[7.0 Beta 2] Inappropriate attack style (Feedback)

[Scoob]

Hi,

I wanted to comment on the different attack styles the exact same ship uses on different targets. The ship in question is a Cerberus Vanguard, with Bolt Mk2 Main Guns and Pulse Turrets. It also has 11 Defence Drones set to Attack All Enemies.

Generally speaking, this ship likes to throw its self head-on at targets. Against smaller ships, such as fighters, this can often work well as it's able to quickly kill them, unless they dodge. Just now, this ship decided to attack a Xenon K. It approached head on and fired, before largely stopping and rotating to face the Target as it moved past. It kept facing the target and firing the entire time, however, it fell quickly to the K's large Turrets.

What worked ok against Fighters - the head-on approach - really wasn't so good vs. that K, nor was the stopping and rotating to fire. Against a softer target that wasn't such a threat, maybe, but with a couple of hits taking out the Cerberus' shields and a couple more killing the hull. Well, stupid isn't too harsh a word to use lol

Now, earlier, I'd asked this ship to engage a lone Laser Tower, dropped by an already destroyed Xenon mining ship. When approaching the LT, the Cerberus was CONSTANTLY steering left and right a few degrees as if trying to dodge incoming fire. Pointless of course, as LT's insta-hit. The degree it turned left and right was enough that the gimbal of the main guns could stay on target. It then over-shot the target, and turned around for another jousting run.

Do you see the problem here?

IF the Cerberus had used the same tactic on the K it used on the Laser Tower, it'd likely have DODGED those slow shots that killed it last time. IF it'd stopped and rotated on the spot while facing the LT, it'd likely have killed it easily, while being in minimal danger its self. The tactics were REVERSED!

The Pilot on my Cerberus is just a two star Pilot, nothing special, but not a total rookie either. However, it chose exactly the OPPOSITE tactic it should have for each target.

To see a Frigate under AI control weaving left and right while the main guns continue to track, and fire upon, its target is fantastic behaviour. It just needs to apply that tactic to the correct class of target! It basically tried to TANK a Xenon K (it will NEVER win that) but tried to go evasive on an LT, that can barely scratch it.

Has some decision making gone a bit wrong here? As if you flip those tactics you've got a Cerberus that, while not doing that much damage to a K, is far far less likely to be hit by its big guns.