Why Do Aircraft DOWNGRADE?

[GeneralDad]

Please why do aircraft downgrade? I am playing WA in the 43-45 campaign. I had my 8th Air Force all set up with mostly long range fighters - then between my end of turn save on T50 and the start of T51 two groups had switched to P-40 from long range P51-B10s. I have plenty of B10's in the pool, so a lack of replacements does not appear to be the problem.

I generally keep the aircraft change on auto so I don't have to micro-manage them all of the time - but I never expected aircraft to switch to less useful planes that are not in the upgrade path; at least while I have plenty of replacements available.

This game requires a lot - maybe too much - micro-management as it is. Having the AI take away long range fighters needed for long range escort means one more task I cannot trust to the AI 'helper'. Putting all aircraft on manual upgrade/change is way too much work. P-40s are not in the upgrade path for P-51s - why downgrade or even change type when there are plenty of replacements in the pool?

GeneralDad

[RedLancer]

I vaguely recall that some aircraft swaps are hard coded for the AI to match history. This may be one of those changes.

[Major SNAFU_M]

Having just completed my first full read of the manual, I recall reading that the AI my choose to downgrade a unit when replenishing if there are insufficient units in the pool of the current (upgraded) model. So a temporary downgrade in order to have sufficient numbers may occur.

Maybe all of the replacements in the pool are not logistically available for the replenished unit in question?

I believe it is in the section- 7.2.3 page 73, right=hand column is one place this is mentioned.

SNAFU

[Denniss]

There are some hard coded swaps I remember but not away from P-51 but to P-51. Manual 8.1.8 has some of them.
Aircraft swap function is either too lazy or too crazy in its actions.
In WitE1 swaps were improved but still had some crazyness left so we introduced an upgrade-only option which I realy hope to see ported to WitW.