A 2 Country Mid War Arena

[SlapShot]

No, he's not right at all.  If you want to stop them, fight them.  Defend the bases they are attacking.  If they move off to another base, move on to that base and defend it as well.  This is something that the rest of the arena has to collectively fight it to stop it.  If it doesn't and everyone bails out like you, Shuff and the others, then you're just giving in and letting the squadrons you complain about reign without any resistance.

You're also wrong on the ones you blame.  They aren't the sole reason for the decline as the other countries all have squadrons that behave the same and in some cases act worse and drive out players with their crappy attitude.

ack-ack

ack-ack ... we have know each other for quite some time now and you know me very well when it comes to "fighting" ... but getting consistently ganged and picked does not work for me.

I haven't flown Knights in months (could be 6 months or more now) due to the fact that they embraced the "win the warz" attitude. So, I fly either Bish or Rook depending upon the numbers. There was a time that each of these countries had a handful of players that would oppose and for the most part, could successfully fight back.

Currently, that is not the case. Some will up and in a very short period of time (after dealing with multi v 1) stop upping and move elsewhere where the odds aren't so stacked against them or just end up logging off. Next thing you know, you look around and your all by yourself. That gets old for me real quick.

Defend ... well here is a typical scenario that I run into. You see a V base is being attacked (a favorite target due to how easy they are to shutdown and capture). You up a fighter (and maybe a couple of guys follow) and arrive at the V base to see 3 or 4 sets of low NOE Lancs carpet bombing the base to oblivion with a few covering fighters (or 110s). So you work the fighters and clear them. Meanwhile, if we did get a couple of GVs out before the hangers go down, the loitering Lancs dispose of them. Once that happens the Lancs will most likey bail and then spawn in as M3s and it's near impossible to dispatch them all ... tons of fun there.

The bottom line ... as I said before, there use to be a handful of players on the Bish and Rooks that could successfully defend and would continue to up to defend but for whatever reason(s) ... they aren't around anymore. Yeah you'll get a couple of people to up with you, but after they have been spanked a few times, they don't up anymore. Next thing you know your by yourself trying to take on 6 guys at various alts so if you engage after wheels up, you will get picked quickly ... for me, that gets very old, very fast. It's at this point that I log and go to the Blue arena.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up on MW all together. I always log in there first to see who's on, what's going on, and give it go. If things are balanced (and fun) I stay ... if I see that the Knights have twice as many people as the opposing teams and see that they are "rolling" ... I log and go straight to Blue.

[CAP1]

ack-ack ... we have know each other for quite some time now and you know me very well when it comes to "fighting" ... but getting consistently ganged and picked does not work for me.

I haven't flown Knights in months (could be 6 months or more now) due to the fact that they embraced the "win the warz" attitude. So, I fly either Bish or Rook depending upon the numbers. There was a time that each of these countries had a handful of players that would oppose and for the most part, could successfully fight back.

Currently, that is not the case. Some will up and in a very short period of time (after dealing with multi v 1) stop upping and move elsewhere where the odds aren't so stacked against them or just end up logging off. Next thing you know, you look around and your all by yourself. That gets old for me real quick.

Defend ... well here is a typical scenario that I run into. You see a V base is being attacked (a favorite target due to how easy they are to shutdown and capture). You up a fighter (and maybe a couple of guys follow) and arrive at the V base to see 3 or 4 sets of low NOE Lancs carpet bombing the base to oblivion with a few covering fighters (or 110s). So you work the fighters and clear them. Meanwhile, if we did get a couple of GVs out before the hangers go down, the loitering Lancs dispose of them. Once that happens the Lancs will most likey bail and then spawn in as M3s and it's near impossible to dispatch them all ... tons of fun there.

The bottom line ... as I said before, there use to be a handful of players on the Bish and Rooks that could successfully defend and would continue to up to defend but for whatever reason(s) ... they aren't around anymore. Yeah you'll get a couple of people to up with you, but after they have been spanked a few times, they don't up anymore. Next thing you know your by yourself trying to take on 6 guys at various alts so if you engage after wheels up, you will get picked quickly ... for me, that gets very old, very fast. It's at this point that I log and go to the Blue arena.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up on MW all together. I always log in there first to see who's on, what's going on, and give it go. If things are balanced (and fun) I stay ... if I see that the Knights have twice as many people as the opposing teams and see that they are "rolling" ... I log and go straight to Blue.

dude....i don't get in much anymore(own my own shop which is like having 2 jobs, and work a part time job on top of that....plus i do a lot in CAP)...but if you check in there, and see me, pm.....we can go off somehwere where there's no hordes, and have some fun fights..........

 as for the attackers going from attacking ne country to attacking another..........one of the last times i was in there, there was no one fighting the knights. there was however, a nice cv battle going on between the rooks and bish....so i went there, as it was within 2 sectors of the closest knight base....and that's where i ended up with some fun fights too.

[SlapShot]

dude....i don't get in much anymore(own my own shop which is like having 2 jobs, and work a part time job on top of that....plus i do a lot in CAP)...but if you check in there, and see me, pm.....we can go off somehwere where there's no hordes, and have some fun fights..........

Sounds good.

as for the attackers going from attacking ne country to attacking another..........one of the last times i was in there, there was no one fighting the knights. there was however, a nice cv battle going on between the rooks and bish....so i went there, as it was within 2 sectors of the closest knight base....and that's where i ended up with some fun fights too.

No one was fighting them because it's always lopsided when trying to oppose them ... so they (Rooks or Bish) go to the other front and fight each other and at times, you can find some good skirmishes ... if there aren't any goods fights on that front, that's when I will move to Blue.

So, while Rooks and Bish are duking it out ... the Knights roll the map all by themselves, which I really don't have a problem with ... they can reset a map a day for all I care ... they are just gonna have to "fun" all by themselves and if that floats their boat ... go for it.

[lazydog]

slyguy what sqaud are you in?

[CAP1]

Sounds good.

No one was fighting them because it's always lopsided when trying to oppose them ... so they (Rooks or Bish) go to the other front and fight each other and at times, you can find some good skirmishes ... if there aren't any goods fights on that front, that's when I will move to Blue.

So, while Rooks and Bish are duking it out ... the Knights roll the map all by themselves, which I really don't have a problem with ... they can reset a map a day for all I care ... they are just gonna have to "fun" all by themselves and if that floats their boat ... go for it.

well, to be honest, the time i mentioned, the battle was raging between a bish cv and rook A46. i was trying to pick. i suck at picking.
 what DID happen though, was that i ran into cobia, or snaphook(o forget which one) in his a20, co alt tl me. THEY were some fun fights. i had 3 or 4 against him, and lost each one, but he's one helluva pile-it. i did manage to put a few rounds in him, but as soon as i forced that shot, i realized i shouldn't have...and that is what cost me that particular fight.
 i came back looking for him up there with me, and i found him down low, trying to finish off one of the defenders, with another saddling up on him. that was  a successful pick.....i cleared his 6. 

[CAP1]

slyguy what sqaud are you in?

now you're gettin the idea dude.

[slyguy]

slyguy what sqaud are you in?

I just started the +V+ Hades Angels.  I used to run the ^V^ Screaming Devils since Air Warrior III until I left Aces High a few years back for a while.  My brother and long time XO oDALLASo inherited the squad.  *V* Devils Rejects fly with us too to make up the Triple Alliance.

Like a lot of folks we're trying to find our way to a more balanced war.  And by war I don't mean cheesy hordes full of 1945 planes.  I mean a quality map, sensible plane set, and players that are more into the WWII combat experience than their Space Invaders score.

The only thing that stops us from committing to mid war is that our numbers would tip the scales too heavily and ruin everyone's fun.  It would have to be done sensibly.  We wouldn't be there to grief everyone.    But I am all for mid war.  It's the plane set that made the air war famous for Pete's sake.  For instance, how many people in late war rush to a D-9 without getting their hands on a real "Butcher Bird" and experiencing the joys of being competitive with it?

[humble]

stopped into the MWA over the weekend and had some great fights. No question that some of the same issues that led to the demise of the CT are now present but with three countries you can usually find an intersting fight. I've only seen one time with all 3 sides "steam rolling" empty map...

[slyguy]

stopped into the MWA over the weekend and had some great fights. No question that some of the same issues that led to the demise of the CT are now present but with three countries you can usually find an intersting fight. I've only seen one time with all 3 sides "steam rolling" empty map...

Yeah every time I've gone in there I've gotten into good fights.  It was nice to have a real conflict without 1945 planes or, "fun busters" as I call them, running everything over.

What days/times is the mid war arena the most active?  I wouldn't even mind playing whichever country needs the numbers to keep things balanced until people started seeing that something is going on there. 

[cobia38]

 Fighting the hord in MW is no big deal, i actually enjoy it sometimes. its a great tool for learning SA
 making it a 2 side arena wont change a thing. people will allways do what they want so why try to control them,just find a way around them instead. ie pork ther troops/ord.
 if aint broke dont fix it, it just needs a good stirring up thats all



.

[mia389]

I found the MW arena to be lots of fun. Seems just 2 countries fight so I switch to the one that has the least amount of players.

[E25280]

The only thing that stops us from committing to mid war is that our numbers would tip the scales too heavily and ruin everyone's fun.  It would have to be done sensibly.  We wouldn't be there to grief everyone.   

First, you must have a very strange squad if you can regularly get 41 players on at the same time.  Most squads, even if they have a full roster, only muster 10-16 at a time.

That being said, there are a lot of things you can do if you are worried about "balancing" the arena.  All it takes is a little discipline and a conscientious attitude.

First suggestion:  Put your wings on different countries.  Fighting your friends is usually as much if not more fun than fighting complete strangers.  If your total on-line numbers are small, congregating on one country won't be a problem -- but just switch one of your wings if you become a cause of ENY restrictions.

Second suggestion:  If your squad ends up being a dominating force on the country you are in, split yourselves into separate strike teams of 4-6 and set out in different directions.  Do not come to each other’s aid unless one of the strike forces finds itself outnumbered in either the attack or defense.  This will keep you from overwhelming a single area, and more fun will be had by all.

Third suggestion:  If you decide to do a more massive op, don’t use the heavy bomber formations.  Only use jabos or single bomber/attack type aircraft (B-25H, A-20).  Suggestion 3a is to announce on 200 that 18 Devils/Angels are going to take field Axx unless someone stops you, giving the defense time to organize a few uppers and generating a somewhat winnable (i.e. fun) fight.  3b would be to decide to never shut down a field to take it.  3c, if you have the guts for it, is to agree to not only leave the base functional, but do not take down the ack, either.

If it comes to pass that you really are the dominant group in terms of numbers in the arena, you could also divvy yourselves up to each country and declare a no-take day.  Do nothing but defend bases from the milk-runners.  Important – don’t spy (that would be unsportsmanlike), but defend any flashing base against any attack, and see if you really can shut them all down.

You could also split off about 25% to 33% of your numbers to a different country, call them the “spoilers”, and see if they can hold a base against the rest of you.  Rotate the spoilers on a week to week basis.

Bottom line, if MW is the arena you will feel the most comfortable in, there is NO REASON to avoid it, and plenty of ways to make it fun and interesting without griefing it or ruining anyone’s fun.  After a time if/when numbers build (ask anyone who likes the AvA how numbers can both snowball and melt away), and the MWA regularly has a higher population, splitting yourselves may no longer be necessary (although it may still be the best fun you will find).

My unsolicited $0.02

[slyguy]

Hey E25    I didn't say we have 41 on at the same time.  We have 41 or so total.  We have at least 10 on every night usually, on our better nights we have between 12-17 sometimes a lot more when it's a great showing.  That's not a huge number, but to the MW it sure is.  That's = the current total population or more from what I've happened to see in there at relatively active times.  That's an ENY killer the second we hop in for whichever country we are on.  That's what I initially meant.

I can see your point on the not using heavy bomber formations because, assuming ENY takes 110G-2 out, only the A-5 really stands a chance at bringing those bombers down in a likely fashion.  I would be fine with JU-88's though.  Speed is competitive even thought their defense is bad.

I agree with you on your philosophy.  Sometimes people can "make" their own fun and there's nothing wrong with that.  It just takes like minds.

I like your suggestions.  Unfortunately they seem a bit too advanced for the average player to really take in.  I'll certainly take them into consideration though.