Bomber wing viability

[Ragnos28]

In regards to the AI, I have a theory, that explain the....less than ideal, let's say it like this behavior of ships with long range weapons. I believe that all ships in X4, have basically the same AI as fighters, but what works for fighters, do not work for M ships and destroyers. So AI fighters having no concept of keeping distance, the M ships and destroyers don't have it as well, but unlike fighters, they are big fat and slow targets and will take that graviton turret fire in the face. My theory would also explain why the AI don't "care" about turrets...is because fighters don't have turrets.

Well, it’s obvious that S and M fighters have the same combat AI, but I’m not sure about L fighters (“destroyers”). They prefer to kill stations from long range with their main battery, and sometimes do something similar against big enemy ships, e.g. Xenon I.

Except that destroyers, even if they by any chance have a distance advantage, they just MUST aproach the target they shoting at, just like fighters.
Just take a look at how argon Behemoths handle a xenon I, they start pew pew and its great, but they just have to see that I at close.

Take a look at destroyers prefering to atack stations from long range: https://youtu.be/vLzyJOnsTOE?t=254 I also have plenty of examples.
And also look at destroyers prefering to atack xenon capitals from long range: https://youtu.be/3hM14t9PM6I Can you imagine if I would send those bad boys against a xenon I?

[sh1pman]

Well. At least some of them stop at a distance instead of ramming the target.

[Ragnos28]

Well. At least some of them stop at a distance instead of ramming the target.

My favorite moment was seing the Erlking huging the station. That is like the ship with the longest range turrets in the game atm, right?

[ConorC]

So I finally got a chance to try this again. Chimeras are a little outside my price range so I decided to go cheap. I can get 20 Elites for less than 2 chimeras. If I lose them, well I lost 20 elites, so no biggie, plus I'm not testing this with my 3 star pilots, no sir, its fresh recruits, hungry for action and with everything to prove for this op. They're going to give Johnny Xenon a taste of their Argon spunk!

So I unleashed them at a nice juicy K thats blasting some Zyarth station. They take their sweet time making their way to the K. Then they start circling it close. Some even crash into it. Idiots! What the hell are they doing?

But then they start launching torpedoes.

Heavans to Murgetroid, they made mincemeat of the poor K. Within seconds of the torpedoes launching, the poor K was a smouldering wreck.

My little recruits just earned a place in my navy. They all made it home, ships a little bruised, but intact, in time for cocktails and debriefing.

HUZZAH!!!

[Sturmer]

Well, it’s obvious that S and M fighters have the same combat AI, but I’m not sure about L fighters (“destroyers”). They prefer to kill stations from long range with their main battery, and sometimes do something similar against big enemy ships, e.g. Xenon I.

I just wish they wouldn't stupidly ALWAYS let that bloody K park right over them to bombard them with all turrets and instead try to keep it below them and maybe also maneuver to use the side of ship with biggest turret coverage against the enemy. For example, I have an Excalibur with 1 top turret and 2 bottom turrets and it always allows a K to get above it and then gets nuked, instead of keeping the K at same level and lower as it runs away to kill it with all turrets.