So I'm in a game wherein I'm Iran, and I'm fighting with India over possession of Pakistan. I have two units of Level 1 Air Superiority Fighters patrolling separately over by advance forces, which have stopped in a Pakistani province after taking control of it. An Indian Level 1 Strike Fighter unit is running strikes on my ground forces, and though the Strike Fighter seems to be taking damage, it seems to be coming exclusively from the ground units that it's attacking.
Meanwhile, every time the Strike Fighter hits my ground troops, my patrolling Air Superiority Fighters take full damage as though the attack was directed specifically at them.
Three strikes later, both of my patrol fighters are almost dead, so I send one back to base and leave the other to patrol. I test a theory by waiting for the Strike Fighter to come into radar range, and send my Air Superiority Fighter after it as soon as it gets close; when my Air Superiority Fighter completely its attack, the Strike Fighter takes full damage.
So the question here is: is the Patrol function on aircraft useless for anything but detection? Because if so, that makes the Air Superiority Fighter basically redundant for anything except rapid reconnaissance.
I've played a lot of Call of War, so I know that in that game, patrolling aircraft could do 25% of their regular attacks every 15 minutes while patrolling; but if that's the case here, then that really does jack against planes that are coming and going within five minutes.
Meanwhile, every time the Strike Fighter hits my ground troops, my patrolling Air Superiority Fighters take full damage as though the attack was directed specifically at them.
Three strikes later, both of my patrol fighters are almost dead, so I send one back to base and leave the other to patrol. I test a theory by waiting for the Strike Fighter to come into radar range, and send my Air Superiority Fighter after it as soon as it gets close; when my Air Superiority Fighter completely its attack, the Strike Fighter takes full damage.
So the question here is: is the Patrol function on aircraft useless for anything but detection? Because if so, that makes the Air Superiority Fighter basically redundant for anything except rapid reconnaissance.
I've played a lot of Call of War, so I know that in that game, patrolling aircraft could do 25% of their regular attacks every 15 minutes while patrolling; but if that's the case here, then that really does jack against planes that are coming and going within five minutes.
"Focus. Control. Conviction. Resolve. A true ace lacks none of these attributes. Nothing can deter you from the task at hand except your own fears. This is your sky."
― Arcade Mode, Ace Combat Five: The Unsung War
― Arcade Mode, Ace Combat Five: The Unsung War