Air combat (SMAC)

There are two basic types of aircraft, bombers and interceptors. Bombers may only attack bases and surface units; they cannot attack air units. Interceptors can attack other air units, but are at a penalty when attacking surface targets. Specifically, interceptors attack other air units at twice their normal offensive power, but land and sea targets at only half normal strength. (Combat between two interceptors is at normal odds.) Any unit can attack a chopper.
To attack needlejets in flight (i.e., anywhere outside of a base or an airbase), a unit must have the special ability. Air units at bases and airbases are considered to be “on the runway,” and can be attacked by any unit. 
Missiles are a special kind of air unit. They are one-shot “fire and forget” weapons. Missiles are always destroyed after an attack, even if they win.
Air units can attempt to destroy enemy terrain enhancements by flying over the enhancement and using the Destroy Improvement command.
The Designate Bombing Run and On Alert commands can also be used to automate air combat.
== Air combat modifiers ==
Air units receiving an artillery strike get a +100% bonus to defense strength. (An artillery unit must have the Air Superiority special ability to attack air units.)
== See also ==
* Air combat in other games
Category:Game concepts (SMAC)