If I build an outpost, thus extending the range I could travel to, and then send a fleet to the newly available region, and then scrap or lose the outpost, the result is currently that the fleet continues travelling to its destination, it can fight and stay there as long it wishes, and can at will travel anywhere that is in the empire's fuel range.
I feel like this behavior limits the effectiveness of defense through attacking the enemy supply lines, and I'd have rather seen either:
- the fleet being forced back mid trip,
or:
- The fleet reaches its destination, can attack for 1 turn, and then is forced to plot a course to any supplied destination (automatically directed to a nearby colony, user is allowed to redirect anywhere, but not to stay put)
or:
- the fleet becoming marooned on its destination until the empire's fuel supply range is restored. While marooned the fleet cannot plot a course back, doesn't get new supplies of missiles/interceptors between battles, etc.
or:
- the fleet gets destroyed. This may seem too harsh and unrealistic, but it does make strategy more interesting, as defending border colonies while an attack fleet is out becomes really important, and a superior enemy force can be defeated in the right circumstance.