2) Improvements to Self-Defensive Behavior.
There should be more options for AI maneuvering when attacked, in the FMB and/or as player commands:
A) Defensive Maneuvering In Formation:
Full Defense - Planes break formation when attacked - fleeing or defending as necessary.
Limited Defense - Individual planes maneuver when attacked while maintaining overall formation (i.e., limited jinking and weaving).
No Defense - Planes don't break formation when attacked.
B) Defensive Behavior Against Attack by Aircraft
Highly Defensive: Maneuver to avoid contact with/sighting by the enemy. Flee if attacked unless escape is impossible, then defend yourself.
Defensive - Flee if attacked unless escape is impossible, then defend yourself.
Aggressive - Current AI default. Defend yourself if attacked, fleeing only if badly damaged.
Suicidal - Ignore enemy attacks. Don't maneuver to defend yourself, although gunners can still attack.
C) Flak Defense Options:
Individual Defense - Planes maneuver to evade flak individually - alternating left and right turns of 10-60 degrees, and/or or minor climbs and dives of +/- 50-200 meters, at 15-30 second intervals while following the overall assigned flight path.
Formation Defense - Planes maneuver to avoid flak as a formation, as described above.
Suicidal - Planes ignore flak. E.g., bombers on bombing run from IP, torpedo bombers or kamikazes committed to attack run.
D) Cooperative Unit Self-Defense Options: Probably as player commands, although could be set as pre-programmed defenses in FMB or AI programming.
Lufberry Circle - By flight or squadron. Planes form a circle, with 100-300 meters between planes. Planes in the circle will engage in limited maneuvering to attack enemies manuevering to attack planes in front of them, essentially treating the plane ahead of them as the "lead" plane in a lead/wingman formation.
Beam Defense/"Thatch Weave" - by plane, section or flight. Lead and wingman, 2 2-plane sections in "line abreast" formation, or 2 4-plane flights in line abreast formation make overlapping "S-turns" to cover each other's flank and rear, maneuvering only to engage enemies attacking the leading formation.
Cover - by plane, section or flight. One or more planes, sections or flights in a squadron is assigned to take position above, below, ahead, behind, or to the left or right of another plane/section/flight, protecting them against attack. Example, "Section 1, give top cover to section 2".
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