A few comments.
First, it's not a short icons issue. It's a "dots won't display" issue!!! I saw the giant cloud of P-38s, horribly thick.. For about 2-seconds I saw what looked like a bomber formation show up (inside 3K, close, I could define each bomber and one was on fire) then it disappeared.
We ran into this crap nonstop during Rangoon, so I've had some experience in it, so I pushed in through the cloud of 38s. Miraculously most of them were kind of busy (save for the 3 that tried to HO me and kept going). And then I saw a bomber formation pop back, and disappear. Then 2 popped up in different locations, went away, and suddenly all 3 showed up, and I finally got icons maybe at 1.5k. Not having any real reference of speed because of their sudden appearance I tried to make an attack run but ended up ramming one (again, they showed up at the last minute, I had little to no time to adjust course or make a real attack run). Dots issue, NOT icon range issue. The system just can't even begin to display all the folks in one area.
Now lets see if I got this. You fly fighters that go roughly twice as fast as my bomber,
Try this on for size... a CLEAN 190A-8 (not counting drag and 130-odd pounds from DT rack, not counting extra 300lbs from 30mm guns) at 30K is about 25-30mph faster than a B17/B24. Your engines were "roaring" because you probably took 25% for the entire sortie and had enough to get there and back, were running full throttle to the point the REAL engines on a B17/24 would have melted away, and the rate of closure for said 190A-8 is so slow you can shoot them from your tail guns 5x over before they can land a single hit on you.
How's that for sizing up the disparity? I did the pre-frame testing for DGS. I know what these things are capable of.
Looking at the score, its apparent that despite the lack of any of your recommended restrictions, the Axis was able to slaughter the bombers. Squire had to change the score for bombers. First, the bombers can't climb much higher than 20,000 feet and make the targets by T+60. Second, without formations, there will not be sufficient bombers to inflict enough damage on the ground targets.
Even in Rangoon we still could win a frame by killing bombers, DESPITE major problems with displays, icons, side balancing, etc. Just because the overwhelmed side ends up winning does NOT negate the fact a problem exists. Even underdogs win sometimes. It's why folks root for 'em.
Also, remove formation and... get this! HAVE MORE BOMBER PILOTS!!!! Historically you wouldn't have 5 allied fighters at 30K for every bomber. They had thousands of bombers in the sky, and "mere" hundreds of planes. The escorts would also have shifts, one leading in, one over target, and one picking up on the way out of the target. So divide those "hundreds" of fighters in thirds and you'd get what would actually be present during any combat with the US bombers at any time. It's a damned landslide. These problems and more are a big reason FSO is going down the toilet these days (gameplay wise).
1. Last night, the sides had approximately the ratio that Squire designed--48% Axis and 52% Allied. It was around 46% Axis vs. 54% Allied. Still, the Axis scored a major victory.
2. The CM team can merely create the rules and balance the setup on paper. We spend a lot of time and discussion on how to balance each and every month's setup, and how to make sure it is playable and will be fun. Once Friday night arrives, things can happen.
3. The CM team cannot control attendence, player execution during the frame, nor control the CIC's orders, outside of the standing FSO rules, and the special rules for that setup. If squads show up with a low turnout, it can mess up balance and plans. Individual squadrons acting on their own can mess up another squad's experience during FSO. The CIC's orders can mess up another squad's experience during FSO. If you see something in the orders that you don't like, speak up. Give the CIC some feedback, prior to the frame.
In sum, we want every FSO to be flyable, enjoyable, and competitive each and every week. Sometimes we realize that, and occasionally we don't.
Only any time you get late-war allied-v-LW, it's always 30-38K US planes gang-banging LW planes that can't even stay in level flight. If LW planes fly lower, guess what? The US planes still come down and still have a giant E/speed/diving/zooming/positioning advantage. The only thing worse than a 35K P-47 is being at 20K while one bounces you from 35K. Many of the setups are lopsided, and they focus too much on numbers/percentages and say "screw the gameplay" -- and in the end folks don't have fun, or don't like the FSO, wait for the next one, or in general start getting the perception that maybe something's wrong with how FSO currently works.
You ask me, having 500+ players is only adding to the problem. Was much more enjoyable when only half this number of players migrated in from the MA, bringing their lame tactics with them.
