HOI4 Dev Diary - Air Improvements

[bERt0r]

I hoped the circles would map the provinces that are reachable by the air wing to determine their mission area. For most short range aircraft, selecting airzones actually has no point because you will always want to have them stationed inside the region you want them to fly. I'd be glad to have my interceptors react whenever bombers are sighted in their range. The whack a mole game is something I don't want to do as the allmighty ruler. If i put 150 interceptors on Frankfurt's airport for interception duty, I don't want them to stay grounded when enemy bombers are their range because they are in the wrong airzone. I might want to restrict them to stay inside my airspace but I dont really care for arbitrary airzones.

 

[Archangel85]

I seriously hope that Madagascar being part of the east African zone is changed this patch. It should be its own zone as it huge but also it really screws up efficiency in places of shouldn't. @Archangel85 was this part of your kebab spree

Yes. Africa in general has been much improved, even if it meant taking some of my favorite air zones out behind the woodshed.

 

[Silvertongued]

While I appreciate that you guys have changed a ton of the UI stuff to make aerial combat more accessible, have you done anything to the mechanics of air combat?

Like giving them tactics ala the ground forces, or undertaking more specific missions to bomb infrastructure or factories, the option to set default attitudes for aircraft (instead of only kamikaze) or anything like that?

Or maybe my problem is more that I don't see how aircraft aid me so much, or harm my opponents, outside of slight modifiers on my opponent/my units when I have superiority.

 

[ThatSmallFighter]

Air changes were needed. It looked too simple for such an important part of war.

 

[Lord Cuddlesworth]

Can't wait to get my grubby little hands on this.

 

[ummd]

Okay, but it still doesn't make any sense for me to need a 2000 kilometer range for my planes to involve themselves in a fight 100 kilometers away from my airbase just because it's Africa and the airzones are massive for no good reason.

Ideally you should just be able to stick planes on bombing duty from an airfield, tell them "Bomb any fights within range" and they go and do that at full efficiency. Maybe have an option to exceed normal range for a penalty to their bombing damage, to simulate using a reduced bomb-load.

this. so this.

 

[bom2]

seems good

 

[Gort11]

Yes. Africa in general has been much improved, even if it meant taking some of my favorite air zones out behind the woodshed.

Very much looking forward to seeing the new zones.

 

[Balesir]

Okay, but it still doesn't make any sense for me to need a 2000 kilometer range for my planes to involve themselves in a fight 100 kilometers away from my airbase just because it's Africa and the airzones are massive for no good reason.

Ideally you should just be able to stick planes on bombing duty from an airfield, tell them "Bomb any fights within range" and they go and do that at full efficiency. Maybe have an option to exceed normal range for a penalty to their bombing damage, to simulate using a reduced bomb-load.

I can't help you with the second bit, but for the first I have provided the Waltzing Matilda Map Mod (a subset of the full WM mod) since 11th January (Steam mod no. 840295025). Enjoy!

 

[Wraith11B]

Please tell me that's the actual Steam Mod number... that's epic if true.

If you're just pulling our leg because there seem to be eight hundred million mods then that's also good.

Make Naval Combat Great.

 

[Balesir]

Please tell me that's the actual Steam Mod number... that's epic if true.

If you're just pulling our leg because there seem to be eight hundred million mods then that's also good.

Make Naval Combat Great.

That's the Steam mod number. As in, if you put "Steam mod 840295025" into Google, it will get you the Steam page for the mod.

 

[Wraith11B]

Awesome... I thought for a second you were exaggerating for some reason.

Make Naval Combat Great.

 

[Gort11]

I can't help you with the second bit, but for the first I have provided the Waltzing Matilda Map Mod (a subset of the full WM mod) since 11th January (Steam mod no. 840295025). Enjoy!

Wow. Just loaded that up and it's a huge improvement over vanilla air zones. Good job!

 

[Balesir]

Awesome... I thought for a second you were exaggerating for some reason.

I have told you a million times, I don't exaggerate...

Make Naval Combat Great.

Aye - good to see another afficionado of @Axe99's efforts

Wow. Just loaded that up and it's a huge improvement over vanilla air zones. Good job!

Thank you. You could also try out the main mod (which includes the map changes) at Steam number 751452050

 

[Magis]

Radar
You might have spotted a little green circle in the first screenie also. We've added more visible radar overlays that you can bring up either through a toggle or by hovering over one
View attachment 266401

Why do radars have circular areas of effect, but planes have silly "zones" that have nothing to do with geodesic?

 

[Balesir]

Why do radars have circular areas of effect, but planes have silly "zones" that have nothing to do with geodesic?

Strictly speaking, radar does not, in general, have a circular area of effect* and WW2 aircraft having a geographical rather than a geometrical zone of operation can make a great deal of sense (if it is a well-defined zone).

*: although it is generally a reasonable approximation except where terrain is quite extreme or RDF stations are poorly sited.

 

[stjern]

Wow. Just loaded that up and it's a huge improvement over vanilla air zones. Good job!

If you want smaller air zones and potent air AI you can also try Total War mod.

I wonder why paradox dont just take the smaller airzones from a mod.

 

[NovaGr]

Looks great! Finally will be able to manage the air units with maximum efficiency!

 

[Gort11]

If you want smaller air zones and potent air AI you can also try Total War mod.

I wonder why paradox dont just take the smaller airzones from a mod.

Well, they might have done. We haven't seen the new zones Archangel's made yet.

 

[virre]

Any reason why we cant bomb units not in combat?

I mean if I know an enemy is sitting across the river, why wouldnt/shouldnt i be able to bomb them for afew days to soften them, then engage?