Request Concerning Setup Announcements

[Saxman]

I was wondering if it might be possible for the CMs to announce the next two FSO setups, rather than only the upcoming one. It would take a little more advanced planning the first time as the CMs would need to plan two campaigns instead of one, but after that it would return to normal, only with the campaign being announced being the month ahead.

The reason I ask is it would make it easier for C/Os to plan their side and ride requests in advance due to the rules preventing squads from being assigned the same side more than a certain number of campaigns in a row.

[Alpo]

Great idea Sax.

It doesn't have to be a full blown writeup either.  Just the basic Order of Battle for what is coming.  In our case, if an ETO bomber campaign was coming up in August, I would definitely push for an Axis side assignment in July.  I'm sure others would do the same if a blue plane with bent wing scenario was coming down the road 

[Saxman]

I'm sure others would do the same if a blue plane with bent wing scenario was coming down the road 

My point exactly.

[ghostdancer]

As a design CM .. well sort of hard to do guys. I can give you an either or case (rough idea) September (next time I have to do one) but that is all. The reason why is I like try to get new maps into use as soon as they come online. However, at times they aren't quite finish by the time an event comes up.

In the case of JuneI actually was hoping for the Morocco terrain to be done so that I could do operation Torch and have the first frame be the French (P40Bs and Bostons IIIs) versus the USN (F4F-4s and SBDs). Later frames would then expand the planeset to allies versus Germans (after the french surrender). However, the terrain was not ready.

Another option I had was to use the Luzon terrain. I wanted to do the Japanese invasion of the Philippines on the new terrain. It came out two weeks before the June FSO and as a rule we don't really like to throw a new terrain into use that quick (because their might still be bugs).

So I ended up doing my fall back of Guadalcanal.

So using June as a test case I could have told people .. well you could do Operation Torch (Morocco Terrain), The Road to Bataan (Luzon Terrain), or Guadalcanal, The Green Hell (Slot2 Terrain). But until 2 or 3 weeks before I wouldn't have been tell you exactly which one.

As for September .. my fingers are still crossed for the Morocco Terrain. Otherwise I might think of Luzon (either 1942 Japanese Invasion or 1944 American Invasion) or the Late War Russians versus Japanese conflict somebody brought has perked my interest. Need to check the Japan terrain to see if any soviet territory on it.

[ghostdancer]

Just checked and Japan has a little bit of Korea and Manchuria, no soviet territory and doesn't cover the Kurils.

[ghostdancer]

Okay .. October will be the Soviets versus the Japanese (Japan Terrain .. Soviets have a most of Korea) simulating Operation August Storm if it had not been cut short by the Japanese surrender. This took place in August 1945.

[toadkill]

Isnt the current limit for one side 3 events in a row?

I support announcing events earlier, escpecially because JV44 has been Axis 3 times in a row now, and this coming event is 262s. This saddens me, since we are JV44 and along with the dora the 262 is our bird. It doesnt have to be anything really specific, but like ghost did, give us a location and timeset so we can guess as to what the planeset will be.

[Saxman]

The way it was explained to me, is the limit only applies to requesting Allied. You can request Axis all you want and will generally get it.

However this is still why I'd like a general idea of the next two FSO's, not just the immediate upcoming one.

[toadkill]

O sweet, i couldn't remember where i saw it, or what the specifics were. It was a while ago. Thats good news, for me at least, because allies suck anyway, except B17s and Hurries.

[Stoney]

Sax,

The easiest way to do it is just run Axis one month, and Allied the next.  Rinse, repeat.  If a certain plane type is available that you want to fly (Corsairs in your case), request Allied.  Then, the next month pick up the Axis side and begin the cycle all over again.

[Squire]

I think if there is a specific and pressing reason that you really want to be allied or axis, make your selection, and perhaps give the FSO CM a PM and state the request. Im sure most times they would do what they could for your squad. That doesnt mean its automatic, but Im sure where they could accomodate, they would. Dont abuse it, its expected that all FSO squads fly both sides, thats agreed to as part of participation. In addition, I would say send those kinds of requests through your squad CO.

[ghostdancer]

Yes, you can only fly 3 times in a row for a side. The only exception to this is IF you request Axis. In every FSO the majority of squads request Allies. For Guadalcanal I think 8 squads out of 40+ requested Axis.

So we CMs will allow a squad to fly Axis as often as they want since nobody is complaining that they got bumped from the Axis side or couldn't fly Axis when they wanted (the reverse is the case for the Allied requests .. I got quite a few pointed private messages last frame from squads assigned to fly Axis when they wanted allies). So if you want Axis you get Axis and actually JV44 I think is on its 5 time flying Axis.

The only time this exception might not happen (you request Axis and don't get it) is if say for this frame 10 squads request allies and 30+ squads request Axis. If that happens .. yep you will fly Allies. If it doesn't and is the normal situation of everyone wanting to fly Allies .. you should get Axis again even if you have gone over the 3 times in a row for the Axis side.

[Halo46]

Ghost, I am not criticizing here, just curious; if a squad requests axis each and every time, regardless of plane set, then a jet series comes along and everyone and their brother who usually asks for allies wants it, why should the axis squad be penalized?

How many squads who request only axis are there? I am curious if there are any. If there is dificulty finding axis squads normally, perhaps a perma-axis list which does not need worry about the restriction?

[Stoney]

What I will say is that it makes it much easier on the Admin CM if squads flip-flop each frame.  It also offers a better opportunity for the opportunity to fly a requested side for a specific FSO, in case you want to fly a specific ride.  I'll describe that below.  Remember that FSO is about having fun and not about having the best ride.

Typically, most people that request Axis for my FSO's will get it, as most of the time I have too many Allied requests.  On the other hand, I will honor as many Allied requests as I can.  When I need to give a squad a side they didn't request (which typically means squads that request Allies when I need to fill empty Axis squad slots), I start with the squads that (1) haven't updated their registration and (2) have flown Allies in succesive FSO's, in that order of priority.

One thing that flip-flopping offers a squad is a better chance to fly their favorite ride.  If a squad flies Allied, for example, for two months in a row, and then, in the third month, their favorite allied ride appears in the planeset, they have almost no chance of flying it.  If however they have flown both Axis and Allied sides equally in the past, and they happen to request the same side two times in a row in order to fly their favorite plane, I see that they have made an effort to contribute to both sides, and have a much easier time assigning them as requested. 

Another bit of advice:  If you see a plane-set in an FSO that doesn't offer your favorite ride, my advice is to consider flying the opposite side, so that the next month, if your favorite ride is in the planeset, you can easily make a case to be included on the side of your choice.  For example, my squad favors the P-47.  If its a Eastern Front setup, I have no problem flying German because we don't have the opportunity to fly the Jug.  If its a Pacific naval setup, I don't mind flying the Japanese because we don't have the opportunity to fly the Jug.  When that magical setup comes along that includes the Jug, we can make a pretty good case to be included as an Allied squad since we've been voluntarily flying both sides routinely.

That being said, for next month's FSO, for you squads that maintain an Axis focus, especially those squads that favor Germans rides, you'll have your shot at flying German, regardless of your past few FSO's.  I won't penalize you for consistently volunteering to fly Axis just because we will, presumably, have a lot of squads requesting Axis.

Finally, I'll caveat this all by saying that ultimately, it all comes down to the needs of the Admin CM.  If he needs 10 squads that requested Allied to fly Axis, that's what he'll do and vice-versa.  But, should you be assigned Axis, and you're an Allied-centric squad, show up with the same numbers you always do.  If you're assigned Allied, and you're an Axis-centric squad, show up with the same numbers you always do.  The same goes for type-rides as assigned by the CIC.  If you're a fighter-centric squad and you get assigned bombers, meet your commitment, and vice-versa.  To not participate when you don't get your favorite side or ride is bad FSO ettiquette.