Need two Intercepts to back each other up

[Stevechase]

I'm creating a scen and need the AI to protect an airfield specifically with Air Intercept missions (not Patrol mission). I create intercept mission with 3 Foxhounds assigned. When an enemy is detected 3 Foxhounds scramble to intercept, once the intercept is over the three rtb to rearm/refuel. Now this is the perfect time for the enemy to launch its real attack as my dedicated intercepts are down for at least 30 min. To prevent this using the Event Editor how can I get a second intercept group to go on alert while the first is rearming. In a nutshell two intercept missions to either work alternately or one in support of the other and repeat through the duration of the scen so that there is no gap in protection. I have toyed around with some ideas in the editor, and I am sure it can be done, but nothing seems to efficiently do what I want yet. Hopefully you guys have some ideas

[Stevechase]

Through experimentation I have learned that the Devs seem to have already accounted for this is some fashion. If you set a single Air intercept with 6 aircraft assigned to it. It will only scramble 2 or 3 and leave the others ready if necessary. So that helps with my problem there. But I would like an Intercept to take effect only when enemy AC enter a specific zone or range from my airbase. That is I would like for the player to be able to set this up and control it so it would have to be done outside the event editor in actual game mode. Is this possible as is or if not could it be added as an option in the intercept mission dialog screen.

[MR_BURNS2]

+1 We need Edit Patrol Area functions for Air Intercept mission, it would make life much easier for scenario creators. For the current game there is a way to work around your problem.

Create a patrol area and make it into an exclusion zone, there select mark violators as either hostile or unfriendly, and then go to your Air Intercept mission and set Mission triggers when contact is at minimum unfriendly/hostile. They will launch only against contacts that were declared unfriendly/hostile by the exclusion zone. The AI will still behave silly and can still be abused, but its better then nothing.


You could also play with different ready times, but that is buggy. Sometimes the AI tries to send a pair up, but one of them isnt ready yet so the guy who is ready circles the airbase, forming up.
When i tried the Allied Force scenario Opfor sent all available Mig-21s trailing my U-2 at 82000 feet, unreachable for them.....thats just ridiculous and needs to be improved somehow.
Patrol Areas for Air Intercept would help.