First of all, I like the arena changes, though in my location low population has an effect.
So, depending on how far along the AI programming for CT is...
Maybe it would be possible during very low population hours to have limited AI missions run automatically in the EW and MW arenas. The LW arena seems fairly well populated most of the time, so I don't imagine AI would add a lot to the LW.
My thought is a moderate AI bombing force, accompanied by a few AI fighters.
I believe I've read that AI fighters have been encountered already in arenas. I also imagine that if CT has been in closed alpha for a while, then AI level bombers would not require an excessive time investment at this stage, but I'm guessing. The only modeling that I think would have to start from scratch would be an AI dive bombing model, which would be used in EW.
So, a notice appears in the text buffer on the country channel:
2 minutes to Mission - A16 SE to A25.
AI mission code would select a launch base (A16) with no enemy aircraft nearby. Anyone from that country who wants to fly along can move to the mission launch base (A16) and take the runway spawn point (SE). To save the programming investment, there would be no possibility of joining from the Mission Planner. Rather, you simply fly along with the AI mission.
AI missions would rotate between countries. For example, an AI mission for country 1 would run. Then, between 11-14 minutes later, an AI mission for country 2 would run, followed in 11-14 min. by an AI mission for country 3, and so on.
The AI mission would target the country (out of the 2 enemy countries) that currently has the most base captures relative to the mission country. If the numbers are fairly equal, then the targets go around the board. If two are leading closely, and the third trails behind quite a bit, the 2 leading countries could be targeted more often.
The AI mission would target an enemy base that is currently in use (based on something like the Go To function) – preferably the enemy base with the most players operating from it. The exception to this rule would be that no base could be attacked twice in a row (i.e. 2 times in 15 minutes) by AI. So AI would target a nearby base if all players on that enemy side were all located at a recently AI attacked base.
AI bombers would only hit base installations - AA, radar, ord., fuel, barracks, VH, BH.
AI planes could not attack FHs.
AI planes could not attack towns.
Each AI bomber would have a mission target (maybe primary and secondary?), so if those bombers are downed prior to arrival to target, the specific target is not attacked.
AI "pilot competence" would fall along a bell curve. Many would be competent, but a few would be poor, and one or two would be uber. Bombing accuracy could be variable.
I'd suggest that AI missions in EW reach a max alt of ~ 7000 ft and rotated in three variations:
US – 4 Vics of Dauntlesses, 4 Wildcats (or 4 P-40s)
Japanese – 4 Vics of Vals, 4 Zeros
German – 4 Vics of Stukas, 4 Bf 109s
AI missions in MW reach a max alt of ~ 11, 000 ft and rotated in three variations:
US – 3 Vics of B-26s, 4 P-47s
Japanese – 3 Vics of Ki 67s, 4 Ki 61s
German – 3 Vics of Ju 88s, 4 FW 190s
Personally, even if the AI flight, bombing and dive bombing models were not quite tweaked up to AH standards, I'd still be in favor of having the AI missions in the EW and MW during low population hours, so long as they don't crash the system.
