I am most certainly not panicking. I just think it's a bad idea and explained why. Rarely bomb GVs anymore but I could see HurriIIDs having real trouble with this change. I have a nice system with great graphics and a big screen. Unless a GV is moving or out in the wide open plain, honest to God - I can't spot them without the icon. When I had a low end computer, the GVs were like big black dots on my screen at 6k out. Now they blend in with the landscape unless I have max zoom on. Even with that, they are hard to spot. What I mean by the Lancs is, there is no readily apparent reward for buzzing around in a storch like there is engaging an opponent with weapons. So a guy who usually flys a fighter with 1,000lbers will be inclined to just "spray and pray" with bombs over the area where he thought he saw a tracer go off (now that he can no longer spot them from a reasonable distance). HTC hasn't specified what the new icon range will be though. Suppose the icon range from "God mode" is also reduced? I think GVs will be on runways a lot more often.
BTW, how often does someone take up a Ju-87 or D3A - unarmed, to spot GVs right now?
I dont think anyone takes up an aircraft unarmed to search for gv's. Currently, anything can be the "eye in the sky", the new system will add another realm and a new layer of "strategy". Remember, the Stork has a top speed at about 110 mph at 1000ft, most aircraft have stall horns blaring at that speed, it isnt like it is going to be zingin' around at high speeds, I'll feel right at home as I do in a cesspool 150 or 172.
As far as the Hurricane IID having a harder time, I dont think so one bit. Currently, I take the Hurri D up far more than the IL-2 (5 to1 ratio probably), for reasons of cockpit visibility, speed, maneuverability, and the ability to padlock the view of the gv once I find it. Being able to find it visually, fly over it and look out the rear, turn around and dive in without losing sight of the gv is what makes the Hurri D the plane I go to for direct fire vs a tank and not the IL-2.
As far as the heavy bombers being more apt to carpet bomb gv's, I actually think there will be less of it. The bombers need icons to get close to.