With the "wings" update we are going to have indicators showing us how big is a supercruise group. Now, let's cut the c...heese. That's just an encounter level. So, let's apply D&D knowledge to them.
What do Dungeon Masters think of before creating an adventure? Sly Flourish's in "The Lazy Dungeon Master", establishes that most DMs think first about encounters and how to make them interesting. And that consists in two parts:
1) Make the monster group interesting.
Several monster combining abilities to make it more interesting and fun. In Elite, you can have a 6th level encounter (a propper challenge for a 6th level wing) with 4 Cobras or 3 ASP or a Python and 3 eagles, etc. (6th level, because it's the 6th ship on this list http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Ships, but it's just a reference to the "sum of power" (level encounter) on the wing).
But the idea is that an enemy wing uses complementary abilities. A Python engages directly, a running mechant throw mines while it's protected by Eagles, Vipers attack from very far while a tougher Cobra is upfront soaking damage, an elite Anaconda chases the slower enemy, etc. Players on a wing have to think strategically how to deal with the whole group, not just with each ship on their own.
2) Make the encounter location interesting.
Fighting in space against a lot of ships it's fun. You have to chase a ship, manage others trying to shoot at you, manage your resources, etc. A lot of adrenaline. But it's always the same. Always. I have seen some people talking about how great is fighting pirates on resource extraction sites, because of how they have to move between rocks (I agree, it's super fun) so, gave us more of that. More locations with something different to make a regular space fight "special".
Maybe a zone with a lot of electric interference and you can't lock on enemy ships and have to target by hand. Or one around the surface of a planetoid, between canyons, holes going through it, etc (something like Star Wars and I really expect something similar when planetary landing arrives). Or one around clouds (or rings) of dust, where ships can play hide and seek, going in and out of it. to surprise each other. Or near a very active volc... sun! and you may have to dodge flames while fighting and try to make your enemies go through it. Or in a place that depletes shield constantly. Or fighting in a big, metallic planet, full with defense systems, while you try to put a torpedo on a specific place, while dodging Vipers
.etc, etc, etc. This will make some fights different, breaking the routine and players will go back to "regular" space battles appreciating them, even more
What do Dungeon Masters think of before creating an adventure? Sly Flourish's in "The Lazy Dungeon Master", establishes that most DMs think first about encounters and how to make them interesting. And that consists in two parts:
1) Make the monster group interesting.
Several monster combining abilities to make it more interesting and fun. In Elite, you can have a 6th level encounter (a propper challenge for a 6th level wing) with 4 Cobras or 3 ASP or a Python and 3 eagles, etc. (6th level, because it's the 6th ship on this list http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Ships, but it's just a reference to the "sum of power" (level encounter) on the wing).
But the idea is that an enemy wing uses complementary abilities. A Python engages directly, a running mechant throw mines while it's protected by Eagles, Vipers attack from very far while a tougher Cobra is upfront soaking damage, an elite Anaconda chases the slower enemy, etc. Players on a wing have to think strategically how to deal with the whole group, not just with each ship on their own.
2) Make the encounter location interesting.
Fighting in space against a lot of ships it's fun. You have to chase a ship, manage others trying to shoot at you, manage your resources, etc. A lot of adrenaline. But it's always the same. Always. I have seen some people talking about how great is fighting pirates on resource extraction sites, because of how they have to move between rocks (I agree, it's super fun) so, gave us more of that. More locations with something different to make a regular space fight "special".
Maybe a zone with a lot of electric interference and you can't lock on enemy ships and have to target by hand. Or one around the surface of a planetoid, between canyons, holes going through it, etc (something like Star Wars and I really expect something similar when planetary landing arrives). Or one around clouds (or rings) of dust, where ships can play hide and seek, going in and out of it. to surprise each other. Or near a very active volc... sun! and you may have to dodge flames while fighting and try to make your enemies go through it. Or in a place that depletes shield constantly. Or fighting in a big, metallic planet, full with defense systems, while you try to put a torpedo on a specific place, while dodging Vipers
.etc, etc, etc. This will make some fights different, breaking the routine and players will go back to "regular" space battles appreciating them, even more