[majorfailure]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

I've achieved "bounces" against unaware AI fighters, but I think you're mostly right.

Achieved, yes. Some were even believable, but most were chasing an AI that already was in a fight with me, then decided to leave, me pursuing and in the end shooting it down.

If estimates are correct, then almost half of planes shot down in real life were unaware or aware too late of their attackers. If Il-2 reached close to 10% I'd be pleased.

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

But, the amount of time the AI spends scanning the sky is pretty impressive. I'd alter things as follows:

Unqualified: Blind to any plane not in their front 60 degree arc and within 1,000 meters. Doesn't maneuver to check blind spots. Doesn't react when fired up until bullets actually hit the aircraft and then likely to panic.

Doesn't recognize hostile or friendly aircraft as such until they are clearly obvious (i.e., 300 meters for fighters).

Rookie: Blind to any plane not within 1,000 meters. Very limited ability to detect aircraft outside of their 60 degree front arc. Doesn't maneuver to check blind spots. Doesn't react immediately until fired upon and might panic.

Doesn't immediately recognize hostile or friendly aircraft, but always recognizes them when they are clearly obvious.

Average: Normal sighting distances (modified normally by superior/inferior Vision and Gunnery). Occasionally maneuvers to check blind spots. Reacts immediately when fired upon, but might occasionally panic.

Sometimes fails to recognize hostile or friendly aircraft until they are clearly obvious.

Veteran: Improved sighting distances. Maneuvers every 30 seconds to check blind spots. Reacts immediately when fired upon, seldom panics.

Rarely fails to recognize hostile or friendly aircraft.

Ace: Improved sighting ranges (even beyond Veteran). Maneuvers every 15-30 seconds on a random basis to check blind spots. Reacts immediately when fired upon and never panics.

Always recognizes hostile or friendly aircraft.

I'd say if you additionally allow for radio comms (e. g. better AI in the region/same flight calling out the bandits/bogeys), and also do not make spotting skill rigidly connected to general AI skill (there were pilots with keen eyesight even as rookies, and some of those had nerves of steel - future aces to be)

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

But, sometimes realistic. Admittedly, bomber AI is often screwy but occasionally a single bomber would fly defensively in ways that surprised the attackers. Saburo Sakai was most impressed by a RAAF Hudson which managed to avoid being shot down for over 20 minutes because of its (unknown) pilot's remarkable acrobatics.

Lt. Charlie Brown, a B-17 pilot on his first mission, managed to hold off an entire gaggle of FW-190 and Bf-109, by aggressively maneuvering his damaged aircraft:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie...igler_incident

That said, it's insane for AI bombers to break formation and try to maneuver as fighters as they sometimes do. Proper tactics are to close up and let concentration of defensive firepower to its work. Only rookies, panicked pilots, and stragglers should break formation.

That is what I meant - bombers that are in formation should not do this.

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

How is this not realistic? During WW2, every air force advised its gunners to aim for the engine, cockpit and fuel tanks. Conveniently for gunners, in most planes those parts are all arranged around the aircraft's center of gravity - AKA center of mass.

It is realistic to try. And it is realistic to hit when target approaches on a low angle low deflection path, dead six for rear gunner. It is not realistic to make hits dead center when target approaches fast, off angle and from above - in a situation where even hitting the attacking fighter at all would be lucky or extremly skilled. And I have had this more than once - either real bad luck or too high chance to hit.
(On a sidenote, I have been shot three times by now by rifle caliber guns, me flying an nearly undamaged IL-2, technically impossible IMHO)

And my dead six approach tactics was not about the AI behavior, its what I sometimes do - and I find I should get punished more for dead six and/or rewarded more for "survivalistic" tactics.

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

This is somewhat realistic. There's always a tendency for a fighter pilot to get "target fixation" and a smoking, crippled plane is an obvious target.

In particular, late war US pilots were notorious for wanting to "rack up a score" (i.e., confirm that an enemy was destroyed) so less disciplined pilots might very well chase a badly wounded enemy to their ultimate detriment, or to the detriment of the mission.

Yeah, if you have numerical superiority and maybe buddies that can save your bacon by diving at an enemy appearing behind you. But not if you are equal numbers, and not all the time. Equal numbers, first plane I hit usually gets labeled "lesser threat" - at least when I have the feeling I hit something that might be vital or at least better to have unbroken if you want to have a pleasant flight (sometimes signs are pretty clear, like plane not reacting(pilot/controls shot?), smoke, fire, fuel leak, parts falling off. Other time I go with gut feeling that this plane should be less flyable than before - and I'm right half of the time. I'm aware that I may judge incorrect. But it is better to do so and go for more vital threats, than following a possibly dead enemy plane down to the bogs - even if he is still in a pretty good shape, by now he has lost position. He may come back later, but for now he is a lesser threat. And if there are not too many enemies around, I still can keep an eye for that.
And while this may be too sophisticated for the lesser AI - even they should have a limit how many of them get drawn downward - its just ridiculous to have two flights chase one near dead enemy while they all lose position towards other enemies.

My suggestion for "close escort" defense - where escorting fighters always let retreating enemies go without following - would fix this problem.

Currently, you have to be very strict when you command your AI, using the "rejoin me" on a regular basis in order to get them to break off attacks or to stop chasing enemies.

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Remarkably, the pilots under your command always hear you, and always obey your orders! Maybe realistic for authoritarian air forces like the Soviets, Japanese or Luftwaffe, but not so much for democratic air forces like the Americans, French or UK.

Most of the times they do, and it has gotten easier with last two patches. And while they are still a handfull most time, they can follow orders sometimes. A little more control would be nice.
I wish they did follow orders all the time - they don't. Sometimes they - especially if what you currently want them to do does not follow mission goals to protocol, they just use your orders to break formation, fly off to some VITALLY important waypoint, airfield, friendlies, ground target. Best case, you gave orders to attack enemies and they do that enemies try to bag them and you may get one or two down. Worst case you are suddenly alone against an enemy flight - and soon in a bad spot.