For scenarios in Command that simulate exercises, as opposed to actual battles, I like to use the following guidelines:
-Opponent uses the equipment of the “actors”, not the “characters”. So instead of MiG-29s and MiG-21s, they would have aggressor F-16s and F-5s. The relative capabilities are what serve as the main indicator of what I’d use as a substitute, as well as just how difficult I want the specific scenario to be.
-Opponent’s skill setting is set to “Ace”, to symbolize the highly trained aggressor pilots. Say hi, Jester and Viper.
-Player’s skill setting is not set to anything above “Regular”, and is frequently below that level, to symbolize the training component of it.
I don’t follow this in every single exercise-styled scenario, but I do in a lot of examples. Why?
-The equipment is there because it’s more novel than seeing the “usual opponent” in actual battle scenarios. While an F-4 and MiG-21 may meet over the skies of-well, just about anywhere given their many users, an F-4 and F-5 are less likely to engage outside of an exercise.
-The skill setting is set there to provide a challenge. Red Flag and similar realistic training exercises were made to duplicate the valuable “first ten missions” in a peacetime setting, and I wanted to reflect that.
-Also, I wanted the scenarios to be a form of “training” in-game as well. There have been times when I even considered turning scoring off completely, and letting the player’s ratios speak for themselves. In the finished scenarios, I didn’t do that, but I still aim for the goal of (in some cases) having them be a “worst case battle”.