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[Chess100]

How can I extend range of aircraft in BAT 4.2.1? Because in one campaign my plane used too much and didn't make it back home.
Any advice, please?

[Vampire_pilot]

What kind of mission would that be? Badly built mission maybe?

You need to operate you plane better to stretch fuel. Less revs, optimum altitude... such things.
There is no magic button to increase range, unless you activate unlimited fuel in difficulties.

[Chess100]

Of course, I understand, like in real life, less rev, propeller pitch, maybe mixture? I didn't make it back home in Ikkitosen history campaign (Japanese).
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,62146.msg684236.html#msg684236
Missions over Java strait, starting from Balikpapan airfield.
Maybe it's my fault, too much power? But 65% of trust, 60% mixture, 75% of propeller pitch, medium altitude 4000 meters, extra fuel in droptanks.
Just meditating.
Thanks for reply!

[Vampire_pilot]

I made this mission:)

You can make it alright, but you have to watch the fuel really close.

[Chess100]

Ok, so I'll try again!.
Thank You!

[Wing Walker]

Do AI aircraft automatically do this, or do they just fly at one setting, always wondered if they had to do what we do?


Maybe the optimum setting for a given aircraft should be in with the info you get when you hit TAB?

Things like this would be known by pilots, so it would make sense to have it readily available for us laymen.

So we don't have to be test pilots on every aircraft in BAT.

Something like "Max Speed Configuration" "Max Range Configuration".

Just a thought.

[Vampire_pilot]

Ai works on a simplified flight model, mostly. One could look up up in the java classes how consumption differs from any player's behavior but that's way too complicated for this issue. I think, AI always has some sort of "optimum" engine management, can be assumed.

Having built the above mentioned mission, soon saw this was going to be a 3hr (? iirc) round trip, about at the edge of what a player in game can squeeze out of a Zero, with short time over target. Actually, that challenge is what this mission is about, as it recreated the actual thing, having to watch your fuel over vast areas of ocean, trying not to miss your (guessed) bingo point or you will not make it back.

And then there was AI.
And here I say: To get this done is a mission builder's task.

The fighters, when "set" to be attached to bombers on cover, will go into wild high speed turns and patterns, in total disregard that they will run out of fuel soon.
What I had to do was to build the fighter waypoints on their own, not connected. Manage their climb and speed and time it so that the'y still be resembling a force in proximity to the target. It took several loops of watching the AI fly and how the flight to target developed in terms of placement to the bombers, but you can get that done.

I did a similar thing in another mission elsewhere when I had P-51 accompany B-29 on a long raid. The problem there was the really high speeds necessary but it can be done with some invest into the mission.

[Wing Walker]

The fighters, when "set" to be attached to bombers on cover,

How do you do this?

[Vampire_pilot]

Each waypoint can have a set command. A green line will connect that to the set-to other waypoint or ground target or whatever.

A fighter normfly wayppoint connected to a  bomber waypoint will make the fighter "cover" that bomber flight.

[Chess100]

After few tries, I made Zero to fly for 5h30min. Very very good work in this campaign!!