Unable To Catch Enemy Ships

[Kytuzian (OP)]

So I was invaded by some alien ships, which I would normally be excited about. However, when they got close to my planet and I launched my fighters, they run away at the same speed my fighters travel, shooting them the whole way back. Is there any way at all to deal with this, because I'm not keen on losing the entire fleet and waiting for an eternity for it to happen as we go on a merry chase around the Solar System.

[MarcAFK]

You can probably save the fleet by splitting off the few that are being targeted and sending them away with the enemy following, meanwhile send the rest of the fighters back to their hanger. However if they enemy won't sit around within range of your beam ships you're out of luck. I recommend missiles.

[Kytuzian (OP)]

You can probably save the fleet by splitting off the few that are being targeted and sending them away with the enemy following, meanwhile send the rest of the fighters back to their hanger. However if they enemy won't sit around within range of your beam ships you're out of luck. I recommend missiles.

Yeah but they'll just destroy those ships and then come back to the planet and finish me off, I'd imagine. So if they don't destroy me, I'll probably just make my fighters faster, because I don't want to deal with starting from the bottom up in terms of missile research. Not to even mention, some missiles might not even be capable of catching them, because they travel at 12000 km/s and I'd need several pretty hefty missiles to take them out (~36000 tons). I might just destroy all my ships nearby so I don't have to wait around for it.

Is there any way to slow them down through Spacemaster or anything?

[GreatTuna]

Is there any way to slow them down through Spacemaster or anything?

No. You can give yourself faster ships with it though, or missile tech, or something else.

If they're missile ships (and judging by scarce information provided, that's missile ships) they will attack anyway. Your best bet is to try to make them unload their missile stocks on something useless (AMMs, fighters, commercial ships, colonies, whatever) and then strike.

If they're beam ships, well, get yourself some PDCs and hope for the best. Without missiles and range superiority, you can say goodbye to your whole fleet.

[alex_brunius]

Yeah but they'll just destroy those ships and then come back to the planet and finish me off, I'd imagine. So if they don't destroy me, I'll probably just make my fighters faster, because I don't want to deal with starting from the bottom up in terms of missile research. Not to even mention, some missiles might not even be capable of catching them, because they travel at 12000 km/s and I'd need several pretty hefty missiles to take them out (~36000 tons). I might just destroy all my ships nearby so I don't have to wait around for it.

Sounds like the best bet would be split up ( if needed ) and try to retreat to your planet ( capital homeworld I assume ) for a final stand defense. Make all PDCs and Defense satellites ready as well as reinforce them with everything in your fleet that can get there in time. Then it's just a matter of hoping you can shoot down all incoming missiles and any hostile beamships that are approaching before being overwhelmed.

[Kytuzian (OP)]

No. You can give yourself faster ships with it though, or missile tech, or something else.

If they're missile ships (and judging by scarce information provided, that's missile ships) they will attack anyway. Your best bet is to try to make them unload their missile stocks on something useless (AMMs, fighters, commercial ships, colonies, whatever) and then strike.

If they're beam ships, well, get yourself some PDCs and hope for the best. Without missiles and range superiority, you can say goodbye to your whole fleet.

Nah, they're beam ships, I'm ready to say goodbye. I might just make myself some PDCs and stuff or whatever just to survive then destroy them. I'll see. Thanks for the advise everyone.