Author Topic: Ability to set drone formation? (Read 786 times)

Furball · « **on:** October 17, 2004, 12:19:19 PM »

Would be great to be able to press 'Alt 1' 'Alt 2' etc to change the formation the drones fly with you in.

For example it may be beneficial to set the bombers into line astern, or line abreast depending on what you are bombing, so you could press alt and the corresponding number to set the formation.

For bombers with a strong roof gun like the Ki67 you could set a stacked formation with the drones lower than you, so if anyone comes onto your 6 they will be flying into a hail of 20mm.

Would be nice to have 3 AI drones so you could set a 'vee' formation or diamond.

Maybe 'alt would set the formation type' and 'alt + or -' changes the altitude of the drones in relation to your plane.

what ya think?

TrueKill · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2004, 12:22:56 PM »

that would be great

Angus · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2004, 12:53:25 PM »

Very interesting idea Furbie.
Say you could also regulate the spacing with dot command?

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2004, 01:18:03 PM »

Actually Im kinda surprised this hasnt been implemented from the start

TBolt A-10 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2004, 01:25:34 PM »

awesome idea!

Cobra412 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2004, 01:27:32 PM »

Furball nice idea but for what type of role would this be used in and are we staying with accurate formations? High altitude bombing done by the 8th Air Force was done in the "vic" formations. A wingmen could be lower or higher depending on how the overall group was to be formed up but it was still the vic. I've got a bunch of formations they used from the start of the war till the end of the war.

I'm sure that some lower raid missions may have been setup differently. I would be concerned of these folks using these formations incorrectly though. I'm no WWII history buff but how often were the versions that we have of Lancasters, B-17s and B-26s used in the fleet defense mode? We also have the issues that folks are already using low level bombing tactics without the proper parafrag weapons. Even in loose formations the B-24s attacking Ploesti got hammered. This doesn't happen that often in AH and people know it so they purposely use these airframes and low probability of getting killed on a low level raid.

My biggest thing is I'd hate someone to use a good idea like this to game the game. They already do it with the options they have and they'd probably do it even more with these options.

TBolt A-10 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2004, 01:49:20 PM »

Furbie's idea will help add some spice to bombing runs once HT solves the divebombing heavies problem.

Disable bombs while in F3 mode...please make it happen, HTC. lol

Cobra412 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2004, 02:12:08 PM »

TBolt other issues have to be dealt with too. For starters is bombing any ammunitions dumps. That much explosives contained in one area will have massive secondary explosions. Same with fuel depot storages. A fully laden ammo storage should have massive secondary explosions that would be lethal to any bomber or fighter/bomber at low levels.

How often do we see people straffing ammo storages and killing them with no ill affects? I see it quite often and it's rather absurd that it lightly explodes and sets on fire. Same goes with the fuel storages. We see folks flying right through the fuel storage flames after they blow it up.

We also have the issues that some areas are weakly defended. A perfect example is again the raid on Ploesti. Something as simple as a fuel storage/refinery was heavily guarded against any type of air raids. Now think of our fuel depots in AH2. How well defended are they? Not very well defended if you asked me. Especially considering you have "milkrunners" in fighter/bomber airframes going over and leveling it.

In my own opinion I think HT needs to make these items more heavily defended. They also need to make the strategic targets more vital to the overall war. This should bring back the more realistic bombing missions. Bombing runs would then mean more and we'd see less of the gamey bombing runs we see now. We'd also see more realistic intecept and escort missions going on.

Reason being is these bombing runs would be extremely vital to how well a country will progress in a particular region. Light bombers and fighter/bombers would concentrate more on the fields and heavy bombers would concentrate more on the cities, factories, ammo and such. For a country to take bases in a region they'd first have to make strategic strikes on the factories. Meanwhile the missions going out to take bases would be prepping for multiple tactical strikes on bases in that region the second the factories are hit. If the missions go well then the factories destruction will make it easier for a side to take the base. If not then fuel, ammunition, AAA and hangars will rebuild extremely fast making it extremely impossible to take the base.

Resupplies of towns, factories and bases should also have more of an affect on the overall war. The one thing that is essential in the overall outcome of a war is it's ability to bomb strategic targets. This is something that plays very little in the overall scheme that we have now.

TBolt A-10 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2004, 03:55:13 PM »

Cobra!

Hey, your suggestions are good and sound. I honestly had never even thought about the lack of secondary explosions. Now that you mention it, I'd love to see them...even though they're prolly gonna kill my FR even more.

I like the idea about formations, as well. That's all.

nopoop · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2004, 09:14:45 PM »

If I want to play with drones I just go to work.

Lotsa drones there.

Zanth · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2004, 11:03:23 AM »

AAA is too weak or bombers wouldnt be able to low level like they do in the game.

Furball · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2004, 03:46:15 PM »

Low bombers are fun. easy pickings. why you all hate em?

If i see high bomber formation i can never be bothered to climb all that alt just for the sake killing 1 formation.

anyway, lets get back on track, lets whine about my idea til its implemented

Furball · « **Reply #12 on:** October 21, 2004, 12:37:01 PM »

cough.

Pongo · « **Reply #13 on:** October 21, 2004, 01:17:13 PM »

One formation of Lancs at 15k can take down all the fhs and the vh at a large field..You better pay attention to them.

Alpo · « **Reply #14 on:** October 21, 2004, 01:30:29 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Furball
cough.

Catchin' a cold? It is flu season after all. I know this couldn't be a punt as punting is a violation of #13. Please take this as total concern for your health (hint: chicken soup) and not moderation by a user as that would violate #6.

Oh... and I would LOVE to have an extra drone and formation choices, but wouldn't a diamond cause gunnery problems for the pilot of #1 when someone is walking the six of #4??