Gunnery from bombers

[FORK2]

I would love to see an automatic gunner on the bombers as if they were ships...

 For example let the B17 have a few slots for a gunner for those that like to gun, (say from the ball, and tail turret), but let the AI shoot from the waist guns and possibly from the upper and front turrets.

Definitely let the AI shoot from the rear gun positions if the plane only has ONE position (like the IL2 or Boston) but split it up on the other planes if they have more than one gunner.

I definitely love to see input from the community on THIS one. Maybe ppl want nothing but AI gunners on ALL bombers (I don't) but maybe a lot do.

 Or maybe copying the ship approach is a terrible idea, but for once I would LOVE to just fly the plane and have someone or something else handle SOME of the turret guns.

It would definitely be an innovation thing ppl are saying we haven't done in years.

[BowHTR]

Then how will you know if the bomber is AFK   

[FORK2]

It flys straight and doesn't shoot from the tail? It would give the guy shooting down the bombers a cheap thrill for sure.

That is a good question tho...

 Actually... I hope it would encourage more ppl to take bombers for long flights knowing that the AI will give them SOME measure of protection while they take a leak or change the diapers, take out the trash etc.

 We might see a rash of bomber missions from ppl who might not otherwise play the game who knows?

 I hope Hi Tech wouldn't have to write any more code than absolutely necessary to incorporate this feature to make it work.

[BuckShot]

-1 no

We have enough ai in the game already.

[thndregg]

I would love to see an automatic gunner on the bombers as if they were ships...

Umm..    No.

Thanks.

[Lusche]

AI gunners are very diffficult to model 'right'. Either they suck, or they are shooting lasers. If they have limited ammo, it's easy for a fighter to make them waste it.
Human gunners are unpredictable, can learn to adjust for fighter tactics - at least some of them . They show a huge range of skills & traits unmatched by any AI.

As a frequent bomber pilot, I never felt any need for auto gunners at all. I would had complained alot if someone took some guns from me to make them 'intelligent' 

[bozon]

because what we need are looping lancasters shooting at the fighters in the loop, and B26s that scissor at 500 mph while keeping their formation and shooting at the fighter at the same time.

 

[lunatic1]

-1
the pilot or the pilot and 1 gunner can cover the plane as is.

[FORK2]

Ok then by you all reasoning we should get rid of the AI gunners on ships too...

After all we don't need their guns as we're better at it. Can't have ships maneuvering and firing at the same time either. AND the AI gunners on the ships are either lasers or unpredictable.

How about this idea then.. have a check box in the hanger to either have AI gunners or not? Click it and you get manual, leave it and the default is AI gunners?

That way noobs can learn to bomb and fly without being suicides up against all you vets... and don't tell me all you super hot pilots can't deal with an AI gunner? I see you ppl deack a town in less than two min.

[Zoney]

Ok then by you all reasoning we should get rid of the AI gunners on ships too...

After all we don't need their guns as we're better at it. Can't have ships maneuvering and firing at the same time either. AND the AI gunners on the ships are either lasers or unpredictable.

How about this idea then.. have a check box in the hanger to either have AI gunners or not? Click it and you get manual, leave it and the default is AI gunners?

That way noobs can learn to bomb and fly without being suicides up against all you vets... and don't tell me all you super hot pilots can't deal with an AI gunner? I see you ppl deack a town in less than two min.

-1 to Buff AI gunners

Comparing them to ships is apples to oranges.  There IS someone flying the bombers, many times the ships are out on their own without a player on board.  Even if the ships dar shows someone coming, there is not necessarily a player able to just jump in it.

[FORK2]

I've shot down lots of bombers with no one in them, many times on a long flight ppl had to go do something and didn't get back in  time. But that was in AH2.

 I don't see long bomber flights in AH3, they're pretty much suicidal with so few planes in the air. Maybe with AI a lone strat bombing raid (if the strat isn't right next door to the base like in the spiral map) wouldn't be a suicide.

 It might even help the bomb and bail problem if the pilot knew he could maneuver and have an AI gunner. That he wasn't just there to be pwned.

I say we need to be thinking about new players, and new players WILL WANT AI GUNNERS, at least until they are experts like you all.

I SAY AGAIN, why not a check box to choose between the features, check it if you don't want AI gunners and leave it be if you want them????

[BowHTR]

-1. Don't need anymore AI in the Melee. Would be a nice addition for special events, though.

[hitech]

I say we need to be thinking about new players, and new players WILL WANT AI GUNNERS, at least until they are experts like you all.

Quite the claim, considering that in 17 years of AH I can not remember this every being requested before. In fact quite the opposite. Any time AI gunning is ever used people complain about being shot down by AI.

HiTech

[FORK2]

Maybe because anyone who could have benefited from the idea quit after two weeks because the game was too complex as every mission was a suicide?

Maybe no one has ever had the option?

 Maybe after 17 years somebody is thinking outside the box? Just because no one ever requested the idea before makes it a bad one.

Maybe sayin in Mississippi in 1965 "no has complained about voting rights in 17 years" meant everything was just peachy keen.

[hitech]

Or Maybe I wrote them in a prior game, and they were complained about so much I said never again?
And Maybe I came up with a system better then AI that allowed one user to control all gunner positions?
Or Maybe it a really really stupid idea?

Word of advise. Not a good idea to poke the bear.

HiTech