Arcade Mode Question
 

How many bullets are represented by each arrow in arcade mode?

Is it a 1:1 ratio or something else?

Yes, interesting question! And also, is there some diference concerning to arrows and javelins? Guess arrows represent machine gun bullets and javelins cannon shells but...

One arrow, one bullet. Unless the shell explodes, then it should be one arrow per shell fragment.

Thanks for the info. I figured that the "starbursts" represented cannon shell fragments.

"Headshot/PK" = pilot or crew killed. Interestingly, you only get PK or crew killed if the bullet/fragment actually hits the head. Bullets or shells that pass through any other part of the figure have no obvious effect.

Return to Base/RTB = Serious damage to the plane, but no actual effect on behavior in combat.

I'm on fire/bailing out = whether or not the plane is actually on fire, the crew will try to bail.

IIRC the AI "bleed out" as do humans, light red to dark red heavy controls etc then dead .











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They CAN bleed out, just like human player. But they don't need to.

They will try to get out of the trouble and RTB... if they can. :)

Good to know. It just seems that most AI aircraft aren't very aggressive about RTB so it's hard to tell.

For example, for QMB missions on the Pacific Islands map where there is a friendly airbase just minutes away, an aggressive attempt to RTB would be to dive out of combat (assuming combat takes place at altitude), abandon existing waypoints and aim directly for the base. Instead, badly damaged planes, especially bombers, keep formation and try to follow existing waypoints, often crashing into hills or ocean on the way back home.

Additionally, AI RTB planes which are in serious trouble - with problems like fires or inability to keep altitude don't recognize that the better strategy would be to ditch or bail out. Instead, the pilot will often fly his plane towards an airbase until it's too late to bail out or ditch and will end up crashing.

Caspar, something I've been wondering about is why when the ai tries to run away, he always climbs and tries to reach 2km (starting height of our quick mission) with his engine damaged and smoking? Surely it would be more logical to leave on the deck to achieve seperation (as per Shaw) thereby putting the engine under less stress. The ai engine never blows as he climbs and performance does not appear to be impaired while doing it?

Odd, in the default game (4.07?) I always feel that the autopilot does dive for the deck (or perhaps some low waypoint height), while over enemy territory, with a damaged or even stopped engine. If over enemy territory and with debatable power to reach the front line, climbing is what I will do if I can, so I stand a chance of gliding as near to home as I can, because the front line can move towards your base as well as away from it, and a MIA is a death in this game.