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ATAG_Ribbs
Jul-13-2012, 17:31
I was thinking the other day, maybe to mix things up a bit on the server..would it be possible to have the AI Bomber formations start on the ground and form up? would be a nice target for players that were willing to make the flight into enemy territory. If its been brought up before, or isn't possible (due to bugs atm then disregard). It would just bring a different element to the server, that would be fun for both sides. Along the same note..what about a mission, that involved the ships being the target,(moving across the channel) from England to France. if the Reds can protect the ships all the way across till they make it to France Red wins... if Blue destroys them obviously blue wins. Simple... but as the ships make it farther across the channel it will be harder for the Reds to protect them. I'm afraid that with the recent news of the DEVs moving offices, its going to be awhile till we see anything new from them. we might have to get some creative gameplay going to keep peoples intrest going...hell maybe its just me..lol :)


Thanks for the Great server to play on S!

352ndRibbs

Blackdog_kt
Jul-13-2012, 18:39
Correct me if i'm wrong, but i have a suspicion that airspawns for AI bombers are done precisely to deter vulching them during form-up. The bases most bomber units used during the battle were quite far out (they are not even in our in-game map), making it difficult for RAF to attack them with fighters due to range issues. Attacking them with bombers on the other hand was probably viable. I know for a fact that a famous raid to the Cologne power station was made by Blenheims, so they would also have the range to attack the bomber fields deep in France.

If we wanted to, i guess we could simulate this with some creative mission design. For example, adding ground spawns for AI bombers, but packing their airbases so full of low level flak that the only viable option is to level bomb them with a group of Blenheims from 4000ft.

Wolf
Jul-13-2012, 20:08
Correct me if i'm wrong, but i have a suspicion that airspawns for AI bombers are done precisely to deter vulching them during form-up. The bases most bomber units used during the battle were quite far out (they are not even in our in-game map), making it difficult for RAF to attack them with fighters due to range issues. Attacking them with bombers on the other hand was probably viable. I know for a fact that a famous raid to the Cologne power station was made by Blenheims, so they would also have the range to attack the bomber fields deep in France.

If we wanted to, i guess we could simulate this with some creative mission design. For example, adding ground spawns for AI bombers, but packing their airbases so full of low level flak that the only viable option is to level bomb them with a group of Blenheims from 4000ft.

I have all this mix in "channel command" mission. But since the bombers and ai take off from random air fields sometimes deep inland and sometimes close to the French and British shore line, it would be pot luck to catch them forming up. Unless you are in the area and guess the correct location from radio commands.

ATAG_Ribbs
Jul-14-2012, 07:02
I wasn't looking for anything "Historical to the T".. but something close but "Fun". The random issue you brought up would make it just that more exciting.. if its doable. The lack of things for the Reds to do, has a lot of people getting tired of the take off from Manston fly to Hawkinge ..rinse and repeat scenereo... Im just trying to think of ways to keep people interested until the Dev's get back on track with a patch or some updates. What do you guys think about the ships crossing the channel mission? Or something similar?...(I know its not historical...but i think it could be exciting fun game play with the feel that you are protecting valuable cargo..not just ships sitting in front of Hawkinge or the English coastline.) Just trying to get some ideas rolling, for some mission ideas...heh


352ndRibbs

Why denture vulching?...the AAA is already deadly enough, and if you happen to get 1 or 2... the rest will surely make it airborne. I wouldn't think you would need to place them really far back.. but a decent range back..maybe back behind the 110 base. Same could go for the Allied bombers. seeing them Take off and land would give so much more realism to the server ..not to mention help bringing it "To Life" seeing struggling wounded bombers trying to land back at base would be neat I think. :thumbsup:

Blackdog_kt
Jul-14-2012, 17:14
Personally, i see nothing wrong with vulching on its own, i just think we usually have it too easy. Back in the day pilots did attack targets of opportunity but the key word here is opportunity: they stumbled upon something interesting and had a go at it with relative safety because the defenders were caught unawares, but they wouldn't usually stick around to give enemy flak and fighters a chance to home in on them.

I once read an account of a P-47 squadron attacking a forward airbase in Italy. For such missions they were taking 12 of the most durable fighters of the entire war and yet, the customary thing was to make just one pass against the target, dropping bombs from higher in a shallow dive, the rockets in a single salvo a few seconds later, using guns for the last few seconds and then getting out of doge. In that specific mission they decided to make a second pass and as a result lost a few aircraft (2-3) and the rest returned with battle damage. We on the other hand, we can loiter around enemy airbases to bounce aircraft on the circuit with relative impunity :D

This might sound like a concern about realism, but it's also a gameplay concern (the fun part that you also mentioned): the whole risk vs reward situation should be balanced (big risks for big potential gains) to give the player a sense of achievement.

What i'm trying to say is that if it's too easy to camp the bomber spawns then there's no reason for anyone to fly bombers at all, which leads us to not getting the kind of scenarios that would feel like flying the BoB. I know exactly what you mean when you say the red side doesn't have much to do. If it's possible for blue to put up a formation of bombers (human flown, not AI) every half an hour however, both red and blue will have something really fun to do :thumbsup:

ATAG_Snapper
Jul-14-2012, 18:50
I'm all for giving bombers of both sides every advantage for a good start -- be it air starts, best airfield positions, and/or dense defensive flak concentrations. Whatever it takes.

IMHO sudden airfield strafing attacks add spice and immersion to the experience. I feel the opposite about several aircraft camping out over an airfield blasting newly-spawned entrants.....just because they can. We actually had a longtime flier complaining about excessive flak emplacements denying he and his mates from doing just that! IIRC, in Real Life any aircraft loitering above any enemy airfield had a Death Wish. We're willing to oblige! :)

ChiefRedCloud
Jul-14-2012, 19:55
I'm all for giving bombers of both sides every advantage for a good start -- be it air starts, best airfield positions, and/or dense defensive flak concentrations. Whatever it takes.

IMHO sudden airfield strafing attacks add spice and immersion to the experience. I feel the opposite about several aircraft camping out over an airfield blasting newly-spawned entrants.....just because they can. We actually had a longtime flier complaining about excessive flak emplacements denying he and his mates from doing just that! IIRC, in Real Life any aircraft loitering above any enemy airfield had a Death Wish. We're willing to oblige! :)

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