How do I change size of air formations

[Wulfmann]

PBYs, etc usually patrolled alone. But, there were sometimes groups of 2 or 3 that would work together. On occassion, 2 or 3 would fly as a unit, but not usually.
In SH3 they always fly in numbers. I was attacked by 5 PBYs yesterday far out at sea and that is flat out not real.
So, I know hot to edit the loads, but where is the file for changing formation parameters?
Anyone, anyone??

Wulfmann

[joea]

I think the airpower mod guys (CCIP for one) know the answer...they put this in RuB and I never have been attacked by multiple big planes, smaller like Hurricanes or TBFs etc. yes.

[FAdmiral]

In reality, the PBY was a loner search plane used to detect
enemy presence in sea areas. They patroled different sectors
multiple times per day. If an enemy was sighted, they would
attack and radio in for a DD or bombers to follow up on the
contact. The PBY could not defend itself against enemy fighters
so it should never come near an enemy base or airfield. If it
sighted a high AA firepower enemy warship, it would just
shadow it and relay reports on speed and direction...


JIM

[CCIP]

Egan and Jace11 are the guys to approach on this, but this has to do with the airbase settings.

Ops seems to have it almost right, I think. Most attacks are by single large planes, sometimes (but not as often) - by pairs. Carrier-based planes come in flights of either two or four. :hmm:

[Wulfmann]

I have been attacked right off the base by 2 and 3 PBYs. I am sure the Jagdfleigers would have relished such a thing in reality.

I am not trying to make it easy, I like it tough but this is unrealistic. Not only that, they carry what seems like unlimited DCs. I changed the load out to 6 each but these 5 PBYs (original attack) dropped DCs for 15 minutes about 100 in all. They should have had 30 but maybe there were more than 5???? Even more unreal.

Just as unreal; when the sea is calm my 2 AA boys can take out all that come near by.

Both are wrong from a reality stand point.

I just don't want to reduce something that eliminates the major threat.

Wulfmann

[andy_311]

Since I installed 1.4 I get attacked by squadrons of planes surely this ain't right? I even saved a patrol and recreated it in a single mission with all AA firepower available the outcome is the same more you shoot down the more swarms of them come for you ! eveen with an elite crew you can't hit everything at the same time,the most I ever acomplished was shooting down 9 planes for the loss of 6 crew members not worth it especially when the planes are harder to shoot down.

[Wulfmann]

While I agree with toning down my deck gun and would like to reduce the AA effectiveness, I think toning down the AI-AC to reality would also be a good idea.
I have done a lot of edting to make a 30K patrol a one in ten event (30K use to be a bad score) so I would like to make the Air AI reality balanced.
I can see what squadrons there are but can not fiqure how they generate the numbers for them so I could reduce them.
Anyone have a clue????

Wulfmann

[Egan]

Go to data/land in the SH3 folder and open one of british airbase folders

In the airbase cfg you will see something, like this:

[AirGroup 2]
StartDate=19401226
EndDate=19430510
Squadron1Class=FBHurricaneMk1
Squadron1No=2
Squadron2Class=LBSSunderlandMKIII
Squadron2No=1
Squadron3Class=LBSPBYCatalina
Squadron3No=1
Squadron4Class=LBWell
Squadron4No=1

The Number after the = in the squadron number lines define how many aircraft are in each sorty.. Set it above 1 and you tend to get a variable amount of aircraft up to the number specified.

Note that in the vanilla game some of these numbers were set as high as 24!

Have fun. In RUB they should all been set to no more than 1 for the bigger aircaft or 4 (I think) for the Hurris.

[FAdmiral]

I set all my PBY aircraft to 1 in all Allied bases. This reflects
the reality I explained earlier in this post. I also reduced
some other aircraft early in the war and then increased
same in later years to account for increased production.
I did the opposite for German bases because eary in the war
they had plenty but in later years, their air power dimished...


JIM

[Wulfmann]

Why is it after you mention the no thing; what I once did not see has lights flashing after your post :rotfl:

Thanks, that was what I needed. Now they can be effective but within reality.

Wulfmann

[Tim]

Egan and FAdmiral, I reset the aircraft numbers in the cfg files per your instructions. And went to sea from St.Nazaire, date is Dec, 1944. No sooner had I set the sea watch when aircraft were reported on radar. I sumergered to periscope depth. I thought I should see how many planes were after me. 7 Liberator bombers! and they have been after me day and night, with no let up. I know this can't be real, or close to it. I have also made sure my radar is turned off. And that is another question. How can the planes be reported on radar when it is turned off?
I have checked and rechecked all of the files for some that I may have missed. All are set for one. Anything else I can do?
Thanks