Space Command

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The center of all the command screens is the space command panel. The space command panel is linked to the star map screen. Any time you select a group of objects on the main star map the selected items are sent to the object list of the space command panel. You can select a small area of space by left clicking on the star map or you can select a larger area on the map by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the bounding box over a large area of the map. If there are more than seven items in an area the first seven will be displayed and the blue scroll arrows will become active.

This panel has two object selection slots. The upper object is called the hammer and the lower object is called the anvil . The hammer is the object that is taking action. The hammer is the object that you will be giving orders such as way points, speed, attack command and many other possible commands.

The anvil is the passive object. Making an object an anvil object does not allow you to give it any commands. The anvil object can be at the receiving end of actions that the hammer object might take.

Actions that a hammer object can perform on an anvil object include:

Hammer sets anvil object to be:

An Intercept Target

A Capture Target

An Escort Target

A Cargo Transfer Target

A Tow Target

A Kill Target

A Dock Target ( fighters )

A Home Base or Ship ( fighters )

Once the hammer object has the anvil object set to be one of the above target objects it will remain the target object even if the anvil object moves.

You can also set the way point of the hammer to the anvil ' s position. If you set a hammer ' s way point to an anvil object the way point is locked to the current position in space that the anvil object exists at now. The way point will not follow the anvil object if it moves to a new point in space. If you wish to follow anvil object that will be moving you must set the anvil object as either the intercept target or the escort target.

Also see: Way Points

Also see: Navigation Pad

Once you have set an anvil object to be one of the desired targets using the navigation pad you are free to load another anvil object and all hammer target settings will remain unchanged.

To make an object into the hammer object you need to first press the hammer select button. The hammer select button will light up green like you see in the above screen. You then click on one of the objects in the object list, it will be moved into the hammer position. To make an object into the anvil object click on the anvil select button and then click on one of the objects in the object list and the object will be loaded into the anvil position.

Depending on what objects you have selected you will have several command buttons appear, possibly including:

Set Way Point 1 = Anvil Object: If the hammer is a ship or fighter wing and you have a anvil object selected. Clicking this one button will instantly make the hammer ' s first way point the current position of the anvil. If the anvil object is moving through space the hammer will end up where the anvil in now and not were it is going. If you wish to intercept or escort a ship you will need to bring up the navigation pad and set the anvil to be the intercept or escort target.

Open Navigation Pad: If the hammer object can have a way point (ships and fighter wings only) you can use this to bring up the navigation pad .

Hammer Data Pad / Anvil Data Pad: You have two data pads, one for the hammer and one for the anvil. No matter what object is loaded and no matter who owns the object you will be able to open the data pad for the object. If you select a new object to be an anvil or a hammer object the data pad will automatically be updated with the new object ' s information.

Open Command Screen: If you own the hammer object or you have permission to give the hammer object orders you can use this button to open the detailed command screens for this object. These command screens include
ship command , planet command , pod command , minefield command and buoy command .

Look At Targets: If the hammer object has a escort, home, docking, tow, capture, kill or intercept target you can use this button to bring up the target list panel. From that screen you can make any of the current target objects the anvil object.

Names: Objects in the object list are either listed by object class or by the its name when this button is depressed.

Filter: This brings up the panel that allows you to select which classes of object that are displayed on the main map.

Log : If any important event happened to an object you will see the log button appear bellow its picture, as well as there being a small blue square around the object on the main map. This button will bring up the screen that allows you to read all the log files.

Less: This make the panel half as wide.

The distance listed at the bottom of the panel is the distance between the hammer and anvil object.