Beta 1.19: Attack order bug (destiantion)

The bug (viewtopic.php?f=45&t=10756) still exists in beta 1.19.

Just for the record, there was bug with targeting/firing at destroyers that has been fixed in beta 1.19: Tactical Target was set to the destroyer, but actually it fired at the frigates.

The bug that I am talking about in this topic is about the Destination target, not the tactical target.

New test challenge online
I uploaded challange no. 5189778. At the south, there is an immobile dreadnought with 2 squads of fighters escorting it. In the north, there is 1 destroyer and a bunch of frigates. All ships have (minimal) weapons to simulate a real battle.

After downloading the challenge no. 5189778, you have to set up your own fleet to play against the aforementioned fleet. Design a cruiser* with the following properties:
- maximum speed: 0.17
- turnspeed: 0.07

Deploy 1 cruiser at the south (closer to the dreadnought than to the destroyers). Set the following order and delete all other orders:
- ‘Attack destroyers’: priority 100%, range 600 (try range 100 if you can’t observe the same bug as I do)

When starting the battle, my cruiser has Destination and Tactical Target set to the destroyer. But after 10 seconds, it switches to the fighters for both, Tactical Target and Destination. This means it navigates towards the fighters and never reaches the destroyer in the north. It never switches back to the destroyer.

*cruiser setup:

[code][config]
name = danous test cruiser
guiname = danous test cruiser
hull = F1_CruiserC
description = test cruiser

[modules]
0 = cruiser_light_beam_laser,
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 = cruiser_light_power,
5 = cruiser_crew_small,
6 = cruiser_heavy_armor,
7 = cruiser_fast_repair,
8 = cruiser_heavy_armor,
9 = cruiser_heavy_armor,
10 = cruiser_light_shield,
11 = cruiser_heavy_armor,
12 =
13 =
14 =
15 =
16 =
17 = cruiser_heavy_armor,
18 = cruiser_thrusters,
19 = cruiser_advanced_engines,
[layer_0]
_rotation_speed = 0.0000
_offset = 0.000000,0.000000
_size = 0.500000,1.000000
F1_CruiserC,0,222,236,255,0.000000,0.000000,0.000000,1.000000,1.000000,0,0,COLOR2,0.0000,222.0000,236.0000,255.0000

[targets]
0 = 0.3125,0.5625
1 = 0.3125,0.6875
2 = 0.3125,0.8125
3 = 0.4375,0.0625
4 = 0.4375,0.1875
5 = 0.4375,0.3125
6 = 0.4375,0.4375
7 = 0.4375,0.5625
8 = 0.4375,0.6875
9 = 0.5625,0.0625
10 = 0.5625,0.1875
11 = 0.5625,0.3125
12 = 0.5625,0.4375
13 = 0.5625,0.5625
14 = 0.5625,0.6875
15 = 0.6875,0.5625
16 = 0.6875,0.6875
17 = 0.6875,0.8125[/code]

I’m still seeing this as well. I snagged a pretty illustrative shot of a dreadnought doing this the other day, be sure to view the full:

I don’t know if it’s Destroyers as a destination that’s relevant, or just if that’s the common category target that players want assassinated. I have observed anti-destroyer frigates and even rocket fighters getting fixated on other fighters as a movement target.

This should have been fixed ages ago. What version does it say you have on the main menu screen?

1.21.

I just threw ten squads of rocket fighters and a carrier at the lower left of yaamaxxia prime, to be sure.

I use a 40% attack frigates, 40% attack destroyers order set on these. No other attack orders; cautious, co-operative, vulture, stick together.

They selectively seek out the frigates and knock out a few destroyers along the way, but once the last frigate goes down the fighters all act like their orders are deleted - they start driving after whatever target is closest, which is usually enemy fighters since they inevitably have to go back to the carrier to refuel.

The good news is that the gunners appear to target appropriately, just not the drivers.

Right I’ve really fixed this now, and verified it with that challenge. it was blatant dumbness by me

Thanks cliffski. I will check it when the next patch comes out