What is the best way to enjoy bomber/attacker careers?

[Eisenfaustus]

Right now I can either choose to fly as rank and file and have the whole formation march low and slow as sitting ducks - but then they will attack...

Or I fly as leader and have them enter combat more energetic but I seem not be able to get them to attack mission target...

Is there a botcommand to make the AI smash the right target?

 

How do you get most enjoyment out of your groundpounding careers?

Edited December 14, 2019 by Eisenfaustus

[Ram399]

In my experience issuing your wingmen attack orders as a flight leader can be somewhat hit or miss, as the friendly AI can have a sometimes blatant disregard for orders- especially for ground targets.
I have had success however by using the Patrol Area command both for air and ground targets- though sometimes in the case of ground units they might attack some other target of their own volition rather than the objective itself.
I think the default keybind to patrol for air targets is L-Alt + 7, and (maybe) L-Alt + 6 for ground, though its easier to issue the orders using the tilde key menu anyhow.

You'll know when the order has been given because your pilot will fire a red flare, and your wingmen (should) break formation and setup for an attack run.
This would only apply to the attack aircraft role though, as far as bomber formations go however I have no idea on how they function using attack orders.
Generally I think they're supposed to just drop their payload whenever the leader does but the AI will do whatever it decides lol.
If its any consolation, here's a pic from my Stalingrad Campaign of a Soviet soldier casually jogging just ahead of 6 20mm cannons firing on his AT Gun.

[DD_fruitbat]

Don't get attached to anyone in your revolving door of a unit. Your ai brethren have one mission only in them, and they are unlikely to bring their plane back.

[Ram399]

4 minutes ago, DD_fruitbat said:

Don't get attached to anyone in your revolving door of a unit. Your ai brethren have one mission only in them, and they are unlikely to bring their plane back.

That is also very true lol, but its not impossible. 
I've managed to keep exactly two of my JG52 starting guys from Moscow alive all the way into the Kuban where they are now, though we all got demoted when Bodenplatte came out.

[danielprates]

The old il2 1946 (after a lot of patches) had a radio command in the lines of "do as I do", which forced all your flight members to drop bombs as you did. It was awesome, yet so simple. Apparently it's too complex for our much more recent Il2 bos.

[69TD_Hajo_Garlic]

7 hours ago, Eisenfaustus said:

Right now I can either choose to fly as rank and file and have the whole formation march low and slow as sitting ducks - but then they will attack...

Or I fly as leader and have them enter combat more energetic but I seem not be able to get them to attack mission target...

Is there a botcommand to make the AI smash the right target?

 

How do you get most enjoyment out of your groundpounding careers?

When I’m the flight lead I typically haul as fast as possible on the deck directly at the target and then when about 15km out flick on auto pilot and it usually works ok. It can be hard to get your squad to survive when attacked so I usually just drop one pilot off the mission roaster when I’m leading to preserve unit strength