Always lose air battles

[Benedikt]

I'm new to this game and I really love it.
But I always lose air battles. I encountered a lot harvesters and send my Stilletto and Saracen with Rocket pods and Missile launchers and cannons against the ufo but they always shoot me down. What am I doing wrong?

[BTAxis]

Are you using 2.2.1? I know 2.2 didn't have aircraft HP implemented.

[Benedikt]

Yeah, I use 2.2.1
I'm also wondering why I sometimes can use all interceptors I have and sometimes only one. Do I need a hangar for each aircraft or is it sufficient to have a hangar for each type (small/large)?

[PeterBBB]

I use 3 Saracens together. Sometimes lose one, but they always down the UFO. They are fitted with rockets, the gun thing (no aircraft missiles coz they alway seem to miss) targeting comp, ECM and armour.

Also, I wait until the UFO is within range of the base missile batteries, sometimes they down the UFO before my aircraft are up.

You will need extra hanger to have more than 3 fighter aircraft I think.

Pete

[Mayhem]

I very rarely lose a plane (in ordinary difficulty, at least).

Taking the advice of a previous poster, I have at each "interception base":

1 Saracen with armour and 2 ECM pods, plus 2 missile launchers.
3 Stillettos with no armour, 1 targeting computer, 2 missile launchers and a cannon.

On detection of a UFO within flight range, I send up the Saracen first, so that the UFO targets it.  Then I launch the 3 stillettoes.  The UFO is decoyed into shooting at the harder to hit, harder to damage saracen whilst all 4 planes unload their missiles at it. 

Ideally this is done within the SAM range of a base with 2 missile launchers, too, and it is very rare for me to lose a plane, and I've never failed to shoot down the UFO with this method.

[Benedikt]

Thx for the tipps. Maybe one could set up a wiki page out this. In the wiki there is seemingly no information about airfights. Could someone also specify how many aircrafts can be in one hangar?

[BTAxis]

A wiki page isn't a good idea, because 2.2.1 is outdated in many ways.

In 2.3, each hangar stores exactly 1 aircraft.

[vedrit]

Just to note on the aircraft/hanger: Each craft should list what hanger size it needs, or the hanger can list it. I have read a few threads where players have been confused about that.

As for air battles, I usually go with launching my interceptor near base rocket range. Fire once, retreat. If the UFO is shot down, I move on. I rarely loose a ship

[geever]

I usually go with launching my interceptor near base rocket range. Fire once, retreat.

Which is unfair.
I've also realized if you attack a Fighter when it appears it will attack and follow you to the utmost (most of the times) even if you retreat to your base just after it turns to you. This gives the chance to shot it down with only base defense (which is also unfair). We should improve the ai so it would leave our aircraft alone if disappears (lands) or reveal and attack our base..

-geever

[TroubleMaker]

In 2.3, each hangar stores exactly 1 aircraft.

It seems to be strange. As I remember, every hangar contains 2 to 4 landing beds/pads. So, 3D and 2D hangar artwork must be completely redrawn.

More, in real world it counts as unnecessary luxury to have separate hangar for every single craft.