QFLS: Bombers?!?

[Red Spot]

I've remade my (anti)miss. scripts .. and I'm thinking about hooking it up to the QFLS (as M4s use the anti-miss. script)
but I also made a command that is for the use off bombers
(when targeting a Big Ship it will remove it will remove it weapons if it has miss. .. and be forced to become bombers .. however once they run out off miss. the install their weapons again or when they target a small ship ..

now I'm connecting the command to the QFLS but I'd like to know what you feel about how bombers should react when running out a miss.

-should they return home .. load up on miss. and re-engage
-return home ...
-just install weapons and 'become' fighters

(this also means that will (not) need weapons)


ps; as LV stated it very nicelly .. I also need some 'slaves' ..


G

[Serial Kicked]

As i already use QFLS a lot, i'll happy to test your new version.

IMO the bombers should go back to the carrier to reload if missiles are still available. Else they should become fighters if they have weapons in the cargobay and dock if they don't.

[Red Spot]

well thats it .. its one or the other ..

make them return means .. they wont get weapons (they will be removed if they are onboard)
but should they 'auto-relaunch' if the target wasnt taken out ?..

making fighters off them .. means they will only be launched if they have enough weapons to be 'fully equiped' .. however they wont install them untill they run out off miss. (this means it can take less miss. but it can fight on after its bombing runs ..)



G

[Serial Kicked]

Well, if it's only a one or the other choice, i'll go for the bombing-only option because i'll probably use this part of the QLFS only to attack stations, TL and M1.

but should they 'auto-relaunch' if the target wasnt taken out ?..

Not sure, maybe you should allow the user to set this with a parameter when running the command.

[Harlock776]

OOOH OOH OOOOOOOH!!!! I know!!!! lol set them to relaunch to take out the target. If the target is destroyed while they are en route then they should return to the carrier. This helps to automate the bombers a bit and allow the carrier commander to focus on what the fighters are doing and do some other things too. It's easier this way because it's like ordering a hit on the target lol. Take it out no matter what and they just keep going until it's dead or their dead hehe. Using this kind of script makes it easier to attack from one sector away and not have to look at the menu so much while being able to keep a look out for any incoming enemies.

[Carl Sumner]

Check out Mark's "Fight Command Software Mk3 Wing" script for the command "Fighter Wing Missile Strike".

[Red Spot]

@ Carl ..

Thanks for the tip .. I did check Marks scripts a lot when I was still a bit off a noob at scripting (they helped me a lot..)..
and thats basicly what I did at first .. make a diff. bomber-script ..
but I found out that it wasnt really needed .. cause removing the ships weapons basicly forces the ship into a bomber role ..
so I made a script that basicly hooks up with 'attack' script .. and checks the 'scripts target' to determine wether or not it should remove the mainguns off the ship .. so it will be a 'multi-role' fighter (bomber vs big ships .. fighter vs anything else)
however in this case ships are only going to be bombers .. so it might be smart to make them a 'bomber attack script'..



----------------
I think I know how to 'make' it ..
theres a command to set a ship as leader or wingmen ..
I will tap into that and make it so you can designate ships as bombers ..

when using the bomber command ..
you will have to input a number .. this will represent the number off bombers to launch
a 2nd number .. to set the amount off miss. these bombers should carry ..
the carrier will check for sets off 4 'ready' ships, equip them with y miss. (input 2) and launch them ..
repeating the proces till x (input 1)bombers are airborn .. and send them out to engage in wings off 4..

now I'm going to run the main-script off these ships on a high prio. so they wont be taken over by signal attacked (so they wont break off to bomb a disco that might have had a lucky shot).. so its up to you to make sure they have a clear path ..
I am going to send an M4 miss. defender out with each wing (if they are available) ..


G

[apricotslice]

I'm not exactly sure what you doing, but ......

Several command options.

1. Reload from home base when empty and continue bomber attack.
2. Return home when empty, reload and await instructions.
3. Revert to fighter when empty and continue attack.
4. Revert to fighter when empty and defend home base.

Allow for one of these to be chosen as the default setting.

Rational :
1. You want an attack pressed until target is destroyed no matter the cost.
2. If all bombers havent destroyed the target in one attack, need to reassess things before a new attack is launched.
3. Shortage of missiles could mean you finish off the target without using more than you have to.
4. Target has its own fighters likely to be attacking your base, so after launching a strike, the base may need extra protection because you carry only bombers. Also a way of determining when the main attack is finished, without the time for landing and takeoff if you decide to do a guns based second attack.

If you want to really get fancy, then ...

5. Attack in sync, reload and continue attack when empty.

5. being that all ships fire their missiles from the same distance at the same time to maximise number of missiles hitting the target at the same moment.

[duke8202]

Hello Red Spot,

That is a great idea! I like to see great battles that are in accordance to the current military doctrine (i.e., fighters to lay a clear path to the enemy fleet and the bombers swamp the fleet defense). It would be nice to be able to send waves and waves of bombers at against a target or targets with fighter escorts.

Counter doctrine: (another script?)
So it would be nice to have a script that will allow the player to setup Combat Air (Space) Patrols X distance away from the fleet to engage high-value targets (such as bombers).

Hope you can make something like that...
Duke

[Red Spot]

@ duke ..

that what I'm doing .. the QFLS will make a homebase out off your M1 ..
and on 'auto' its a patrol-ship that doesnt attack itself but launches fighters ..
'manual' .. you will be able to do as much as poss. when it copmes to the use off fighters ..(protect home or friend / attack enemy / dock at / install equip. / send out for repairs and upgrades .. etc etc)




@ apricotslice

sorry but I'm not going to make the command work in 'diff. ways' ..
however trust me when I say to you that they wont be 'stupid' .. (well as long as the carrier is co-ordinating it all)



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just to point it out .. the QFLS is a quick-launch command that shoul/will enable fast and 'winged' use off fighters ..(making the fighters a bit 'smarter' for as long as the carrier is 'alive' and in the same sector.. a bit less when the carrier is 'alive' but not in sector .. and back to being dumb when the carrier is wasted .. or you (re)set the homebase to something else than the carrier



G

[apricotslice]

Mine was just suggestions. Your the one writing it

When your finished, you wouldnt care to do a M2 fleet action script would you ?

I just took out 4 boron sectors with 10 destroyers and its so cumbersome it really wasnt satisfying. In a real fleet operation, fleet against fleet, it would be hopeless to control adequately.

There really needs to be a real fleet function. In fact, you could combine what your doing now with the carrier with this and make a proper fleet operation set of scripts.

Need to define a group of ships as a fleet, with a flagship. Give orders to the flagship and all the others follow automatically, but with fleet movements, not individual ships doing the same thing. I also prefer the Britsih method of controlled broadside firing instead of individual ships and turrents doing their own thing, but individual firing should still be an option.

The carrier could 'sail' as the heart of a fleet, standing off with its own escorts of either destroyers or corvettes or M3/M4/M5 mix.

Getting 10 destroyers, 8 protecting 2, to lay waste to a sector was damn hard work from an orders point of view. It should have been easy. Attack all enemies ignors stations, unless their Xenon.

[Red Spot]

well I'm planning to make an Instant Action 'game/map(s)' that will dump all trading exept for the player but only the 'basics' and weapon fabs. ..

this will make use off all sorts off 'attack' and fleet scripts .. so when thats done perhaps it can be used on 'normal' maps ..


G

[duke8202]

Red Spot,

Regarding the instant action, that sounds great. I have wanted a mod that just let you command a fleet for certain races (i.e., argon, split, etc) and just go to town against the adjacent races. Command and conquer!!!

Hope to see your upcoming mod soon.

Duke