AI got you down, Mrs Brown?

[RyanR]

A few things I've discovered to make things work a bit more smoothly:

 

-Run PWCG. Lots of ways to fine tune the parameters to get missions that let you focus on the experience you want. The missions are just plain more engaging. I've found that you do have to dial back some of the default settings due to time dilation issues. I'm still convinced that 90% of the AI problems we have in-game are due to wonky missions from the native pilot career mission builder.

 

-Bring some back-up. Why fly with four friendlies when you can take off with 8 or more? In the native career mission builder, bringing more friendlies seems to increase the number of unfriendlies disproportionately... or other wierd things happen. This doesn't seem to apply with PWCG. There are usually lots of ground targets in the target area, so something for everyone. You can at least wreck more ground stuff.

 

-Radio commands: Something I've seen enough to believe is true. If you tell your squad to "do as I do".... that supersedes other commands. If you run into bandits, your squad may not engage, not matter how hard you beg them. A fix, that works often enough to try, is to tell your squad to "return to formation and continue the mission". This snaps them out of "something", and commands like "cover me" and "engage enemy fighters" start to work again.  

 

-A final problem for which there's not much you can do about is that the AI hates quickly coming down from altitude. So, if you think you're going to bounce some bandits well below you and have your squad follow you down.... don't expect them to follow you in a timely manner.

 

-Ryan

 

 

 

 

 

[Ram399]

2 hours ago, RyanR said:

A few things I've discovered to make things work a bit more smoothly:

I'll never not think of it as herding cats, but the number one tip I always stick to is to stay on the mission goal.

I had some pretty decent results using the vanilla career mode yesterday, although I do find it odd that the enemy AI gave up a turkey shoot this easily- especially considering all 15 downed aircraft were fighters.

[R33GZ]

Yep, I generally agree with you Ryan. I like to climb to a decent 14,000ft and start my initial approach about 50km out using a shallow decent with airspeed increasing the whole way. By the time I get to drop altitude in a p38 I'm fair honking along and out of there before the light flak has any idea what's going on. The rest of my flight? Wallowing around at about 10,000 doing their best impression of flak magnets. They just aren't really at all capable of following a flight lead

[KevPBur]

9 hours ago, R33GZ said:

Yep, I generally agree with you Ryan. I like to climb to a decent 14,000ft and start my initial approach about 50km out using a shallow decent with airspeed increasing the whole way. By the time I get to drop altitude in a p38 I'm fair honking along and out of there before the light flak has any idea what's going on. The rest of my flight? Wallowing around at about 10,000 doing their best impression of flak magnets. They just aren't really at all capable of following a flight lead

When you climb to 14,000ft are you following the waypoint altitudes. If not the AI are now confused and don't really know what to do and may well struggle to follow you especially if you exceed the set cruise speed. If you set the 2nd point to be 14,000ft (4260m) and the target point (3) to be no higher than 1500m (4900ft)  and with the speed you expect to be at they will have a better chance of staying with you. You may also need to use the "copy me" command to get thyem to keep up but most importantly, keep them on your wing and they will probably stay there. If you find yourself running away from them. Slow down and let them catch up.

 

I do also find that if you suddenly/ unexpectedly change direction or altitude you can easily loose the rest of your flight. Going faster than they want to is a good way too.

As @Ram399 says, it is herding cats and about trying to help them help you.

[R33GZ]

9 hours ago, KevPBur said:

When you climb to 14,000ft are you following the waypoint altitudes. If not the AI are now confused and don't really know what to do and may well struggle to follow you especially if you exceed the set cruise speed. If you set the 2nd point to be 14,000ft (4260m) and the target point (3) to be no higher than 1500m (4900ft)  and with the speed you expect to be at they will have a better chance of staying with you. You may also need to use the "copy me" command to get thyem to keep up but most importantly, keep them on your wing and they will probably stay there. If you find yourself running away from them. Slow down and let them catch up.

 

I do also find that if you suddenly/ unexpectedly change direction or altitude you can easily loose the rest of your flight. Going faster than they want to is a good way too.

As @Ram399 says, it is herding cats and about trying to help them help you.

Of course, yes, I am flying outside the prescribed flight parameters for the mission. With rank of Major, I am entitled to do so lol.

 

I do understand what you are saying, however, I think the 'follow me' command should really be renamed 'ignore your flight lead and follow 2'

 

I do enjoying playing this sim and just accept now, that I am really a lone wolf and the only reliable command anyone from my squadron will act on is 'return to base' they seem to have that one 100% sorted

[RyanR]

5 hours ago, R33GZ said:

Of course, yes, I am flying outside the prescribed flight parameters for the mission. With rank of Major, I am entitled to do so lol.

 

I do understand what you are saying, however, I think the 'follow me' command should really be renamed 'ignore your flight lead and follow 2'

 

I do enjoying playing this sim and just accept now, that I am really a lone wolf and the only reliable command anyone from my squadron will act on is 'return to base' they seem to have that one 100% sorted

 

 

Altitude is life. I always fly quite a bit higher than the mission parameters with IL-2's built in career missions.... especially when the mission has you flying just below where, for example, the 190A's supercharger kicks up into high gear.

 

-Ryan

 

[RedeyeStorm]

Well you have to be a teamplayer with the AI. Stick with them and let them do their thing and the results are pretty good. You can fly a way from them and they won’t catch up. But it is the same in MP. If the flight lead stays at full throttle you won’t keep up either.

 

None the less, more AI commands would be welcome.