AI Puzzlement

[Thad]

Salutations,

 

I created a practice mission today with two flights of two Ju-87 included and routed to the same designated Area Attack. Tested with AI in control.

 

I had them designated to 'Attack Ground Units' and to Bingo when out of bombs. The two lead aircraft of each flight made wonderful bombing runs but their wingmen did absolutely nothing and flew back to their field with all bombs still attached. This is not good.

 

I then changed the 'Advanced' Area Attack setting to just a 12 minute attack time. I re-ran the mission with the AI.

 

Result: All craft attacked and flew back to base with no bombs. Just the way I wanted. They bombed the hell out of the units at the airfield. It was fun to watch. ?

 

I'm puzzled at the AI settings or routines that we have to deal with. It was frustrating me until I stumbled upon a way to get the results desired. Any ideas out there about this or is it just something we have to deal with?

Edited August 30, 2018 by Thad
Spelling correction

[TP_Silk]

You probably don't need the timer as long as 12 minutes, but certainly you want it set up for 2-5 minutes in case the AI need to go around. I'm not exactly certain of what causes the situation you describe at the start, but it kind of makes sense that it's something along the lines of the lead aircraft crosses the border of the attack area and goes into an attack routine while the other following aircraft are still outside it,. then because the order has been triggered, it doesn't necessarily trigger for the second/third/fourth aircraft. This could be absolutely 100% rubbish, but it kind of makes electronic/programming sense to me.