Hmmm.. this reminds me of the suggestion I once made a long time ago.. Yes, it's a 'gameplay mechanism' but IIRC people commented that it had its merits. The wording might have been a little different, but IIRC It goes something like this...
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Currently, the WEP automatically turns off at the "Red Zone" of the temp guage. (Well, in AH1, it used to be like that. I notice that now in AH2, in the renewed planes such as 109s or 190s, the WEP shuts off at a set temperature which may be inside the 'Red Zone')
Since the engine always always shuts WEP off automatically at the "Red Zone", basically there's no feeling of real control at all. Why even bother making a "Red Zone" in the temp guage when none of the planes can ever get their needle there?
Thus here are some new set of simple, 'gamey rules':
1) WEP is allowed to run through the "Red Zone", and it will automatically shut off when it reaches the maximum level of the entire temp guage.
2) The WEP duration allowed at the "Red", will be 1/2 of normal, 'safe' WEP duration in the "Yellow Zone".
::: For example, a P-51 running at mil. power, will have its temperature needle at the border line of 'white' and 'yellow'. 5 minutes of 'safe' WEP use will move the needle up to the border line of 'yellow' and 'red'. When the P-51 keeps on using WEP upto 'unsafe' levels in the 'red zone', he will have an extra 2min 30sec duration available in "red" (1/2 of 5 minutes normal WEP)
3) WEP cooldown time, will be doubled, when temperature is at "Red Zone"
::: For example, a P-51 has 5 minutes of 'safe WEP', which use will push the needle to the borderline of yellow and red. It requires 10 minutes of cooldown to bring the needle down to the borderline of white and yellow. The WEP : cooldown ratio is 1 : 2.
However, if the pilot runs above 'safe WEP' limits, and enters red zone, the WEP : cooldown ratio would be 1 : 4 (cooldown time doubled in red zone) - if the P-51 runs 1 minute longer into red, he will have to wait for 4 minutes of cooldown to get his needle back to the borderline of yellow and red. If the P-51 runs full 2mins and 30secs of 'unsafe WEP' (1/2 of 'safe WEP') in the red zone, reaching the maximum limit of the temp guage, then he will have to wait 10 minutes, to get his needle back to the border line of yellow and red.
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This is a very simple mechanism. A few conditions have been added to what we currently have - but IMO it's enough to retain the same overall feeling of the WEP system we have now, and yet, still replicate real-life WEP use to a certain 'gamey' degree... not to mention it brings out a feel of little bit more freedom of control when it comes to engine management.
Bascially the duration of the 'unsafe WEP' allowd in the red zone of the temp guage is 1/2 that of the 'safe WEP' allowed in yellow, and the overall cooldown time required for every second of 'unsafe WEP' use in the red zone, will be double that of the cooldown time required in the 'safe WEP' of the yellow zone.
At first, it seems like its just plain adding more WEP time to the planes we have. However, what would happen if the pilot gets WEP-happy and just runs his plane at WEP without consideration of the temp guage?
Soon, after his 'safe WEP' time is expired, the temp will rise to the red levels, and he will be inside 'unsafe WEP' zone. If his engine is running hot in the red zone, the usual bursts of WEP use in combat maneuvering will gradually bring the temperature nearer to the max limit, since the cool down time is double that of 'safe WEP' when temp is at red zone. Every time he uses a little bit of WEP the temperature will come closer and closer to the max limit - where finally, the limit is reached, and the WEP will shut off automatically.
He will have to wait a very long time to use any kind of steady amount of WEP - he will be limited to pathetic amounts small bursts.
If he is in a P-51, and he used up all of his extra 'unsafe WEP' of 2mins 30secs worth(1/2 that of 'safe WEP' duration), to use a 30second duration of WEP he has to cooldown 2 minutes flat.
If he coolsdown for 30 seconds, he will be able to use WEP for only 7.5 seconds.. until it shuts down again. If he cools down for 1 minute, he will have 15 seconds of WEP available.. To use 1 minute of WEP, he has to cool down 4 minutes. Using WEP for a steady amount of time as might be required in emergency climbs, or fleeing from enemy fighters, becomes impossible when the temp is dwelling in the red zone.
So what's the good point of this modifed version of AH wep?
1) It brings out a little feeling of control, without having to give up our current basic concept of AH WEP.
Basically, there's no engine breakdown as some might want - the WEP shuts off automatically, like it currently does in AH2. However, a pilot is required to stay in the 'yellow zone' of 'safe WEP' use, to fly in a normal condition. If he doesn't manage his engine temp wisely, the temperature will rise to 'unsafe WEP' red zone... where his WEP use will become severely limited.
We have options now! Use it wisely and you have normal WEP use.. use it unwisely and WEP could become practically unavaliable.
2) It feels more realistic - despite the fact it isn't.
A real life pilot, for engine maintenance reasons, was limited to certain amount of WEP time. However, when he felt impending danger, he might decide to test his fate and hope the engine holds up, and run his WEP for longer than recommended.
That becomes possible now, with this setup. Albeit, to a limited level - that 'prolonged, unsafe WEP use' duration, will be available at 1/2 of 'safe WEP' time. So a little more juice goes to all of the planes that has WEP capability... although not without stipulations.
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