AI AIR mechanic overhaul.

[the Baron]

Introduction:

This suggestions list was made with the intention in improving AI AIR combat in tactical and also in strategic level. However some of this suggestions also comes as QOL improvements for the player. The main focus is to improve the AI to be more deadly in combat and to reduce the air encounters but to make them more important and intense.

Main ideas:

1) Plane class and loadout determine the altitude at the start of the engagement.

Months ago KFG implemented a similar thing related to a dive bomber issue we had in the beginning. This idea is to expand that to all classes but not only that taking into consideration also the plane loadout. Take note the values purpose are also to help the AI in keeping their planes alive in combat against AAA.

Dive bombers: 900m *no changes.
Fighters: 1500m
Scouts, torpedo bombers and medium bombers: 2000m
Heavy bombers: 3000m

This is will be altitude the planes will enter battle (both player and the AI) if not carrying torpedos and rockets.

- For planes carrying torpedos, they will enter battle at 40m above sea level.*
- For planes carrying rockets, they will enter battle at 200m above sea level.*
*Only to be considered if above the water with enemy ships in the area.

2) New launch mechanic.

This idea comes with a possible solution to have fewer air battles but at the same time to make them more deadly for the player.

- The moment an AI scout detects the player fleet, the AI will launch all squadrons from the airfield/carrier in a big group, flying together in the campaign map.
- A new icon is needed for this AIR formation.*"Strike group"
- The slowest plane in the group will set the group speed.
- This method will need 45minutes for the planes to be ready and launched. (only for the player?)
- When launched the campaign will pause and the player with get a notification. "Strike group in the air". *If is launched by the player.
- In tactical the fighters will come in the 1st wave, followed by the bombers and last the planes carrying torpedos. But close enough for the fighters have time to react and defend the group.
- This mechanic will also be available for the player as QOL improvement.

3) New target priority system for the AI.

This suggestion is to make the AI more deadly in battle and focus in killing specific targets. The number represents the target priority in battle. If there are 2 or more targets available from the priority list (example: 2 carriers) the closest target will be choose for the attack.

Heavy bomber, Medium Bomber, USA dive bomber and torpedo bomber: 1) carriers; 2) battleships; 3) merchants; 4) cruisers; 5) destroyers.

JPN dive bomber: 1) carriers; 2) merchants; 3) cruisers; 4) destroyers; 5) battleships.

Fighters use 2 strategies. One to be used if there are no AI ships in battle (option A) and the other to be used if AI ships are present battle. (option B).

Option A): 1) fighters; 2)bombers/torpedo bombers; 3) carriers; 4) merchants; 5) destroyers; 6) cruisers; 7) battleships.

Option B): 1) bombers/torpedo bombers; 2) fighters; 3) destroyers; 4) cruisers; 5) carriers; 6) merchants; 7) battleships.*
*In option B, fighters will enter in "desperate" mode. After they drop the loadout they will strafe the closest target ship (probaly a destroyer) and will continue doing that until they are destroyed or all player ships are sunk.

4) AI will choose the loadouts according to the target in the player fleet.

- Before the battle starts, each AI squadron will pick the best option available to the squadron to use for their target. If there are 2 or more options to use for the target then AI will randomly choose one of them. This serves two purposes: A) To guarantee the AI to always be effective in combat; B) to make sure the AI to attack with different payloads and guarantee to have more variety in battle in the way the AI attacks their targets.
-The options are divided in classes( A,B and C) and for each target a specific class loadout needs to be used unless there is no better option.
-If the planes is using mixed bombs in the loadout, the biggest bomb is the one that represent the loadout class.

Classes are: A) battleships; B) carriers and cruisers; C) merchants and destroyers;

Allies loadouts:
C - Rockets
C - 100lb AN-M30 HE Bomb [23dmg-20pen]
C - 250lb AN-M57 HE Bomb [56dmg-30pen]
B,C - 500lb AN-M58A1 SAP Bomb [66dmg-76pen]
B,C - 1000lb AN-M59 SAP Bomb [137dmg-95pen]
A - 1000lb M52 AP Bomb [23dmg-177pen]
A - 1600lb AN-Mk1 AP Bomb [95dmg-152pen]
A,B,C - 2000lb M66 HE Bomb [481dmg-110pen]

Japanese loadouts:
C - 60kg Type 99 Number 6 Model 1 HE Bomb [30dmg-26pen]
C - 250kg No.25 Model 2 HE Bomb [103dmg-35pen]
B - 250kg Type 99 No.25 AP Bomb [60dmg-55pen]
B,C - 800kg Type 98 Number 80 HE Bomb [382dmg-70pen]
B - 500kg Type 2 Number 50 Model 1 AP Bomb [61dmg-80pen]
A - 800kg Type 2 Number 80 Mark 5 Mod 1 AP Bomb [37dmg-150pen]

*Note: torpedos can be used for all targets classes if is available for the squadron.

5) Long patrol/combat missions for the AI.

At the moment the AI is limited to a range around 450km +/- away from airfields/carriers to send planes against the player. IMO that is a balanced range if using regular attacks or the "Strike Group" option suggested on this list. However i would like to see the AI using the planes with long range against my ships like it was IRL. As an example if playing with americans i would like see Bettys being escorted with Zeros coming from Rabaul at Guadalcanal. However this cannot happen everyday for two reasons: A) to let AI replenish the planes losses to only send big waves. B) to prevent AI from spamming planes from airfields far away from multiple locations.

Mechanic:
- The moment the player fleet is spotted each enemy airfield with 1200km range will have a 20% chance in sending their heavy and medium bombers to attack them.
- Only bomb loadouts with enough endurance to make the plane travel 1200km and return are considered for the mission.
- Fighters with enough range if available are used for escorting without carrying any payload.

6) AI airfields CAP.

This last suggestion is to help the AI in protecting their fleets if sailing close to an airfield(s)

-Each airfield in a 450km range will send, if available, a maximum 6 fighters to be used for CAP.
-They will spawn above the AI fleet and will defend the ships from the player.

Sorry for my poor english. Is not my native language.

Happy hunting, the Baron.

[Sturmi]

definetly a +1 from me, might i add the improvemt of having 3 dimensinal air combat aswell? it really is sad that dogfights currently only are 2d only, with the planes going in circles. it would be cool if verticality would be added so dogfight will be more immersive and interesting to fight. maybe not very fitting for that thematic here direclty, but would be a thing to consider for sure.

[Battle Brother Al]

This is a great suggestion and it would be definitely change the current situation in a good manner! If allowed, I would also add a small thing to this great list.

A little addition to the AI logic (specially for fighters) based on my experiences in the TTE mod. When encountering multiple types of enemy aircraft the fighters should split in groups encountering different threads.

In the current situation (and game/TTE version) fighters will first target torpedo bombers (if both are close to the fleet) which results that all fighters dive down to engage the torpedo bombers and leave room for the dive/heavy bombers to freely bombard the ships.

[Herr Flick]

Sounds great… especially heavy bombers they should be well out of reach of AAA fire and I hate having to order them to 10,000ft waisting time to get to altitude before I attack

[Apollonir]

Sound suggestions!

I have a point to add on the strike group part. We know the AI will route all its planes towards the first spotted/closest player TF. Instead of the whole strike group thing, the planes could spawn together instead of 10km from each squadron, allowing player AA and CAP to eat them mincemeal. If all planes were to spawn in a large group together ...the player is actually faced with a threat.

Also, on the long range part. I agree we need the AI to reach beyond its yard. I think another reasonable idea is to have the AI launch planes as far as 90% of their endurance instead of only 450km. The hard limit is pretty stupid IMO. An aircraft that can make it 1000km away should be able to attack much further away than just 450km.

[Kraznova]

+1 to this post. I love all of it.

[reisthebest]

I like this suggestions a lot, not only would make the AI better behaved and giving the player a harder time it would also be more realistic and immersive.

Certainly a step in the right direction! +1

Edit: If we could also make fighters combat whit its equivalent number (fighter 1 vs fighter 1, etc) would make air combat more thrilling

[Dirty Rotten Flieger]

I love your idea and your passion for this project.
Your English is perfect mate.

[JG1 Wilhelm]

I like all this except for rockets being included. AFAIK they were just starting to be available in late 1943. Also, they are far too powerful in the game: the early 3.5" FFARs had 20lb steel noses, no explosive, just for puncturing sub pressure hull; first such kill was in '44. Warheads on later 3.5" and 5" FFARs were standard 5" anti-aircraft rounds with slight modification to mate with the rocket motor, and modified fusing. So, a 55 lb warhead with 7 to 8 pounds of explosive in it. Basically, it's equivalent to an armor piercing shell travelling at half speed. In the ammunition folder, you can see the rockets are given a "damageAmount" value of 300. Compare that to the 100 lb bomb, which has about 100 lb of explosive, and a damage amount of 23. The rocket is going a little more than twice as fast as a bomb from a dive bomber, but the bomb has 12+ times as much explosive in it and twice the mass.

All this to say that any major update to load-outs and how AI chooses them should keep rockets out of the mix until 1944, and the rockets need to be porked.

[the Baron]

Origineel geplaatst door JG1 Wilhelm:

I like all this except for rockets being included. AFAIK they were just starting to be available in late 1943. Also, they are far too powerful in the game: the early 3.5" FFARs had 20lb steel noses, no explosive, just for puncturing sub pressure hull; first such kill was in '44. Warheads on later 3.5" and 5" FFARs were standard 5" anti-aircraft rounds with slight modification to mate with the rocket motor, and modified fusing. So, a 55 lb warhead with 7 to 8 pounds of explosive in it. Basically, it's equivalent to an armor piercing shell travelling at half speed. In the ammunition folder, you can see the rockets are given a "damageAmount" value of 300. Compare that to the 100 lb bomb, which has about 100 lb of explosive, and a damage amount of 23. The rocket is going a little more than twice as fast as a bomb from a dive bomber, but the bomb has 12+ times as much explosive in it and twice the mass.

All this to say that any major update to load-outs and how AI chooses them should keep rockets out of the mix until 1944, and the rockets need to be porked.

o7.

Rockets are included because they are available in stock game. In TTE they are never the 1st choice in the loadouts so the AI will not ever use them and the player is free to use them or not.

If the AI is upgraded to choose different loadouts then i will add a submod to remove rockets from TTE.

[JG1 Wilhelm]

o7