VTOL issues

[aubergine]

Hi,

On latest version of game, I'm having 2 issues with VTOLs...

1. Circle

When I put VTOLs on circle, they eventually attack something and return to pads for refuelling. However, they don't return back to the patrol afterwards. Is this a bug or intended behaviour? I would have expected them to return to their patrol after refuelling.

2. Repairs

Damaged VTOLs sometimes get stuck in a loop during repair cycle - they'll start repairing and then all of a sudden their health bar goes read as if they've been damaged by something, despite not being attacked while on the pads.

Any ideas?

[aubergine]

And another issue...

3. Assigned to sensors

If I assign VTOLs to a CB or strike tower, they'll go and attack stuff when needed but then they'll land in the most crazy places - eg. near where the enemy they attacked was. This means that the next enemy to come along just blows them up while they are sitting ducks on the ground.

I'd expect them to return to pads rather than just land in the battlefield. :s

[alto1234]

nice double post

Hi,

On latest version of game, I'm having 2 issues with VTOLs...

1. Circle

When I put VTOLs on circle, they eventually attack something and return to pads for refuelling. However, they don't return back to the patrol afterwards. Is this a bug or intended behaviour? I would have expected them to return to their patrol after refuelling.

known bug with circle, don't use circle, read my answer to #3 as well

2. Repairs

Damaged VTOLs sometimes get stuck in a loop during repair cycle - they'll start repairing and then all of a sudden their health bar goes read as if they've been damaged by something, despite not being attacked while on the pads.

Any ideas?

known bug!

And another issue...

3. Assigned to sensors

If I assign VTOLs to a CB or strike tower, they'll go and attack stuff when needed but then they'll land in the most crazy places - eg. near where the enemy they attacked was. This means that the next enemy to come along just blows them up while they are sitting ducks on the ground.

I'd expect them to return to pads rather than just land in the battlefield. :s

don't rely on tower/commander/sensor scripting to accomplish things for you, use patrol and alt-move (attack-move) to effectively micromanage your vtols. occasionally issue individual attack orders to maximize unit potential. please don't rely on scripting. please do not rely on scripting.

[lav_coyote25]

just a quick question/observation - not sure about this but -

2. Repairs

Damaged VTOLs sometimes get stuck in a loop during repair cycle - they'll start repairing and then all of a sudden their health bar goes red as if they've been damaged by something, despite not being attacked while on the pads.

Any ideas?

dont the vtols rearm first and then repair? if so that is why your health bar is white and then goes red - it goes white for the reloading of weapons and then red - to white for repairing... yes???

[Zarel]

dont the vtols rearm first and then repair? if so that is why your health bar is white and then goes red - it goes white for the reloading of weapons and then red - to white for repairing... yes???

No, it's an actual bug.

[aubergine]

@Zarel - yes, and that bug is driving me nuts lol. If the next release does nothing but fix that bug, it will be the best thing since sliced bread (or Famke Janssen's legs) IMHO. It really causes havoc with VTOL usage.

Another one to the list:

4. VTOLs land in really dumb places

I know this is essentially the same as point 3 earlier, but it's so important I thought I'd mention it twice.

For example: If I have 100+ of them on patrol they seem to get confused after making their attacks and land in the enemy base, which is not ideal for their life insurance policy. It's quite bemusing to see the little things napalm an enemy target, only to then go and land in the inferno where things get a little too hot for them. Especially as their chums are busy dropping more bombs on their heads, and the enemy defences turn them in to Chuck Norris toilet roll.

[alto1234]

4. VTOLs land in really dumb places

my take on this is that vtols should only land if on Hold Position stance, should stay airborne and attack targets in range in Guard stance (similar to what circle's intended to do), and should stay airborne and pursue targets that come within range while in Pursue stance. looks like a classy way to address this problem!

[aubergine]

That sounds much more logical, although I'm not sure they should land in hold stance - they should stay airborne but in the designated location. Really they should only ever land on rearming pads.

However, what happens when they are first produced at the factory - they fly out and land at the rally point. Maybe they should hover at the rally point? This would also solve the problem of them getting in the way of ground units.

Having VTOLs only ever land on rearming pads would also make cluster bombs more compelling as they'd be ideal weapon to damage lots of ground-based VTOLs and unoccupied pads at the same time. Maybe cluster bombs could be given a big advantage against ground-based VTOLs too.

That would certainly solve all the VTOL problems with the sole exception of the repair bug. Circle option would be removed (just select defend position like with any other unit) and VTOLs would never land in crazy places (regardless of mode or instructions).

The other tweak that springs to mind is that VTOLs should land at nearest rearming pad, rather than the first/last (not sure which it uses currently) rearming pad.

EDIT: Actually, circle option is quite useful because it results in the VTOLs covering a much larger area than if they were merely hovering in one spot. Although is that really needed? Surely an airborne VTOL has better range of sight than something on the ground, they should be able to see for many more tiles around them due to their height advantage. Hrm..