rarely take on to the end (they don't prioritize it).

I always rush to EotU, and there isn't a game I don't end up with it. I know sensor doesn'T make you win the battle, but I still gives the player an unnecessary edge (considering how much advantage we humans already have against a computer. AI is good, brain is better).

I think Eye of the Universe should be removed from the game, or at least modified. It gives the human player an unfair advantage.

It allows you to attack (non- orbital fleet structure defended) planets multiple times per turn. If there are 20 ships there you must pound at it 20 times when they don't defend as a fleet. Might slow you down

You can attack Orbital Fleet Mgr defended planets multiple times, too. The Orbital Fleet Mgr just means you are attacking fleets (based on the defenders logistics ability) instead of individual ships.