AI Bug when running away on the deck

[variable]

I received engine damage over a river crossing mission in career mode and made a run home diving to the deck in my FW-190 A-3.  I had my engine power set pretty low (~50%) to try and not further damage my engine and was flying at tree top level and lower.  

 

I had several enemy aircraft pursue me (La-5's and Yak-1's) - they would fly level and catch up until they were right behind me - but would not dive down enough to shoot me. Sometimes they would even let off a burst over my head.  As they caught up to me they would then fly over me and then turn off.  

 

This happened multiple times - I could avoid getting show but just flying below what appears to be the enemy AI's hard deck of approximately 100ft.  I should have been easily killed.

[unreasonable]

This looks like a design choice, not a bug.  I seem to recall some changes being made in the AI routines to reduce the incidence of AI flying into the ground, which they used to do fairly often. That was a particular problem in undulating terrain: the bots find it difficult to plan ahead sufficiently. 

 

Until and unless we get a massive upgrade to the AI's "I", I think we just have to live with this.

Edited April 30, 2019 by unreasonable