newB typical question/mistake?

Hi Everyone,

First, thanks to the one (or those) who are keeping this wonderfull game alive.

Discovered after protocol twoo weeks ago and started some days ago.
Played beyond protocol years ago but not enoegh to remember some important details,
hope someone will be kind to answer because couldn't find clear answers to those question on the forums and manuals...
And I'm sure some others have, had or will have the same questions...

1) Some units (engeniers, starting ligth figthers, corvette,...) won't go back on planets?
Generaly units sent to space won't go (back) to planets, even if there is no apparent CP problem, nor battle or such. I do select the unit, left clic on planet, then rigth clic on the map...the unit semmes to accept orders go over the planet, wait, then don't enter athmosphere but go to the sun.
Can't remeber nor understand where is the problem?
Is it about the numbers of colony? About some shield?

2) About placing guns on ships/moving units
From my first try with bp years ago, I do remeber that there was an important rule about placing gun ...as i can remeber my very first corvette where unable to fire at selected target...
Was it because i did place primary weapons on the side or the back? (when i should only place primary on front??)
Or was it because one should not place weapons on side or back?
Can't remember and as there is no way (as far as i know?) to test military units, it would be very kind if someone could help?

Thanks in advance,
Best Regards

To answer your questions...

1) This issue tends to happen when the server needs a restart. I have already requested it from Sir P, but you should mention these problems to him yourself so that he has more than one source. E-mail Sir Paradox at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2) More than half of the hull space allocated to a weapons group should be on the arc you want the gun to fire from if you are allocating space in only two arcs. So if you are laying out weapons group 1 in the hull designer, you want it to fire from the front, and it would take 9 of the squares to provide enough hull space for the intended weapon, you would need at least 5 of those squares to be on the front arc. If the total was 8 spaces, you still would need at least 5 (over half). If divided up between a total of 3 arcs, you could go a little lower, as long as the number on the front arc is greater than on the other arcs. So, if the total needed was 8, then you could have 4 on the front, and 2 each on the left and right, or even 3 on the left/right and 1 on the other side.

As far as what you can do when placing weapons, you can have guns on any side, it's just that they will only fire from that side and so that side would need to face the enemy for it to fire.

thanks for your answer,
I will send amail to Sir P.

Note that actually it seems impossile to connect, staying front of the start window..."validating vesrion"...
someone else?
is it also a server problem?
Tanks.

The server has been restarted, so it is possible to log in again.