Fuel Multiplier Sucks

[funked]

HTC:

La-5FN is only useful as a defensive fighter in this game.

Read up on WW2.  

The La-5FN was used almost exclusively as an OFFENSIVE fighter, performing fighter sweep and close escort for attack aircraft.  Not possible in this arcade arena.

[Fishu]

and boom & zoom isnt possible in 109 when it runs already out of gas quickly.

I'll put my vote on removing fuel multiplier or decreasing it at least..

Kind of boring when P-51s and F4us now flies everywhere between 25-35k hunting for kills and planes like la5 or 109 barely gets that high just to chase P-51 for a minute and glide home. (thats why I have quit using La5 which I used first times and same with 109, bored to quick fuel usage)

[leonid]

You guys are gonna hate me, but I like the present fuel multiplier.  And I have flown the Lavochkin almost exclusively, since I first started AH.

My squadron has found that raids of up to two airfields away are possible, which is about 80 miles, 160 miles roundtrip.  Of course, we throttle down a lot, but only after attaining 20k, using up a 1/4 tank.  From that point we throttle down until contact is made.  Of course, our combat window gets quite small when we patrol two airfields away, but we do some planning, and pick the 'quiet' sectors for that (makes for lazy targets and quick kills).

In combat, an overriding concern is remaining fuel, and so we know how much fuel we need to get home.  When it gets to that minimum amount it's 'rtb' time.  Granted, someone on your six might delay that, but then OTOH our method of combat is determined by our fuel status.  So, on long raids we keep energy and break against superior bandits, resulting in fewer disadvantageous situations.

Of course, the long-ranged fighters have the advantage of being able to rack up more kills per sortie, but in terms of getting altitude, I disagree.  We fly at 25k on those deep raids of ours, long before we meet up with anyone.  That's about our ceiling for effective fighting, and if it wasn't we'd be higher.  We certainly have shorter windows of combat, but nothing as bad as being unable to get to our 'perch'.

This is an ahistorical arena, I understand that.  And because it is ahistorical, there may be an argument for increasing aircraft range, but I prefer it this way, because it keeps me honest.  Worrying about fuel has made me a better pilot, curbing classic online flightsim suicidal tendencies(COFST).

AH is just starting out with many issues to be addressed before it is finished, but I'm hoping that the scaling of fuel to the arena size is a sign that we will, indeed, see historical arenas with historical matchups.  Why else would you impose such realistic concerns unless it was to prepare us for such an arena?

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129 IAP VVS RKKA

[Fishu]

Leonid: my problem here is that I get bored to find myself all the time out of fuel after I get to 20k and do one fight...
It is real boring when can't do any nice patrols and wish for nice return backs to home if goes too far (which is like 50 miles if likes to fight too)
Not to forget about those P-51s who likes to run all the time, cant chase them for even 20 miles..
I am not furballer type myself.

[funked]

Hmmm Leonid you may have a point.  

Another thing that occured to my poor little brain is that the fuel multiplier forces everybody to take off with max fuel.

Without it you get people taking off with small fuel loads, which gives planes with a high fuel fraction an advantage in performance.

[juzz]

Not everybody needs full fuel. The Mustang especially goes forever on little fuel.

Combine with the "Runstang" style of flying: you can run away from cons, then turn around and catch them when they RTB low on fuel. If they turn and fight, simply run again until they are out of fuel. Once they go glider they become an "easy" kill. The P51D pilot can totally avoid engaging until they want to, by using the plane's superior speed and fuel economy.

Imagine what would happen if they put a Me163B in AH with the current fuel burn multiplier... I think you would run out of fuel before you even got airborne!

[Fishu]

Juzz: I have bad feeling that they will add Me262, which will barely get climb to 20k and accerlate to full speed with little shallow dive and its about ready to go rtb...

[Laika]

I think the multiplier could be tweaked a bit. I've flown the La most of the time and dont have a problem grabing to 20 - 25k, but I do get a little pissed when I want to take off from a field that only allows 50% ....50% in a La, I wont even bother. I also dont like the idea of climbing to alt with 100% fuel only to get into a fight with a pony that took off 2 field away prob with only 25% fuel and I know in the back of my mind he prob still has enough fuel to run me dry (ok maybe I'm streching it a little but you get the idea  )

[leonid]

nothing pisses me off more than seeing a 51 or f4u(ya, those bastiges can do it too) run away from me in a la5.  however, that is exactly what they did in wwii, and that is exactly what i would do too.  in fact, no one is happier than me when i have two spits on my six and with a little dip and some WEP me and my lavochkin are gone  

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129 IAP VVS RKKA

[Vermillion]

Personally I like the Fuel Multiplier

The only aircraft I have any problems with it, in that regard is the La5 and the C.205.

Btw did the Maachi get its droptanks this version?

I don't see why the Spitfire and 109 Drivers, have any complaints, since with full fuel and drop tanks they do quite well.

Hell, I am still waiting for G-Limits for aircraft loaded with external ordinance. IE Spitfires stall fighting with attached droptanks.

I can takeoff, climb to 25K+, and play a careful stalking, conservative style of fighting, until I run outta E or Ammo. No, you can't blow all that E and then climb back up to 25K, and still have alot of fuel, but then again you shouldn't have blown all that E should you?  

I say keep it.  Just my opinon.

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Vermillion
WB's: (verm--), **MOL**, Men of Leisure,
"Real men fly Radials, Nancy Boys fly Spitfires "

[Fishu]

109 eats gas like drunk, if you turn wep on, it burns 25% fuel in 4 minutes, spit does that same in 7 minutes.
109 should be very much able to BnZ its targets, but this kind of drunk sure cant BnZ much.

[fats]

Fuel burn rate multiplier is one of my least favorite features.


//fats

[Lephturn]

I like the fuel multiplier.  Finally a sim that actually gives the planes that carried more gas a real benefit.  High fuel loads have the big impact on performance that they should.  I think most of the "That pony out-turned my Spit!" deals that happen are when a Pony with 25% gas or less runs into a Spitball still lugging his droptank.  Even if the Spit drops his tank, he may not have the big turn-rate advantage he would expect.

This adds to the simulation IMHO.  The only plane that I don't grab for fuel considerations is the La5.  Even so, if I stay off the WEP and conserver, I can get decent range in it.  Did the La5 never use a drop tank?  I guess not.  Maybe a small one could be considered for it in any case.



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Lephturn
The Flying Pigs

[Jinx]

From my point of view the multiplier ads to the sim, it introduce an aspect of combat flying that was very real and important to the pilots.

The bad part is the way it effects range (as in ground distance covered) and climbs the same way. Distance on the map is scaled and altitude is not, so climbing should really use less fuel then level flight for the multiplier to be fair.

I don’t see a solution for this, other the to average the two and call it a compromise. Anyway, I like that fuel is a factor now, so I want to keep the multiplier in some form.

  -Jinx
  The Flying Pigs

[Fishu]

Those planes with low fuel makes even too much realism.
Also note that popularity of other planes than the ones with big fuel load, decreases alot.
If there has to be fuel modifier, I'd suggest to decrease it so that fuel hogs could get it even.
I know 109 had low fuel, but it didn't have THAT low fuel that it couldn't chase someone for 30 miles and fight.
Most thing what makes up for planes with lots of fuel is altitude, because planes with low fuel cannot climb to 25k all the time just to meet co-altitude P-51.
Maybe we should add extra fuel for planes with little fuel tanks?