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David Heath -> (6/10/2002 7:30:23 AM)
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Hi Everyone
Here are some of the later changes your find in the patch. We hope to release the patch early this week.
1) Tactical exposition has been added to the air combat screen for fighter versus fighter and fighter versus bomber combat.
2) Fighter type aircraft given a sweep mission, should no longer try to strafe the target area, unless the group altitude is set to 100 feet.
3) The routines for the list all ships function called from the upper tool bar have been optimized for speed.
4) Improved AI handling of units.
Notes on Combat Exposition
1) Land combat. The values listed after the unit symbol are either the assault value or in the case of artillery, the number of tubes engaging. The player will note that the assault value listed during the orders phase will not always be the same as the value listed in the combat screen. This is because the one listed in the orders phase is the assault value at rest, or potential assault value. The one listed in the combat screen has been modified by the combat situation, the disruption and fatigue, damage and confusion of the battle. During the combat execution, the player will note that the value may sometimes be decreased. This dynamic value is the one actually used in the combat calculations. After combat, in the orders phase, the unit has had some time to drink a bit of tea, bandage wounds and reorganize, so the resting value may be higher than it was at the end of combat. The values in combat can be used to ascertain the general condition and strength of the opposition, but fog of war makes it impossible to assume accurate figures.
2) Naval combat. The general situation is now displayed at the beginning of combat. Non-combat task forces will try to disperse and flee, while escorts run interference and engage the enemy task force. Fog, darkness, sea conditions and the lack of knowledge of minefields or other forces in the area can sometimes make full engagement difficult for the combat task force trying to attack a non-combat force. And, although the player can see all the ships in the defending task force, the task force commander may not be able to. Combat task forces will try to engage each other in the most favorable fashion. If possible, they will try to cross the T, that is turn and fire broadsides at the front of the enemy column. If they cannot, they will try to assume the best position. The player should note that non-penetrating hit locations are now displayed and penetrating hits now display a variety of messages, concerning the nature of the damage. The messages are taken from tables assigned to various ship locations and are generic in nature. So, messages saying that the ship is taking on water, for instance, mean damage below the water line has opened the ship to the sea.
3) Air to air: The cloud cover over the general target area is now displayed. This affects the bombing accuracy and the ability of CAP to find the attacking aircraft. The message that the group is climbing to intercept, means it does not have adequate climb rate to engage effectively during that impulse. Higher altitude gains an advantage for both attacking fighters and bombers. The messages that the group is intercepting means it has sufficient altitude and is close enough to attack effectively. The message that LR CAP (long range CAP) is intercepting means some CAP was approaching, while some returned to base and the group is engaging with less effectiveness than if it were all together. The message that the group area CAP is intercepting means that the CAP was spread out over a goodly area and is engaging, like LR CAP, piecemeal. There may also be a group tactic. This is what the group leader is trying to do and may include bouncing, that is attacking from above or with surprise, attacking head on in a slashing attack, maneuvering for a tail attack, gaining the advantage by attacking in formation or engaging, that is just trying to get his planes to shoot at the enemy, however they can. After this last message is displayed, the flights exchange fire. Each group is broken into flights and these are handled separately. Each flight is broken in individual planes and these are handled separately. Cloud cover, the range the attacking group has had to fly, the group leader's characteristics, the relative altitude and the aircraft characteristics, mainly speed and maneuverability help to determine the relative position and conditions under which the individual pilots operate. Similar tactical calculations are made for each pilot. So, although the flight may be at a tactical advantage the pilot may not be able to take advantage of that advantage. When fighters attack bombers, the messages will tell he attacker and direction of attack. On the bomb run, the cloud cover over the specific target is displayed. When bomber formations turn back or fighter formations break off, a message now appears.
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