Fighter escort capability?

[Lehuster]

If I understand fighters correctly right now, they can intercept enemy bombers, but cannot help your bombers from getting through. Seems to me that if a friendly bomber is intercepted in a hex that is within range of a friendly fighter, then the friendly fighter should be able to engage the enemy fighter, allowing the bomber to get through.

 

[weasel77066]

Well I dont think that happens. I use "fighter cover" manually. On my turn, before I send ANY bombers, I send fighters first (to bomb) Then they engage any interceptors and duke it out with more even odds than my bombers would have. Then I send my bombers in after that and they have better chance of surviving- as the enemy cover is damaged or shot down completely. Then next turn, I switch any of my fighters to intercept mode.
Its a slight hassle, I know, but I get tired of my bombers being blown to pieces.

EDIT-Actually, if you group the planes together (fighters+bombers) it MIGHT be possible to use all of them at the same time to "stack attack" bomb the enemy. Have to shuffle out your land troopsn then leave whichever planes you want to group together- group them together, then pull the land troops back in. Then when you click a plane, they come up together... you could try that. I havent tried it nd dont have access to my game right now. I guess theoretically, the fighters would defend against intercept, then everyone left would bomb.....

 

[Commander Bello]

Sending in fighter planes first only works for the human player (and at bad odds!).
So, the request to have an escort option is quite valid.