AI wingman runs out of fuel - very annoying

Hi all,

i have one very big issue with the AI wingman.

After ca. 30-50% most missions he states „bingo fuel“.

Making it impossible to finish any mission.

Has anyone the same problem?

This is an AI issue on the DCS side. The problem stems from the AI FM and flow rate not conforming anywhere remotely close to a player aircraft, and thus the AI has to use higher thrust to keep up with you, therefore spending gas much faster than you.

This is an AI issue on the DCS side. The problem stems from the AI FM and flow rate not conforming anywhere remotely close to a player aircraft, and thus the AI has to use higher thrust to keep up with you, therefore spending gas much faster than you.

Thanks good to know.

Also the AI is really dumb and will go full afterburner for no reason.

They should just match the wingmen fuel the same as the players fuel

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Also the AI is really dumb and will go full afterburner for no reason.

There is an advanced waypoint action that should mitigate this issue, however the AI can be quite the pain sometimes.

As a player, you can 'help out' the AI sometimes so it's not always chasing you in full burner, eating up gas.

1. After launch / takeoff, make a slow, climbing circle around the field to allow them to get off the deck behind you and join up, without having to run after you in a stern chase as you haul ass off towards the far horizon.

2. When you climb as the lead in a formation, use less than full mil. This gives your wingmen some power surplus to stay in position. If they fall back and you are climbing in full mil, they'll go to burner.

3. When you descend, use slightly more power than flight idle. This gives your wingmen a 'surplus' on the negative side for minor adjustments without having to pop the speed brake and kill their fuel efficiency.

4. If you are holding in any sort of orbit, stack your wingmen to the inside of your turns, not the outside. They'll burn less fuel making that shorter circle on the inside of your turns rather than chasing you on the outside.

5. The more wingmen you have, the more you should 'take it easy' on them maneuvering as a formation. Dash-4 is always left sucking wind when it comes to the fuel ladder.

Have a bandit day!

Well the AI does firewall the throttle to full AB to cover a speed increase of less than 5 knots... without that AB restriction from the ME, they're basically out of fuel when they just took off.

There is an advanced waypoint action that should mitigate this issue, however the AI can be quite the pain sometimes.

Interesting, I had no idea. Thanks for the tip!

The problem here is: It is not always possible to fly in a way that allows the wingman to manage its fuel effectively.

But it is so much pain. For example i got really into it during the mission where you have to intercept the bear. All nice formation flying with the bear and stuff, really high immersion at this point. And than out of nowhere you receive the "Bingo fuel" call out from your wingman.

Totally destroying the immersion. So i think the developers should match the fuel of the wingman to the own fuel or set it to infinite.

KR

They should just match the wingmen fuel the same as the players fuel

 

 

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That I was about to recommend as well. A simple and cheap way to fix the main problem.

As long the AI wingman is flying in formation with the Player, their fuel flow is identical. So if the Player does accelerate, the AI will follow and stay on formation and hence consume fuel at same rate.

The moment the AI wingman pulls for some other tasks like goes defensive, attacks etc, their own fuel consumption is returned. That raises a another problem like if 75% of the mission flight time you command AI wingman return to base, what then? Shouldn't then they anyways try to maximize the fuel consumption at cruising speed and if being followed/searched/targeted by other AI then try to optimize speed and fuel for the distance? Like sure the AI can be made then to calculate quickly the distance and consumption and perform optimal speed? Or does it anymore at that moment matter does the AI wingman even consume fuel as the mission is done/cancelled?

That I was about to recommend as well. A simple and cheap way to fix the main problem.

 

As long the AI wingman is flying in formation with the Player, their fuel flow is identical. So if the Player does accelerate, the AI will follow and stay on formation and hence consume fuel at same rate.

 

The moment the AI wingman pulls for some other tasks like goes defensive, attacks etc, their own fuel consumption is returned. That raises a another problem like if 75% of the mission flight time you command AI wingman return to base, what then? Shouldn't then they anyways try to maximize the fuel consumption at cruising speed and if being followed/searched/targeted by other AI then try to optimize speed and fuel for the distance? Like sure the AI can be made then to calculate quickly the distance and consumption and perform optimal speed? Or does it anymore at that moment matter does the AI wingman even consume fuel as the mission is done/cancelled?

Okay, I hope that HEATBLUR will take a look into this matter. Because not everyone has human buddies to fly with yet.

Okay, I hope that HEATBLUR will take a look into this matter. Because not everyone has human buddies to fly with yet.

Unfortunately we can't. AI behavior is managed on ED side, not on our side. Please see if there is already a bug report for it in the general bug section (I am sure there is), it would of course help if you contribute there. Thanks!

I've often thought about just scripting the AI wingman to have infinite fuel in my own missions. In SP it doesn't particularly matter.

He usually gets shot down anyway in the campaign, it doesnt really add much to the experience having him have a fuel limit it actually ruins the immersion due to this bug.