Formation Dot Command

[FiLtH]

 When in bombers to form your flight of buffs on the lead guy, type in .name formL to form on his left wing. Think of the pretty formations this would create.

[ImADot]

Why not just ask for combat autopilot so the plane flies and fights on its own.  Then you could just sit back, drink beer and pretend you're watching a movie.

If you want to fly in pretty bomber formations, why not just practice?  Oh, and maybe everyone could try flying at less than firewalled throttle settings so you actually could catch up and get into formation.

[MjTalon]

Why not just ask for combat autopilot so the plane flies and fights on its own.  Then you could just sit back, drink beer and pretend you're watching a movie.

If you want to fly in pretty bomber formations, why not just practice?  Oh, and maybe everyone could try flying at less than firewalled throttle settings so you actually could catch up and get into formation.

Personally I prefer getting rid of the drones for bombers particularly for this reason:

If you want to fly in pretty bomber formations, why not just practice?  Oh, and maybe everyone could try flying at less than firewalled throttle settings so you actually could catch up and get into formation.

If people actually spent time practicing formation flying there would be no need for bomber drones thus, more actual tactical flying rather than bomb and bail or the kill it and die type of thinking.

[Swatch]

My guess is that lag would prevent this from working.  I've seen times when we've had 20 people all in quasi-formation.  Inevitably, though we're all flying at the same engine settings, same altitude, etc.  Somebody is moving a little faster or slower and doing so in a slightly jumpy manner.  That jumpiness is the lag associated with the system predicting where they are going to be and then getting an update that's elsewhere.  Its small, but my guess is that this would make this feature difficult to implement.

[GreenEagle43]

PRATICE BOMBER FORMATION THATS ALL IT TAKES.HERE THE DICKWEED HEAVY BOMBER GROUP IN A PRATICE FORMATOIN FLYING.
DAM WE LOOK GOOD.LOL <S> OPPERATION OFFICER:GRNEAGLE  DHBG

[FiLtH]

 Yeah I'll work on my bomber formation flying. I suggested it for those that dont fly them well. Like those 4 or so guys at the rear of that pic. Some of you guys are so quick to jump down someone's throat in here.

  Rgr that Swatch you are probably right.

[Beefcake]

Why not just ask for combat autopilot so the plane flies and fights on its own.  Then you could just sit back, drink beer and pretend you're watching a movie.

If you want to fly in pretty bomber formations, why not just practice?  Oh, and maybe everyone could try flying at less than firewalled throttle settings so you actually could catch up and get into formation.

Everytime I have made this request this is almost the first reaction post I get. I spelled out my reasons in this old post.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,219003.0.html

+1

[Strip]

      Bomber formations are a way to increase the impact and survivablity of a single player. A set of bombers are easy enough to take down let alone a single plane. If you want pretty formations I agree practice would be the best option. However, the need for single player formations is not related to thier formation flying ability. I have had the pleasure of flying in realistic formations using historical bombing tactics. Following a lead plane, maintaining position, and dropping on the bombs on signal really brings the history out for me.

Strip

[stroker71]

When I was with Precision we would run 4 player kill boxes with our formations.  You couldn't get close enough to any of us without coming underfire from at least of three of the players with little risk of kill shooting yourselves.  Several times cons would come near then leave because they knew it would put them in the tower.  The only defence the fighters could muster would be numbers.  We would have lead with left and right wings covered by slightly lower formations and the last player would be slightly behind and higher than the lead formation.  We would rarely fly at full power because when making turns the outside players could increase power to keep up.  The inside guys could reduse power and keep everyone together.  Along with good communication helped us do our objective.  Then when close to dar ring we would break off to hit our targets.  One time a spit got between Floatsup and I...I shot off one wing floats got the other wing before the guy could even get close enough to fire.  We laughed so hard as the spit flew between us with no wings...but we still hit our targets.  Makes me want to go up bombers again....have had just a few bomber sorties since I joined the WidowMakers.  That ,to me anyway, goes to show that if flown properly with planning and thought this game can be very historic even in the MA.

DuHasst

PS I would like,as I have stated many times, to see formation commands to spred out or close up formations to make them more effective against the targets.  IE. tight for hangers and spred out for towns/strats.  I sometimes would calibrate slightly higher than actual speed then rudder right before hitting a town/strat so to get a better spred on the target. 

[frank3]

You guys are overreacting on this topic. The wish is to have the drones fly a different formation than the original V.

Has nothing to do with lethalty, effectiveness or any pro-bomber effects. Just for the looks.

[thndregg]

You guys are overreacting on this topic. The wish is to have the drones fly a different formation than the original V.

Has nothing to do with lethalty, effectiveness or any pro-bomber effects. Just for the looks.

That's what I got out of that as well. Pure, simple formation changes. Nothing implied.

[Denholm]

I agree with the wish. I would also enjoy if you could loosen or tighten the formation with a .DOT command.

[ImADot]

If the wish is to adjust the single-player formation, then it sounds reasonable. 

I read the original post to mean he wanted multiple players to be able to have the game put them (and keep them) in formation so they don't have to bother with flying - thus creating one large single-player formation.