Salute all and thanks for your replies
First of all to AK DejaVu: Whether you choose to believe it or not, I am not a veteran flyer. Yes I read the board and noted the discussions about the C-Hog, N1k2 etc. I don`t know about you, but I make a point of informing myself before I go into a new Sim. I read every single post I could in the technical discussions to garner info re. how to fly aircraft correctly and successfully. And regarding knowing about the Corsair and N1k2`s energy retaining abilities: I flew a Typhoon quite a bit, and had plenty of opportunity to watch after a Headon, a N1K2 turn on a dime and come right after me with barely a loss in speed. Going high into an immelman or loop after that, you better have some speed or they will be toasting your butt. And I also have been on the tail of a C-Hog many a time with superior `E` to start, and tried to follow them through their evasions only to burn my energy and see them zipping along with nary a pause. (Even in one of those damn canyons where they have very little room to maneuver, they can give you fits) As far as your comment that : `you never flew a N1K2 or Corsair`, I flew them several times offline and in H2H. Enough to form a pretty good opinion. It just so happens that the P51d, P-47 and Typhoon are my favourite planes. I didn`t fly the P-47 much because the models offered are the ground attack versions. The early Razorback models D4 through D-23 with water injection and paddle blade prop were the hot setup as they didn`t have all the Jabo required reinforcing etc. on them to weigh them down and had better wing loading. Bob Johnson and Gabby scored most of their kills on these models. (By the way, the Pratt and Whitney in the P-47 was the most easily hotrodded engine around in WWII, and many US mechanics souped up their pilot`s machines. I believe Johnson had his set up to take 72 lbs manifold pressure) So I ended up in the `Stang and Typhoon.
Second : Why don`t you go back and re-read my post again. You accuse me of offering `…no real solutions.` Where does that come from? Creating Strongpoints is no big deal. Just replace the existing vehicle bases with them. Add a few more light weapons and the battery of artillery. And creating a Landing craft is unrealistic? I don`t think so. Not if they can put together a PT boat or a CV. There is already another post out there pointing out that the ground game is dead with the existing island setup. And adjusting the overall accuracy of air to air gunnery is a very simple matter. Just multiply the existing numbers by a percentile. Bingo, done. Same with bomber durability and accuracy. The programs are already in place, they just need to be tweaked.
I`d say you don`t really have a handle on the issues I raised and are just responding based on a bit of paranoia about people taking aliases.
To Scuzzy and the other Bomber guys : I appreciate your concern. I know what you guys go through to get your big birds up there and on target. And yes you deserve more of an escort than you usually get. I normally love to fly escort in a P-51 or 47. Up at 25,000 ft they really start to motor. You get some great chances to kill the interceptors when they try to climb up after the bombers. Unfortunately with the limited tryout period, I was concentrating more on learning the fighter vs fighter combat and practicing ground attack.
But I think you might be surprised by how the game developed with my suggested changes. I`ll give you an example :
In RED BARON, the original game had no bombers or recons in Multiplayer. Online was generally one big furball. But some many creative souls found out how to create new flyable aircraft shapes, how to modify the FM`s to produce bomber like characteristics, learned how to create rear firing guns, and presto chango, we had bombers and recons. Now prior to this any aircraft could bomb, and the fastest fighters could zip in and take out a target. Now with these less maneuverable, slower, but more durable bombers, different tactics had to be created. Systems developed based on the concept of the `High` escort and `Low` escort, (Close escort and Roving for you WWII boys) with elaborate tactics for getting the bombers to target. The bombers themselves adopted self-defence tactics, Lufbery circles, crisscrossing to provide targets for squadmates, etc. Attacking forces flew recons of targets prior to the arrival of the bomber group to determine defences and the best approach. In return, the CAP forces developed their own tactics. They divided into Fast fighters tasked with tying up and engaging escorts and Sturmgruppe`s to attack the bombers. Different aircraft were used in the different roles. The complexity and energy required to produce a successful attack made the Sim far more interesting. There is nothing more exciting than coming up to target, seeing the opposing forces maneuver for position, then experiencing the incredible intensity of the run in as all hell breaks loose and both teams fight like mad to achieve their goals.
I think if unescorted bombers found it impossible to get through, that the laws of evolution would dictate the adoption of escort tactics. Everyone wants to win. If one side is winning by escorting their bombers, then they other side would adopt the technique too. In response you would see development of advanced CAP tactics. Everyone would be forced to cooperate to achieve their goals.
I know if my Squad came online in AH we would use these tactics. You would see us in formations of 3 B17`s or Lancasters, escorted by 4 or 5 long range fighters. And we`d go anywhere we wanted on the map. (assuming we`d learned how to fly the aircraft, lol, and we didn`t run into a pack of Mitsu`s or Citabrias)
