[QoL] "Shoot to disable" command in context command menu.

[S!rAssassin]

Useful command, but hide deep. Quick access to "Shoot to disable" lets fast and easy attack capital ships by swarm smaller craft, prioritizing subsystems of target ship or station.

[Raptor34]

Don't they already prioritize subsystems automatically? That's kinda the main selling point of using S fighters.

[Scoob]

Don't they already prioritize subsystems automatically? That's kinda the main selling point of using S fighters.

In my observations they appear to *only* shoot surface elements when any exist. Only after all are gone to they shoot the ship proper. I have, in the past, asked for an option to tell them to just shoot the darn ship, I want it DEAD not disabled lol. However, we've never gained this option unfortunately. Additionally, I'll often see the turrets on my capital ships seemingly focused on shooting surface elements. This can often mean wasted fire as ships tend to move so turrets miss a lot.

I'd suggest that whether surface elements or the main hull mass is targetted should be something we can control directly, and at a higher level, not by changing a setting *after* the attack command has been given.

It is frustrating when using groups of fighters - which can be quite effective vs. capital ships, if correctly outfitted - are wasting time killing surface elements, when they could readily have killed the ship outright in less time if they'd just shot at the hull.

Oh, final thing, I assumed that "shoot to disable" would ensure that ship stop shooting once the ship is disabled...it seems that the individual pilots don't get the message at times.

[capitalduty]

I find really interesting this improvement going into live game soon, as always, having more options on our attack orders is gameplay beneficial for all us!

[Sturmer]

I have, in the past, asked for an option to tell them to just shoot the darn ship, I want it DEAD not disabled lol. However, we've never gained this option unfortunately.

Um.... there is already an option for that. It's called "Attack target". "Shoot to disable" is sub-option for attack target and it's purpose is to help cap ships.

[Scoob]

I have, in the past, asked for an option to tell them to just shoot the darn ship, I want it DEAD not disabled lol. However, we've never gained this option unfortunately.

Um.... there is already an option for that. It's called "Attack target". "Shoot to disable" is sub-option for attack target and it's purpose is to help cap ships.

Both those commands will see Fighters and Capital ships still trying to shoot surface elements though - there's literally no observable difference in behaviour. I get frustrated seeing my ships either wasting shots trying to hit a surface element or simply not firing because the surface element went out of LoS during an attack run.

So, while there may be an option for it, it doesn't work, we cannot get our ships to just directly attack the hull to kill the target as fast as possible. The game behaves like the "shoot to disable" option is always on, prioritising surface elements. Only once ALL surface elements are destroyed, will ships commence attacks directly against the hull. Note: I had hoped that at least "shoot to disable" would mean ships would stop firing once all surface elements are dead, but that does not appear to be the case lol.

Note: of course, shooting at surface elements will often also do direct hull (and hull shield) damage, and ships will generally die before all surface elements are taken out when heavier weapons are used. However, this does waste a lot of damage. Those several hundred points of damage that were taken by surface elements, could have been taken directly out of the hull instead.

Do you not seen the same thing yourself? During the Beta for 5.0 I could clearly see surface elements still being targetted in any attack scenario. Don't get me wrong, when all I had was mostly (captured) lightly-armed fighters, having them shoot the surface elements was perfect behaviour, as they'd not be able to get through a Capital vessels main shield quickly at all. However, once I'd outfitted them with heavier, hull-killing weapons, they continued to waste fire (often missing) on surface elements.

I wish the basic "Attack Target" just tried to kill the target as fast as possible, not targetting surface elements, but it doesn't. I just assumed that's how it was, but perhaps it's not working as intended? If so, it's been a problem for ages.