4) Ideas for AI attacking behavior
A) New attack commands
Attack Assigned Types Only - Assign by Nationality, Roles, or individual type.
Attack Only When Threatened (i.e., shot at or enemy plane gets within 1,000 yards).
Attack Only When Escorted Types Threatened (when shot at or enemy plane gets within 1,000 yards of escorted types)
B) Specific Attack Strategies - in FMB or as player commands:
Frontal attacks on/off
Beam attacks on/off
Flank attacks on/off
Rear attacks on/off
Diving/Boom and Zoom attacks on/off
Climbing/attacks from below on/off
Turn fighting on/off
This will help the player keep the AI from doing STOOOPID things like slow closing attacks from the rear against a heavily armed bomber, or dogfighting with a more maneuverable opponent.
C) Attacking Formation behavior:
Lead plane in section attacks only - other planes only provide cover if lead plane attacked. This is equivalent to the current "Cover Me" command.
Formation Attack - All planes in section/flight attack lead's target while maintaining formation. A variant on existing "Attack My Target" command.
Individual Attack - The current default. All planes in section/flight attack independently. This is covered by existing "attack fighters," "attack bombers" and "attack" commands.
D) Target choice:
Attack damaged/undamaged planes only.
Attack lead/trailing planes only.
Attack high/low planes only.
E) Attack aggression
Defensive: Against fighters, attacker only makes an attack if he has clear advantages in height, position, numbers and/or plane quality. Against bombers, attacker only makes an attack if no enemy fighters are present and he is supported by multiple attackers (no solo attacks). If attacked, attacker will attempt to flee before he attempts to defend himself.
Aggressive: Against fighters, attacker only makes an attack if he has at least one advantage in height, position, numbers or plane quality. Attacker only attacks bombers if no enemy fighters are nearby (within 1,000 feet).
If attacked, attacker will attempt to defend himself before fleeing unless outnumbered or damaged.
Highly Aggressive: Current AI option. Attacker will press home attacks regardless of disadvantages and unfavorable tactical position. If attacked, attacker will attempt to defend himself against all odds until severely damaged or destroyed.
F) Options to Aggressiveness:
One Pass Only - Subject to conditions above, attacker makes one pass on the target and then attempts to flee.
Limited passes - As above, but the attacker will make a number of attacks specified by the mission builder (or player).
G) Options for cooperative attacks by section, flight or squadron.
"Drag and Bag"
Coordinated Beam Attacks
Coordinated High-Low Attacks
"Bracketing"
Shaw's book on fighter tactics covers the various options in detail.
http://www.jg-51.com/topsecret/Fight...aneuvering.pdf