Fleet Commander  - Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

Q:  I give a command for a ship to change course,  but it does not ever change course.

A:   If the ship is within the ‘Engagement Range’ of an enemy ship,  the ship automatically turns to bring all it’s turrets to bear on the target.   Change the ship’s Orders to either ‘close on target’ which means it will continue to fire while closing the distance to a target, or change the target distance to something shorter.

Q:   In my scenario,   the enemy always turns around and ‘runs away’ instead of engaging with my fleet.

A:  Anytime the enemy ‘sees’ that it has a two to one disadvantage in firepower… it will run.  You can either modify your scenario so it is not so one-sided,  or change the ‘visibility range’ for the scenario ( defaults to 40km).  This way, the enemy fleet won’t see the mismatch until it is probably too late.

Q:  My ships do not avoid land and sail right through it… why is this?

A:  The background map is simply a backdrop.  You have the ability to set up ‘Exclusion Zones’ which are areas the ships will look to avoid.  These are just a series of polygons you create.  Ships will then automatically navigate to avoid these areas.  If for some reason, a ship finds itself in an exclusion zone,  it will become stranded there (beached!) and unable to move.

Q:   How do I fire torpedoes ?

A:  Many ships have torpedo mounts and can be ordered to make a torpedo run on their target ( if they still have torpedoes available).  They will then automatically steer a course at their target at maximum speed and launch a full spread at their engagement distance ( as per orders).  The shorter the distance, the better chance for a hit.   Torpedoes are visible as they move through the water.

Q:  The torpedoes don’t seem to ‘home in’ on the target.

A:  WWII era torpedoes are designed to go in the direction fired.  They do not home in.  Torpedoes are fired on an intercept course with the target taking into account courses and speeds.  If the target changes course or speed, after being fired, the chances for a torpedo hit decline.  To counter this,  torpedoes are usually fired in a spread.. whereas each takes a slightly different bearing.

Q:   When playing a scenario,  I can’t seems to scroll or zoom on the map using finger gestures.

A:  While in ‘Play’ mode, these gestures are disabled.  You can only change the view by switching ships.. or using the zoom buttons.  Pausing will allow you to use those gestures again.

Q:  How can I change what enemy ship my ship is shooting at ?

A:  A ship’s captain will pick his own target.  You can however specify in the ship’s orders what his priority of targets should be. 

·         Highest Value:   Generally speaking, the biggest & baddest.

·         Most Dangerous:  The ship with the capability to do the most harm to a ship.  Could be a destroyer if it’s close enough.

·         Closest:   The closest ship to your ship

·         Like Ship Class:  Will look to engage a ship of the same class.  If one is not in range, it will go with the Most Dangerous.

Q:  How do I change my ‘flagship’ ?

A:   Perform a ‘long touch’ gesture on the ship.  You’ll get a Ship Menu allowing you to set that ship as the flagship.   A ship will automatically transfer the flag to another ship if it is sunk or becomes too damaged.

Q: I want to save the scenario I just created… how do I do that ?

A: First, the scenario is saved under the title of the scenario… which by default is ‘New Scenario’ --- so change the title.  When editing a scenario, a ‘long touch’ anywhere on the map which is not close to a ship will give you the Scenario Menu.  From here, you can change the title, description and several other options concerning the scenario.  The ‘Save As..’ option will allow you to save while also giving you the option to change the title.   Secondly, using the back button while in Edit Mode will give you the option to save your changes.

Q: I want to quit playing my scenario and resume playing it later… can I do that?

A: Sure, use the back button… you’ll be prompted if you wish to save.  Save it and you’ll get an ‘In-Progress’ copy of your scenario which you can come to anytime and resume right at the spot you left it.

Q:  Different ships seem to fire faster than others, is this true ?

A:  Yes, bigger guns tend to take more time to aim and reload. Also, more ‘modern’ ships might be a bit faster reloaded than older ships… even when using the same size guns.

Q: Why don’t you have Aircraft Carriers and Submarines as part of the ship lists?

A: These ship types would add a great deal more complexity to making and playing scenarios.  Never say never, but for now… we’ll keep it simple.

Q: How to I ‘win’ the game ?

A: There is no actual winner decided… you set up a scenario and play it out.  You are notified if all friendly and/or enemy ships have been sunk… but even then the scenario might not really be over.  There could be shells still in the air or torpedoes in the water that have yet to hit.  You judge when a scenario it truly finished and how well you did.