4.11 - AI debugging

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by majorfailure

This is in QMB, right?

Yes. And you might be right that it's a QMB vs. FMB issue. I'm a bit surprised if it is, though. I thought that AI was independent of FMB vs. QMB.

Originally Posted by majorfailure

I think this is a QMB related issue, if I try to shoot down bombers with at least a decent defensive armament in QMB from anything close to 6'o clock, even with significant altitude and speed advantage, I'm meat on a platter even for average AI.

This is as it should be. For flexible guns shooting a plane attacking from the rear with no angle of deflection is the easiest shot to make. Even a rookie should be able to hit planes that attack like this.

Originally Posted by majorfailure

In "normal" missions, if I do anything else than parking behind a Bomber with average AI, I'm usually fine, even if I approach from 6'o clock. Coming from above and off-angle or head on versus normal AI I hardly get hit ever.

That doesn't seem right. The second easiest shot to make is against a head-on attack with no angle of deflection.

Moving along two axes (e.g., diving and closing on the target) isn't that hard to track for a defensive gunner. Moving along all three axes (i.e., diving, slipping and closing - like with a high-side attack) is a challenge even for a good defensive gunner.

Originally Posted by majorfailure

And Bombers don't do some silly "dancing" as sometimes happens in QMB. Maybe QMB somehow still uses 4.10 AI?

I'm not sure that they do, since they don't have that sniper-like accuracy anymore, especially not at long ranges (remember back before 4.11 where a B-17 tailgunner could devastate your Bf-109G or kill you at 600 meters range?). Part of my original complaint came from the fact that by trying to "dance around" the bombers defensive fire wasn't nearly as accurate as it should be.

Originally Posted by majorfailure

Their evasion patterns have become more convincing to me -most of the time.

Yes. And if you replay the same mission (using AI on both sides) you'll notice that each side uses different techniques each time - enough that sometimes one plane will win, sometimes the other will win, based on who chose what tactics.

What I'd like to see is, in addition to team tactics is realistic high altitude/level bomber behavior - Ace or veteran crews will have tighter formations, lone bombers will corkscrew or "jink" while still keeping relatively low G to allow their gunners to shoot effectively, and high altitude bomber formations will randomly change course every 30 seconds over heavy flak concentrations to spoil the gunners aim.