Originally posted by The Fugitive
but by taking away strat, hes taking away my ability to play the way I want.
The primary concern (IMO) must be to always allow players access to combat....... indeed the ability to "furball" is the minimum basic requirement (IMO).
The furball is the result of the meeting of offensive and defensive fighters/attackers in battle.
The fact that one side is attacking anothers strat or field is the focus for such a meeting.
If a side does not defend then there is no furball.
If a side does not attack there is no furball.
Strat should never be removed to an extent where this is not possible.
However the availability of strat does decide how many options (beyond this) are available to each side....... how much fuel, how much ordinance, supplies or troops...........
It has ever been thus...........
Its a basic gameplay mechanism that simply incurrs a consequence, where by one side can put itself at an advantage over an other.
It also allows a roll for heavy bombers where by their efforts are also fed into the gameplay mix. Whilst this should reward such bomber pilots/players it should also make defence against such incursions possible, probable and equally rewarding whether at a micro level vis a vis the individual player or at a macro level re the "war balance".
Is this dictating that players should play a certain way? Well yes in some respects.. but only in the most simple of logics..............
If I were to play Quake but wished to do so with only a knife then I could complain that where my opponents are armed with machine guns gameplay was dictating the way I should play.
If I were to play Everquest but wished to wield mighty spells but found I had to learn over many months first I might complain that the gameplay was dictating the way I should play.
The attrition of Strat (factories) is equally a game play consequence if only a temporary one.
One thing bombers can do now is kill hangers. I would wish that whilst we make the interaction of factories and field logistics more "vital" that we indeed make hangers indestructable (or change their purpose in this respect)and limited stuff in other ways.........
We should always give defenders access to battle. Strat should decide the range and quality of tools they have to fight with...... within limits that preserve the broadest element of enjoyment.