AI: Bf109 vs Spitfire and overzealous behaviour

[Cravis]

I'm currently playing a Bodenplatte career with the III./JG26. That is Bf109G-6 Late and 14.

And I noticed something:

 

Whenever my squadron encounters Spitfires as enemy the AI casualties to my squadron are horrendous.

 

I'm rather new to IL2GB and I noticed that the career mode tends to send you out to basically the same set of mission with slight variation in waypoints until the stage changes.

Currently it sends me with III./JG26 from Plantlünne to a free hunt north of Eindhoven. 

Usually we run into enemies before reaching the actual combat waypoint and most of the time the enemy squadron is already engaged by a squadron of FW190. Then the enemy are reinforced by another squadron.

This usually means 16 vs 16 aircraft are engaged at the height of the battle. 

 

The career seems to switch up the enemies. Sometimes its British aircraft and sometimes it is US aircrafts.

 

If US aircraft are encountered it is usually P47 with either P38 or P-51 as reinforcements. In this setup the German AI squadrons of Bf109 will do decently well.

Most will survive and the AI will actually down enemy aircraft.

 

However if British aircraft are encountered then it usually ends in disaster for the AI flying Bf109. The British composition is usually a squadron of Spitfire with a either a Tempest or another Spitfire squadron.

If two Spitfire squadrons are in the air or the FW190 squadron isn't encountered it is not uncommon that I may be the only survivor.

 

To me this indicates that the Bf109 AI tries to rate fight Spitfires which they then consequently loose.

 

Furthermore if I disengage the enemy AI tries to intercept me. I'm not complaining that the AI pursues an outgunned enemy for some time, that is fine.

But they follow me all the way back to Plantlünne, that is most of the time about 120km over enemy territory and they will even engage me right above the flak of the airfield... that is a "bit" overzealous don't you think?

 

So yea I think the AI needs some work in this regard.

It shouldn't rate fight Spitfires when in a Bf109 and I think it shouldn't follow an enemy plane for 120km in enemy skies to then get shot down by 20mm short range flak...

[JtD]

First part, yes, AI is dumb. I once tested AI vs AI battle with all sorts of fighters vs all sorts of fighters, and typically, the worse turning type got mauled pretty badly. And on occasion more aircraft crashed then got shot down. AI has been improved a bit since then, but I guess the basic problem is still there.

 

About the chase, to be fair that late in WW2 the Allies did often attack enemy airfield or pursue enemy fighters over long distances, even though what you describe is certainly a bit over the top. They were looking for kills, not suicide.

[Yogiflight]

2 hours ago, JtD said:

even though what you describe is certainly a bit over the top. They were looking for kills, not suicide.

Especially as you usually get chased by one or two fighters. If it was at least a whole flight, following to the airfield, then it might make sense.