I think that the arena has some great concepts with the different types of factory complexes which add to the viability and prevelance of the use of strategic bombing in the game. It is something which is sorely missed in other online sims.
I was thinking of taking the concept one step further.
Because fields further away from the "heartland" of a country exhibit much more logistical difficulties than nearby fields, it seems that flying sorties from far away fields should be somewhat more difficult without establishing adequate supply.
I propose this:
Create an object for the C-47 which represents between 25 to 50 pilots. When a field is captured, no sorties can be flown from that base until a C-47 has come in and supplied it with pilots. When the "stock" of pilots is depleted for a field, the same result. If a pilot lands his plane at a field, then he should be able to replane and take off regardless of the pilot supply of the base. Bases inside of a country's initial borders have an unlimited amount of pilots. However, if they are recaptured from an invading country, no sorties can be flown until a C-47 delivers more pilots.
I have seen times when the Rooks have taken Field 1 from the Bishops directly after an arena reset, and held onto it with countless aircraft being flown from Field 1 until the next arena reset, many hours later. With the addition the pilot supply logistical rules to the game, this type of historically unlikely scenario would be just as unlikely to occur in the arena.
These rules would foster the concept of achieving air superiority over key parts of airspace during an invasion.
They would also create more encouragement for pilots to form coordinated attacks as teams.
