not sure if this is really a bug, or it was designed this way... but a lockdown drone's lifespan increases by 1 per turn, lol.

A side effect.
They are never designed to die (although they were once). It's probably quite a harmless/nice thing though.

heh, ok, thanks... ya, see just how long it's been without reinforcements

*bumped to show this post*

not that I've actually tried it (would you want to?) but would it be possible for something like this to happen:
1: someone fires a lockdown drone in a system where both races have a trade gate construct
2: both races leave
3: lockdown drone remains because there is still 2 opposing races ships in the area (the trade gates)
4: now no one can enter the system at all. only solution at this point is self destructing your trade gate.

I don't think that would work. trade gates don't count...

they do seem to count, i had to destroy pegasus's to clear all beholders etc from a system after he left.

*perks up at this*

They have to count- attack drones and mines can be used against trade-gates if they're the only enemy things in-system. (which is good- relying on someone to show up so you can destroy their outposts would be annoying)...

However this does lead to some wierdness regarding durable drones...

in fact this kind of came up because in one system I fired a lockdown drone when me and pegasus was in the system, we both had trade outposts. I left, so my lockdown drone went away, but the system is still locked...

speaking of which, this would never get that bad, because once the ship that fired the lockdown drone leaves, the drone should go away as well... however if you have a trade gate outpost, and leave, and the other side has a lockdown drone, the other side can do whatever completely unoposed without fear of anyone else showing up, unless you detonate your trade gate.

I'd say that lockdown should die if the only enemy in system is a construct.

So it's good to have it on the list.

Nosferatu is Highjacking my trade gate in the Reyney system,
but he has the system locked down, so I cannot enter.

I have no ships in the system, so this system is lost to me?

yep... actually that's what I was afraid of happening, really. he's taking your credits and there's not a thing you can do about it...

in effect, he has turned your own construct against you

--edit: forgot 1 important point...
there is one thing you can do however:
1: self destruct your construct
this clears the system and the lockdown drone dissapears
2: jump in your own forces now with the lockdown drone gone
(optional)
3: replace construct

--double edit: (heh, oops)
forgot to put this in way back when:
the situation I explained about both races leaving but the lockdown drone remaining wouldn't happen anyway... the lockdown drone should dissapear as soon as the ship that fired it leaves.

can constructs not count as ships in system or for determining races in system?

sounds like a valid bug to me - unless there are twp alian races in that system?

well, I think that's the problem... the outpost is counting as a ship presence in the system, keeping the lockdown drone alive, keeping any real ships from entering...

perhaps lockdown drones can stay alive only so long as there are more then 2 turn reports being sent in (so if the system only waits for 1 person's turn report, it dies)