I know this is unusual, but I have a criticism of the design of AH. Even more unusual - I have a simple fix to this glaring bug.
It's about bailing.
When you bail in enema territory, if you make it terra firma you get a nice little message saying you've been captured. Then you're back in your base ready room for another hop. Your k/d gets hosed even though you're not dead.
Realistic? No!!
Here is my solution: let a bailed pilot walk back to base to avoid the capture penalty. It's that simple. But think of the added gameplay - joining land battles as a gunner! Having your squaddies send a gooney or one of those things with wheels to come get you! Having a gunfight against other bailed pilots! Going into cities and joining the underground to blow up a railway bridge! Having a fling with the French resistance fighter who hasn't heard from her boyfriend since the Maginot Line was overrun!
If we're going to have a capture mode, let's have it as the same level or realism that those of us who use manual trim and actually lose consciousness during blackouts expect - you should be sent to a luftstalag and forced to tunnel your way back to the game. Other players can be goons. We'll need forgers and tailors. And then there's the problem of what to do with the dirt...
It's a simple request from a simple Muskie. Let me walk to my reward. And save my stupid k/d.
---(-----------------
Mutha Teresa
P.S. I'm kind of serious about walking back to base to avoid capture penalty.
