I just realise after failing an invasion desperately how little I know about the ground combar system and how it makes no sense at all. So I'd like to know if there is someone who knows how it works.

Here's the story. I just tried to conquer a system with about 200 ground combat. I attack with 6 transports (no other ships) who have 61 ground combat each. This adds up to 366 versus 200. The planet had no orbitals whatsoever. Guess what, I lose. Lost 6 transports in the proces with little hope to regaining what would have been the turning point in the war. Even though it is agains the computer, I pretty much lose since I have to wait at least 12 turns to get the same amount of transports, while I apparantly need even more.
Is there anyone who can tell me how this system works in BotF? And while we're at it, does someone know how it is going to work in BotF2? I hope it is a bit more clear than it is now. Why isn't it simply so that the one with the most numbers wins it. I almost had double the amount!

All I can tell you is actually I never had problems like that. Hence my tested (read: proven! ) opinion in thousands of matches botf I opinion is that the higher number wins.

Some of us are just unlucky, Centurion.

My method is to ensure I have at least double the amount of ground combat to the system I'm gonna attack.

I then send in a few light ships (Read: Scouts, Destroyers) to soften up their 'defenses' (EVEN if they have none) Only then do I send in my Troop Transports.

I also save the game before I try.

It seems strange how even a Transport could be destoryed when there areno Orbital Batteries. Danm AI.

That is just so NOT true! As matress said you need about double the amount. It is not random either, because when you save it you can try it forever, but you will not suddenly win. It's just... strange
There seems to be no system whatsoever.

But I guess the more important question I wanted to ask is how will this be implemented in BotF2?

I'd assume that the AI will be a lot more realistic otherwise this will keep happening

6 ships could have done it.. Thing is you have to TRAIN them on the home system.. the higher the level the faster they take over a system. I read about it in the Calladice site. I tried it.... actually it works very well. I took on a system with 2 orbitals vs my 10 transports. I had trained them to a level 4 experiance. I lost 3 in the attack but the rest took the system!
I was really amased that is actually worked.!! give it a try..

How do you "train" your ships in BOTF. I thought they just stayed the same

Send the ship(s) to your Homesystem (Or System Zakdorn if you own it and have built the training Facility) then click on orders.

Select the Train Crew option (It's at the bottom of the list) and they will commence training. (Zarkdorn are the best at training, so make sure you get them!)

ANY ship you have can train, and the more training a ship has, the better it performs in Tactical combat. (Especially against random enemies, like the Crystalline Entity, and even the Borg)

You can take out a Borg Cube before they even get a chance to fire at you, if you have 9 legendary trained Defiants/9 Cloaked Warbirds.

If you build an Outpost/Starbase with a legendary trained Troop Transport, the Outpost/Starbase will also have a Legendary rating (Obviously) they perform better in combat this way.

The higher the training level, the faster that your shields/hull is repaired. Your weapons are also more accurate, (Especially when evading) and your ships are better able to dodge attacks.

To check on the current training level of your ships, select a taskforce of ships (Eg. two or more ships. For some reason, you can't check it if there is only one ship selected )

Select the Redeploy button, then place your curson over the icon of one of your ships. (Don't click) In the list of stats, will also be the training level, (Second from the bottom of the list) which is displayed as either Green, Regular, Veteran, Elite, or Legendary followed by a number, which is the actual number of training points the ship has gained.

Hope that helps, TrekBoyChris.

Thanks a bunch Mastress . I'll have to try that out the Borg have been assimalating me everytime

On an unmodded game, training can take a looong time (Several hundred turns if not more) The Federation is the best out of the 5 Empires, but again, things can be changed. )

Let me know if you need help with that, I have editors.

Thanks for the offer, but won't there be something on armadafleetcommand that can do the same without you going to the trouble?

Well you could...here's the link by the way, just look for the program called the BOTF editor:

http://www.armadafleetcommand.com/botf/index.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=3

...i've already emailed it to you though...

Mastress, the only thing you've emailed to me, which by the way was extremely helpful was the Windows 98 file to allow me to get Dominion Wars working

EDIT: Sorry, i can clearly see you have! I'll try that out, thanks

It helps to open your eyes...

S'ok, let me know if you need anything else...

Or if you want anything from me - i like to repay favours to good honest people

I'm the Matress_of_evil - who said anything about being good?

You can increase the amount of ground combat that Troop Transports have with some editors - BOTFED 1.4 does this, but it isn't compatible with Windows XP.

Not even with Virtual PC

Oh well, only 6 weeks or so to go...problems like this <Should> be a thing of the past...

yeah thats very true, whole new set of problems to look forward too.

Well at least we can all start digging those up as a team

And this time we have the developers on our side to fix them...

Unlike with the original. Thank god we're all mates

Heh...heh...heh...yes...we're all mates...

Matress, good to see ya again.

i downloaded that editor. Now how do I put it into my botf game?
I've never messed with that stuff before so it is a bit alien to me.

Have you actually used the program yet? I can't remember if I sent the file you need with the program or not.

If you get a message telling you it needs the file edifice.bst, follow steps 1-6, and away you go!

It's pretty easy to understand - once you've got it working.

1. Find the folder with all the files for BOTF. (C:/program files/BOTF or whatever place you set it to)

2. Look for a file called STBOF.res.

3. Open it with winzip.

4. Select the option to open the program from a list.

5. Select winzip. (DESELECT the option to always open it with winzip)

6. Go into classic mode.

7. Look for the file called edifice.bst

8. Extract this to somewhere safe (So you have a backup if things go wrong)

*Extract the file to the same folder as the editor if you haven't used the program yet.

9. In winzip, click on add, then find and select your edited version of edifice.bst. Winzip should overwrite the old file (Which is why I said to back it up first) thereby adding your changes to the game.

10. Play BOTF.

Let me know if you need more help.

Bigger problem, It is german. I cannot read what it says! lol

Maybe I can help you: What is the specific problem?

Winterhawk7, lol thats just great! Use Babelfish translator for a general idea or just ask ftranschel-if its German he can help you .

Mastress can you use WinRAR instead of Winzip, i'm sure i'm not the only one that uses it instead (cos its a lot better)

Err...German?

What do you mean it's in German? The program itself when you run it?

Coz it's in English when I run it, and there isn't any way of changing it as far as I know...

It may be that the pogram takes the language info from the edifice.bst file...(I'm not sure this is even possible though) in which case it might mean you've got a German file!

I assume you've downloaded mods for BOTF? That's probably where it came from.

I've emailed you my version of edifice.bst. Move/copy it into the SAME file as the editor, then open the editor. If the editor still opens in German, I haven't got a clue what is going on!

Fingers crossed, and if it works, I hope you like the changes i've made...

*Edit, you posted before me TrekBoyCris! Don't know about WinRAR. Never used it, never heard of it.*