Route Disruption
This page explores what happens when a fleet's planned route becomes invalid while the fleet is already in motion.
It does not describe final game behavior. It maps the cases that need answers and the tradeoffs between possible approaches.
Goal
The goal is to define how the game handles route invalidation in a way that:
- never leaves a fleet in an impossible or unresolvable state
- gives players meaningful information and meaningful choices
- avoids silently overriding a player's intent
- is predictable enough that players can reason about the risk before committing a fleet
What Can Invalidate a Route
A route becomes invalid when one or more legs can no longer be traversed. The main causes are:
Gateway blockade — an enemy fleet occupying a gateway system prevents passage through it. The connection still exists physically, but movement through it is blocked.
Access revocation — a diplomatic change, alliance breakdown, or sovereignty dispute removes the fleet's right to pass through a system or region. The route exists, but the fleet is no longer permitted to use it.
Gateway disruption — depending on future game rules, a gateway connection itself may become temporarily or permanently unavailable.
The Key Cases
Case 1: Disruption ahead — fleet has not yet entered the blocked system
The simplest case. The fleet is still upstream from the problem.
The fleet can be stopped at its current position, or a reroute can be attempted before it enters the disrupted portion of the route.
Case 2: Disruption ahead — fleet is already inside an intermediate system
The fleet is in transit through a system, moving toward a gateway that is now blocked.
The fleet cannot complete the crossing it is currently on. It will reach the gateway and find it impassable.
Case 3: Disruption mid-crossing — gateway is blocked while fleet is using it
An edge case. The gateway closes or is blockaded during the moment of transit. Whether this is possible depends on how gateway transitions are modelled.
Case 4: Access to an intermediate system is revoked while the fleet is inside it
The fleet is crossing System C. Diplomatic access to that system is revoked while the fleet is physically present. The fleet is effectively inside a system it is no longer authorized to be in.
This case carries political and lore implications beyond pure routing.
Resolution Approaches
Stop and notify
When a route becomes invalid, the fleet halts at the last position it can safely hold and the player is notified. The player must issue new orders before movement resumes.
This is the safest approach. It never moves a fleet somewhere it should not go and never makes assumptions about intent.
The downside is that it requires player attention. A player who is not watching may have fleets sitting idle for a long time.
Automatic rerouting
The game calculates an alternative route and redirects the fleet without player input.
This keeps fleets moving but carries risk: the alternative route may be slower, more expensive, or strategically undesirable. The player may not want to expose the fleet to a different region or faction.
Automatic rerouting that crosses unexpected territory could be a significant problem in a game with territorial sovereignty.
Timed default with notification
The fleet stops and the player is notified. If the player does not respond within a defined window, a default action is applied — usually: return to origin.
This balances automation and player agency. It avoids indefinitely idle fleets without silently re-routing the fleet into unintended territory.
Access Revocation vs. Physical Blockade
These two causes of route disruption may need different treatment.
A physical blockade is a visible, military fact. The player can see it on the map and the fleet cannot pass through it. The resolution is straightforward: stop, notify, await orders.
Access revocation is more ambiguous. The fleet is in a system it is no longer supposed to be in. Whether it is expelled, allowed to finish the crossing, or penalized is a question that touches sovereign rights and diplomatic mechanics not yet defined.
The minimum safe behavior is: the fleet is allowed to exit the system it is currently crossing (since turning back mid-system may not be possible), but movement further along the invalidated route is blocked.
Open Questions
- Can a fleet be interdicted or expelled from a system whose access has been revoked, or is it only blocked from using future legs?
- If a fleet is stranded in a system with no valid exit route, what are the options — wait indefinitely, negotiate passage, scuttle?
- Should the game attempt automatic rerouting at all, or always require player input for re-routing decisions?
- If a blockade is lifted while the fleet is stopped, does movement resume automatically or does the player need to confirm?
- Are there any cases where a fleet in transit has immunity — e.g. a fleet already inside a system when access is revoked is allowed to continue through unimpeded?