AI doesn't respond to "Return to Base" command

[JG7_X-Man]

In the single missions I have built, even though my "player" aircraft is set to leader, I don't hear AI respond to the RTB command. All the other commands work.

My guess is I am missing something - any help will be helpful.

[IckyATLAS]

I hear them sometimes responding on the radio, but this does not mean they effectively return to base.

[Traffic]

AI does little to nothing for me but fly around in circles, return with full loadouts and crash on landing. If I linger around a target for 45 minutes, maybe 1 will drop a bomb or toss some rockets but they just circle and really do nothing but get shot down. 

[WheelwrightPL]

I don't agree with you that "all other commands work" because when I give an order to attack ground targets to me wingman, he ignores it, even when there are no enemy planes in the air. It would be nice to have some help in destroying enemy ground assets, it would add a lot to the immersion.

Edited February 26, 2022 by WheelwrightPL

[Jaegermeister]

I don't think wingmen have ever responded on the radio to the return to base command. It works (or worked?) if you are close enough to them, something like 2 or 3k. It overrides other commands and once you issue it, they will not respond to anything else.

 

I'm not sure what missions you guys are flying, but my wingmen attack air and ground targets all the time. They appear to be programmed to attack enemy AA first and then go after anything else after. They don't do a great job of hitting the enemy AC, but they certainly pursue and distract them before they get shot down. It takes ACE AI to actually hit EAC I think.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Jaegermeister

[Hinterseer]

There is no "return to base" command in the game (ME)
so i guessing it to be the "land" command in the ME?
AKA the "in game" command given i SP missions as winglead.

 

according to the missions - the "land" command can be set as priority low-medium-high as all the other commands
and if the wingmen has a "attack" command with "high" priority (or any other command) running for x minutes - and gets a land with a "low" prioity" or any other command with "low" priority
arent the supposed to finish the "high" priority command before the will follow the "low" one?
Unless the "land" command allso is canceling/deactivating the "attack" (or any other) command first? (Like force complete?)

In the few maps i have build - the AI's (the bombers) are on normal skills - and the keep up attacking too the "bingo bombs" are announced - hitting ervery taget i gave them in the "attack" command
I guess thats the same for the wingmen?
the Ai bombers on my maps, seems to continue to bomb the targets, even when there out of bombs, when "attack" command is on high and i dont use the "bingo bomb event"

So too really answer your question - i guess we need to know atleast the prioritys for the commands that are being issued?

I dont know if im right i just dont see what else could be controling the AI's?
the dont know anything else, than what we tell them (or not tell them)
the sequence of the commands and the priority - makes the AIs?

I guess the AI POI command could have influence too?
(I think its for SP only?) i havent really used it/ or tryed it yet

Edit:
Try to give them a "cover me" "or do like me" (i dont remember) command first, it must be set on high (i think)
and then tell them too go to base

Edited February 27, 2022 by IV./JG51-H_Hinterseer

[coconut]

Ordering the AI to return to base usually result in firing a green flare. The AI then normally breaks off to land, and does so without responding on the radio.

That's how it's always worked for me, I don't know if it applies to all planes and situations.

[JG7_X-Man]

16 hours ago, WheelwrightPL said:

I don't agree with you that "all other commands work" because when I give an order to attack ground targets to me wingman, he ignores it, even when there are no enemy planes in the air. It would be nice to have some help in destroying enemy ground assets, it would add a lot to the immersion.

I am building missions and when the correct MCU Command and Trigger are used - AI responses to my commands and actually carries them out in testing. To keep them from over pursing during escort mission or attack ground targets to your liking, tweak the "Advance" settings - Priority, Attack Targets, Time etc..

 

@IV./JG51-H_Hinterseer I am thinking it with the landing command too. I will try your suggestions. Thanks

 

10 minutes ago, coconut said:

Ordering the AI to return to base usually result in firing a green flare. The AI then normally breaks off to land, and does so without responding on the radio.

That's how it's always worked for me, I don't know if it applies to all planes and situations.

Thanks Coconut! I could have sworn AI responded via radio in campaigns - might be wrong though. Now, when the final waypoint triggers the Command: Land MCU - they do land, but had to play with the final altitude and speed a bit for Me 262s but they all work.

Edited February 27, 2022 by JG7_X-Man

[Jaegermeister]

@JG7_X-Man,

 

When you issue the flight leader command for return to base, it is the same as triggering a "Force Complete" MCU for the flight. You will get a radio call from the flight lead saying "Return to formation and continue with the mission". Think of it as clearing the memory of the flight. It is required to end certain commands such as "Escort" MCU

 

Whenever I want to end a command such as escort, attack, or attack area, I always use the following set of logic.

 

 

 

Deactivate the command with a timer, "Bingo Bombs, or whatever you want

1 second later, trigger the "Force Complete" MCU object linked to the flight lead

2 seconds later trigger the next waypoint or land command.

I never trigger more than 2 MCUs with 1 trigger timer or they may not fire.

 

It always works without fail.

 

Some planes fire a flare but I don't think they all do. Certainly all the FC planes fire a flare for RTB.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Jaegermeister

[JG7_X-Man]

@Jaegermeister BINGO! I have to deactivate the "attack command" and not just pulsing the "force complete"! Thank you so much!

 

Also, I would add that the "Command: Force Complete" clears everything like you said, including any Command: Formation instructions, so those have to be reinstated if desired.

Edited February 27, 2022 by JG7_X-Man

[Jaegermeister]

4 hours ago, JG7_X-Man said:

@Jaegermeister BINGO! I have to deactivate the "attack command" and not just pulsing the "force complete"! Thank you so much!

 

 

Your welcome.

 

If you activate another MCU, it will also clear the previous one. For example, if you are escorting and the bombers' waypoint triggers an Attack area for you, it will deactivate and override the Escort command, without the "resume formation..." radio call.  

[WheelwrightPL]

9 hours ago, JG7_X-Man said:

I am building missions and when the correct MCU Command and Trigger are used - AI responses to my commands and actually carries them out in testing. To keep them from over pursing during escort mission or attack ground targets to your liking, tweak the "Advance" settings - Priority, Attack Targets, Time etc..

 

Sorry, I meant that when I am playing in Campaign Mode, my wingman ignores my commands to attack ground targets. I don't want to learn programming just to have him obey a simple command, which I know is doable because there are Campaign missions (like protect Sturmoviks) when multiple AI pilots attack ground targets simultaneously. So why can't a single AI (ie. my wingman) do the same ?

[Gambit21]

On 2/27/2022 at 10:01 AM, JG7_X-Man said:

@Jaegermeister BINGO! I have to deactivate the "attack command" and not just pulsing the "force complete"! Thank you so much!

 

Also, I would add that the "Command: Force Complete" clears everything like you said, including any Command: Formation instructions, so those have to be reinstated if desired.

 

It will work using just Force Complete, but it’s good practice to also Deactivate. From time to time the ‘under the hood’ logic breaks and both are needed. So it’s best to just use both all the time.

[JG7_X-Man]

I fired up a career just to see if the return to base command works and it doesn't I am thinking something got hosed in the last few releases we had.

[Reinhardt]

I think this command stopped working a couple years ago at least. I always wondered if my install got corrupted somehow. In all singleplayer missions the rtb command just stopped working one day which is kind of frustrating immersion-wise. In quick mission I don't think the AI ever actually helped attack ground targets and follow you back to base with bombs still loaded.