Better formations

[PhilthySpud]

Hi Devs,

 

Great job you’re doing on developing this terrific game! I look forward to the news each week’s Developer Diary brings.

 

I wonder if it would be possible to give some attention to AI formation flying at some time please? Specifically, I think that the following changes would make a great enhancement to realism:

 

1. Introduce ‘finger four’ as a standard formation for RAF, USAAF and Luftwaffe (Not sure about the Russians - someone else will be more knowledgeable than me.)

 

2. Increase spacing between aircraft in this formation to 100-200m except within, say, the vicinity of their aerodrome and maybe in transit to/from the operational area. (Current ‘parade’ spacing is completely inappropriate for combat)

 

3. Improve formation cohesiveness at turn points (The current ‘bomb burst’ and subsequent straggling is quite unrealistic)

 

Thanks, Philthy

[PatrickAWlson]

I have asked for the finger four many times.  Hopefully one day.  if nothing else I would appreciate the existing formations to be spread out a bit wider.

 

[Gambit21]

7 hours ago, PatrickAWlson said:

I have asked for the finger four many times.  Hopefully one day.  if nothing else I would appreciate the existing formations to be spread out a bit wider.

 

 

...and not explode during maneuvering as per item 3. 

[PhilthyPlane]

4 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

 

...and not explode during maneuvering as per item 3. 

Wouldn't it be great if we could get a proper crossover turn in finger four?

[AEthelraedUnraed]

I thought the Finger Four is what is called V-formation in-game?

[PhilthySpud]

13 hours ago, AEthelraedUnraed said:

I thought the Finger Four is what is called V-formation in-game?

If there are four in the formation then, yes, you get a ‘sort of’ finger four but the aircraft are far too close to each other and the formation doesn’t behave correctly in turns or in combat.

[Nazgul*]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:43 AM, PhilthySpud said:

Hi Devs,

 

Great job you’re doing on developing this terrific game! I look forward to the news each week’s Developer Diary brings.

 

I wonder if it would be possible to give some attention to AI formation flying at some time please? Specifically, I think that the following changes would make a great enhancement to realism:

 

1. Introduce ‘finger four’ as a standard formation for RAF, USAAF and Luftwaffe (Not sure about the Russians - someone else will be more knowledgeable than me.)

 

2. Increase spacing between aircraft in this formation to 100-200m except within, say, the vicinity of their aerodrome and maybe in transit to/from the operational area. (Current ‘parade’ spacing is completely inappropriate for combat)

 

3. Improve formation cohesiveness at turn points (The current ‘bomb burst’ and subsequent straggling is quite unrealistic)

 

Thanks, Philthy

I like the ideas but please don't get rid of the close, welded wing separation, as it is also realistic and historical. Instead, I would suggest to add an option for a spread out combat spread upon command.

[PatrickAWlson]

On 9/6/2021 at 11:17 AM, Nazgul* said:

I like the ideas but please don't get rid of the close, welded wing separation, as it is also realistic and historical. Instead, I would suggest to add an option for a spread out combat spread upon command.

 

At the moment the option to define the spread already exists in the ME.  However, even "loose", which I use almost exclusively, is way too tight.  For starters, I would settle for medium = today's loose and loose is much looser than we have now.  That is probably much easier to implement than a proper finger four and would be a step in the right direction.