[ben_wh]

Hi all,

This is another attempt to summarize the ideas so far (in simplified form):

Combat AI Behavior

1) Gunnery accuracy refinement (toning down) of rookie and regular pilots

2) More detailed engagement/ disengagement / retreat logic based not only on plane status (damage, ammo and fuel level) but also on tactical situation, for example

- Number of opponent Vs friendly
- Whether flight/section leader is lost
- Relative height to opponents
- Skill level of the AI, among others

3) Potentially better BnZ behavior among AIs (This issue can sometimes be seen in set-up such as Ace P-38 AI Vs. Regular A6M Zero AI. This may need to be considered more since this is relative to the plane match-up: one plane is an energy fighter in a match-up but may be a turn fighter in another.)

In-flight Behavior

4) Emergency Landing: potential for AI plane to automatically (or on command of the human player) divert to airfield marked as 'friendly' (e.g. same colour - red or blue - as the AI plane)

5) Potentially to implement routine to let AI recognize distance to different marked landing sites (e.g. take-off way point and landing way point) and make routing decision based on distance to site and its own condition (e.g. damage, fuel status)

6) AI flight leader can yield command if severely damaged so that the next-plane-in-command (AI wingman or section lead) can take over, to avoid the whole AI flight getting 'drag down' by a damaged leader


Communication with AI

7) Better command/communication - ability to ask wingman to check your six, for example

8 ) 'Return to Base' command to individual plane which will ignore any preceding way point to get home

9) Potentially for human player to 'take control' over from the airfield tower to issue command and assign landing priority to different AI planes


Other AI Suggestions:

10) Doctrinal/national behavior by time frame - ideas: Vic formation for Commonwealth planes in 39-40; random (infrequent, occasional) kamikaze behavior for damaged Japanese planes in 44-45 - this one will needed to be teased out more as well; not sure whether AI behavior by nation is feasible / desired by players

11) Potential simple evasive maneuver (with land avoidance) routine for capital ships when under attack

Please feel free to fill in any gap you see and more suggestion welcomed.

Cheers,