Fighter career: Escort missions dominating

[Finkeren]

Having now tried 6 different fighter careers in all three main battles, I must say, that I'm a little puzzled by the missions generated so far.

 

The career I've flown the most missions in right now is my MiG-3 career during the Battle of Moscow. Out of 17 missions flown so far there have been: 

 

1 ferry cover (got to shoot down 2 He 111 only because I strayed off the planned mission route)

 

2 ground attack missions

 

and 14 escort missions (mostly Pe-2s, occasionally IL-2s - never fighter bombers)

 

Once in a while an "intercept bombers" mission pops up - but out of more than a handful so far I have never been allowed to go on one of them.

 

Considering, that I'm flying for 34th IAP PVO (a home defense regiment) it seems pretty odd, that all I'm doing in this largely defensive battle is escort bombers and attack ground targets. 

 

The image is the same in all careers. Huge numbers of escort missions, a few ground attack missions and the occasional ferry cover (where no enemy ever shows up over the target area) and whenever any other defensive mission pops up, be it "ground troops cover", "intercept bombers" etc, I never ever get to fly them, not once in 50+ missions so far.

 

Does anyone else recognize this pattern, or have I just been exceptionally unlucky? 

[dburne]

I had a few escort missions in my first Career in the Spit, not an overwhelming number though.

[Legioneod]

I've mostly had escort missions as well, but I've done plenty other missions at the same time. 

Whats you difficulty and frontline settings at? I think the higher the difficulty the more chance you have to encounter enemy fighters. I know in almost every mission I've flown I've encounter fighters.

[Finkeren]

I fly moderate/medium, and except for ferry cover I have met fighter opposition in every single mission.

[216th_Jordan]

Yeah, I think it would be nice if the likelyness to encounter enemies could be adjusted with a slider or presets like: realistic, medium, high. Normally you would't meet an enemy flight in every flight you do, possibly not even in every third. (on average) But that could be boring too IMO, so an option like this could easily satisfy a lot of people.

Edited March 20, 2018 by 216th_Jordan

[=SqSq=switch201]

I read on another thread that the Ferry mission is bugged. the fighters don't spawn until after you complete the objective. you can check this by going to the enemy camera mode.

[Finkeren]

Has anyone actually gone on an intercept mission? What are they like?

[sniperton]

@Fink, I'm flying the same MiG campaign with possibly the same unit (I can't check now, but it's operating from Rzhev until the end of Typhoon).

IIRC I had 2-3 intercept, 2-3 escort, 2 ferry attack, and 2-3 soft column attack missions so far.

Intercept missions are very much like before. Once you shoot down 1 bomber/attacker or damage two, you're cleared to RTB.

[Finkeren]

3 minutes ago, sniperton said:

@Fink, I'm flying the same MiG campaign with possibly the same unit (I can't check now, but it's operating from Rzhev until the end of Typhoon).

IIRC I had 2-3 intercept, 2-3 escort, 2 ferry attack, and 2-3 soft column attack missions so far.

Intercept missions are very much like before. Once you shoot down 1 bomber/attacker or damage two, you're cleared to RTB.

 

Thanks. That ratio of missions seems pretty good. Maybe I have just been unlucky, but still: Over 50 missions total in my fighter pilot careers, and not a single intercept mission?

Also: How big are the bomber formations you are intercepting?

 

I’ve occasionally crossed paths with random bomber formations during my escort missions, but they always seem to consist of only 3 aircraft.

[sniperton]

Over 50? And no intercept mission yet? Sounds like you're playing a different game

This is my 2nd MiG attempt, the 1st was f..d up by losing my whole squad due to take-off and MIA bugs at Tushino, but the mission composition was fairly similar even there.

[Legioneod]

16 minutes ago, Finkeren said:

 

Thanks. That ratio of missions seems pretty good. Maybe I have just been unlucky, but still: Over 50 missions total in my fighter pilot careers, and not a single intercept mission?

Also: How big are the bomber formations you are intercepting?

 

I’ve occasionally crossed paths with random bomber formations during my escort missions, but they always seem to consist of only 3 aircraft.

So far I've only had 1 intercept mission but it had about 9-8 Ju-88 and a handful of 109s as escorts. By far one of the coolest missions I've flown seeing all those bombers shooting tracers everywhere trying to defend themselves.

 

I just wish the bombers tried to keep formation when under attack, currently they break off and fly alone when attacked. The formations would be much harder to attack if they stick together 

[Seb71]

I just started my first career (Battle of Moscow campaign). First mission was to intercept some bombers (Ju 88 A-4 escorted by Bf 109 F-4).

 

I joined a unit (233rd IAP, based at Inyutino - closest to the front line) which had five I-16 and five MiG-3. What was strange was that in my mission I was given a MiG-3 but the other two NPC pilots from my flight had I-16.

 

In the second mission (intercept ground attack planes) we were all given I-16 (but my MiG-3 needed repairs so maybe that was the reason).

[Danziger]

Yes you're unlucky. I'm flying in the same unit and while I do get a lot of escort duty, I've flown intercept, soft column attack, ground troops cover, ferry. I've had to scramble again after landing because fighters followed us home. I've relocated from Rzhev to Vnukovo.

[Porkins]

I'm playing a Kuban career in the Spit. I'm only three missions in but have had one intercept mission. A flight of I'd guess 8-10 Ju-87's. Turns out the Spit is just as good downing Stukas in Russia as it is over England. The mission itself was really cool, as there were a couple BF-109's to worry about and the whole thing took place over a very active front line on the ground. I used up all my ammunition before RTB, which turned out to be a mistake as there were a couple more enemy fighters that tried to jump me near my base. Now I always keep a few rounds in the guns for the trip home. 

 

BTW Finkerin, I think you shot me down online a couple of days ago. I was messing around in an HS-129 and you bounced me. An HS-129 is not a great plane to be in when enemy fighters are around and there is no escort! 

Edited March 20, 2018 by Porkins

[sniperton]

47 minutes ago, Finkeren said:

Also: How big are the bomber formations you are intercepting?

IIRC 6-8 bombers/attack planes escorted by 4 fighters. I fly with the same moderate/medium settings BTW.

Numbers may also be affected by serviceability, I guess AI squads can also be reduced in numbers due to losses higher than the replenish rate.