Here's my idea.. have two versions of Aces High:
(V1)The first version is what we play.. and pay a monthly fee for. We get to fly planes, dogfight, attack with armor.. and all that. This would still basically stay the same.
(V2)The second version is a FPS and would be free.
This is how it would work. A base in V1 will be white-flagged and troops out. Once the troops enter the town's perimeter, it spawns a ground battle in V2. Players waiting in a queue in V2 get to fight against each other inside the town... attackers from one country trying to get to the maproom in the town, and defenders trying to kill them all and keep them from getting there. The ratio of attackers vs. defenders would be dependent on the percentage of each country's TROOPS "factory". If the attackers make it to the maproom alive, the base it taken. If not then the base take fails. Keep in mind that the planes and tanks from V1 will not be able to interact with V2 (not even able to see each other.. maybe only a progress bar type thing), however V2 players will be able to see V1 players dogfighting over the town or divebombing the base, etc.
For example: Rooks attack a Knight base and get the town white-flagged. Rooks' Troops are at 100%, but Knights' troops are at 60%. There just happens to be 160 people online in V2 so it distributes them so 100 are Rooks and attacking, and 60 are Knights and defending. Maybe make it so that the country with a higher AMMO percentage gets better weapons (or more ammo)... The war continues until a certain percentage of the attackers make it into the map room, until all V2 troops are dead for either side, or until a certain amount of time has elapsed.
Granted, the FPS war won't be nearly as involved or detailed as games like COD, but it will BE 100% FREE! People playing the V2 version will be seeing the dogfighting and bombing and the planes all having fun and that will ultimately entice them to play (and pay for) the V1 version!
In the time period between base takes, players in the V2 game can play single or multi-player missions that may or may not be related to the V1 version at all. When a base take is taking place, then those missions are put on hold, and they are required to join in on the base taking missions... after which they can return to their previous missions.
If there aren't enough people online in the V2 game when troops are let go, then normal V1 rules (10 troops into the maproom) takes precedence.
What do you guys think?