HQ and the "dar"

[Furious]

Hypothesis:
The current clipboard system is meant to represent a command and control network in which voice communication is used to relay enemy aircraft locations based on visual sightings, communications intercepts and ground based radar.   Presumably all this information would be passed through the HQ for evaluation and dissemination to all friendly units.

Problem:
In AH when the HQ is knocked out the entire C and C network goes down.  This could only be possible if the only radar set, only huff-duff unit and all of the spotters were located within the HQ compound.  As we all know, there are individual radar sets at all of the airfields and probably simulated spotters as well, and these systems should not go offline due to ordinance dropped many miles away.

Solution:
When the HQ, and therefore the C and C network, is damaged the ability to receive in-cockpit information for distant sectors should be degraded.  First, all pinpoint location (dots) information for enemy and friendlies should be lost resulting in sector bars only.  Second, as more damage is done to HQ all general location (sector bar) information should be lost.  This is pretty much how it happens now.  

HOWEVER, unless the individual radar sets are knocked out, we should still receive pinpoint and general location information from the still operational sets, provided we are within some logical distance from a field with an operating radar. (this distance simulating voice communication range)  The only information displayed on the clipboard would be that information provided by local fields with operational radar, the rest of the map would be empty of information, both hostile and friendly.  There would be times, say when you are in-between two fields, when you would be blind.

But you say, “Furious, you fool, what would prevent people hopping around from tower to tower to report enemy information?”  Nothing.  The way AH compresses time (fuel multipliers, 30 second refuel/rearm, spawning, etc.) this could simulate some couriers on motorcycles racing from field to field delivering information on enemy movements.

F.
 

[GRUNHERZ]

No! I say fool don't you know AH is perfect?  


Good Idea I like it, but my first statement will prolly be a good summation of he next few posts. hehe

[Dinger]

Nonsense.
And I don't like the idea either.
In flight there should be no sector counters or dots whatsoever.
Now, if you removed the inflight stuff, your idea might be interesting.

[Karnak]

Dinger,
Ya, because as everybody know there was no radar or ground control in WWII.

The existing system is far from perfect and Furious' suggestion is a good idea on how to improve it.

------------------
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

Bring the Spitfire F.MkXIVc to Aces High!!!

Sisu
-Karnak

[Furious]

Dinger,

To completely rid the game of in fight information would not make the game more realistic.  During WW2, there most certainly was information provided to the pilots while in flight.  Night fighters particularly depended on it.  The problem is the accuracy of the dots.  Perhaps some sort of fudge factor could be added to make the dots represent a contacts "general" location.

But, I believe that my suggestion would be a more "realistic" approach to the loss of a C and C network than is now implemented in the game.

F.

[Dinger]

Ummm... The information certainly was provided, but it was processed through several hands, and was neither real time, nor entirely accurate.  If you disable it inflight, you will find people doing GCI duty between sorties.  I've seen it happen in other sims.
If you want to write a cute GCI routine, even better.  but they most certainly did not have in the cockpit a real-time display of every aircraft in radar range, and indicators accurate to +/- 1 Aircraft of the planes in an area.

[Pepe]

I think the only really big problem are sector counters, as they are currently implemented. I would only modify sector counters. I agree this is a nice idea Furious.  As a matter of wrap up:

• Enemy sector counter would only work over friendly territory and border sectors. That would simulate the diffuse reports of people on the ground about activity in sector. Definitely not far away borderlines.
• Enemy sector counter would show planes only when flying 500ft AGL.
• HQ down would mean loss of sector counters, meaning lack of coordination and central command. Individual radar stations would still work, unless are destroyed (each by each)
• Counter sector AND dot radar showing off-limits  
  
  
• Increase Airfield Radar Stations rebuilding time. I would say 20 minutes, in any case no less than 15 minutes. Since they are "sophisticated" material, they should be harder to repair than, say, hangars. Besides that, Arados would have more sense in radar supression role.

Cheers,

Pepe.

[Yello1]

Actually in night fighter ops the pilot had direct voice communication with a person, often a women, who was looking right at a radar scope.  Radar also did look many mile into enemy territory, and dont forget coast watchers and other intelligence. They had alot of intel in WWII. DAr very far behind enemy lines may seem silly, but what does it tell you anyway? to be alert - well they were alert all the time.  As for dot dars being too precise, yes they are but the vis cues in this game are cumbersome.  You see a dot here less often than a real pilot would, especially in multi crew plane where you would have more than one guy scanning in all directions all the time very very intently.