Need Tips For AI Attack

[Lanzfeld]

I am trying to have some fun by making an simple AI airfield attack and just sitting back with a beer and watching the action. A simple airfield with a SA-8 and a Shilka (4x23mm) in defense against 2 X SU-25's with retarded bombs for runway and 2 X F-4's with mk-84's for the hangers and 2 X F-16's with MER mk-82's for the ammo dump.

 

Imagine the beer comming out of my nose as the F-4's go vertical and circle forever. The SU-25's climb high up to drop retarded bombs and the vipers are doing cannon runs when I told them to attack with bombs.

 

HELP.

 

1. I have the attack waypoint 10 km away from targets as the manual states. WTF???

 

2. Why are the SU's climbing? I want a low altitude down the runway drop. That is why I gave them retarded bombs. What is wrong here?

 

3. The F-4's circle for a long time and then, maybe, drop. I just want one run then buster outa there. How???

 

4. Vipers dumping the bombs to avoid a sam then the cannon runs. I told them BOMBs. Shouldnt they head for home after bombs gone?

 

What am I missing here guys. Can anyone give me any tips to have the AI do a half way realistic attack???

Edited March 16, 2010 by Lanzfeld

[zakobi]

one word boy, SEAD...

 

AFAIK no sane pilot would strike an airfield with known AAA. Try add a tornado with ALARMS to strike the sams and AAA and then let the other attack.

[Lanzfeld]

Well every attack pilot is expected to attack a target DESPITE a few defences. Please tell me this is NOT the reason they are dropping the ball instead of the bombs.

[Lanzfeld]

Any other tips?

[Brit_Radar_Dude]

Well every attack pilot is expected to attack a target DESPITE a few defences. Please tell me this is NOT the reason they are dropping the ball instead of the bombs.

 

You may not like the answer, but yes this is the reason they are behaving like that.

[Lanzfeld]

Ouch!

Fun game I will say but...

 

AI=FAIL

 

But that is pretty standard nowadays

[Brit_Radar_Dude]

I'm afraid so, Lanzfeld.......

 

I've spend countless hours over the last 7 years with the Mission Editor trying to make the AI do what I wanted. In the end I had to accept that they will simply dump their bombs when fired at by a SAM to increase their chances of shaking it off. I guess in real life, I'd do the same!

 

But at the same time they will sometimes do cannon runs when I dont want them to. Go figure...

 

If the AI think they can climb above AAA and drop from altitude, they will give that a try. Of course if they have retarded bombs they will take 3 days to actually reach the ground :)

[Grimes]

My method for getting AI to do what you want...

 

1. Setup the attack with 0 threats. Make sure that the AI can complete their task.

 

2. Add in ground threats. See what happens.

 

3. Adapt flight plans to deal with ground threats or add a new flight to deal with them before the other aircraft enter threat zones.

 

The biggest lesson I've learned over time is that you have to stack the odds in the favor of the AI you want to win. Give them stand-off weapons to deal with threats. As Brit Radar Dude said they tend to dump their weapons at the very hint of danger, so don't let them get into danger.

 

Cant hurt to add a fail safe method of destroying a target. Have the F16s and F4s attack the AAA. Or add in a B-52/Tico to use cruise missiles on the targets.

[JG-1_Vogel]

I gave up trying to make missions ages ago for this reason. The last go at mission editing I did was a F-18 attack with Harpoons against the Admiral Kuz and a small battlegroup. All four of them dumped their missiles and got shot down without even trying to fire... widely accepted that the AI is completely retarded, one of the reasons why a lot of people hate the single player experience. At least we can look forward to the wonderful black shark mission editor :S.

[Dr_Arrow]

I am trying to have some fun by making an simple AI airfield attack and just sitting back with a beer and watching the action. A simple airfield with a SA-8 and a Shilka (4x23mm) in defense against 2 X SU-25's with retarded bombs for runway and 2 X F-4's with mk-84's for the hangers and 2 X F-16's with MER mk-82's for the ammo dump.

 

Imagine the beer comming out of my nose as the F-4's go vertical and circle forever. The SU-25's climb high up to drop retarded bombs and the vipers are doing cannon runs when I told them to attack with bombs.

 

HELP.

 

1. I have the attack waypoint 10 km away from targets as the manual states. WTF???

 

2. Why are the SU's climbing? I want a low altitude down the runway drop. That is why I gave them retarded bombs. What is wrong here?

 

3. The F-4's circle for a long time and then, maybe, drop. I just want one run then buster outa there. How???

 

4. Vipers dumping the bombs to avoid a sam then the cannon runs. I told them BOMBs. Shouldnt they head for home after bombs gone?

 

What am I missing here guys. Can anyone give me any tips to have the AI do a half way realistic attack???

Well at first I would set in targeting properties in ME weapons for the planes to use against targets (at every target you can set used weapons as ANY, MISSILE, BOMB...)

[Adder667th]

Well at first I would set in targeting properties in ME weapons for the planes to use against targets (at every target you can set used weapons as ANY, MISSILE, BOMB...)

Hi.

 

From my limited experience at mission building, the AI will dispose all stores and climb (and bug out most of the time) when they are painted by enemy radar unless they are assigned to the SEAD role in the mission builder.

Try setting up your F4's as weasels (anti radar loadout) and have them at target earlier than the frogs to take out the sam/radar first. Then the bomber package can do its job with less of a threat. Also check the retard bombs minimum release altitude, i think its 1000ft, so if you have the frogs lower at the attack point then they will want to climb.

Pretty sure the shilka is ok for the strike package to deal with.

 

Hope this is some help to you.

Cheers

Adder.

[Lanzfeld]

Thanks for all the tips guys!

 

Question: In all of your experience what AI bomb load will result in the AI comming in LOWEST? ie. I want them to scream across the target LOW. I am thinking either the PB-250 or the Bet-500? ...or will the AI always climb hign no matter what bomb load they have?