I think a very important aspect that is missing in AH is attrition and it leads to the use of many of the "annoying" tactics that people frequently complain about. Without attrition, people have no fear of employing just about anything to get the job done knowing that if they don't at first succeed, try try again. With attrition, a failed sortie would result in the inability to make another attempt.
So, here is the concept, something really simple, a 30 minute restriction on re-spawning after a death that applies to the field that you launched from. Bails/Captures/Deaths all count the same and how you died doesn't matter, intention, unintentional, or just unlucky. The restriction is only in effect at that single field and would prevent you from spawning anything else there (or from there in the case of remote spawns) for the entire 30 min period. You could move to another field and spawn immediately UNLESS you have also died there and your 30 min counter at that location hasn't expired yet either. This would limit field-hopping to reset the timers, logging out/in, or spawn/land instantly. You could, therefore, have multiple locations where you are currently "Restricted" from spawning if you die quickly in multiple locations (the actual amount of time is up for some discussion, I just made it 30 min because that would represent the normal maximum amount of time that something would "Repair" in). A successful landing imparts no restriction, you can immediately re-spawn. With the new "war-won" model of 6 fields minimum, you'd have to die 6 times in 30 minutes (5 min sortie time) in order to run out of places to spawn on the strat side of the game... could happen but unlikely.
Before the furball crowd jump in too deep, I think there should be an exempt area because I like a good furball just like the next guy sometimes(some won't admit it). No restrictions there, anyone could go there and furball to their hearts content all evening with unlimited spawns. Most furballers just want to get into a ride and see lots of red-cons, hence the exemption. Also, if for some reason you do manage to "run out" of places to spawn elsewhere (like in the minutes before a reset), then you can go to furball island and fly there.
Now, this might be something for the MA, maybe it's not, but here are some things I think would occur because of it:
- Anything that is considered a "suicide tactic" (suicide plungers, 500ft bombers, dive-bombing Lancs, etc) would become less valuable because you'd only get 1 attempt. If you failed, you couldn't try again from the same location so you'd better make your first try count, either that or employ something that has a higher survival potential. This alone would cover probably 1/4 of the BBS complaints that come up about the MA play. How many CV's would stay floating if the same guy didn't have the opportunity to make 3 or 4 attacks until he got enough ord onto the CV to sink it? How many 10 minute GV drives where you get killed by the same guy who's upped 3 times to face you but died while plunging an A20 in attempt to get you?
- No more "re-up for revenge". If you beat 3 guys, spend your energy and position to do it, why should kill #1 immediately come back to extract revenge in his new-La7 while you nurse your 190 home low on ammo/fuel/damaged/etc. It might really help perk planes, no more F4U-4/Tempest/SpitXIV's killed by "fresh" La7's that you just finished killing... if the "Dead" can arrange someone new to take up his cause, so be it, but the same guy once shot down is out of the immediate action.
- The nature of attack/defense would fundamentally change, success would be based on who "wins" superiority, not who can replace lost aircraft quickest. Fights would be finite, whomever still has people alive, after what would probably be a pretty short time, would win (no enemies can up to replace losses unless they haven't died yet). No more "pork the hangers" as a primary method of stopping an attack/defense (though it would still work to do so). The "Red Wave" concept wouldn't be changed, bringing superior numbers is smart and HT agrees, but if you face superior quality opponents and lose at a bad ratio your attack would fail.... no more re-enforcements by the same guys that are already shot down, no more facing and killing the same guy 2-4 times in a row before he finally gets you. I like to call this the "overwhelm you eventually" concept, where superior numbers win not because they have better kill ratios but because they can replace their losses and eventually wear you down.
- Spawn Camping/Vulching would become pretty useless unless 10 unique people all spawned. It's still totally valid to set up for a vulch but now every kill you made would equate to one less defender to have to worry about for 30 minutes. No more score padding, no more frustrated newbies getting vulched 100 times on the runway at one location. No more constant ack-star tactics with formations of bombers. You spawn, you die, you move on or watch from the tower for 30 minutes.
- The Fighter Sweep would be VERY valid as a way to clear out defenders before launching an attack. Currently it's a way to stir up action and hence a poor choice if you tend to exploit it for attacking reasons. You could cut down on the number of defenders and specifically target types of aircraft that may hamper your efforts. It might make some attack aircraft that have difficulty dealing with lots/certain type of fighters more useful (Bf110, Mossie, Il2) because you could specifically target the most dangerous opponents and let the attack aircraft do their thing. A couple of guys roving around the frontlines might make the difference by knocking down a few key enemies.
- No more "Fight Stagnation", battles that run for hours, or maybe a whole evening, at one location. Things would shift around more, gangbangs might come and go more quickly, hot-spots would move around the map. While a "Red Wave" may arrive, once dealt with it would have to move on.
- No more Ostie swarms, once dead once a person couldn't just continue the attack/defense in an Ostie. If you chose an Ostie initially though, every guy you shot down is one less that can simply come back and drop ordinance on your head until he finally gets you.
- The "Counter Attack" concept. The enemy sends his attack and fails, now you can retaliate and know that anyone who died in the initial attack is not a potential defender. Currently the counter-attack is basically sneaking a bomber in to level the hangers or attracting enough people to match/exceed the enemy numbers. A large mission that launched and failed could leave the field they launched from VERY vulnerable to immediate counter-attack because a lot of potential defenders can't spawn.
- Backfield Hunting options are improved. You knock out the enemy goon, the same person can't launch another so either A) someone new launches one or B) someone rtb's and gets one (no bailing and grabbing one, remember). Don't want an HQ resupplied, have a fighter or two hunt some goons after you bomb out the HQ. Every goon they shoot down is one less guy who can launch another. Field resupply, again, M3/C47's that are shot down are not able to simply spawn again.
- Mutual Field support would become very important. Having two fields against the enemy's single would mean you have twice the spawn potential, even if the flight from the second field is a bit further. Right now mutual field support doesn't usually have an impact unless one of the fields is being vulched or if you are trying to launch some bombers from a direction the enemy may not expect.
There are lots of other examples of things it would change but it wouldn't "force" anyone to do anything, it would entice you to try something more survivable in general. I don't think it would make people "shy", or at least not overly, because if you die all you have to do it move on to someplace else for a while. It would tend to favor skill a bit more and hurt people who currently don't have good technique but it impacts everyone equally and if you are desperate you can always revert to any technique you want to get the job done (you'd better just make sure it works the first time). Some people would probably get pretty bent by the fact they had to watch the rest of a fight unfold from the tower (or move on) but isn't that part of how battles are decided, you attrit your enemies ability to continue? People who rely on steam-roller tactics consistently might be in for a shock.
Anyway, it's just an idea and I'm sure there will be lots of comments (objective and not). Maybe it's something for the MA, maybe not, maybe it would help address some inbalance issues with numbers (which could be beaten with attrition being modeled) and make some of the other ENY balancing issues less severe. Anyway, thought I'd throw my hat in the ring and mention this, it's been suggested in other forms before but I think this one is a bit simplier and I put some description behind it.
-Soda
