Command "Attack nearest ground targets" or "Patrol for" ?

[Hartigan]

Hi everyone. Even after all these  years, I still haven´t fully figured out what commands I should give if I´m the flight leader. Should I give the AI planes the command "Attack nearest ground targets" or "Patrol for ground targets" which can be accessed via the F3 key? I very rarely fly as the flight leader and often air-to-ground missions end with the others returning from the mission with their bombs still attached to their planes.  I really enjoy the new Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey campaigns, but the aforementioned issues seem to persist, at least on the F8 aircraft. 

[AcesDarthBubu]

I use patrol for air/ground/both command more instead of attack nearest target, i find that patrol commands tend to get your AI wingman follow up on more than 1 target. Plus avoiding the tendency of multiple AIs targeting the same enemy at the same time.

Down side I discovered is that, if there are a few units of enemy nearby, the chances are your wingman may attack each units separately instead. 

[BlitzPig_EL]

Been flying the fighter chapter of that campaign in the A6, and I just assume I am on a solo mission every flight, with some random AIs on my side.

They really are dumb as a box of rocks.

[AcesDarthBubu]

Unless AI is further enhanced for GB, we are stucked with what we have for SP pilots. PWCG mod do offer better mix of AI skill in the squadron roster for both sides which is more refreshing than vanilla career AI. 

[Kubert]

I fly as squad leader always when I can. My advice is to not touch commands if you want them to attack mission target. Just follow waypoints as close as you can and when near the target, your wingmen will start their own attack run. This is the moment when you can decide if you want to follow them and attack together (ideal for targets with heavy AA cover), or you can start your independent attack run and ignore them. They will attack the target until you see big yellow "Mission complete" message on the screen. In that moment they regroup into formation behind you. Even when you continue with attack, they only follow you, unless enemy fighters attack them...then their self-preservation instinct takes over. In this situation, after "Mission complete" message, you have three options:

1. You don't need to care about your wingmen, let them follow you and continue strifing on your own.

2. Fly home and don't risk to be shot down, because mission is completed. In this case, your wingmen automatically form behind you and you can go home together.

3. Force your wingmen attack more. I found order "Attack nearest ground/air target" useless, so for this purpose I use only "Patrol for ground/air targets". Patrol make them fly in a circles and attack anything they can find. Unfortunatelly, also targets out of mission objective...like frontline, nearby AA guns and so on. But, they will keep circling in the area even when they run out of targets, so eventually you need to call them back with order "Continue our mission" (I think that's how it is named in the game). You can also use "Follow me(copy my actions)" but I don't recommend that, because this order turns off their eyes completely and they ignore everything...even enemy fighters in case you are a fighter. While "Continue our mission" only renew their next step after "Mission complete" message...which is to regroup and follow you, but they will be aware of their surroundings. 

I've also noticed, in fighter missions, after "Mission complete" message, sometimes my wingmen stop attacking enemies and regroup behind me instead. So, when I have suspicion they doing so, I always press "Patrol for air enemies" button...just to be sure they will keep attacking nearby enemy planes.

AI and commands are lacking, but when you figure out how wimgmen behave in certain situations, it is possible to work with them...even keep them alive longer in some situations, or prevent their suicide run into hills (looking at you Gelendzhik airfield)  . 

Edited April 6 by Kubert

[jokash]

22 hours ago, Kubert said:

You can also use "Follow me(copy my actions)" but I don't recommend that, because this order turns off their eyes completely and they ignore everything...even enemy fighters in case you are a fighter.

How about using Ralt +5 (Cover me) command to get them back to you?

[Kubert]

I don't know what this command do. I tried it more times, but still have no idea. After "Mission complete" message, order "Continue our mission" works as regroup command just fine, so I will stick with that. If anybody has info about what "Cover me" command do, feel free to share.  I didn't observe any consistent behavior with it, so I am not using this one because of that.

[Nacht]

It also happens to me, being the flight leader, that when I see the target and go after it with my fellow pilots, when I’m already close (from 3000 to 1000m or less) I launch the command "Attack nearest ground objects" and I attack. While the flight mates draw a very wide circle, they think about it and finally attack.

Edited Wednesday at 07:14 AM by Nacht

[Kubert]

I think the wide circle has something to do with a wind direction. They probably align themselves against the wind. I am not sure, but that would make sense. I never give them order to attack, just waiting and watching them. Once they start turning to target, I put myself behind last plane in formation and follow their circle. It also helps when I have trouble to find target in poor light contition...they always see.

[AcesDarthBubu]

My thought on the wingman flying spread may be an attempt to avoid collision when closing in or an attempt to have more spread of targets for each AI. When I have pairs of AIs, it tends to have even spread. X pair to right, Y pair to left and leader fly high going top speed or emergency power. Hence I will try to follow and cover the odd number AI (leader) if i am not in command. 

As for 'cover me' command, my observations are AIs will "escort" you similar to how a fighter group escort bombers minus the zig zagging. Enemy that engages you do get engaged if the AI escorting you are itself not being shot at. Albeit not always "on time", you got to do enough maneuvering to stay alive before you see your chaser being attacked. Not very helpful as enemy AIs tend to group up on you if you are being targeted anyway, which i suspect enemy AI uses the engage nearest command logic. 

Edited Wednesday at 01:28 PM by AcesDarthBubu

[jokash]

I noticed "Cover me" working as intended sometimes,and sometimes they go on their own.Also sometimes they end up all converging on the same target,which can make them collide.

But then again,i myself, if flying wingman will sometimes separate from lead (especially if I'm under attack),and do things from there,like try to regroup or fly back home.