Ok, this is gonna be a longer one, and of course a a bit redundant...
I canīt tell whats wrong or right for the game, or HTC. Iīm not all customers,I am not one tof that vocal guys telling all others how to play & have fun. I am just me and can only say what I like, and what I donīt. Im not a furballer, nor a strat girl. Like many (most?) players, Iīm a mix of both. I used to fool around in early-midwar planes in FT, then switching to "win-teh-war mode". I picked when I could, I was huntin bombers to protect bases, and I was getting kicked my bellybutton in my Tempest during dogfights with Hurri2Cīs, and half of my time you could find me in tanks.
The biggest appeal to me, and the main reason to sign on, was the freedom, versatility and the huge numbers in the old MA. I could decide flying a C205, then a Tempest, then a A6m2 or Il2. All according to mood and situation.
Because of this, I have to say: I have trouble with the new setup.
I donīt have real problems with gameplay within the arenas themself. Sure, there are minor problems, for example what planes belong to wich arena, and what planes to perk how much, but these are the usual problems you really have to track over a few days / weeks to find out the best setting. I would never complain about such things on the first day. I am a bit irritated by the fact that the communication problem is not solved before launching the new setup. But as I am not in a squad, I probably donīt suffer as much as other people, but I can understand their whines. Of course, Iīm sure that problem will be adressed, hopefully very soon.
But I have a real big problem with splitting up the old MA the way it is done now:
Like many non-US players, I used to fly a lot of my sorties at times when only few players where on, between 90-140 people. Now we have 4 different arenas, maybe 3 if you donīt count the "double" Late Arena. Now the few people will either spread out between those 3 Arenas, or, more likely, most of them will settle down in one arena, with some occasional milk runs in other arenas. Either way donīt suits me much.
While I really do like fighting in early planes (Most fun I ever had was probably during the recent server moves, when Backup MA was early planes only), I donīt like being "forced" to do it. If I want to repel a big GV raid, I canīt up my trusty IL2. I have to switch to another arena to fly it. Chances are, that this wonīt help much. And if people would aggravate in Late Arena, I would still miss the opportunity to drive La7 pilots crazy with a A6m2. To find a decend ground battle, I might to hop arenas too. Tonight I did not find any...
Once there was the word: "Fly what you like, and when you like. Donīt worry about what the other guy is flying". This may hold true during late US times, when there are enough people online in all arenas, but I canīt stay online all night to 5 AM

The freedom and versatility I loved to have in a single arena seems to be gone for me.
Maybe Iīm just out of luck not being neither US player (suffering from low numbers) nor a furballing purist...
While I would like to see all planes being enabled in one of the Late Arenas, I am aware that this would be most probably crippling to the whole concept. The Early & Mid Arena might then die slowly after a few weeks, just like the old CT / now AvA Arena.
And I would just like to comment on two sentences I heard more than once tonight:
"
Now people will learn to get some skill"
I really donīt believe in it. You canīt force people to "learn" or to get skills. People who only Hoed or vulched in La7 will do the same with HurriC or 110Cs in early war arena. And the "hording" wonīt stop, but right now you canīt counter real big hordes with a real superior plane in Early 6 Mid Arenas. The playground is more even, wich may give the vets maybe an even bigger advantage, for a noob now canīt fly a superior plane vs a vet in a "lowly" early ride whoīs looking for a real challenge.
"
HTC will lose half of itīs players "
And I donīt believe that too. Some will leave, perhaps a bit more than usual after major changes. But Iīm sure more than one furball-oriented player, who left out of boredom/frustration will come back. And after all, there is currently no real alternative on the market. Some might be sorry about that...

Sorry for boring you to death...