Aircraft Question

[GenocideBringer]

Alright. This is probably a very stupid question, but I'll ask anyway.

Fighters can be told to intercept, in which case they fly over the city they're in. Is there any way to get them to intercept above an enemy city? How about above a stack outside the city?

 

[CCRunner]

I believe that they intercept anywhere in their operational range. Not sure on this so if somebody could confirm...

 

[Jerrymander]

Is there any way to get them to intercept above an enemy city? How about above a stack outside the city?

No, and no.

 

[GenocideBringer]

If that's true, then what's the point of having fighters really?

I'm hoping CCRunner is correct here

 

[Jerrymander]

If that's true, then what's the point of having fighters really?

I'm hoping CCRunner is correct here

Bomb city defenses and tile improvements, weaken units, protect your cities from enemy bombers. Mostly the last one, though.

I don't see WHY you would want to have a fighter Intercept over an enemy city. Intercept is a purely defensive move.

 

[Onionsoilder]

Bomb city defenses and tile improvements, weaken units, protect your cities from enemy bombers. Mostly the last one, though.

I don't see WHY you would want to have a fighter Intercept over an enemy city. Intercept is a purely defensive move.

Shoot down enemy fighters, so you can send your bombers in?

 

[Jerrymander]

Shoot down enemy fighters, so you can send your bombers in?

I suppose, but it wouldn't make sense to be able to intercept over a stack (unless it's on a fort) or an enemy city. Unless your planes have infinite fuel sources, a la Space Empires III.

 

[Joshua368]

Situational, but if you can fight along a coastline and keep your units in boats, fightings can run interception while in carriors and that can protect your men. Not sure how far reaching the protection is, but perhaps you could just have a carrior nearby with fighters intercepting to keep your stack safe.

 

[Onionsoilder]

It would be nice if Fighters had an Escort mission. They wouldn't attack the enemy at all, but they would reduce the chances of a bomber being intercepted by ~20%. If the bomber does get intercepted, the two fighters will duke it out, instead of the bomber being shot down.

 

[Wolfshanze]

I believe that they intercept anywhere in their operational range. Not sure on this so if somebody could confirm...

Fighters do indeed intercept ANY mission within their operational range... so if the range of a fighter is 6-squares, any AI bombing/strafing attack that happens within six squares of a friendly fighter set to "intercept" will get his chance to intercept that mission... it's NOT just for the city/base he's in... intercept mission works to protect every square within his operational range.

It would be nice if Fighters had an Escort mission. They wouldn't attack the enemy at all, but they would reduce the chances of a bomber being intercepted by ~20%. If the bomber does get intercepted, the two fighters will duke it out, instead of the bomber being shot down.

I don't see how escorting a bomber would lower the chance of interception at all... it's not like an escorting fighter makes a bomber faster or harder to spot. Fighter escorts simply stand as a block between enemy interceptors and the bombers themselves. Interception rates should be the same, but as you state, the interceptors should have to fight through the fighter escort first, to get to the bombers. The odds of an enemy fighter reaching your bomber would be lowered by the fact it might not get through the escort fighter screen itself... but the ability to intercept the sortie should be no different.

I agree, some sort of bomber escort mission would be a nice option.

Also, I've always wished for a true "fighter sweep" mission... one where you could offensively seek-out the enemy fighters and knock them out first. Right now, the closest thing to it is attacking an enemy city with the enemy fighters on 'intercept' and hope they actually intercept you.

 

[General_R]

Alright. This is probably a very stupid question, but I'll ask anyway.

Fighters can be told to intercept, in which case they fly over the city they're in. Is there any way to get them to intercept above an enemy city? How about above a stack outside the city?

They do intercept anywhere within their range (also above an enemy city, if it´s near enough). You can place up to 4 fighters on a tile with a fortress in order to have them in better position.

 

[General_R]

I agree, some sort of bomber escort mission would be a nice option.

Also, I've always wished for a true "fighter sweep" mission... one where you could offensively seek-out the enemy fighters and knock them out first. Right now, the closest thing to it is attacking an enemy city with the enemy fighters on 'intercept' and hope they actually intercept you.

That is so true.

 

[TheDS]

Yep, offensive anti-fighter operations require you to threaten something in order to get them to attack you so you can attack them. Send in a group of 3-4 Fighters to bombard something within the enemy Fighter's intercept range, and knock the bugger down! Then it's safe(r) to send in the Bombers. Having the escort mission that you suggest would make the already over-powered Bomber even more so, and what I just said is close enough as makes no difference.

 

[Virtual Alex]

Fighters can intercept off aircraft carriers. So I guess if you park a carrier close to the front line, the fighter operational range will intercept things attacking your stack. So thats kinda like stack defense, from the coast.

Can't you intercept from a fort too? In BtS? You could bring some workers and build a fort right outside the cultural border and intercept form there.

 

[Wolfshanze]

Fighters can be stationed on carriers and in forts... but forts must be built inside your own (or an ally/vassal's) cultural border to be used by your aircraft.

Any enemy AI attack within the range of a friendly fighter's combat radius can be intercepted.

 

[Harry Potter52]

You can use forts. i so wish I had BtS