[18.1 + hotfix air combat] corvette AI targets foxtrot regardless of context

[erutan]

A corvette popped up in late october - I hadn't researched alenium weapons yet, but figured I'd give it a shot with my default setup (yeah I saved, sue me). Foxtrot and two condors unloaded their sidewanders + avalanches and I sent my Foxtrot back to base, hoping to kite the corvette with autocannons.... then I noticed the corvette turning away from my condors!

Running my Foxtrot up the side of the map I was able to let both of my Condors sit behind the corvette - after unloading ~100 cannon rounds each it went down, not a scrap of damage to anyone!

[thothkins]

I thought this was just the aliens targeting the craft they felt was the bigger threat, and not a bug. Although, if it's being shot down by things right behind it and no troubled at all by it's target craft, you'd think it would change at some point.

[dragond81]

From what I've seen the UFOs mostly target the first craft in your squadron regardless. They will fire at others if they get in range first, but if you send the first craft one way and the others another, all UFOs seem to chase #1.

[thothkins]

I just put the afterburner on one of the condors and they all go for that, then I just roll it to avoid.

[erutan]

A foxtrot is no threat at all once it's fired all of it's missiles.

Ah well, the geoscape/ground combat is more important than air... I suppose the AI will be tweaked later.

[thothkins]

A foxtrot is no threat at all once it's fired all of it's missiles.

ah, but do the aliens think it's fired three... or four missiles? Do they feel lucky?

[Shima]

Well the foxtrot will be bigger threat the next time so it's better for the aliens in the long run if the get rid of it. At least that's my reasoning

I've encountered another problem though. I had 2 foxtrots and a Condor, enemy had 3 interceptors. Foxtrots fired, missed (whoops), turned around and ran. Condor got close and personal with it's awesome magstorm. But here's the problem. I downed 2 interceptors with Condor while they chased my foxtrots out of game bounds. Both foxtrots disappeared, meaning they were gone from the fight and the last enemy interceptor just flew out of bounds and shot them both down with it's lasercannon. Uaaargh! I think it should definitely lose them as targets and not even be able to shoot at them when they have officialy escaped.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Shima

[thothkins]

yeah, that's pants. I've had that when I'm getting harassed back to base. Eventually, they just shoot you down off screen. But to still have an aircraft in there can't be right (although I do see the logic if the UFOs are the faster craft)