Glad to hear you are enjoying FSO TC. Aces High best kept secret.
I will take a shot at these, but I did not write this particular FSO. Nevertheless some of the questions you ask can apply to just about any FSO.
1. How strict is the EA containment? I assume I can follow an enemy target that leads me out of the EA, but how far? Untill I shoot him down? One sector? Three sectors? Across the map?
The EA area is just a location to engage the enemy. The objective is to have control of the sky over that area. If you engage some enemy and they run you are more than welcome to chase them several sectors. Of course if your whole squad chases a couple enemy and you leave the EA open for other enemy to patrol and control then I would guess in the eyes of the designer you gave up control of the EA and would lose those points. Most FSO’s don’t have EA’s so to speak, but fields, factories, ports, cities to attack and defend. Most FSO’s don’t use GV’s but Stoney wanted to give it a shot.
2. I have gotten conflicting info about refuel/reload from different C.I.C.s... Can we hotpad at any friendly base or must we return to the original take off base to do so... (seems kinda dumb to do that when there are closer bases around the EA )
In this design Stoney has been very restrictive in what bases you can refuel/reload at. This is not the norm. Most FSO you can refuel/reload at any friendly base. Again this is just the way it was designed.
3. At the event end I am assuming it is OK to just land and tower, since the final numbers have aleady been tallied... is that correct?
Correct, but for this event make sure you tower out at the field you are supposed to. In most FSO’s you can just land and tower out when you and your squad are done.
4. I am also assuming that we have 30 minutes, untill the fields close for squaddies that may come in late to up and join the engagement?
We have changed that a couple times over the years, but for the past couple years the rules state under number 5. Events and Settings
- Frames will start at 11pm ET regardless of CO's readiness.
- Anyone who crashes on take off or has a mishap may reup without asking but only in the first 15 minutes of the frame, and only if you have not been engadged by the enemy.
- Fields close 15 minutes after the hour except for discos.
- Discos may reup up to 30 minutes after the hour.
- After 30 minutes the fields are closed and no reups are allowed (unless design allows for a 2nd life) Also if you have a squadie that is shot down they are welcome to join you as an observer, or a gunner if your in some kind of buff at any time.
That is one of the advantages to flying buffs, your squadies can jump in for some more fun later on if need be. Also sometimes squads join each other as gunners if one squad ran out of room.