A made a few tweaks to the Campaign Server to make things more interesting:
#1. In the past, AI bomber formations attacked various objectives, but generally avoided PRIMARY objectives. Now they actually give preference to Primary Objectives.
#2. AI bombers now use Recon photo information to precisely locate and identify objectives, just as breather pilots do.
- If a target isn't reconned, they will try to hit but only have a vague idea where to drop. If it is reconned, they will be able to target it precisely--just as we do.
- They know it is a primary target if it is reconned. That is how they know. So (per #1) they will give priority to attacking primary objectives but only if they are aware that they are primary objectives, because they have been reconned.
#3. There are now THREE ways one side can turn the map:
#1. Destroy ALL Primary Mission Objectives
#2. Destroy MOST Primary Mission Objectives plus several other secondaries/non-primaries
#3. (NEW!) Just destroy a whole boatload of objectives of any kind
What brings this up is that recently the Blue side had a list of destroyed objectives as long as your arm. But no one had gotten busy and actually bombed the primary objectives.
So #3 is not the way I would suggest proceeding. It takes like 10-20X the objectives it would to just target the Primary Objectives. But if you want to take that approach, it will manage to turn the map every once in a while.
#4. When you locate/photograph the General Staff, the enemy's Primary Objective List is revealed to you (via the usual Tab-4-6 and The General Situation Map), for the rest of that session. This is, obviously, important intel. It allows you to focus your defenses where the enemy is most likely to attack & will do the most damage.
I'll let you figure out the ramifications of these changes. But a few to chew on:
If you just like to get in there and shoot down bomber raids, your dream has now come true. Because stopping those bomber raids--whether AIs or breathers--is absolutely vital. They will be attacking Primary Objectives and--even if they don't do that--working to turn the map via Method #3. So the more of them you can stop, the better.
Recon is super-important--more important than ever. When you recon an objective, you provide vital information not only to the breather pilots, but also the AI bombers, who will now be able to identify primary targets, and locate ALL targets much more precisely, thanks to you.
Keep in mind that when you recon targets, your stats will get a piece of every objective subsequently attacked or destroyed thanks to your recon work. So your recon work is sort of like and investment that pays off over the entire remainder of the campaign--until next time you turn the map.
#5. [NEW!!!] Cover bombers/fighters are IMMEDIATELY returned for both your personal use and to the general aircraft stock for your side, IF you release them over friendly land (ie, over land, not water). So you need to fly them back to friendly territory, until they are over land, and then release them.
If you don't do this, they will have to fly back on their own and they won't be released for your use OR to the general aircraft stock until they manage to return to base on their own. This can sometimes take an hour or more (and of course, many aircraft don't ever make it back).
In short, to keep re-using your Cover aircraft you have to fly them over AND back safely. But once they are back over friendly land, you can release them & then re-use immediately.
Note (for the curious): When no one is in the server, the AI bombing raids basically go to sleep. They don't do the various actions outlined above until there are pilots in the server to defend against them. So you don't have to stay up all night worrying that the map will be turned when no one is even in the server. When everyone else goes to sleep, the AI goes to sleep as well . . . but as soon as there are breathers in the server--watch out!
#7. Greatly improved/refined control of cover bomber targeting. Now you can target by giving them an exact coordinate (Knickebein Point), or by dropping a flare or dropping a bomb. The cover bombers will target either that exact point OR (at your direction) they can target a ground vehicle or object like an AA gun nearest to the point you indicate.
This opens up a WORLD of possibilities for attacking and bombing with your cover squadron.
#7. The list of your side's AI bomber sorties for the mission, along with their destination, appears at the bottom of the General Situation Map page.
This is helpful as you have an idea of the bomber group's make, plans, and destination. You can decide whether you should support any particular bomber group.
If you have cracked the General's code (see above) that will include ENEMY bomber sorties, as well, for the next 24-hour period. With this info, you'll know which of the enemy's bomber attacks are most vital to defend against.
(And it should lead to some cracking good dogfights, as breather pilots on BOTH SIDES know exactly which bomber raids are most important to protect/defend.)
#8. Fixed the persistent problem where people will get the message "your radar returns are in progress" indefinitely, and will never actually get a radar return until the server re-starts.
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