AI detection range

AI F-86 can detect enemy plane from almost 40km. On the other hand, AI Mig-15 can only spot the enemy from 4-5km, sometimes even less than that.

I've included track and tacview files of three pairs (sabre vs mig, sabre vs sabre, mig vs mig) approaching each other head-on on paralel courses. You can see when they detect each other by the change of course and speed.

mig21_f86_detection.trk

Perhaps the Sabres are simulating being vectored by GCI as well? In this time period it would not be normal to be operating outside of GCI coverage. Of course the Mig would also receive information from GCI however, who can figure out that radio?

Perhaps the Sabres are simulating being vectored by GCI as well? In this time period it would not be normal to be operating outside of GCI coverage. Of course the Mig would also receive information from GCI however, who can figure out that radio?

Maybe, but I don't think so. :D Looks more like a bug.

Another thing I've noticed - if I force the radar off in mission editor, the Sabre looses its long range detection ability.

Grunf, I loookd into this last year. I'll share what I found.

Most of AI aircraft need enhanced abilities to stop them from being easy meat. This is a generally a good idea.

It used to be that all the AI aircraft had something called "Abstract RWR" (which is a generalised RWR element probably introduced in the Lockon era) for detecting threats. This was a good technique for making AI aircraft smarter because all modern aircraft are expected to have a RWR.

With the introduction of WW2 and Korean era aircraft the DCS engine can't rely on every aircraft having an RWR. So the old method for making the AI smarter can't be used. Initially the F-86 was introduced with Abstract-RWR sensor enabled even though it shouldn't have one. This got disabled in an update but the F-86 still has a radar . Keep in mind that F-86 is still a beta module receiving updates.

Don't have time to see if this is where the extra detection range comes from. It can;t be assumed because there is also a value called detection_range_max = 30 in the f-86 and Mig-15 definitions. This value probably applies to sensors defined in Sensors{} where the value of 30 is used as an AI helper. I looked at F-86.lua and Mig-15bis.lua in Coremods and only the F-86 has a sensor listed in Sensors{}. This might be bad news for the Mig-15 - making him dumber than other AI aircraft.

TLDR

In my opinion if you want a smarter Mig - enable the Abstract RWR.

If you want a dumber F-86 try changing the detection_range_max and see what happens.

 

Most of AI aircraft need enhanced abilities to stop them from being easy meat. This is a generally a good idea.

I understand that, but if the detection range is too exaggerated, for me it's an immersion breaker

the F-86 still has a radar .

Isn't it only ranging and fire control radar, not search? (I don't have the module yet :D)

 

If you want a dumber F-86 try changing the detection_range_max and see what happens.

Thanks, I'll try.

Isn't it only ranging and fire control radar, not search?

If you followed the link I provided you would read the discussion about how the AI F-86 has been given the radar system of an AI Mig-23 instead of his own radar. This gives him extra capabilities that he should not have. This is why I said maybe the module is still in BETA but in this case it's the AI F-86 module that lags behind rather than the module that humans get to fly.

Hopefully this will eventually be sorted out in a way that makes Sabre AI realistic and challenging.