Just was flying my BE2c and after bombing the German airfield, had an Eindecker just on my tail and start firing. I waited for my observer to open fire and he never did. At least he didn't until I flamed out. I didn't want to jump into the gunner's position at this time.

When do your AI controlled observers/gunners open fire on attacking aircraft? I tried to do some reading up on it, but read conflicting info about having to fly straighter for them observers to open fire.

Many thanks for all replies.

That is question I did not find proper answer yet. I would like to fully understand to shooting/observer activity logic either. I know about many attributes, as observer's morale, health, skill, flight maneuvers, however, what is really behind, i.e. proper weight of all attributes and final quotation/formula, I do not know. That knows only one man and he keeps that in secret.

One thing I do know. You must try to give your observer a good funobstructed field of fire. You must also not take quick erratic movement or your gunner will be too busy trying not to fall out of the aircraft instead of shooring.. Try to think like the gunner and imagine what he wants you to do.

As Robert says you also have to make sure they have a clear view (no tail, wires etc in the way) they will avoid shooting their own aircraft first. BE2 has a terrible field of fire and your head is there, Did anyone mention Be2c's were a death trap against Eindeckers.

I definitely found out fast about the BE2 being a death trap against Eindeckers. Went down in flames after just a few shots from the German.

Many thanks for the replies.

Yesterday an AI rear gunner hit me with his first shot in a tight turn at 300+ yards. You try to do a defelection shot of 30 degrees at 300 yards -- "very hard to do"!

Fromhere on the are safe from me and my flight. Way to dangerous -- not correct as the real out come of "gunners to enemy planes" in any war. I think in WW2 there were very few gunners that became "ACES"
in B17's after 25 missions or more.

Just saying!

Deflection shots from 300+ yards during WW1....

Another limitation to AI observers/gunner is that they are programmed pure defensive and not offensive.

Just fly the Fee and you will see that the gunner refuse to shoot when you are on the fokkers tail or when that eindecker plane is in front of your Fee. You will see he is trying to change between the front and rear gun, but still no action and when finally he is shooting, it is too late.
Now the same when an fokker is on the Fee's tail and now the gunner will shoot immediately to defend the plane back.

Next experiment, flying a MS-parasol fly just besides an Aviatik B1, move the MS wings, so it has a clear shot, watch how the gunner still refuse to shoot. Manoeuvre the MS-parasol below and make sure the Aviatik is behind the MS, now the gunner start to shoot immediately.

The same I have noticed in Rof btw.