FOLLOWSHIP
Keywords: FOLLOWSHIP, FOLLOWS
=== USER MANUAL ===
Usage: followship <ship>
followship none
Description:
Mark a ship as your follow target so autotrack can swing
the nose toward it when no weapons target is set. Useful for
formation flying, escorting a capital ship, or tailing a
contact without intent to fire.
The follow link is one-way: you begin following them, but they
are not obligated to follow you back.
Clearing the Follow:
followship none drops the current follow target:
Disengaging target.
Follow vs Target:
followship and target are separate slots on your ship.
target .............. Used by weapon systems (shipfire,
autocombat, auto-fire AI).
followship .......... Used only by autotrack when there is
no weapons target. If both are set, autotrack
prefers target.
This lets a gunner lock a weapons target while the pilot's
autotrack follows a different ship (e.g., chase the flagship
while shooting at the fighter).
Requirements:
Gunner seat ........ Must be in the gunner's chair / turret.
Launched ........... Ship must be undocked (not applicable to
stations).
Realspace .......... Cannot follow while in hyperspace.
Manual control ..... Autopilot must be off. Autopilot ships
already steer themselves and ignore follow.
Target present ..... Target ship must be in the same system
and visible. No partial-system support.
Echo:
Now following <ship>. (you)
<n> makes an adjustment to the flight computer. (room)
<ship> begins following you. (target cockpit)
Notes:
- Setting followship none uses the exact word none, not
an empty argument -- bare followship with no arg errors
with "You need to specify a target!"
- The link persists across maneuvers; only none, losing
the ship from your system, or autopilot toggling breaks it.
- Followed ships can tell they are being followed via the
cockpit echo -- useful for RP coordination but bad for
stalking.
- For combat tailing, set BOTH target (weapons lock) and
followship (navigation backup) -- autotrack will stay
locked even if your gunner clears the weapons target.
Related Helpfiles: TARGET, AUTOTRACK, AUTOPILOT, COURSE, SCANSHIP, RADAR
=== END MANUAL ===