Wing-men Mechanic?

[Goose]

Is there anything in the rules that would point out the value of staying with ones' wing-man? Even it it's not a rule proper, have we only forum commentary as to how it's a fail-safe?

If there is nothing yet, what might one commit to ink a forum?

[AlphaMirage]

In atmospheric combat you can be denied or deny shots via canny maneuvers so you could initiate a set up where you'd get the shot but your opponent wouldn't. In space combat there is no advantage, you can just flip and fire Battlestar style. A wingman is just there to maybe double up on a fighter.

[Lagrange]

Initiative implies a wingman is desirable. 

In a one-on-n, there's a 50% chance you lose initiative and at close quarters can't even fire on the enemy.  Hence, a 75% average effectiveness. 

In a two-on-n, there's a 50% chance you lose initiative and at close quarters one of the fighters will not be able to fire on the enemy while the wingman will.  Hence an 87.5% average effectiveness.

[EPG]

I think the real advantage boils down to two things that really only matter in campaign play, and real life:

If one of the two is badly damaged, the damaged one can attempt to disengage while being covered by the less damaged craft, this providing at least an opportunity for one or both of the fighters to live and fight another day.

If their craft is disabled or shot down, having a wingman means that if possible, your side should have a good idea of where to go to save the pilot(s)

Getting higher survival rates for your crew who are in damaged or destroyed figures is critical to reaching veteran and elite status (not to mention the cost savings if you can recover and repair the fighters)

[DevianID]

In some of the advanced rules with double blind, you have a limited cone of LOS.  Having a wingman would let you have 2 cones, to increase your situational awareness.  Though, its more like a radar cone at the ranges aerospace fighters operate at on the air map.

Nightfighting has a similiar mechanic with searchlights, you can have a buddy in back paint a target for the lead unit to shoot, without the lead unit illumimating itself.

[Hammer]

  Friendly Mod Note.

Lets not let this stray into Fan Rules. If it does we'll move the thread to the Fan Rules area.

[DevianID]

I thought those are the as written rules, right from the tac ops rule book?  Unless you wernt talking about me?

[PuppyLikesLaserPointers]

I thought those are the as written rules, right from the tac ops rule book?  Unless you wernt talking about me?

I think that Hammer wants to scold no one above, but just want to note to the others for made a reply after that you should not ask about fan rules. For it is obvious that such topics have the risk for this, it is no wonder that mods are says something even before someone actually did anything wrong.

In some of the advanced rules with double blind, you have a limited cone of LOS.  Having a wingman would let you have 2 cones, to increase your situational awareness.  Though, its more like a radar cone at the ranges aerospace fighters operate at on the air map.

Nightfighting has a similiar mechanic with searchlights, you can have a buddy in back paint a target for the lead unit to shoot, without the lead unit illumimating itself.

I remember that one of the benefit of the formation in the real world fighter tactics is extended radar radius to cover, for the radar's range is cone shaped so if two fighters are moves alongsides they may cover just beside of the wingmate's range. But it seems that on TO ASF also have 360 radius scanner. It does says for 1/2/3 range for its short/medium long range to check but it's only for air to ground search.

I am still unclear that multiple units are able to search the enemy individually but, perhaps if it is could then they may make multiple checks to raise the chance to spot regardless.

[Weirdo]

Initiative implies a wingman is desirable. 

In a one-on-n, there's a 50% chance you lose initiative and at close quarters can't even fire on the enemy.  Hence, a 75% average effectiveness. 

In a two-on-n, there's a 50% chance you lose initiative and at close quarters one of the fighters will not be able to fire on the enemy while the wingman will.  Hence an 87.5% average effectiveness.

This is pretty much the core of it. Having a wingman means that at last one unit trying to go after your lead plane must fly more conservatively, because they know someone else will be gunning for them. This is particularly important when one side or both are also engaged in ground attacks - doing so leaves you very vulnerable to shots from other fighters, so you NEED a wingman to watch out for you while doing your run.

Wingmen are particularly vital when you're facing fighters but you yourself are in a larger unit - Small Craft and DropShips will almost always lose initiative to fighters, so it's absolutely vital to have a wingman so you can maneuver around each other(probably in a modified Thatch Weave) to minimize any gaps in firing arcs that fighters can use to attack with impunity.