So I fly my first mission of the second camp, a BAI ground thumper. We load up with AGM's and we're of to pop a few of the baddies!! I gave the weapons free order and commenced my attack! I went 8 for 8 and the other 3 wingies didn't even fire let alone hit something!! BTW, I also gave the "resume mission" order.

OK, is this just my wife's way of getting even with me for spending all this money on that DUMB Computer or what!! I seem to be missing something, any ideas??

Next time I'll assign them all targets with "Attack my target".

I was just wondering if there is a way to assign targets during breifing so that you dont have to select each target for your four ship...cause by the time you do that, you get shot down and your wingmen miss 90% of the time....Im thinking along the lines of JF-15...do you guys know what I mean?

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Good Hunting,

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Zero Niner, out.

The wingman AI has been the subject of a tremendous amount of discussion and research on this forum. There are some obvious problems with it, and still some things we don't understand about how it was intended to work.

One thing that is very important is the order in which certain commands are given. As mentioned by a previous poster, you must pass close to your IP (initial point) before giving the "Weapons Free" command. The IP is defined as the waypoint immediately preceeding the target waypoint. Check your briefing, and you will often see a pre-IP, then an IP, then the target waypoint. As you and your flight pass the IP, it will trigger a sequence in the program that causes your wingmen to begin to look for valid targets. This is how the computer enables the AI to recognize targets within the target area, and ignore those that you may fly over as you ingress. After passing the IP, and especially if you hear a call from a wingie like "Let me at 'em", or "I have a good angle...", give the WF command quickly. It seems to have a limited lifespan in F4. If you give the command too early or too late, your wingies will not "remember" it or carry it over for a long time.

The other problem with AI kill ratios seems to have a lot to do with the bubble that controls virtually everything in the F4 world. If your Wingmen are attacking ground units, and you fly away from them and beyond the point where the units they are attacking are still within YOUR bubble, their kill ratios will be horrible. Stay close to them (just as you would do in a real combat engagement), and it will improve.

I have found a good method to be to either give the WF command and fly along with the AI as they attack, thus de-fragging the units for them, or to give the "Attack my target" command to designate specific targets for them, again staying close as they attack. After they have gone winchester, I use my ordinance to mop up any remaining targets. You can order your wingies to check your six while you do, and it will keep them busy, and sometimes keep a bandit from sneaking up on you.