TI Multiplayer/Combat

This page is part of the TI Multiplayer mod.

This page explains tactical space battles inside a TI Multiplayer Sandbox campaign. For the separate 1v1 battle mode see Skirmish.

Which battles are played live

• Battles that involve an online human player use the multiplayer battle rules below.
• Battles between AI factions, and battles of offline players, are auto-resolved by the host as in single player.
• During a battle with players, the strategy clock is stopped for everyone.
• Damage is always calculated on the host. Everybody else sees the host's result.

Before the battle

Every human combatant gets the vanilla pre-combat panel (stance, pursuit bids, AUTO or LIVE). Players who are not involved see Combat in progress: <A> vs <B>… and can keep using the map.

• AUTO (auto-resolve) is only used if every human combatant chooses it.
• If one chooses LIVE, the battle is fought live. A player who voted AUTO sees Live Battle - The other player chose to fight this battle live, so auto-resolve isn't available. - and takes command.
• If the host decides after the vote that no battle takes place (for example because no exofighter could be launched), the pre-combat screen closes on every machine and the clock resumes.

Player against AI

Before a live battle against an AI faction, the other online players are offered the AI side, one after another (host first): the window Combat Imminent with Play the enemy fleet or Spectate (30 seconds, default Spectate). If nobody takes it, the AI flies the enemy fleet as usual.

Player against player

Both players fight their own fleets. Everyone else watches as a spectator.

Spectators

Spectators see the battle with a SPECTATOR banner and a watch-only interface: no orders, no End Battle, no clock control, and a neutral battle summary.

The battle clock

• The battle clock belongs to the host if the host fights or flies the AI side, otherwise to the attacker.
• Every player who commands ships can stop it, but only its owner can start it again.
• Messages: Only the player who started this battle controls the battle clock. / The battle clock is stopped by a combatant. / You are watching this battle - the clock is not yours to move.

During the battle

• Stance, bids, weapon modes, formation, targets, disengaging and End Battle are sent to the host and applied there.
• End Battle between two players only ends the battle when both choose it (a draw).
• The in-battle AUTORESOLVE button exists only when a single human fights an AI side that nobody else commands.
• Clients cannot leave a battle on their own.
• Stations, surface-to-orbit fighters and bombardment are shown on every machine.
• Everyone fights the host's line-up: the host's option for the maximum number of ships in combat applies to everyone, and player fleets get the default human formation. Swaps, reserves and reinforcements are synchronized (not yet tested in a full campaign).

After the battle

Everyone gets the vanilla battle summary. Its content (salvage, officers) differs per faction. The game continues when the host clicks Continue - the other players' Close button only closes their own window. If the host does not close it, the game continues after 2 minutes.

If the host leaves during a battle, the battle is called off without result: The battle was called off - its host left the game. No result was recorded.

Combat autosave

Before every battle with players the host writes the Combat autosave slot. Continuing from it restarts the battle once everyone has loaded. See Saves and Sessions.

See also

• Co-op battles - two players commanding one fleet
• Space Combat - vanilla combat rules