Star-Fury.org

Basically an order that would perhaps add another element to the game.

Patrol orders can only be given to warships but would allow you to select a range of co-ordinates, outside of systems, which they will loop round with the ultimate aim being that if they come across any hostile ships they would automatically engage them.

Of course this opens up a completely new angle and would see miners being hunted and jump gates blockaded... So maybe have some sort of code of honour and it will only attack warships.

Yeah it could certainly be used to cause havoc for bigger empires by camping asteroid fields, but if it's only going to attack warships, that are listed as enemy, then it's not so much of a problem.

If you really want to hunt miners you can just camp by the roids, scan and wait.

This way you could use your fleet to protect a system rather than just a colony. But would that then lead to it being too difficult to raid/invade colonies if there are huge numbers of ships in, or near the system, waiting for you?

I do not agree with Zorrin because:
In this way any big empires can monopolize an asteroid field
By patroling an area can block the resources trading
How do i know if an area is patroled or not? I may wanna move some ships to an allied without any intention of hitting an enemy

I fully agree with gargoyle

This would be alright.
But only:

[*] attacks warships
[*] Ally has set war status with you are you have against them
[*] only patrol around a system with a colony of yours in it