The captains of ships (both player owned and NPC) are capable of performing a variety of tasks based on the skill level of the captain and the size/role of ship flown. These tasks can be direct Orders or Default Behaviours which are automatically performed when there are no orders queued. Player owned ships can be ordered by selecting the ship with a left click and then right clicking the target object/location to open a menu with a choice of available orders. The Default Behaviour for the ship is set under the Behaviour section of the Information tab of the Map. Some behaviours have additional fields that need to be set before the ship will begin performing the task.
Orders
Orders
Fly To - Ship will fly to an object and wait. If instructed to fly to a moving object the ship will follow the object.
Protect - Ship will fly around a static target or follow a moving target until that target is attacked.
Dock at - Ship will fly to and then dock and wait and an object.
Dock to trade - Ship will fly to and then dock and trade with an object.
Venture From - Ship (Must be M/S) will fly to a venture sendoff dock and wait until sent on a venture.
Attack - Ship will attack the selected target.
Attack Multiple Objects - Ship will attack the selected targets.
Upgrade/Repair At - Ship will dock at and then repair at a wharf/shipyard/resupply ship in a way specified by the player.
Sell Ship At - Ship's ownership will be transferred to the recipient faction and the player is paid a 2nd hand rate for the ship.
Explore - Ship will move in a spiral shape to uncover a specified radius of a sector.
Update Trade Offers - Ship will fly around a sector and update station trade offers. Note: as the ship is moving and isn't constantly updating the entire sectors trade offers at one time some stations information is inaccurate until the ship passes it again.
Collect Drops - Ship will collect specified drops in an area. (can be set up to collect, legal, illegal or trade/mining wares)
Mine - Mining ship will mine for resources in a specified region.
Deploy At Position - Ship will deploy a specified deployable satellite, lasertower, etc) at a selected location.
Trade Orders
Trade With - Ship will trade with a station/resupply ship (monetary transaction).
Transfer Wares With - Ship will exchange wares with a station/resupply ship (no monetary transaction).
Assign Role For
Defend - Ship(s) will defend their commanding ship/ station and will act when the commanding ship/station is attacked.
Attack - Ships(s) will attack their commanding ship/station's target. (this order is quite handy for getting S ships to swarm capitals)
Interception - Ship(s) will attack hostile fighters (S/M) ships near its commander. (this order is suitable for keeping light nimble fighters away from destroyers and carriers)
Resupply For - Resupply ship(s) will buy wares to resupply and repair their commanding ship's fleet. When not trading for wares the resupply ship will try to fly with the fleet.
Mining For - Mining ship(s) will collect/mine resources for their commanding station.
Trading For - Trading ship(s) will trade resources for their commanding station.
Default Behaviours
Combat
Patrol - Ship(s) will fly around a specified sector in a specified range and attack hostile ships and stations.
Police - Ship(s) will patrol and scan ships in a specified sector in a specified range and attack ships with illicit goods that refuse to drop them. (When the player uses this command illicit wares are determined from the list under 'Global Orders'. it is best used in a player-controlled sector).
Protect Position - Ship(s) will defend their assigned position in a specified radius.
Protect Ship - Ship(s) will follow and defend their assigned ship.
Protect Station - Ship(s) will fly near and defend their assigned station.
Mining
AutoMine - Mining ship will automatically mine and trade in a range based on skill level.
Navigation
Dock And Wait - Ship will dock and then wait at a specified object.
Explore - Ship will move in a spiral shape to cover a specified radius of a sector.
Follow Ship - Ship will follow a specified ship
Fly to Object - Ship will fly to a specified object (can be ship/station/gate etc) and then wait. In the case of a ship it will follow the ship.
Fly and Wait - Ship will fly to a specified point on the map and then stop and wait.
Hold Position - Ship will maintain current position either docked or undocked. It is the default behaviour for newly built/captured ships.
Revisit known stations - Ship will fly between stations in a chosen sector, dock at them temporarily, and then proceed to the next station. (It is most useful for leveling up pilots).
Trade
Find Build Tasks - Builder ship will fly slowly around the galaxy looking to build NPC stations.
Distribute Wares - Ship (recommended for L traders) will buy a ware en masse from a specified whitelist at a station and sell it in smaller amounts to stations/resupply ships.
Plunder - Ship will attempt to attack NPC trade ships forcing them to drop their cargo and will then collect the cargo (cargo drones required) and take them back to a station. (the effectiveness of this command is uncertain and will undoubtedly get the player in trouble with faction police).
AutoTrade - Ship (recommended for M/S traders) will buy a ware from a specified whitelist at a station and sell it to a station/resupply ship.