==Intro==
Planets can't be conquered, researches and mines can't be torn down by other players. Ships and defence, however, can be destroyed. While destroyed defenses don't create any debris of the Structural Integrity (metal + crystal) used to build a ship will end into debris, where attackers can harvest it and use it themselves. Each attack can also take up to 50% of the resources you left on the planet.
Mastering the art of fleetsave requires understanding one important concept of Ogame, that while your fleet is moving around the Universe, it cannot be attacked. Therefore it is imperative that you fleetsave while you're not online.
Fleetsaving is important to any type of player. "No FS = no Fleet" is a golden rule of Ogame and respecting it surely is the first step to a successful Ogame career.
==Theoretical concepts==
The more time you are online, the more you play, the less and the shorter you are safe the harder it is to catch your fleet. Depending on your universe's activity and depending on the fleeters playing in it, it might be crucial to save at a certain time in day instead over night.
=Variance=
If you change your saving-technique regularly, it will be harder to predict your fleetsave resulting in less chance to catch your fleet. Do not save at the same position and timing every day (especially when saving Moon -> Harvest or Moon -> Colonising or Moon -> ACS defend to moon). Vary your savetimes. Even small changes (about 30 minutes - 1 hour) do matter. Ideally you want to switch up your savetimes completely.
=Splitting your fleet=
There are players that tend to split their fleets into several parts and save all parts individually (like 1/4 of your fleet per moon). This is only useful if your attacker is trying to maximize his win and minimize his efforts. In older universes or universes that progressed to the point where destroying all your moons is easy, you should abandon splitting your fleet, as you will not be able to save any of your fleet's parts. Even in fresh universes it is questionable if splitting your fleet for saving is actually useful or not.
=Observing=
Observing your target is a crucial skill as an attacker, but nonetheless it is important for you (as the attacked one) as well. The least a potential attacker has to do to attack your fleet is: Spy/Scan or phalanx your fleet (saving without moon). After finding you, the attacker has to wait until you log off. A player who has never seen your fleet before is unlikely to attack you or blindly destroying your moons.
==Advices==
Bascially, when you notice someone is regularly scanning you or trying to attack you where you usually fleetsave it is imperative to switch up your savingmethod.
Many fleeters wait for you to idle and leave your fleet alone for a while not saving it properly. So if player A is observing you on coordinate B because he is positioned close to it, do not leave your fleet alone on coodinate B. Leave it somewhere else, so you have more time to log in, in case something happened and delayed you. Do not leave your fleet idleing close to players who are trying to catch you. They will gladly take your fleet.
New planets in your own system could be rated as a confession: I want your fleet!
=Always save your fleet!=
No matter when and for how long you have to leave your fleet unattended: Save it!
=Be online before fleet returns=
A good value is being online at least 1 hour before your fleet returns from save to check for anything strange in your account. If something happened, like this you still have some time to react.
=Stay yourself=
In the following save descriptions you will see, that increasing universe speed requires you to invest more time into OGame to stay safe. This is just a game and that is what it is supposed to remain. Do not overdo it.
==Fleetsaving==
=Why do I need a moon?=
A moon has several benefits for saving and defending your fleet.
1. Moon hides your fleet. It cannot be phalanxed as long as the moon is not destroyed (exluding Moon -> Harvest or Moon -> planet (any mission). They can be retimed without destroying the moon. However a potential attacker does not know what might hide behind the moon [possible defenders]).
2. Friends/Helpers/Defenders can hide behind the moon as well.
3. You can use your moon for jumping (moving fleet between moons with cooldown within a second).
4. You can position tons of ressources on your moon, not affecting any production.
==Fleetsaving without a moon==
=1. Harvest / Colonising / ACS defend (defending duration = 0 hours)=
You should refrain from using them as fast as possible. Furthermore they are pretty similar to each other. You have a flight to your destination, an impact time and a flight back to your starting position. These methods are only viable in a universe's first few days, as long as there are no moons and/or lanxes that can reach you. Afterwards these saving methods are a free ticket to lose your fleet.
=2. Deployment (planet to planet)=
If you have no moon you should only save like this. Deployment from planet to planet. It enables you to always have the chance to recall your fleet (that's why you have to log in before your fleet returns). Deployment (recalled) cannot be seen in the phalanx anymore. Deployment can only be seen by phalanxing the target. After recalling, it disappears. A potential attacker has to spend a lot of deuterium (phalanxing every few seconds until you recall) to determine your return time. Small fleets are not worth doing so. Especially when your start planet (now your returning target) is not in the attacker's phalanx range.
==Fleetsaving with a moon==
=1. Moon -> Harvest / Moon -> Colonising | Moon -> ACS defend to mate's Moon (defending duration = 0 hours)=
You still have a flight to your destination, an impact and a flight back to your starting moon. As long as your starting moon is not being destroyed all three methods are really safe (be aware Moon -> Harvest can be retimed by observing debris fields. Use shadow waves). However, if you lose your origin moon your fleet is probably lost. It is hard to react in time, as the moon can be destroyed close to your return time, except you've been online for several hours before your fleet returns from save. After your moon has been successfully destroyed all 3 missions are easily lanxable.
If you are using these techniques pay close attention to Variance chapter. Save from different positions, otherwise you become an easy target.
=2. Moon/Planet -> Moon: Deployment (Recall)=
This is how you want to save your fleet! This is, by far, the safest saving method. You deploy your fleet to one of your moons. It is not that important to start from a moon however it is recommended. By saving Moon -> Moon: Deployment (Recall) you can become close to uncatchable. It's still possible to lose your fleet, but if you are doing it right it is way too expensive.
To carry out a deployment save with huge fleets most of the time you use two moons in the same system to minimize fuelcosts. Throw in some RIPs to slow down your fleet to increase savetime. If you do not recall your fleet, half the fuelcosts will recover.
To become invisible it is essential that you recall your fleet before a potential attacker could destroy your destination moon. After recalling your fleet is no longer visible in the lanx even if your moons fall and before your recall the fleet was sent between two moons, these are unlanxable.
=> Attackers have no exact time when your fleet returns. They can only guess.
There are two methods to ensure, that your fleet is recalled before your savemoons fall:
1. You only log off/go to sleep when your fleet is already recalled. Example: 8 hours before you go to sleep you save via deployment. When you go to sleep you recall your fleet and it will be extremely save for 8 hours.
2. Every few hours (depending on universe's speed) you check if a recall is necessary.
Advantage: You are not bound to save your fleet before you actually go offline.
You might be able to safe deuterium.
Disadvante: You cannot sleep for more than x hours straight.
=3. Moon -> Harvest on Moon's DF=
Last but no least.
It is the cheapest saving method. Takes as much deuterium as flying to the moon's planet. You should only use this when you are experienced with shadow waves. On top of that: This is only useful in slow universes, otherwise you will not have much savetime.
Planets can't be conquered, researches and mines can't be torn down by other players. Ships and defence, however, can be destroyed. While destroyed defenses don't create any debris of the Structural Integrity (metal + crystal) used to build a ship will end into debris, where attackers can harvest it and use it themselves. Each attack can also take up to 50% of the resources you left on the planet.
Mastering the art of fleetsave requires understanding one important concept of Ogame, that while your fleet is moving around the Universe, it cannot be attacked. Therefore it is imperative that you fleetsave while you're not online.
Fleetsaving is important to any type of player. "No FS = no Fleet" is a golden rule of Ogame and respecting it surely is the first step to a successful Ogame career.
==Theoretical concepts==
The more time you are online, the more you play, the less and the shorter you are safe the harder it is to catch your fleet. Depending on your universe's activity and depending on the fleeters playing in it, it might be crucial to save at a certain time in day instead over night.
=Variance=
If you change your saving-technique regularly, it will be harder to predict your fleetsave resulting in less chance to catch your fleet. Do not save at the same position and timing every day (especially when saving Moon -> Harvest or Moon -> Colonising or Moon -> ACS defend to moon). Vary your savetimes. Even small changes (about 30 minutes - 1 hour) do matter. Ideally you want to switch up your savetimes completely.
=Splitting your fleet=
There are players that tend to split their fleets into several parts and save all parts individually (like 1/4 of your fleet per moon). This is only useful if your attacker is trying to maximize his win and minimize his efforts. In older universes or universes that progressed to the point where destroying all your moons is easy, you should abandon splitting your fleet, as you will not be able to save any of your fleet's parts. Even in fresh universes it is questionable if splitting your fleet for saving is actually useful or not.
=Observing=
Observing your target is a crucial skill as an attacker, but nonetheless it is important for you (as the attacked one) as well. The least a potential attacker has to do to attack your fleet is: Spy/Scan or phalanx your fleet (saving without moon). After finding you, the attacker has to wait until you log off. A player who has never seen your fleet before is unlikely to attack you or blindly destroying your moons.
==Advices==
Bascially, when you notice someone is regularly scanning you or trying to attack you where you usually fleetsave it is imperative to switch up your savingmethod.
Many fleeters wait for you to idle and leave your fleet alone for a while not saving it properly. So if player A is observing you on coordinate B because he is positioned close to it, do not leave your fleet alone on coodinate B. Leave it somewhere else, so you have more time to log in, in case something happened and delayed you. Do not leave your fleet idleing close to players who are trying to catch you. They will gladly take your fleet.
New planets in your own system could be rated as a confession: I want your fleet!
=Always save your fleet!=
No matter when and for how long you have to leave your fleet unattended: Save it!
=Be online before fleet returns=
A good value is being online at least 1 hour before your fleet returns from save to check for anything strange in your account. If something happened, like this you still have some time to react.
=Stay yourself=
In the following save descriptions you will see, that increasing universe speed requires you to invest more time into OGame to stay safe. This is just a game and that is what it is supposed to remain. Do not overdo it.
==Fleetsaving==
=Why do I need a moon?=
A moon has several benefits for saving and defending your fleet.
1. Moon hides your fleet. It cannot be phalanxed as long as the moon is not destroyed (exluding Moon -> Harvest or Moon -> planet (any mission). They can be retimed without destroying the moon. However a potential attacker does not know what might hide behind the moon [possible defenders]).
2. Friends/Helpers/Defenders can hide behind the moon as well.
3. You can use your moon for jumping (moving fleet between moons with cooldown within a second).
4. You can position tons of ressources on your moon, not affecting any production.
==Fleetsaving without a moon==
=1. Harvest / Colonising / ACS defend (defending duration = 0 hours)=
You should refrain from using them as fast as possible. Furthermore they are pretty similar to each other. You have a flight to your destination, an impact time and a flight back to your starting position. These methods are only viable in a universe's first few days, as long as there are no moons and/or lanxes that can reach you. Afterwards these saving methods are a free ticket to lose your fleet.
=2. Deployment (planet to planet)=
If you have no moon you should only save like this. Deployment from planet to planet. It enables you to always have the chance to recall your fleet (that's why you have to log in before your fleet returns). Deployment (recalled) cannot be seen in the phalanx anymore. Deployment can only be seen by phalanxing the target. After recalling, it disappears. A potential attacker has to spend a lot of deuterium (phalanxing every few seconds until you recall) to determine your return time. Small fleets are not worth doing so. Especially when your start planet (now your returning target) is not in the attacker's phalanx range.
==Fleetsaving with a moon==
=1. Moon -> Harvest / Moon -> Colonising | Moon -> ACS defend to mate's Moon (defending duration = 0 hours)=
You still have a flight to your destination, an impact and a flight back to your starting moon. As long as your starting moon is not being destroyed all three methods are really safe (be aware Moon -> Harvest can be retimed by observing debris fields. Use shadow waves). However, if you lose your origin moon your fleet is probably lost. It is hard to react in time, as the moon can be destroyed close to your return time, except you've been online for several hours before your fleet returns from save. After your moon has been successfully destroyed all 3 missions are easily lanxable.
If you are using these techniques pay close attention to Variance chapter. Save from different positions, otherwise you become an easy target.
=2. Moon/Planet -> Moon: Deployment (Recall)=
This is how you want to save your fleet! This is, by far, the safest saving method. You deploy your fleet to one of your moons. It is not that important to start from a moon however it is recommended. By saving Moon -> Moon: Deployment (Recall) you can become close to uncatchable. It's still possible to lose your fleet, but if you are doing it right it is way too expensive.
To carry out a deployment save with huge fleets most of the time you use two moons in the same system to minimize fuelcosts. Throw in some RIPs to slow down your fleet to increase savetime. If you do not recall your fleet, half the fuelcosts will recover.
To become invisible it is essential that you recall your fleet before a potential attacker could destroy your destination moon. After recalling your fleet is no longer visible in the lanx even if your moons fall and before your recall the fleet was sent between two moons, these are unlanxable.
=> Attackers have no exact time when your fleet returns. They can only guess.
There are two methods to ensure, that your fleet is recalled before your savemoons fall:
1. You only log off/go to sleep when your fleet is already recalled. Example: 8 hours before you go to sleep you save via deployment. When you go to sleep you recall your fleet and it will be extremely save for 8 hours.
2. Every few hours (depending on universe's speed) you check if a recall is necessary.
Advantage: You are not bound to save your fleet before you actually go offline.
You might be able to safe deuterium.
Disadvante: You cannot sleep for more than x hours straight.
=3. Moon -> Harvest on Moon's DF=
Last but no least.
It is the cheapest saving method. Takes as much deuterium as flying to the moon's planet. You should only use this when you are experienced with shadow waves. On top of that: This is only useful in slow universes, otherwise you will not have much savetime.
