I've visited with a couple WW2 veterans now who both said the same thing about when your engine(s) were damaged.
Rarely, if ever, did they continue to put out full power. As it is now in AH, you get one of 4 things:
A: No engine damage. 'Nuff said
B: Engine oil hit. Okay your oiling system is hit in some way. As your oil pressure falls, those engine parts are going to start heating up. You have a finite amount of time left to get your bird on the ground.
C: Engine coolant. Pretty much the same as above. I have found that if I extend and I have enough altitude, I can stretch it out by shutting down the engine and letting the coolant temps drop while I attempt to glide to a friendly base. Starting the engine for 5 or 6 seconds sends the temps right back up, but I can extend far enough usually to set down at a friendly base if I watch the temperature.
D: Engine hit. The engine is dead. Again, nothing more said, self explanatory.
What I propose is this: Any engine damage should cause an immediate loss of full engine power. Maybe you lose a percentage of your MAP, or the engine RPM falls. Regardless, you are not gonna get full power from the powerplant.
Maybe add this as a nonspecific damage item that you can see when you hit CNTRL+D.
What I see this doing is reducing the # of planes you see zooming around in the arenas, trailing smoke or coolant, still getting full power and zooming up and down and around. To me, it would add another element of realism to the game. Other than the German ace Knocke, I have not heard of ANY pilot sustaining engine damage to his plane and continuing the fight. It just was not possible. The crate was in trouble and their mindset was getting the thing out of the fighting and trying to land her. They could not engage in anything other than defensive moves anymore, as the engine would not allow them to do the things they would normally do if the engine were whole.
I think this would help the game. The one who only want to go out and furrball still get to, but now they have to watch what they are doing more closely, cause if they get hit in the engine, they are not gonna be able to keep chasing or TnB. The ones who plan their fights, set them up and then execute them will get the satisfaction of seeing the plane at a very minimum slow down and become less of a threat when they do score hits. Nothing more frustrating than carrying out an attack, getting hits on the other plane, he trails smoke or coolant, yet can still run around til the engine seizes from lack of vital fluids. And, BTW, getting 4 or 5 kills because he still has full power available to him.
Just my thoughts on this..........
[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: eddiek ]
