refuelling AI in ME

[ENO]

Eh guys- quickly... have some of the things been ironed out when it comes to AI barging in when you're hooked up?

 

If I just hit a refueling task for the AI, do they automatically go to the tanker to refuel? Is there any communication?

 

I'm setting up a quick tanker training mission but want some "eye candy..."- not at the expense of function, however.

[Grimes]

Yes AI will tank up automatically when they get low on fuel, but they don't communicate with the tankers as AI don't yet "communicate" outside their own flight. However it might be best to just force the AI to tank up at a set interval as they tend to wait till the last minute to head to the tanker.

[ENO]

Thanks Grimes... I dabbled with it a bit but floated the question anyway to see if it was worth spending much time on.

 

Had some VERY strange behavior, actually.

 

I have it set up that the AI aircraft spawn once one of our aircraft get in a moving zone around the tanker. The idea is that there would be something to "see" while you were joining up to the tanker.

 

Anyway, a B52 spawned as we got close about 20 miles away. I have it routed to get near the track of the tanker and give it a "refuel" command... I saw the B52 was inbound and warned my wingie about it as he was starting to get close to the tanker. The B52 came out of nowhere from dead ahead and flew straight into the tanker- colliding with it head on.

 

So I guess my next question is how do I avoid THAT kind of behavior? I knew the AI was punchy around the tanker (basically just butting in with no comms)... but that was a lot more rammy than I expected.

[Grimes]

I'd have to see the track to see exactly what happened. AI and tankers is generally somewhat wonky. Perhaps I should start on a script to I have planned to manipulate AI's behavior when interacting with tankers.

 

You might also want to change it to a fighter or something smaller than a B-52. Those tend to be gas guzzlers at the pump and it will need most if not all of the fuel load from the KC-135.

[ENO]

Valid point actually about the gas guzzling. I wanted it to spend some time at the tanker to give people "something to watch" so to speak but I hadn't thought it would drain the proverbial vein. I'll do it.

 

I'll post the track once I'm back on that computer-

[ENO]

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8MeQLQ7pOpjX1VYc1ktMWNiVmc&usp=sharing

 

Here are those tracks I was telling you about. The larger one is the one from today, and that incident has an A-10 come in and clobber someone trailing the tanker... the one from yesterday has the B52. Both incidents happen around 0732-0740.

 

 

(Edit: Sorry, hadn't told you about the second one that just happened with an A-10 flight.)

 

To solve this issue I think what I'm going to do is set a "follow" order for about 10 minutes and THEN give the refueling order in the next waypoint action. That should help get everyone in line and close enough to refuel. I'm finding that most of these aircraft just fly past if the tanker isn't nearby. Wondering what that range needs to be?

Edited April 20, 2013 by ENO

[Grimes]

Thanks, will check it out.

 

Putting the AI on a follow command will help out. Also as long as the AI aren't directly in front of the tanker when they are given the order to refuel, the rendezvous pathing is a bit better.

[Taproot]

I am trying this out as well. Have a couple of F-15s doing escort of a Kc-135 (texaco).

 

I set it up like this in one WP:

F 15 nr 1
Follow: Texaco to WP 10
Refuel
Follow: Texaco to WP 25
Refuel
Follow: Texaco to WP 44

 

F 15 nr 2
Follow: Texaco to WP 11
Refuel
Follow: Texaco to WP 26
Refuel
Follow: Texaco to WP 44

 

As I looked through the track @ WP 10 the F-15 nr 1 waved of the escort. Yes! It is going to refuel. Well.. It did, but not at Texaco who it escorted 100 meters away, but he went for Shell. Many many NM away... Weird! He returned to Texaco when he was done.

 

As for F-15 nr 2 he did the same, went for shell many NM away... But.. He never connected. He just flew behind the tanker at a very good distance. I guess 1 NM and stayed there... Never returned to Texaco.

 

Any clues?

[Grimes]

As I looked through the track @ WP 10 the F-15 nr 1 waved of the escort. Yes! It is going to refuel. Well.. It did, but not at Texaco who it escorted 100 meters away, but he went for Shell. Many many NM away... Weird! He returned to Texaco when he was done.

 

As for F-15 nr 2 he did the same, went for shell many NM away... But.. He never connected. He just flew behind the tanker at a very good distance. I guess 1 NM and stayed there... Never returned to Texaco.

 

I have seen the holding station 1nm or so back from the tanker bug, but it isn't easily replicated, nor have I figured out what causes it.

 

I do know there is a bug in 1.2.3 where AI will only refuel from a tanker once in a mission, this might be fixed in 1.2.4. I'll see if I can replicate the AI going for a tanker that isn't the closest, a track with this behavior isolated would be helpful.

 

IMO I'd setup the pathing a bit differently. Rather than using a bunch of waypoints, it might be best to just setup the aircraft on an orbit and simply call a "refueling" triggered action every x minutes or so with triggers.

[ENO]

My follow command followed by a refuel has worked quite well. All units hooked up. Question though- do all units have a prearranged time they tank? I set up a b52 that was almost full as well as one that was at 30% (didn't know any better at that point) and they were about the same?

 

Or am I just seeing things?

[Grimes]

It depends on distance to the tanker and % fuel remaining. However in my opinion the AI cut it WAY to close and they often run out of fuel while trying to get fuel. So I like to give AI an order on a looped trigger to go refuel.