CFS2 AI Promotor Question

[_486_Col_Wolf]

Does anyone know if Aviar's AI promoter overides the wingman skill setting as defined in Mission Builder? If you don't set wingman skill at ace/high agressiveness from the beginning of the campaign they're pretty much useless, but does the AI promotor reset it to rookie at the beginning if you use it?

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Hi. It seems to reset the skill level, but I'm not sure about agressivness. As the wingmen gain skill (kills), they seem to perform better but you have to use the "update skill" function to bring them up to V and A levels.

[bearcat241]

Yes, it overrides the MB settings and starts everyone as rookies if you deploy it at the beginning of a campaign through the end. It hijacks the default internal promoting function within the sim and independently enhances AI skill and aggressiveness in each successive mission based on performance in the previous mission. Its more effective than the default function.

You may have noticed during all the years since you began playing without the AI Promoter, but CFS2 randomizes AI rookie performance. You can set your squadron to "Rookies" in MB and still get a couple of hard-charging sharpshooters from the beginning, who just keep getting better and more reliable with each mission they survive. Others step up progressively while a few fall to the wayside, never achieving much and usually end up on the casualty list (how's that for realism? :kilroy:).

My campaigns generally go smoother (i.e., fewer losses) when i use the "promoted ones" as element leaders. They tend to do a good job of managing the less skilled and low aggression types. And i don't use them all on every mission because that just gets them killed early in the tougher campaigns with lots of ace opponents and heavy flak action. I alternate them so they last longer and help me manage the squadrons over the length of the campaigns.

[_486_Col_Wolf]

I have to try to run a campaign without using AI promoter and see if my initial Ace/High Agressiveness settings for my wingmen seem be there. Like I said, if you set to rookie/low in MB they're pretty much useless LOL. Thanks guys!

[bearcat241]

Col_Wolf,

While i do agree that the CFS2 AI wingies on low settings generally tend to be a stone drag on mission success, there's a lot to be said about how we utilize them in command of our flights. Many players endure poor AI performance because they haven't mastered the art of studying their patterns of behavior and commanding/managing them accordingly. In my early CFS2 days i spent a lot of focus on mission success for myself alone while regarding my flights as dead weight and cannon fodder in the process - it was all about me and my kill numbers in the end, while the wingmen suffer and die to keep the enemy occupied. Over time i got the revelation that i could achieve all required objectives in every mission and still fail a campaign due to heavy squadron losses. So i learned to divide my mission focus between my personal role against the objectives and my management of the flights. In this development i saw how the AI operated in a new light and even learned how to delegate my personal attack role to certain elements or individuals so that i spent less time killing stuff and more time directing the killing. Naturally, my campaign numbers dropped and the medal-pinning and promotions came slower, but the average of my squadron losses also dropped and i even began to see some personality patterns in the way my AI guys went about their business, feeling the loss when a really "good one" didn't make it home.

Learning when and where to use the command keys are essential to this process. It took me years in the sim to discover how powerful the Rejoin and Help commands can be in organizing and directing the flight. Even the direction in which the player's aircraft is pointing when these commands are given can make an impact on how the AI respond, e.g., you can't be flying away from your group at a high rate of speed and expect them to come running in your direction on the Regroup command. But they will make a better effort at it if you call for help even though you may not need it. The best way i've found For Rejoin is to fly towards them at around 225 mph or less and let them join up as you close on them.

Learning how to use the Attack command is another thing that's often taken for granted. I've gotten the impression from many here over the years that most think that hitting the 'A' key twice on anything will settle it. If you hit the key twice on a single target with a flight of six or eight guys on your wing, they'll generally split in multiple directions while the sim sorts out which two it wants to lock onto the target. The rest just start wandering about and now you have a herding problem on your hands while the two focused guys go in for the kill. I simply hit the key once on a selection to assign a two-man element, select another target and hit it once again and so on until each element has an assignment while i monitor their progress if i'm not too busy myself. You always want to place your best man as leader of the last element (#7 for an eight ship formation or #5 for a six ship), because as you approach multiple targets, when you select the first tango and hit the 'A' key once, this command goes to the last element first. The next attack command goes to the next to last element and so on until you get to your personal #2 wingman. Sometimes its good to just let him lead and you support his actions and back him up. Of course, in a furball with opponents closing head-on at 400 mph you have little time to think this through. So you have to do this really quick with some room for error and just let it roll.

Its just like a business enterprise, get to know the folks who work for you and you'll eventually figure out their performance buttons. ;)

[Shadow Wolf 07]

A good, clear explanation BC. :salute:

[Rami]

Bearcat,

Your detailed knowledge of this sim never ceases to amaze me; you put me to shame. :salute:

[bearcat241]

Glad to assist guys. Rami, i'm just one of those types who can't resist taking things apart to figure out how they work. And you my friend put me to shame with your inspiring mission-building work ethic and creativity. Looking at your production levels, i know it can't be easy to maintain your focus and dedication with all the RL stuff you have on your plate.

CheerZ to All! :icon29:

[bearcat241]

In the interest of managing AI performance there's one more piece i should add, but not amending my previous postings. I also think that the targeting window can be a very valuable tool for flight leadership. Yes it obviously enhances situational awareness for self-preservation, but the real benefit to your flight is that it also allows you to see their locations and actions clearer in the fog of war. You can spot the "wanderers" and the guys in trouble quickly and take appropriate action, often saving them to fight another mission. You can also maintain a constant picture of where your help is when approaching the tougher targets.

For example, you can look at the targeting window and see a wingie very near destruction with a bogey on his six. If you know how to read that picture you can tell immediately whether he's aware of the threat or not. If you select his threat and give the command for attack, he will get more aggressive against this threat and/or others will converge to assist him. There have been occasions when i saw a wingie in the window some distance from my location struggling with a bogey. If the situation allows, i call for a rejoin and approach him. In response to my command he will break off his engagement and come towards me, dragging his threat in tow which gives me a clean head-on shot to clear his six and settle his lengthy argument with the bogey.

That targeting window doesn't only serve to watch your own a$$ or figure out what you're gonna kill next. Its the tool that helps you watch over your flock and perform like those flight leaders you see in the old war movies issuing commands and warnings to their teammates in heat of battle.

[_486_Col_Wolf]

Excellent explaination Bearcat! I was always the "realism" freak who said "WHAT!?!?! Target lock in a WWII Fighter? I'll never use it!!" LOL Then it dawned on me.... you cant talk directly to your wingmen so targeting before hitting attack takes it's place. I takes getting used to but it works. Thanks again!!