Author Topic: Scenario: Open letter to the AH community (Read 2238 times)

HUN · « **on:** October 18, 2004, 09:56:24 AM »

I remember when…

A scenario would have all available slots filled up in less than one hour after registration opened. And folks this isn’t just any scenario this is a DoK scenario! This is the guy that invented scenario in its most evil form! As I write this there are only 60 guys signed up for Rangoon an already scaled back version because it is believed that AH community no longer turns out for scenarios. So prove them wrong and sign up.

Where are all you guys that come on the boards on a daily basis lamenting about the abysmal game play of the MA? Where are you early war-bird fans lamenting about the massed La7 and P51d hordes? Where are all the guys just hanging around for TOD? (A scenario is the ultimate TOD)

Giving back to the community and HTC is more than just coming to the boards and posting and flaming. This is your chance to give back to the community and help attract new players to the game and noobs from the MA. With all the “I quit” posts going around wouldn’t you like to see some that start with “I signed up because of the community and the awesome scenarios I heard about.”

Come on AH community stand up and come forth and let us have some fun for a few Saturdays!!!

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=133021

Flossy · « **Reply #1 on:** October 18, 2004, 11:55:41 AM »

What Hun said!

To me, scenarios are what Aces High (and AW before it) is all about - the ultimate gameplay experience! I tend to think of the MA - and to a greater extent, the CT - to be merely practice arenas for the scenarios. If you haven't tried a scenario yet, you are missing out on some of the best times you will ever have in Aces High, so don't waste another second - SIGN UP NOW!

edge12674 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 18, 2004, 01:17:41 PM »

If you have never flown a scenario you are in for a treat. Unfortunately my work schedule doesn't make it possible for me to attend.

Not to hijack the thread, but there was a time when Hitech et al had pins awarded for scenario participation (back in the Warbirds day). They looked great pinned to the con hat and provided some bragging rights. Any chance of those coming back? It could generate more interest in scenario participation.

DoKGonZo · « **Reply #3 on:** October 18, 2004, 01:29:17 PM »

NUTTZ is donating silk P40 jackets to the CO's for Ragoon.

Prior to pins, jacket patches were awarded to participants - I designed these for events I ran. That was a tradition I started way back in AW days. I personally don't have the budget right now to underwrite something like that. Sorry.

Furball · « **Reply #4 on:** October 18, 2004, 01:30:43 PM »

im already signed up.

i wanted to try axis for a change, but when i looked at numbers i saw the usual luftweenie hoarde had gone axis, so i went allied to try and help with the number imparity.

just checked numbers again, appears allies have more now. either it changed overnight or in my stupidity i misread the numbers....

probably the latter

DoKGonZo · « **Reply #5 on:** October 18, 2004, 01:59:21 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Furball
im already signed up.

i wanted to try axis for a change, but when i looked at numbers i saw the usual luftweenie hoarde had gone axis, so i went allied to try and help with the number imparity.

just checked numbers again, appears allies have more now. either it changed overnight or in my stupidity i misread the numbers....

probably the latter

You may have misread available positions with filled positions.

There are a TON of Zekes to fly ... around 150. The Allies have about 90 fighters of various types to stop them.

Wurger · « **Reply #6 on:** October 18, 2004, 02:28:29 PM »

One problem I see is that 12 hours after registration opens, all the "best" rides are already overbooked. A player has a better shot at getting one of them by being a walkon rather than signing up (comitting) to fly a "second class" ride. We saw this in the BoB scenario, where all the 109 slots filled up immediately, however, there appeared to be plenty of 109 rides available to the walkons.

My suggestion is to either eliminate these all together, or make them available to all. For example, why not have P40E's or A6M5's available to all, instead of one small group. Or just make it all P40B's and all A6M2's. It seems that this way there would be no issue and you wouldn't have people not signing up beause they can't get the ride they want.

Just my $.02 on ways to make scenarios more appealing to the masses.

Personally, I love flying scenarios and plan to be there. Unfortunately Saturday PM's are tough (Sunday PM's were perfect) so I can't commit to registering and will try to serve as a walkon schedule permitting.

Cheers,

Bazi

DoKGonZo · « **Reply #7 on:** October 18, 2004, 02:40:02 PM »

Only about 1/3 of the available slots were pre-registered for the very reason you mentioned. I took some crap for not letting squads sign up en masse and grab all the best rides.

Scaevola · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2004, 02:40:30 PM »

Yep just signed up for one frame but all "the good rides" were overbooked. I'll still fly what's given though as I see it as a bit more of a challenge.

See you guys there if you're going

DoKGonZo · « **Reply #9 on:** October 18, 2004, 02:47:13 PM »

Don't confuse pre-registration with people just being quick to register. There were slots available for all plane types when general registration opened. Really.

Karnak · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2004, 02:56:33 PM »

OK, until recently I worked weekends, that is why the BoB scenario was out.

The reasons I don't sign up for them are, I'll admit, a mixture of my uninformed guesses as to how they go as well as imbalanced or unenforced rules.

For example, from what I little I read of the BoB scenario, I gather the Bf110C-4s made mince meat of the Spitfires and Hurricanes. There are a few reasons I think this would be the case, most of them beyond the reach of the people running the scenario. However one of the reasons I understand is that the Bf110s were flying in a totally nonhistorical fashion, e.g. providing very high top cover for the bombers.

The other thing I understand, and this may simply have been Allied whining, is that the RAF was hampered by a radar system that was far, far inferior to what the British really had in WWII and thus were usually having to attack the bombers, let alone the fighters, from an altitude disadvantage.

How do the events run? What I have imagined right now is sitting around waiting for an hour or so, then uping in a structured environment and trying to accomplish the mission with very little enemy contact. If you get shot down that is that for the frame. Essentially hours spent for very little doing.

That is what I imagine it would be. Please correct my misconceptions as taking an A6M2 up against P-40Es and F4F-4s doesn't sound very fun considering how over tough those fighters are modeled and how weak the A6M2 is.

edge12674 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2004, 02:57:07 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by DoKGonZo
NUTTZ is donating silk P40 jackets to the CO's for Ragoon.

Prior to pins, jacket patches were awarded to participants - I designed these for events I ran. That was a tradition I started way back in AW days. I personally don't have the budget right now to underwrite something like that. Sorry.

DoKGonZo, Thank you for all your hard work! I didn't know it was you who managed the pins/patches thing....You did a great job!! Too bad Hitech creations can't manage this. I bet even requiring an additional fee of a couple bucks for the patches/pins prior to the event starting would meet with positive response.

DoKGonZo · « **Reply #12 on:** October 18, 2004, 03:35:39 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Karnak
...How do the events run? What I have imagined right now is sitting around waiting for an hour or so, then uping in a structured environment and trying to accomplish the mission with very little enemy contact. If you get shot down that is that for the frame. Essentially hours spent for very little doing.

That is what I imagine it would be. Please correct my misconceptions as taking an A6M2 up against P-40Es and F4F-4s doesn't sound very fun considering how over tough those fighters are modeled and how weak the A6M2 is.

I can't comment on how other people run things - I only know what I try to capture in an event.

It *is* possible you'll fly two hours and never see an enemy - if you're in a bomber, this is a good thing - and you'll be sweating the whole time. You'll hear the battle around you even if you aren't in it, though. In a multi-frame event it's rare for folks not to get the crap scared out of them a couple times at least.

The timetable for the event is on the site. All fighters launch at the same time. Allied scout bombers may launch pre-dawn. IJA bombers may delay their launch 15 minutes. But the environment is hostile at T+0. There will be maybe 20 or 30 minutes of climb out and initial scout/sweep activity before some part of the battle will likely be joined.

If you get shot down, you're done for the day. Death has meaning - unlike the MA. Rarely is it for "nothing" given that its a team effort. Some folks may encounter less action than others, but generally the way my events play out once contact is made things escalate rather dramatically. Consider that there is only one target area for the IJA ... what does that tell you about the odds of "very little enemy contact?"

As for the "weakness" of the Zeke-2 ... I flew in it and against it in the CT. With even numbers and altitude it had no problem dicing up P40's and F4F's. None. It accelerates nice, guns are decent, and it's instantaneous dive needs to be respected - obviously it turns and climbs well too. Allied fighters will have an initial altitude edge of only 2000 feet - 14K to 12K. These were the operational altitudes at the time - it won't be folks booming in from 20K.

Karnak · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2004, 03:51:10 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by DoKGonZo
As for the "weakness" of the Zeke-2 ... I flew in it and against it in the CT. With even numbers and altitude it had no problem dicing up P40's and F4F's. None. It accelerates nice, guns are decent, and it's instantaneous dive needs to be respected - obviously it turns and climbs well too. Allied fighters will have an initial altitude edge of only 2000 feet - 14K to 12K. These were the operational altitudes at the time - it won't be folks booming in from 20K.

Hmm. My experience is that it take a three minute, one-on-one, fight to kill an F4F-4 with the A6M2 whereas when I am in the F4F-4 I can swat A6M2s like flies. In the one-on-one the A6M2 will probably win, but in a four-on-four I'd be surprised if any of the F4F-4s get shot down. The guns on the A6M2 are a pathetic joke as it takes more than half the cannon load to down an F4F-4. The P-40E is in a totally different class. A P-40E pilot has absolutely no excuse if they get shot down by an A6M2. Even the A6M5 is at a disadvantage against the P-40E, though it does dominate the F4F-4 so long as it doesn't try to turn with it. If the A6M5 tries to turn with the F4F-4 it'll probably be out turned and die.

From what you said it sounds pretty much like I thought. The reason I won't sign up is that I don't see the point of taking the core of my Saturday, for several weeks in a row, to spend hours waiting for something to happen only to be overwhelmed by vastly superior aircraft.

Furball · « **Reply #14 on:** October 18, 2004, 03:54:22 PM »

mmmm FM2..... me goinna go crusher same papare areoplannes!!!!!!!