In an Ideal Aces High World. Additions, subtractions, criticism welcome. Just 'thinking out loud"
-One arena uncapped.
Yes
-No ENY, but some sort of numbers balancing system so that the amount of aircraft in flight for all countries is roughly equal. This keeps ENY away, yet allows those who beg to be with their squaddies the chance to BS on tac while waiting for things to adjust so they can up. Maybe use the AI birds developed for CT to fill out the balance issues?
I don't think there is a way to do that without forcibly changing people's teams for them. The medicine is more harmful than the ailment. I think you'd also be surprised to find that in a one arena set up numbers will be a lot closer to balanced than the current 2 arena system.
-Strat targets that make heavy bombers more viable and usable in a more ‘realistic’ manner then dropping fighter hangers or dive bombing carriers.
Agreed, but how? The only way to do that is to give these targets high value for the war and personal score.
-Tactical targets beyond airfields and towns. Trains, bridges, convoys etc that would make the role of the Fighter Bomber more ‘realistic’, again outside of bombing hangers.
Agreed 100%.
-More complex airfield systems. What I mean is ones where there are multiple VHs, single ‘fighter strips’ away from the main field so that there is more of a chance for defenders to get airborne to counter a strike. More flak and manned flak positions, as well as anti-tank positions. Take the flak positions out of towns. Move them to ring the town. Possibly place an Armory in town where armor is parked and available. Folks yell for cooperation and team work. While this would demand it. Just killing the VH and setting up the vulch pattern would be much more difficult.
Find a way to include more open terrain for tankers and armored ops in support of the ‘war’
Sounds good to me.
-Use the stuff developed with Combat Tour to incorporate missions via the game. For example. AH announces to the Rooks, that at 7PM a mission will launch with B17s escorted by Mustangs and 47s, going deep to Bish HQ. It’s filled with AI birds to start so it’s going either way. But folks can fill spots if they so choose. Obviously the other side is going to see this mob moving and rise to the fight with any luck at all and whether it’s AI or real folks, at least some shooting is going on and bombs dropping. At least for immersion it might feel better. Obviously the plane types would change and the country missions change. It might be AI Mossies with Spitfire escorts, or B25s with P38 escorts, JU88 with 109G6 escorts and so on. Throw one up automatically every hour or half hour, staggered throughout all three countries so that folks are on both ends of that operation. You know the numbers are going to be there, even if AI so folks are hopefully going to get some practice attacking bombers and fighting other fighters. Even dogfighting an AI fighter builds experience for the newbies. If we’re going to have this big map with everyone there, I’d think those CT resources would help give it some focus.
Not sure about this one, I'd say no to AI fighters, and a maybe to AI bombers.
-Consider some sort of layers airfield system too with Heavies further back, Fighters and Fighter Bombers up front and Mediums and fighters in between. Also consider Flak traps and Flak trains in greater numbers.
I disagree. You shouldn't have to fly 150 miles if you want to fly lancasters. And how does Hitech code it to change as the front lines shift? I think you should encourage front line bombing campaigns, not discourage.
-Consider some sort of area within the MA that includes a furball spot and tanking spot that gives it some freedom from griefing and base capture, yet keeps those folks as part of the larger social interaction of the MA.
Sure why not, and that's easy, just make the bases uncapturable surrounded by giant mountains.
I'd personally like to see a zone system again but with that, having a central zone "factory" or some kind of new field-type object that controls supply lines and production to all corresponding bases in that zone. Kind of like the zone base back in the day, but more distinguished on the map. If you own it, your fields replenish the normal amounts of times i.e. 15 min for hangars, 45 minutes for town, etc. If you do not own it, your fields and hangars take a 3-4 times penalty, so towns are down for 2:15, hangars down for 45 minutes. Maybe have 5-6 bases per "factory". This would create A LOT of good fights for furballers and base takers alike.
