Naval Attack airstrike settings

[estaban]

Maybe this is an old topic, but the naval attack air mission needs some tweeks.

1) Planes attack at very long ranges, often without escort.

2) Planes attack certain wierd target types.

For example, I recently had a combination of these two problems happen. I was playing Japanese with a big airbase at Guadlcanal, and I set a Betty squadron I had there to naval attack. The allied player had a cruiser squadron between Irau and Espiritu Santo that I wanted to hit. What happened? Half the Bettys flew all the way down to Noumea, and torpedoed an APD. Not only did these bombers ignore the cruisers, which were much closer, more valuable, and dangerous, but they even ignored larger AO and AP targets at Noumea to make separate morning and afternoon attacks on the one APD at Noumea. The end result, 3 torpedo hits on the APD, and one each on a pair of allied cruisers. Sunk the APD of course, and fortunately only lost 5-6 planes from the squadron in the day's action. The allied player was, like me, so incredulous about a long range air attack on Noumea from Guadlcanal that he had moved all his fighters up towards Espiritu Santo. If he hadn't, my long range Bettys would have been slaughtered

The solutions?

-There needs to be a "max strike range" setting on the naval attack air setting. This would prevent the squadron from flying farther to a target than the number of hexes that you designate.

-Or, you can put in a toggle to "fly/don't fly unescorted". This will prevent the strike attacking a target at a range where the bombers cannot get escort. There should be a chance for the fighters will not link up with the bombers or lose the bombers in flight, depending on weather, experience, range to target, etc. Of course, a player can elect to let his bombers fly unescorted, if he wanted to.

-Targeting needs to be improved. Bombers on naval attack should strongly tend to attack targets that are closer, and higher value.

-Or, a setting needs to be added to the naval attack mission that allows you to concentrate the attack on certain kinds of targets. Settings like, "attack carriers", "attack escorts" (include cruisers and BBs in the definition of "escort"), "attack transports" and "attack tankers". There should of course be some variance from the selected target type, as pilots get confused and attack the wrong target, mistake the ID of their actual target or run out of fuel/time and attack a target of convenience. But the attack should concentrate on the selected type of target, if that type is in range.

[Admiral Scott]

These are all good reasons why we need more control.

The A.I. can be so stupid. For example, an enemy bombard TF is coming at your base and is within range of your bombers.
In real life I would send a message to the base commander about the situation and order him to launch all available bombers to bomb the enemy approaching.
But instead, the A.I. has control and may attack it, or send some planes to attack the TF, and some planes to attack a far off base instead, or not even try to attack it at all. If I give an order to attack a TF, it should be done. If the airgroup couldnt locate the target, ok, at least it tried.

More control over our airstrikes is more realistic, not less realistic as some suggest.
Certainly, more control is more fun and more rewarding to players like myself.

The majority of players want either more control or a better and more realistic A.I. choosing targets. Lets hope we get it in the near future.

[Mr.Frag]

This is the classic problem with Nells and Betties pounding some poor TF at Cairns from Rabaul while there is a Surface TF moved into Gili Gili with a couple of tasty CA/CL/DD's all with really poor AA guns :rolleyes:

Of course, due to them flying all those long flights, they really get too tired to even bother with the CAPITAL SHIPS that have not moved in 5 turns.

I understand naval attack needs to be somewhat random, but what squadron commander in his right mind is going to avoid bagging some capital ships over freighters when given the chance? Couple this with the fact that the escort fighters ARE within escort range of these tasty capital ships and you really start to scratch your head wondering why ???

[siRkid]

Originally posted by estaban
For example, I recently had a combination of these two problems happen. I was playing Japanese with a big airbase at Guadlcanal, and I set a Betty squadron I had there to naval attack. The allied player had a cruiser squadron between Irau and Espiritu Santo that I wanted to hit. What happened? Half the Bettys flew all the way down to Noumea, and torpedoed an APD. Not only did these bombers ignore the cruisers, which were much closer, more valuable, and dangerous, but they even ignored larger AO and AP targets at Noumea to make separate morning and afternoon attacks on the one APD at Noumea. The end result, 3 torpedo hits on the APD, and one each on a pair of allied cruisers. Sunk the APD of course, and fortunately only lost 5-6 planes from the squadron in the day's action. The allied player was, like me, so incredulous about a long range air attack on Noumea from Guadlcanal that he had moved all his fighters up towards Espiritu Santo. If he hadn't, my long range Bettys would have been slaughtered

By any chance do you have a save of this turn?