REQUEST: Safe action radius of aircrafts =>Ability to ret

[DEFCON1]

When launching a bomber or a fighter from an airfield (right click onto the airfield and left click on e.g. fighter) you see a circle named "combat range" of that airport option. When the aircraft is airborne you can see two circles, combat-range and fuel-range. But let's concentrate on aircrafts which are still on ground. If i select them like i described before, it would be nice to see a "safe combat rage" in addition to the displayed combat-range. The displayed combat range is calculated by the fuel of the selected aircraft. The safe combat range should be calculated by half of the fuel. So you can decide if you want to loose your aircraft (range between safe-combat-range and combat-range) or if the aircraft should be able to fly back to the airfield (safe combat range).

Several times i have sent out a bomber which never returned because of fuel shortage

Greetings,
DEFCON1

[blackwhitehawk]

on airbase i belive the max safe range is how far it lets you send out your aircraft thogh i maybe wrong. So if you move it farther then that it wont be able to come back.

[xander]

on airbase i belive the max safe range is how far it lets you send out your aircraft thogh i maybe wrong. So if you move it farther then that it wont be able to come back.

No, that is the maximum range of the aircraft. If you send it out that far, it will crash due to lack of fuel. There is not "point-of-no-return" indicator. While such an indicator might be useful, it would be very hard to accurately depict at any time, because a fighter may be able to land at a different air base, or on a carrier.

xander

[blackwhitehawk]

ok thxs for pointing that out xander i was not to sure about it. i find fighters useless on 100 % world becasue there fual range is to small.

[VANGUARD]

Wait a sec, why then can I get extra range out of fighters by sending them to the limit and then selecting them and sending them further?

[yop]

I dont see how you could do that, and I would sure want to =)
http://anonym.free.free.fr/screenshot%202006-10-14%2002.bmp
http://anonym.free.free.fr/screenshot%202006-10-14%2003.bmp

[DEFCON1]

@xander
Most of the time there will be no different carrier or airbase where they can land on. Especially when attacking or scouting at the frontline. So such an indicator would be really useful. Especially for the bombers. Fighters regenerates on airbases, but bombers not. I ran more than one time in that trap of loosing a bomber after his attack because of fuel shortage.

Greetings,
DEFCON1

[Dunblas]

So in short:
- New Range: "attack range for safe return"=1/2 x fuel range + combat range

I agree on this one

[poorsod]

Yes. This would not unbalance the game, just provide useful information.

[xander]

Again, I think you miss the point. How do you calculate maximum range and return? I almost always have several carriers in the water, and lots of fighters in the air. A fighter could land on any one of those. Also, what if you launch a fighter from a carrier, but that carrier subsequently fills up with fighters from elsewhere? You could clutter up the UI with a point-of-no-return circle, but that circle really doesn't help you that much, as the conditions can change so much from the time of launch.

xander

[DEFCON1]

Sorry xander, i think YOU missed the point !

This additional information says that your aircraft is able to return safely IF the conditions are not changed. That means that the starting point remains at the same position and it is not filled up by other aircrafts. And even if the conditions are changing so dramatically, ... you have a brain,.. you surely will find a way to manage this, I bet. For example, you can start an aircraft right before the other returns... so you have a free slot for the returning one. And sorry, what you "almost always" have is meaningless. I'm not you ! Many of us don't have several carriers in the water near the bombers and fighters.

Greetings,
DEFCON1

[grim]

So in short:
- New Range: "attack range for safe return"=1/2 x fuel range + combat range

I agree on this one

I've noticed if you fly your planes out to half their max range, they will still crash. Assuming of course there is no closer landing than their origin.
You will need to account for the plane's turning circle too, as it will travel sidewards rather than directly to your target and straight back.

[blackwhitehawk]

fighter i think are buged they will not land if you tell them to or if they see another enemy. That is why i like playing 150% worldscale they are acttally usefull there with there biger fual range they crash less or is it just because i can mirco better now?

[Alyssa]

While such an indicator might be useful, it would be very hard to accurately depict at any time, because a fighter may be able to land at a different air base, or on a carrier.

xander

What would be the harm in displaying it for the current airbase at least when launching? It would be accurate enough if considered a "guaranteed safe distance without combat".

If they decide to stay and fight, that's fine with me, but it would be really handy when scouting over an empty ocean. I can't imagine many pilots are eager to fly suicide scout missions.

[Dunblas]

I've noticed if you fly your planes out to half their max range, they will still crash. Assuming of course there is no closer landing than their origin.
You will need to account for the plane's turning circle too, as it will travel sidewards rather than directly to your target and straight back.

That's true, they still will have to turn and fly back, the turning is the actual problem, but that can be calculated in the process, so you're, point of no return-range "fits" to what it really is