Can't figure out the "Alert" function

[SerapisIV]

I can't figure out how to get my fighters to be on alert properly. Whenever I put my interceptors on "alert" even if no enemy units are around, the interceptors start randomly doing circles with 4-5 tiles of the base. Then of course, the next turn, enemy penetrators attack my city, where the interceptors would've been if they hadn't dumped all their moves already.

Can someone explain to me how the "alert" function can be used properly. What it's supposed to do. Also, if I put other units on alert, probes, AAA rovers, etc., what would they do on alert?

[Avenoct]

There really isn't a proper way to put air-defense units on alert. Basically, leaving them without orders will automatically enable them to act to defend local units automatically. Placing them on alert causes them to waste their movement flying air cover. This is of course different with ground units. Check this thread where we exhaustively (though not conclusively) disect 'On Alert'

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...utomated+Units

-Smack

[Ned]

Once you discover the joys? of Alert for Airpower, you may wish to try full automatic. Now that really works.

However, if all you want to do is defend some assets at a base with an interceptor, just put the plane on standby.

Ned

[johndmuller]

I've had some odd experiences with "Patrol" and aircraft as well.

The basic scene is this - I want to set up a plane to leave base, cruise around looking for enemies, and return to the same or another base after each turn (so as not to be a sitting duck in the open). It'e easy enough to set up, but when you get stopped by a sighting and make an attack (and maybe even if you don't), attempting to reinitiate the patrol route sometimes seems to get a route that ends in the open each turn, instead of at a base. Aside from the problem of being vulnerable to enemy fighters, it seems like the plane will keep doing this despite never ending its turn in a base and without crashing (it may pass thru a base, but that is not supposed to be the way to refuel). What's up with this? Is this how they behave on Auto also?

Even if issuing the Patrol order from a base it might happen; does it matter whether or not the plane has any movement remaining when the Patrol is ordered?

[Ned]

Johnd, You think that is incredible, try this:

A plane has one movement point left and is not in a base. Moving it one more space will cause it to crash. What you do instead is Shift-A to set it on full automatic. The plane will just sit there between turns. It will not crash.

Ned

[Scipio Centaurus]

More proof of the superiority of computer vs human control!