I'm glad to see others posting on this subject (even if it could've been named something a bit friendlier...).
This isn't a Buff Whine....then again, anything a buff driver mentions is *automatically* assumed to be a whine...but anyways...
Yes, the strat system went out the window fast in 1.08. Further, the idea of multiple goon runs to re-up a city intrigues me. After experimenting, I noted the first to drop on the city gets some points. Drops 2 thru 9 got nothing. Zero, zip, nada. Why?
And the HQ raids are as Rip discussed, bogus now. It was one thing to get zero points for destroying HQ as it is, but to have all of its damage undone by a lowly C47 is just a massive kick in the face. Sure, if its YOUR HQ being shut down, isn't it great that one lone C47 can fix everything? But if you put yourself in the other fellas shoes, its completely different.
I've read that interview and I don't know what the future buff setup is intended to be. I do know that my average buff sortie takes over an hour, a pretty good time investment in doing damage to a base/target. The fighter guys can't get beyond the fact that bombers bomb, and bombs blow stuff up. That's why you don't see many of these furballers in the Combat Theater...fly to target? Are you nuts?
So, the Main Arena has become a furball arena as of late. The Midanao Map crams way too many people into a too small map. AWACS like radar directs the furballers to the fight, and PacMan power-up C47s <walkawalkawalka....> magically undo any damage a full fledged assault like Ripsnort's do.
We've got a nice planeset, I think we need...
1) Bigger Maps, newer maps. Same couple for the past few months is really getting old. Midanao is a tough map for buffs due to its very hilly terrain and eliminates GVs almost entirely.
2) Re-evaluate the amount of C47s/Supples it takes to re-up a base
3) Loose the over-the-horizon radar. Many of these airplanes performed reconnaissance roles (Ar 234, P38, etc etc). Perhaps rely on recon folks for intelligence on bases/activity versus the AWACs Radar.
4) If Radar destroyed at base, loose dot dar AND bar dar. The logic behind bar-radar as eluded me since day 1.
5) re-activate crater damage, run over a crater, damage occurs. Many of the buffs I know are dropping 2k and 4k bombs to level cities. M16s are gleefully driving around them and take no damage for what should be a pretty damn deep hole
6) Award perks/partial-perks to those who resupply beyond the first drop. Anyone can make that first supply drop and walk away with many points. How about the folks who drive 8 more trips to fully up the city? Let's give them something for that effort?
Anyways, just a few ideas. The dot-dar is just too convenient all -around. Near the airbase, I see its purpose and that's fine and dandy. But map-wide dot dar? I dunno...
Thanks.