Question for HTC: New Fighter Poll

[Wiley]

I no longer have a horse in this race, but could someone clear up my thinking here:

Beaufighter - Another British twin engine heavy attack fighter (but with torpedo capability - does anyone ever do torpedo attacks? - otherwise is this just a slower version of the Mossie?)

Me410 - Another German twin engine heavy attack fighter.    About 20 mph faster than the 110G, but with less armament choices?

Yak 3 - Another small, fast, manueverable, great-climbing, short-ranged Russian fighter.   

Meteor - the only Allied jet to see combat (also used in Korea).   


I'm not one of the "OMGZ zorks jetz rulez!" crowd but it does look to me like the Meteor is the standout choice among these that brings something different to the game.

Have I gone batty?   

 

All 3 of the other planes, you mentioned what they do/how they'd be used.  Applying the same logic to the Meteor, you get

Meteor- Another heavily armed late war fast plane that will be used 99% of the time for ho and run tactics.

Basically, it's 262 lite, and IMO brings even less new to the game than any one of the other choices.

Wiley.

[Krusty]

I just had a mental comparison of the Me410 to the Jug.... Kind of lumbering, not the most manuverable, but if anything gets in front of its guns it will go "poof" very quickly, and can alternately carry 3K of ord to a target or escort B-29s across the map and back.




(*or hunt them across the map and back  )

[Oldman731]

I'm not one of the "OMGZ zorks jetz rulez!" crowd but it does look to me like the Meteor is the standout choice among these that brings something different to the game.

Have I gone batty?   

Yes, you have.  Slap yourself across the face with a wet carp.  Three times.  Then repeat after me, "The Meteor is a silly choice.  The Meteor is a silly choice.  The Meteor is a silly choice."

- oldman

[oboe]

   Thanks Oldman!

[Grundle1]

I understand that the best thing about democracy is that everyone gets to vote.  I also understand that the worst thing about democracy is that everyone gets to vote.  In this context, I bet 80% of the players don't really understand the relative historical significance of the aircraft.  They are gamers - much more concerned about lowering their scores and taking bases than in the actual aircraft.  Therefore, they tend to pick the bestest, fastest aircraft they can find.  I had to argue with a guy who wanted the G.55 over the Ki-43 in the original poll.    Silly really.

We've lost the chance at the Ki-43 (Japan's #1 scoring fighter of WWII) and the Beaufighter (fought in every theatre - more than 6,000 built) in favor of more shiny, sparkly aircraft that were much less significant.  Of course, there is a case for the Meteor.   The Yak-3 is a popular choice only because of its performance.   Of course, the Russkis built thousands of them - but the existing Yak 9 is almost the same plane.   Visually, I bet 99% of players couldn't tell the Yak 3 and the Yak 9 apart.  The Me-410 will prove highly vulnerable in the main arena - and it wasn't that significant with only 1,200 built.   It entered squadron service in July 1943 and was switched to reconnaisance duties in mid-1944.

I say, scrap democracy and bring in a HTC dictatorship!   Let the enthusiasts pick the planes and I'll be happy.

[moot]

The 410 could kick all the other twins' asses. 38 mossie and all. Significant or not historically, it could be a real contender for luftwaffe twin instead of the frozen piece of dogtoejam on a stick that is the 110.

[oboe]

There are only a few more superplanes to go and then HTC will HAVE to start backfilling the historically significant a/c into the game.

The Yak-9U outperforms the Yak-3.  (Outclimbs and outruns, anyway).   And looks almost the same; slightly smaller dimensions.

For me its between the Meteor and Me410.    An Allied jet would be interesting diversion from the 262 when I feel the need fer speed (apologies!), and the 50mm cannon on the 410, well, whoa! Doctor! you get the idea.

[morfiend]

 It's obvious that many players clearly didnt read the rules of the vote.


  In fine print it states this is a reverse poll and the first plane illiminated will be added first and last plane or winner to be add last....



 If I had things my way all the planes on the list would be added and I'd start a bomber poll with 5 or 6 on that list that all would be added,but I have no say so it's wishful thinking.



   

[Brooke]

Beaufighter - Another British twin engine heavy attack fighter (but with torpedo capability - does anyone ever do torpedo attacks?  

They figure prominently in scenarios.

[Krusty]

And, in MA use OF said torpedo planes, it would be the most capable of pressing the attack and/or fighting its way out (or just getting lots of kills) after it dropped that torpedo! No running home in Ju88s, avoiding big fights in TBM/B5N... You could drop then quad-hizzo the heck out of any bad guys flying around!

MA use, definitely.

As for the 410, one thing that really interests me (other than the guns packages) is the ability to shoot below the tail. That was one of the requirements in the specifications for the plane. I know when I'm in a 110 and I am resorting to tail gun use it's almost impossible to hit anybody that's level or lower than me and just trying for a shot gets me killed. It might be interesting to see how effective (... or NOT...) the rear guns are since they can depress 40 degrees downwards.

[Hajo]

The MA is a full melee arena at best.  Nothing to do with historical WWII fighting at all.

[Krusty]

I don't think you can argue that. Despite some characteristics of the gameplay, many aspects are close to WW2 combat. We use the same tactics. We use the same manuvers. We pull the same immelmans, rope-a-dopes, we B the same Zs.

The fact that some fights devolve into furballs in this game isn't unhistorical by itself. Many's the time from BOB all the way to end of war when a fight would become a swirling cloud of fighters, all trying to out turn and outmanuver each other.

Ignoring the plane vs plane setup, some of it is quite historical. Otherwise we wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much.

[Guppy35]

With the clear understanding that I'm an RAF fan, and not a Luftwaffle.  I would rather the time go into adding or updating the 190 line up then put the time into the Meteor.  And I don't fly 190s.

[Krusty]

That hurt a little to say, didn't it? 

[Ping]

I think we should get the F14 Tomcat in AH.
According to the Historical Records, Final Countdown, 2 F14s went back in time
and shot down 2 Japanese zeros therefor they must be included.