Introduction
As you know when you take control of the rear gunner on the Bf 110 and then you return to the pilot position the rear gunner will not fire anymore by himself nor he will not spot \ report anymore incoming enemy contacts due to the fact that the game consider the player as occupying both positions on the aircraft.
I've finally found a way to let the A.I ( Artificial Intelligence ) regain control of the rear gunner bringing him to fire the rear machine gun and spotting \ reporting incoming enemy contacts by himself as when you spawn in the aircraft for the first time.
Here is the procedure about how to do it.
How to let the A.I regain control of the rear gunner on the Bf 110 step by step instructions
- First of all go to in-game Options menu
- Then click on " Controls Options "
- Then select the sub-menu " View "
- Once there scroll down until you'll find these two controls: " Next Manned Position " and " External View " ( The upper one of the two available,the one close to the " Next Manned Position key "
- Assign to both a key following your preferences.
As you can see in the reference image below I have assigned " Joystick+Key 6 " to " Next Manned Position " ( one of the keys that I have on my joystick ) and " Mouse 5 " to " External View " ( Note that I'm using a 5 buttons mouse ).
Before proceeding with the instructions it's crucial to know what these two keys will do once used in the game.
The " Next Manned Position " key must be used when you want manually take control of the selected aircraft position ( Pilot or Rear Gunner ) and change between them.
Note,and this is very important,that when you will use this key to change between aircraft positions the rear gunner will be not controlled anymore by the A.I ( Artificial Intelligence ) if you will return to the Pilot position ( he will not fire anymore by himself nor he will not spot and report incoming enemy contacts ).
I use this key only when I have an enemy contact clearly in sight on my six after the rear gunner calls out ( when he's still A.I controlled ) to shoot at the incoming enemy aircraft.
I use manually the rear gunner position due to the fact that, until the rear gunner is under A.I control, his aim is very imprecise ( most of the times he will just waist bullets without hitting anything ).
When under A.I control the rear gunner is just useful as " Spotter " of enemy contacts ( but this is a very useful feature to spot unnoticed enemy contacts, his calls out saved me many times ).
The " External View " key, instead, must be used when you want to change between pilot and rear gunner position keeping the rear gunner controlled by the A.I.
Note that this key must be NOT USED when you are in the pilot position or the A.I will take the complete control of the aircraft forcing you to re-spawn in another aircraft.
This key must be used ONLY when you are in the rear gunner position and you want to go back to the pilot one keeping the rear gunner under A.I control!
Reference Image
How do I know if I've done it correctly and the rear gunner is under A.I control?
To check if you have done all correctly and the rear gunner is under A.I control is very easy.
Here there are the instructions, step by step, how to do it.
- Once you joined a server spawn in a new aircraft
- Once spawned press the " Esc" key one time without changing aircraft position ( you should be in the pilot position when spawned for the first time )
- This will bring you to the Briefing - Client menu
- On the right side of it, beside the mission map, you'll notice that it's displayed a list of the players participating to the mission
- Search for your name
- You will notice that your name, beside the pilot position, is highlighted in red ( as you can see in the reference image below ).
This means that actually you are controlling just the pilot position and that the rear gunner is controlled by the A.I. ( Reference: Pilota = Pilot \ Mitragliere = Rear Gunner ).
- Now click on " Fly " button and return to your aircraft
- Once you are again in the pilot position press one time the key you have assigned to the " Next Manned Position ".
You will be moved to the rear gunner position.
- Once done press again the " Esc " key on your keyboard to return to the Briefing - Client menu
- As before, in the players list, search for your name
- You will notice that now, beside the pilot and rear gunner position, ( Reference: Pilota = Pilot \ Mitragliere = Rear Gunner ) your name is highlighted in red on both aircraft positions as you can see in the reference image below.
This means that the game consider you as occupying both aircraft positions at the same time so your rear gunner, once you will return to the pilot position, will not fire and will not spot\report enemy contacts anymore.
- Now click on " Fly " button and return to your aircraft
- Move to the pilot position using the " Next Manned Position " key you have assigned
- Once in the pilot position click one time again on the " Next Manned Position " key you have assigned to move to the rear gunner position
- This time, instead of pressing the " Next Manned Position " key as we you have done before, press one time the " External View " key you have assigned
- Once done you'll notice that you will be moved again to the pilot position.
This time doing so, somehow, you are controlling just the pilot and the rear gunner, instead, is returned under A.I control ( he will fire and will not spot\report enemy contacts by himself ).
In fact if you will press again the " Esc " key to return to the Briefing - Client menu you will notice that now your name is highlighted in red just beside the pilot position as when you spawned for the first time! ( Reference: Pilota = Pilot \ Mitragliere = Rear Gunner )
How to do it in brief
- If you want to control manually your rear gunner ( no A.I control at all ) use always the " Next Manned Position " key you have assigned to move between aircraft positions ( rear gunner not firing or spotting\reporting enemy contacts by himself )
- If you want the rear gunner controlled by A.I when you'll occupy the pilot position ( rear gunner firing or spotting\reporting enemy contacts by himself ) move to the rear gunner position using the " Next Manned Position " key you have assigned and once there press one time the " External View " key you have assigned to return to pilot position ( so the rear gunner will be under A.I control )
Remember: NEVER press the " External View " key you have assigned when you are in the pilot position or you'll completely abandon your aircraft!!! ( aircraft in full A.I control )
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