Suggestions for AI Improvements

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Derda508

As a repost from the other thread, I think this could help:
At present, if you try to attack a big formation of bombers with a small number of attackers, the protecting fighters will all immediately go for you, leave their bombers and chase you all over the map, even if you spend all your ammo and are no threat anymore. Your own AI (even obsolete Bf 110) will not go for a quick attack on a bomber, but happily engage in turnfights with vastly superior numbers of enemy fighters.
To create more 'realistic' bomber intercepts and survivable missions for destroyers the missionbuilder would need to be able to give several commands for attackers and defenders:
Blue high flying fighters (Bf-109, Ki-100 etc.): Attack fighters only
Blue bomber interceptors (Me 410, FW-190, Ki 84 etc.): Attack bombers only
Red fighter cover: Stick to the bombers, never get further than XXX distance from them.

I actually had your post in mind when I included some of my suggestions.

But, one important change to player commands or the QMB or FMB is the possibility of including aircraft of different types into a single section, flight or squadron.

If that fix is implemented, here's how my AI fixes would meet your request:

For the defenders:

Set a Squadron Formation of 3 flights of 4 (2 sections each). Say P-51Ds.

Choose "1944 USAAF Squadron Escort Formation"

This automatically sets up 3 flights of 4 planes, with sections of 2 planes, flying in line abreast, with top cover 1,000 meters above and 1,000 meters to the left of the "close cover escort", and the close cover escort 1,000 meters above and 1,000 meters to the right of the close cover flight.

Red Flight is set automatically as "top cover" - they'll chase fighters all over the map, just like normal.

Blue Flight is set automatically as "close cover escort" - they'll automatically attack anything attacking the "close cover" flight but won't follow attackers once they're driven off.

Green Flight is set automatically as "close cover" - they'll attack anything that gets close to the bombers, but won't pursue retreating attackers.

All flights will automatically follow the planes they're set to escort. Set "evade flak as formation".

The P-51 are escorting 3 squadrons of B-17G. You choose "1944 USAAF Heavy Bomber Wing Box formation". Choose "evade flak as formation." and "Maneuver within formation to evade enemy attacks."

That means that the bombers all line up nicely, and won't break formation, just like they're supposed to.

For the attackers:

Assume a squadron of 12 planes, but 3 different types, say Bf-109G, Me-410B, and Ju-88C-6 (Hey, this is a wish list thread, I can dream!)

Set the Squadron formation to "Line Abreast." Choose "Flights" as division elements within the squadron. Choose "Stepped Left, 1,000 meters" for modifiers to the squadron formation. Choose "sections of 2" for division elements within each flight. Choose "Finger Four" for formation within each flight.

Top Flight: Bf-109G - Give them the command to "attack fighters only" (currently available as player command, but could be added to QMB/FMB). They'll tangle with the fighters.

Middle Flight: Bf-110 - Give them the command to "attack bombers only", check "head on," "beam attacks," and "attack from above" for attack types. Set aggressiveness to "Aggressive." They'll make repeated frontal and beam attacks as long as they aren't actively threatened by fighters.

Low Flight: Ju-88C-6 - As for the Bf-110s, but set them to make "one pass only" and then "attack stragglers only." They'll make one pass through the main bomber formation, and then pick on straggling bombers.

So, in the FMB, that would allow you to quickly set up an authentic 1944 "Battle of Germany" scenario with proper formations and AI behavior in just a few minutes. Currently, it would take half an hour and the AI still wouldn't behave right. (And, yes, the scenario has 60 planes in the air, so realistically it would be a "slide show". But, wish list thread, I can dream!)