Planes won't climb away from a low altitude threat

[thedoctorking]

I had some bombers circling around a target, where the high altitude SAM was disabled. They were at 36000 feet, nice and safe. Then, for some reason, they decided to go down to 400 feet AGL and, despite repeated orders, would not climb back up again. This despite the fact that their weapons needed to be released at above 10000 AGL. Can I assume that the pilots have a death wish? Or they have gone over to the enemy? Should I have their families sent to the Gulag?

[Dimitris]

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3585262

2. Always post a save file (either autosave or manual save). Command is a complex simulation of how stuff works in the real world. The real world has a million variables that affect why something is happening and so does Command. Don't try to describe every variable - you can't. But the save file can.

[maverick3320]

I've just been experiencing the same problem. I'll manually set the altitude of a strike aircraft above the SAM engagement altitude and after firing, the aircraft will rapidly drop altitude into the engagement envelope. Quite frustrating - basically the only solution I've found is to manually babysit the aircraft, but even then, it requires constant micro.

[stww2]

As Dimitris said, it's difficult to say what is going on without seeing a save file. Two possible explanations that come to mind for me are:

1) The aircraft have loadouts whose attack altitudes dictate low altitude flight when on-station (or sometimes even in cruise, but the player is probably more likely to notice this earlier). This can be avoided by manually ordering the aircraft to hold the desired altitude (which will work as long as that setting is not reset, which admittedly can happen occasionally as the throttle/altitude panel can be rather finicky in my experience), or, if the aircraft are on a mission, setting the cruise and on-station altitudes as-desired.

2) The aircraft have "Automatic Evasion" turned on, and so have descended to avoid a detected missile threat. "Automatic Evasion" is a very simple mechanic and doesn't take into account the capabilities of the threats it is facing, so it will always descend even in circumstances where it would be easier to climb outside of the missiles threat envelope. This is avoided by turning automatic evasion off.

[thedoctorking]

Yeah, even when I go to the plane repeatedly and set the altitude to medium or above, they revert immediately to low.

[KungPao]

is that a strike mission or ASuW patrol mission?

what kind of ammunition the A/C is carrying? I had a similar incident before. Later I realized that my A/C carries Mk82 AIR. There is a max weapon release height for this bomb



Did auto evasion disable?
Did gun strafing disable? Without a save file I would guess these two are the root of cause .

[guanotwozero]

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking

...despite repeated orders, would not climb back up again.

How did you order that? Set course and alt or something else? What did their status say? Were they still on the mission?

I'll also suggest a save would be very useful.

[thedoctorking]

I was operating them manually. They were trying to drop glide bombs on a SAM site. They were orbiting the location at 36000 feet, and apparently couldn't see the target closely enough to shoot. So I deassigned them from the attack and had them move outside the range of the SAMs, waiting for a recon flight to pass over and locate the targets precisely. Then they dove to 400 feet AGL and the SAM shot them down. Seems silly. I went back and reloaded the save and used F2 to set them to high altitude before ordering the move and then it was OK. But why would they ever go to 400 feet when they have weapons that have to be at >10000 feet to release?

[Dimitris]

Still no save file...

[thewood1]

"I went back and reloaded the save"

Instead of wasting a bunch of time going back and forth, just post the save.

[guanotwozero]

If you're in doubt, to post a save:

1) Zip up the savefile with 7-zip or some other archiver.
2) Hit the 'reply' button to a post in this thread.
3) Click the 'Hit here to upload!' link and follow the instructions, browsing to that zipfile.
4) Post it!

[BDukes]

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking

I was operating them manually. They were trying to drop glide bombs on a SAM site. They were orbiting the location at 36000 feet, and apparently couldn't see the target closely enough to shoot. So I deassigned them from the attack and had them move outside the range of the SAMs, waiting for a recon flight to pass over and locate the targets precisely. Then they dove to 400 feet AGL and the SAM shot them down. Seems silly. I went back and reloaded the save and used F2 to set them to high altitude before ordering the move and then it was OK. But why would they ever go to 400 feet when they have weapons that have to be at >10000 feet to release?

I didn't have a file but created one with just a SA-6 (35000 max alt) and Walleyes (100000 Minimum) and wasn't able to recreate it. Perhaps you'll have more luck with it. Save file attached.

[BDukes]

thedoctorking

Looks like the dive is part of the evasion logic (I think). I added an SA-11 which is always in parameters and the aircraft dive when fired on.

Is turning off Evasion in ROE's a good option?

Mike