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Formation - Printable Version

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+---- Thread: Formation (/showthread.php?tid=65204)


Formation - Patchman123 - 29.09.2009

I was playing Il-2 Sturmovik 1946 when I noticed some peculiar behavior. It happens when the the American B-17/B-24 bombers get hit by enemy fire that they jettison their bombs. American bombers did not jettison their bombs like that. Nor did they scatter their formations. The AI tends to scatter from formation when being attacked by enemy fighters. I find this behavior odd. Does anyone know how to fix this?
The Americans were taught to hold formations because any breaking from formation could be court-martialled back at base and I don't know why they do this. The Americans held their formations in real life, but the AI does not. This is extremely peculiar behavior. I know we have to balance realism and gameplay, but this is riduculous. The AI also tends to drop their bomb before my plane, the lead plane, drops its bombs. This is also unnatural behavior as crews in the 8th Air Force lead plane would drop their bombs before the other planes would drop theirs. This is also standard operating procedure in the 8th Air Force. I don't know why they don't do this, also. Is there a way to fix this?
No American bomber would try to jettison their bombs when going down in flames. This is not standard behavior. They would jettison their bombs only over the English Channel to avoid harming civilians or bombing things other than their targets. I want the AI planes to stop scattering and try to hold formation because not every pilot is a Russian or German pilot as they so suggest. I wish they'd stop doing this. They're not the same and they're not made the same. So, what's the problem? Or did only the Russians or Germans jettison their bombs like that? This is unnatural behavior that should be corrected.

IIRC - RNBeavis - 29.09.2009

6 O'Clock High (a great film!) has the new unit commander (squadron leader?? I dunno what) putting great emphasis on holding formation due to bombing efficacy, though I could be remembering that wrong. I would recommend you check that out. (I believe it was Hollywood's way of getting across the message that high casualties were an unfortunate concomitant of beating Nazi Germany's industrial might). [EDIT - A little off tangent, but I remember it has a surprisingly powerful scene early on when the casualties are coming back and there's something about beig able to see the co-pilots brain... sorry I had to add that!]

I agree that it's a bit... weak: they should hold their load and not drop it on the poor sods below! So, yeah +1 for this. Haven't got a clue how to do it though, or even if it's possible. Although I do like the whistling noise they make when they drop... I'll just have to be happy with that in the meantime :-)

Re: IIRC - US_GRANT - 29.09.2009

RNBeavis Wrote:6 O'Clock High (a great film!) has the new unit commander (squadron leader?? I dunno what) putting great emphasis on holding formation due to bombing efficacy, though I could be remembering that wrong. I would recommend you check that out. (I believe it was Hollywood's way of getting across the message that high casualties were an unfortunate concomitant of beating Nazi Germany's industrial might). [EDIT - A little off tangent, but I remember it has a surprisingly powerful scene early on when the casualties are coming back and there's something about beig able to see the co-pilots brain... sorry I had to add that!]

I agree that it's a bit... weak: they should hold their load and not drop it on the poor sods below! So, yeah +1 for this. Haven't got a clue how to do it though, or even if it's possible. Although I do like the whistling noise they make when they drop... I'll just have to be happy with that in the meantime :-)

Actually, I believe you mean 12 O'clock high with Gregory Peck.

That's it, 12 O'Clock High! - RNBeavis - 29.09.2009

Cheers for the correction :-)

- F4U-1_Corsair - 29.09.2009

this is a side effect of the AI mod, which was intended for small bomber groups, or solo bombers. I think the option should be given in the mission file, because RAF night bombers were told to dodge like hell. The corkscrew comes to mind.

- caldrail - 30.09.2009

I do note that if the lead bomber in a flight is damaged and slows down or loses height, the remaining flight members remain in formation with it to the bitter end, not the squadron. You sometimes hear radio messages telling the damaged bomber to go home. They never do, they just carry on limping along the assigned course.

- RAF_Loke - 30.09.2009

caldrail Wrote:they just carry on limping along the assigned course.

Which is why many of them ended up in Sweden, Denmark, Swiss, North Sea, Baltic Sea and also a few on Bornholm.

- Carosel43 - 30.09.2009

its true the AI are a bit retarded, i have seen damaged bombers in full stall totally crippled 1 inch above the floor in a semi knife edge while the rest of the flight dose flicks and barrel rolls to keep up and then they eventually all fly into the floor. The problem is also with enemy gunners being able to see in the dark and through clouds and being fail accurate (although there is a mod for ships and AAA) i would like to see this corrected, bombers would only ditch there load if they were crippled, unable to do the mission and going home. there must be a value for the damage a bomber can take before it drops its load, this could be corrected i would think, as for the formation flying? not sure

Also, how much of random AI bomber behaviour - RNBeavis - 30.09.2009

Is down to making them Veteran or Ace in the mission? I've found that if I make a formation of veteran bombers they can react quite oddly, so I leave 'em as rookies. (That's my excuse anyway, and I'll be sticking to it!)