Cumbersome to refuel another fleet?

[vorpal+5 (OP)]

What is the simplest method to refuel another fleet (which was not moving, so my issue was not that I lacked 'underway replenishment')?

I tried several orders, and none worked. It seems there is no 'refuel target fleet' order. Even 'join and refuel target fleet' did not work.

In the end, I had to manually merge the 2 fleets, then going to the Ship Overview tab, I specified 'Refuel own fleet'. And at last, the stranded ship was refueled!


Additional question, in VB6 you could specify exactly how much you transferred by typing the number, for ships within the same fleet. Will it return?

[CowboyRonin]

It may seem a little strange, but the simplest way I found is to go to the fleet that needs fuel, target the fleet with the fuel (must have a ship equiped with refuelling gear), and select the option "Refuel from Stationary Tankers. "  If the fleet that needs fuel is dry, you can have the tanker fleet target them and move to them, then do the sequence above.   This is also the same command I use to pull fuel from Sorium Harvester bases into my tankers.

[vorpal+5 (OP)]

Indeed, a bit convoluted but I reckon it would work, as you work around the absence of the "Refuel Target Fleet" order. There is a "Join and Refuel Target Fleet", so I wonder how Steve manages refuelling ...

[Father Tim]

It seems obvious to me that he uses fetch orders rather than delivery orders -- that is, orders to fleets that need fuel to go and get it, rather than orders to fleets that have fuel to drop it off.

[Jorgen_CAB]

The simplest way is to configure the tanker fleet so it always refuel the fleet it is with. Select the ship in the "Fleet View" window and in the "Ship Design Display" tab you find a drop down menu... set this to "Refuel Own Fleet".

Now order the Tanker fleet to join the target fleet as a Sub-fleet... when the refuelling is done you need to detach it.

It is not the best as you will have to manually then detach it and have the tankers move elsewhere, but that is how we need to do it for now.

I presume Steves thought was that underway replenishment of fleets would not happen so frequently that joining it as a Sub-fleet was a pretty good way to control the situation as you probably would never automate anything like that.

[consiefe]

I always use tanker command "join&refuel". It joins and produces a completed orders event with interrupt. After that point tanker which is now part of thr fleet with fuel shortage, starts to pump fuel according to race refuelling tech and equipment to the fleet's other ships. It continuosly does that as long as you don't detach it.

[watcherseye]

I'm sitting here trying to refuel a ship with a ship that has refueling capability but there are no options to "equalize fuel" or join and refuel or pretty much any of the commands that were listed in this thread.   What am I missing here?

Both ships are now in the same fleet.  Can anyone post instructions that are explicit and exactly how the game shows them?  Thanks!

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

I'm sitting here trying to refuel a ship with a ship that has refueling capability but there are no options to "equalize fuel" or join and refuel or pretty much any of the commands that were listed in this thread.   What am I missing here?

Both ships are now in the same fleet.  Can anyone post instructions that are explicit and exactly how the game shows them?  Thanks!

There are two ways to refuel a fleet using a tanker.  One requires merging fleets, the other requires remaining separate fleets.

In-transit refuelling, where the tanker joins the fleet:
In this mode, under the tanker's Ship Design Display tab there is a dropdown box.  Set it to Refuel Own Fleet.  'Join and Refuel' should have set this option for you.
If you haven't researched Underway Replenishment then you will need to clear the fleet's movement orders and then wait for refuelling to complete.
If you have researched Underway Replenishment then the tanker will refuel the other ships even if the fleet is doing something else.
This mode does not give any message when refuelling is complete

Refuel from Stationary Tanker:
Position the tanker where the other fleet can reach it and make sure that its movement order list is empty.
-If the target fleet is out of fuel, moving to the same location is sufficient, even in deep space.
Order the other fleet to Refuel from Stationary Tanker.

[watcherseye]

Refuel from Stationary Tanker:
Position the tanker where the other fleet can reach it and make sure that its movement order list is empty.
-If the target fleet is out of fuel, moving to the same location is sufficient, even in deep space.
Order the other fleet to Refuel from Stationary Tanker.

And there's a problem, where is that "Refuel from Stationary Tanker" order?  I don't see it under Movement orders or Standing orders for the fleet.   

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

Refuel from Stationary Tanker:
Position the tanker where the other fleet can reach it and make sure that its movement order list is empty.
-If the target fleet is out of fuel, moving to the same location is sufficient, even in deep space.
Order the other fleet to Refuel from Stationary Tanker.

And there's a problem, where is that "Refuel from Stationary Tanker" order?  I don't see it under Movement orders or Standing orders for the fleet.

Refuel From Stationary Tanker is a movement order.  It only appears if the tanker is in a separate fleet and has no orders.  To get to it, select the receiving fleet in the fleets list, then check the 'Fleets' option under Movement Orders, and then select the tanker's fleet from the locations list.

[watcherseye]

I appreciate the help but for some reason it's just not there.   One picture shows the ship that's the "fuel tanker" hopefully it shows that it's actually ready to be used.   The other photo shows the orders of the ship that needs to be refueled. 

[Migi]

I appreciate the help but for some reason it's just not there.   One picture shows the ship that's the "fuel tanker" hopefully it shows that it's actually ready to be used.   The other photo shows the orders of the ship that needs to be refueled.

Most likely the cause is that your tanker design does not have the tickbox for tanker turned on.
In the class design window, select your tanker and look for the tickbox on the right.
You probably need to close and re-open the fleet window before the re-fuel order will appear.
(The minimum fuel setting it gives you an alert about is in the Miscellaneous tab in case you want to change it)

[watcherseye]

That was it.   Thank you both very much for the help.   

[Droll]

That was it.   Thank you both very much for the help.

Just for pendantry also double check that your tanker has a refueling system installed. I always forget this and it annoys me to no end.

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

That was it.   Thank you both very much for the help.

Just for pendantry also double check that your tanker has a refueling system installed. I always forget this and it annoys me to no end.

That did take some getting used to.