http://www.squadselectseries.com/events ... ummary.pdfhttp://www.squadselectseries.com/events/BBD/BBDmap.pdfFinally by frame 5 the AI bomber stream was working as originally designed. The AI groups finished off a damaged target and destroyed another while the player group destroyed one more industry target near Berlin. A total of three industry targets were ruled destroyed during the night but the cost in AI bombers was high with a record 41 being shot down during the night with a further 5 player bombers confirmed. Another 5 player bombers were lost during the night but not claimed by the Luftwaffe. Discos, t/o accidents or the dreaded multiple attackers on one kill, it is hard to know where or why these bombers fell.
The USAAF won the final frame, 170 pts to 153 showing how intense the fighting was but overall they were defeated in the series 641 to 418 by the Luftwaffe. The USAAF won two frames and the Luftwaffe three. If you reduced the use of the AI bomber formations then the series would have been much closer in score.
Generally the large-scale use of AI aircraft has been a failure. This was the third series in a row to feature them; from multiple small strike groups to a combination of medium bombers and strike to large heavy bomber formations; in all three they were of no practical use other than targets for one side. Players on the AI side did not really buy into them, understandably preferring to cover player bombers\strike instead. The accuracy and behavior of anything but level bombers was very poor and when featured as a major component for one side caused no end of grief to that side. Designing the AI routines is frustrating and time consuming and rarely did they do as commanded. Scoring AI is another issue with any damage inflicted by the AI aircraft not showing up in the log, only visual confirmation can determine if they hit their targets.
The AI featured in the three series seem to be generally very easy to shoot down and without making them deathstars this adds up to very high individual scores skewing the accomplishments against real players and machines.
Bottom line is we have tried our best to get the AI aircraft to work as a unit and you will not see them appear again in this role anytime soon. Look for smaller peripheral use like in the past, transports supplying airfields, maybe the odd AI strike unit that featured a major role in a historical time period used sparingly in an attack role or parked aircraft on runways.
With a core group of dedicated bomber and strike pilots we would rather see them featured with stronger buff tuff and multiple wingman than the use of drone formations that can dictate the outcome of a series.
We have the rules down for shipping, GVs and now aircraft. Some things get better use in the MA than in an event like the S3s but its important to test them out and give them a shot.
Thanks for being patient while we threw things at you.
jabo
