Ally Commands

Order Ally / Tell Ally

Format:
    Tell <ally> Target <enemy>	Targeting Orders
    Tell <ally> Hold [Fire]
    Tell <ally> Open [Fire]
    Tell <ally> Disengage
    Tell <ally> Escort <ally> [At] <range>	Mission Orders
    Tell <ally> Course <course>
    Tell <ally> Retreat
    Tell <ally> Cancel
    Tell <ally> Torpedo <enemy>	Weapon orders
    Tell <ally> Phaser <enemy>
    Tell <ally> Probe <enemy>
    Tell <ally> Attack <enemy>	Cancel and Target
    Tell <ally> Report 

If you have ally ships, you may issue them any one of a number of general orders. Certain commands can be given at the same time as other commands. For example, a ship can escort and hold fire at the same time. However, the commands identified as "movement" commands conflict with each other. You cannot tell a ship to escort and run at the same time. If a movement command is given to a ship, it cancels the previous movement command.

Escort

An escort order results in the ship trying to maintain the escort distance from the ship is it supposed to escort. Once the escort distance is achieved (+-1000), the ship will follow the same course and speed as the ship it is escorting. Escort is a movement command.

Hold Course

Hold Course causes a ship to go in the general direction of the given course. Since zig-zagging is still done if there are any enemy ships with torpedoes in the area, the ship following the Hold Course order will rarely be following the exact course given. However, since the zig-zagging is done around the course given, the ship will indeed move in the direction it is supposed to. The zig-zagging is done for the ship's self-defense. A ship that moves in a straight line for very long is meat. A ship that is Holding Course will move at the best speed that it can. Hold Course is a movement command.

Run

A ship that is told to Run will avoid all enemy ships. It will attempt to move away from any target ship that it selects. It will still use its weapons as long as it is in range of an enemy ship. Run is a movement command. A ship may also select to Run on its own. This is usually because it has been damaged to the point where it can no longer attack effectively. Some cowardly captains may run before severe damage has occurred. Once a ship has decided to Run on its own, it is very difficult to persuade that ship to do anything else. If a ship repairs itself enough, it may stop Running and rejoin the battle. If you tell a ship to Run, it will never rejoin the battle unless you Cancel the Run command.

Withdraw

Withdraw causes a ship to avoid combat by moving away from all enemy ships. This is similar to the Run command. Unlike Run, however, the ship will only move so that is just out of torpedo range. This should ensure that the ship that is Withdrawing should be safe, but able to enter the battle at a moments notice. Ships that are Withdrawing can be considered to be in reserve. Withdraw is a movement command. Hold Fire

The Hold Fire command causes a ship to stop using any weapons. This makes Hold Fire a very dangerous command to issue. The ally ship will still maneuver as if it could fire, in case you change your mind. This command can be given independently of the other commands. For example, a ship could ordered to withdraw AND to hold fire concurrently.

Open Fire

Open Fire is the opposite of hold fire. The ally ship will resume using its weapons. This, of course, is the normal state of affairs.

Attack

The Attack command cancels any movement commands currently in effect and assigns the specified enemy ship as a target of the ally ship that received the Attack order. Once a target is specified for an ally ship, it will usually attack that ship until destruction. Occasionally, it will be necessary to break off an attack on a specified ship due to pressing tactical considerations (i.e. the ally is getting pounded by a different ship and the one it is attacking is almost dead). If this occurs, you will be informed by the ally ship. The Attack command is really a shorthand for specifying the Cancel command and then the Target command.

Target

The Target command is a non-movement version of the Attack command. Thus, it can be issued after a movement command and will not cause cancellation of a movement command. For example, a ship could first be told to escort another ally, and then be told to target an enemy ship. The ship will continue escorting while it directs fire on the specified enemy ship.

Disengage

Disengage causes an ally ship to select its own target to attack. It is normally used after a Target command or an Attack command. After the Disengage command is issued, there is no restriction on the selection of the enemy ship that the ally ship will attack. In some cases, the same ship will be selected by the ally. This is not a movement command.

Cancel

The Cancel command stops the effect of any previous movement command. If a target has been selected by the Attack or Target commands, it will remain in effect. After this command is issued, the ally ship is free to choose its own course and speed for attacking the enemy.

Torpedo

The Torpedo command causes the ally ship to favor using its torpedoes against the enemy. It does not affect which enemy ship it should attack or any movement commands that are in affect. However, of no movement commands are in affect, the Torpedo command will cause the ally ship to move into torpedo range of the enemy it is fighting. This command can only be effective when given to ships that have torpedoes. This command overrides the Probe or Phaser commands.

Probe

Probe makes a ship want to send a probe after an enemy ship. This is not a movement command, But it will cause the ally ship to try to get within probe range if no other movement commands are given. The ally ship will only release the probe if there is a good chance it will hit the enemy ship. If the enemy ship can still move well, the ally ship may have to close to extremely close range in order to deliver the probe. This command overrides the Torpedo or Phaser command.

Phaser

The Phaser command causes a ship to favor using its phasers against its target. If the ally ship has no phasers, it must refuse to perform this command. Although this command is not a movement command, if no other movement commands are given the ally ship will attempt to get into phaser range to carry out this command. This command overrides the Torpedo or Probe command.

Report

The Report order will instruct an ally to transmit his current orders to your ship for viewing. This report looks very much like a Report command except it also contains the ally's current mission and target.

Examples:
    tell the agena to attack the derango
    order washington course 90
    order enterprise escort armstrong at 5000
    tell the terra report

Board

The Board command will transport the specified number of crew to the target ship. If the ship is not an ally ship the crew will attempt to capture the ship. The target ship must have at least one down shield.

Example:
    tell nimitz board zantha 100

Tow

The Tow command tells a ship or base to tow a specified ship using it's tractor beam. The ship must be close enough and not be at warp.

Example:
    tell nimitz tow higgins

Release

The Release command tells a ship or base to release a towed ship from it's tractor beam.

Example:
    tell nimitz release higgins

Recover

The Recover command tells a base to use it's tractor beam to pull a dead ship into the docking bay so it may be repaired.

Example:
    tell alpha recover enterprise

Eject

The Eject command tells a base to push a ship out of the docking bay to make room for another ship.

Example:
    tell alpha eject enterprise