No Escort for Recon

[EricLarsen]

One thing that's really absurd is the way fighter units set to Escort will escort recon flights! That is very ahistorical since recon flights by their very nature are basically "stealth" missions where one or two planes try to go in unnoticed to snap recon photos. Having 30 fighter escorts really blows this kind of stealthy mission.
Please stop escorts for recon flights so that the game plays more historically accurate.
Eric Larsen

[Erik Rutins]

Eric,

I haven't seen this. My recon flights go in by themselves. Can you be more specific as to the situation and location where your recon flights were escorted? Are you sure there was no LR-CAP that you mistook as escorts? Were there any aircraft on attack orders along - that would lead the recon to accompany the strike, but the escort wouldn't be for the recon.

Regards,

- Erik

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Originally posted by Erik Rutins
Eric,

I haven't seen this. My recon flights go in by themselves. Can you be more specific as to the situation and location where your recon flights were escorted? Are you sure there was no LR-CAP that you mistook as escorts? Were there any aircraft on attack orders along - that would lead the recon to accompany the strike, but the escort wouldn't be for the recon.

Regards,

- Erik

Would it be possible that Eric (who started this thread) maybe
had level bombers on "Recon" as their secondary mission?

In that case the fighters on "Escort" would fly acompanying the
full level bomber squadron.

But this, as you already confirmed in other thread, is old bug on
list and should be fixed...


Leo "Apollo11"

[EricLarsen]

Erik,
It's been a while since I saw this, but then I've also been careful to not allow any fighter units within escort range to go on Escort/CAP. I had it happen around Port Moresby with real recon planes (not bombers) being escorted to Gili Gili. I didn't have any bombing runs into the hex on the recon flight turn as I reconned the turn before the attack. I guess I'll have to try it again but I know I had recon flights being escorted by lots of fighters. I think it happened most when the recon flights originated from an airfield that had fighters within range that were on Escort/CAP.
Eric Larsen

[Badger]

I saw this situation in one of my games. I had escorts for a Recon Flight by B-17E's whose primary mission was set to Recon. However, the escorts were long range CAP over a Task Force that was in the same hex. I got a combat box with only the Long Range CAP in it and nothing else. Nothing happened (some sound effects I think), I closed the box and then I got the Recon messages and sound effects.

[Erik Rutins]

Having LR-CAP show up is normal, but if anyone has a save that shows non-LR-CAP planes flying escort for a pure recon mission, I'd like to see it.

Regards,

- Erik

[DoomedMantis]

I've had it happen quite a few times, so next time it happens I will save the file and send it.

I will note that when bombers have been sent to the same base to attack as recon then they all go at once, with the recon happening after all the combat is over.

The times when recon has gone with cover on its own there have been no bombers set to the base, even as secondary. It doesn't happen all the time, but every so often, and while I can't be certain, usually when the escorts weren't called out on other duties.

[DoomedMantis]

The situation I'm talking about is fighters set to escort, but I have seen LRCAP used as well

[EricLarsen]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Erik Rutins
Having LR-CAP show up is normal, but if anyone has a save that shows non-LR-CAP planes flying escort for a pure recon mission, I'd like to see it.

Regards,

- Erik

Erik,
I also recall seeing long-range CAP doing escort for recon planes and that's totally bogus too. Recon flights should not have any escorts period! If someone wants something akin to escort they could use the fighter sweep with the recon mission. But recon flights, with recon planes or bombers, should not have escorts of any kind.
Regards,

Eric Larsen

[DoomedMantis]

I've just had it happen in a carrier battle. My bombers went unescorted and got murdered, yet I had fighters set for escort. Low and behold, the escort turned up to escort the recon mission to Gilli Gilli. I checked all the other formations and nothing was set to go to Gilli but the recon.

I will send you the save file, but haven't got the combat report any longer.

Secondly I though I would do a test and send the recon elsewhere. The escort then went where it was meant to go, and my bombers got to fight another day.