Flight wont attack some ground objects. Why?

[+quack74 329]

Anyone know why my flight will not attack or drop bombs on certain ground objects? I give the command to "Attack ground target" and they fly away looking for other ground targets. I notice it every time my  mission is to attack trains or train stations and a couple others. Their ground object types are set to "TRAIN" and "RAIL_STATION". Their target values are 100 to 1000. What makes a ground object targetable?

Edited April 18, 2016 by quack74

[+VonS 1,424]

I've noticed this too on occasion even in the single missions, or that I'm attacking a balloon and my wingmen don't bother attacking it but merrily fly around me and the balloon while I have to do all the work. Perhaps there is an option to toggle the "fixation" or lack of interest that the AI has on some targets and class of targets in the game?

 

Von S

[+ojcar 157]

If you order "attack ground target, they will attack the dangerous targets, aka the anti-aircraft units. This is useful if you want to attack at low level, You bomb the target and meanwhile, your friends will destroy the flak for you.

 

If you don't say anything, your flight mates will do the normal bombing run and attack the mission target. Your wingman usually doesn't attack, so you can do the bombing run with your flight, and after that you can win more mission points by ordering  your wingman to "attack ground targets" an destroy some flak units.

 

So, the best is to have at least 4 planes in a bombing mission. Three planes (including you) will do the normal bombing run and throw their bombs to the target. Then you have your wingman with some more bombs. In case you don't hit the target, you can order your wingman to attack some flak and at least have some points (or not, not very wise to attack Pom-Poms!). Or you can run without giving any order to your wingman.

[+quack74 329]

Thanks ojcar. That makes sense. I always hit the "Attack ground target" key. I don't think I ever flew over a target with out telling my flight what to do. Can't trust those green pilots

[+quack74 329]

I tried a few missions that had a train station as the main target and this time I didn't tell my flight of DH.9's to do anything. They just flew right over the target and didn't drop a thing. But then I ordered them to attack the target and they turned around and dropped their bombs on the station. So what gives? If I order them too soon they fly away. if I wait till after the waypoint they will turn around and then attack.

[+ojcar 157]

I don't know. I don't fly bombers very much and when I do, I usually make something like "shallow dive bombing" to destroy or damage the target myself. In Aircraftobject.ini you have this:

 

[LevelBombAI]
PullOutRange=100.0
PullOutAlt=100.0
ReleaseAlt=1000.0
SecondPassRange=500.0
SecondPassAlt=800.0
ReleaseCount=4
ReleaseInterval=0.5

 

[DiveBombAI]
RollInRange=1000.0
RollInAlt=1000.0
PullOutRange=100.0
PullOutAlt=100.0
ReleaseAlt=250.0
SecondPassRange=800.0
SecondPassAlt=800.0
ReleaseCount=2
ReleaseInterval=0.8

 

[RocketAttackAI]
RollInRange=100.0
RollInAlt=1000.0
PullOutRange=100.0
PullOutAlt=200.0
ReleaseRange=800.0
SecondPassRange=800.0
SecondPassAlt=800.0
ReleaseCount=4
ReleaseInterval=0.2

 

[strafeAI]
RollInRange=500.0
RollInAlt=250.0
PullOutRange=50.0
PullOutAlt=30.0
ReleaseRange=500.0
SecondPassRange=500.0
SecondPassAlt=400.0
ReleaseInterval=1.0

 

Maybe if you guide the formation out of parameters, you'll need the attack order...

[+quack74 329]

I'll check it out. Does "TargetValue" in the "Terrain_Types" have anything to do with it? Too low of a value perhaps?

[+ojcar 157]

I don't know. You must have in mind this is a game where (in its vanilla version) you are a fighter pilot, while 2 seaters are managed by AI. To make things worst, this is the son of a Jet sim (with a lot of "radio" orders instead the simpler "hand" orders we have in FE), so some missions aren't very well done for a WWI sim (recon ones, for example).

 

Nevertheless, two seater campaigns are very fun  to play

[+quack74 329]

I understand. Makes perfect sense. I'll keep fudging with it. I use two seaters quit a bit actually. They usually do the right thing. Just a couple of objects I'm having trouble with. I created a campaign called "The Independent Air Force". As the RAF (IAF), I mainly fly the DH4 and the DH9. Flights are anywhere from 3 to 12 aircraft. We fly over the lines around Nancy and almost always head north to attack aerodromes and large airfields, factories in and around Metz and Thionville, and even train stations. I even, on acation, will come across a moving train that needs to be put out of action. I created most of the Jasta's and Kest units that were known to be in the vicinity. It's very involved. I fly it all the time. Never a dull mission. It's very cool to see the red Jasta18 Fokker D.VII's from Montingen gaining altitude to attack my flight of IAF DH9's of 104 Squadron on or way to bomb the factories in Thionville. Or even the large airfield in Boulay northeast of Metz. I'm almost done so you all can try it out for your selves very soon.

[+ojcar 157]

I'm waiting for it!!!!

[+VonS 1,424]

An interesting discussion. Here are also a couple of links to older posts for FE/FE2 that discuss similar problems and ways of tweaking AI accuracy, might be of some help. One discusses bomb target accuracy and the other has some comments from Peter01 regarding AI tweaking, its benefits and complications. Keep in mind that the AI stuff, by the way, is not located in the Aircraftobject ini file as Peter01 refers to it but in the Aircraftdataai file that needs to be extracted first from I think the first objectdata cat file for the game, and placed in the "Objects" folder of your user game folder to work. It's probably the case that the generic AI settings were located directly in Aircraftobject for FE1 and FEgold. A lot of the AI data is now located directly in the data ini files for planes in FE2, overriding the info. present in Aircraftdataai anyway, but some fiddling with Aircraftdataai might help improve two-seater behavior, especially when commands are given out.

 

http://combatace.com/topic/25803-this-was-pretty-cool/

 

http://combatace.com/topic/20585-aircraftobjectini-changes-a-warning/

 

Von S

[+quack74 329]

Thanks for the links Von S. I know there were related topics over the years somewhere in here.

[Nicholas Bell 117]

I understand. Makes perfect sense. I'll keep fudging with it. I use two seaters quit a bit actually. They usually do the right thing. Just a couple of objects I'm having trouble with. I created a campaign called "The Independent Air Force". As the RAF (IAF), I mainly fly the DH4 and the DH9. Flights are anywhere from 3 to 12 aircraft. We fly over the lines around Nancy and almost always head north to attack aerodromes and large airfields, factories in and around Metz and Thionville, and even train stations. I even, on acation, will come across a moving train that needs to be put out of action. I created most of the Jasta's and Kest units that were known to be in the vicinity. It's very involved. I fly it all the time. Never a dull mission. It's very cool to see the red Jasta18 Fokker D.VII's from Montingen gaining altitude to attack my flight of IAF DH9's of 104 Squadron on or way to bomb the factories in Thionville. Or even the large airfield in Boulay northeast of Metz. I'm almost done so you all can try it out for your selves very soon.

 

If you need some specific information I have this excellent book.  Happy to assist.

[+quack74 329]

I already have it. It's an incredible read. That's what got me into creating a whole campaign and redoing the Verdun terrain. Loads of information.