hitech,
Hats off to you and the HTC folks for weeding through all this with patience and professionalism when it would be much easier to just go on vacation for a couple years, leaving a single arena up with no bug fixes or additions and outsourcing support to Bangalore.
No one can say that you aren't dedicated to your product and customers.
You're right. Continuously even number will always yield a stalemate in the war - no side can win. On the other hand, momentum swings with the country numbers. I think we've all logged out, or considered doing it when overwhelmed by 2 other countries. Maybe there is no way to create a single, multi-faceted arena that will always be fun for all sides in all conditions?
If I were free to make my own arena, I might make something like this:
I liked the rolling plane set idea you made in Brand X. I think it would be interesting to combine it with ENY to create an Air War arena that offered a different challenge each time the player logs in.
An Air War having no troop captures. Bombers and Attack aircraft can capture sectors by destroying 99% of multiple large targets within a time limit and resupply/rebuild would set the time limit. Offensive and defensive fights are all air-oriented. Resupply is by air only and only M16s and Ostwinds are available for their intended air-defense role at a base or strat target.
It would feature a rolling plane set based on ENY that the player can influence. Bombers can up any ENY value bomber at any time.
When players log into the arena, they are restricted to fighter/attack aircraft with ENY >28. After landing at least two victories, they can up ENY >20.
Land at least two more victories, and they can up ENY >12. Two more victories and they can up any non-perk plane. After landing two more victories, they can up a perk ride, but cannot up another perk ride for one hour if they fail to land it successfully.
It may not be practical to do, but I think that would be a fun arena providing a new incentive for the player each time they logged in. Each side has air targets and bombers/attackers have a purpose.