Oolite Bulletins

Commander McLane wrote:

Although it seemed to me that most of the convoys I met had the classic V-shape, and only few came in another formation. But my sample isn't very big (I flew only in one system with the OXP installed), so this could be bad random.

25% of convoys keep the classic V-shape.
About a third of the remainder will get "vform" which looks very similar to classic up to 4 escorts, though is distinguishable at 6.
Depending on the OXPs you have installed, some of the convoys may be led by something without the trader primaryRole, which won't be touched.

Commander McLane wrote:

Give them a special role (for instance "high_end_escort"), and give the Anacondas and Boas

Seems good and easy enough.

But that should be a role that gets a generally acceptance so others might also give that role to their escort ships. e.g. Griff already created a "shader-escort" role for his escorts to make sure his boas are only escorted by ships that also use shaders.

Cool idea. Why did no-one think of this before, it's obvious now you made it? Downloaded.

cim wrote:

Commander McLane wrote:

Although it seemed to me that most of the convoys I met had the classic V-shape, and only few came in another formation. But my sample isn't very big (I flew only in one system with the OXP installed), so this could be bad random.

25% of convoys keep the classic V-shape.
About a third of the remainder will get "vform" which looks very similar to classic up to 4 escorts, though is distinguishable at 6.

That's be the explanation, then. I saw mostly convoys with only two escorts.

After much skullsweat, I had given up on ever getting my personal escort OXP to fly a decent formation... Then I see this. Thanks!

Downloaded... I had been thinking that the standard flock-of-geese formation wasn't really a great way to fend off attack

Wiki?  Escort Stuff

Great idea cim! Downloaded!

I'm liking this OXP a lot - pirates are subtly different now, for the better. It's become a must-have!

Yes! Almost as essential as a beer cooler.

Grabbed it! Seems my list of recommended OXPs will have to be updated!

Good job cim. This Add On is a keeper.

Thanks for all the feedback. Escort Formations 1.1 is now out (download link in first post updated)
- Eight new escort formations, including several which don't look like a standard V when a Python picks them.
- Big traders, and the trader roles from transports.oxp, now also get escorts formations. The Super Bulk Hauler is specifically exempted, since its escorts aren't really escorts in that sense.

Cool! Downloading...

As a side question, could a piece of equipment be added to slot the player into an escort formation on autopilot despite however many escorts are already in formation?

Thanks, cim... got it!