Hey guys and gals,

I was just curious about the combat.

I have played all the Starfleet Command games and was wondering if the starship combat was like them, or is it better?

As I recall, Starfleet command is a computer version of Star Fleet Battles and is turn based like it. As a star fleet battles player I find the following things similar/different

* Weapons have firing arcs..some create overlapping arcs, lending to most players either having really strong broadsides or frontal attacks depending on the ship.

* There is a very 'naval' feeling to combat, with the ships swooping towards each other. I am ashamed to say the increase in pitch/yaw did not change that despite some of my previous rants...

* You have forward,aft,port and starboard shield, but can take strength away from the others to boost one or spread them out to cover a damaged section

* You can adjust power levels to boost certain system at the expense of others. Many players will boost shields or weapons to get a slight edge in combat.

* with everything being real time, preplanning is a bigger aspect, with too many options to be trying to adjust them all mid-combat.

The ship combat is most similar to the ship combat in Sid Meier's Pirates!, only with much more depth.