What to do in CT?

[Minotaur]

Everytime I play in the CT seems this is the way it goes. Everyone says how cool it is, but seldom enough players in it to have a decent game.  

I play mostly as allied.

Assuming from the current planeset the allies should be on the offensive. It don't happen.

From my experience, the BoB was not played either.  The LW rarely (once) went on the offensive.

For the most part LW hangs out in sector 8 9.  If put on the defensive they fly to ack or run back home.  That is unless they have alt.  In which case they chase you for a bit, then head back to base if they can't shoot you down.  The LW flies often with lots of alt, in case an allied bomber doesnt happen by I guess.  

This has been pretty much the routine since the CT originated.

What I almost exclusively see and experience is allied fighters dueling axis fighters.  The strategic element is gone, very few buff's fly.  No point to GV's here at all.  The turnfighting  / stallfighteing seems less used and BnZ / running seems more prevalent.

The 3K Icon issue is kind of cool except for 2 draw backs.  At 4K you see a position  adjustment, OK the con is at 4k.  OK you see a furball where half have green Icons, the other have no Icons.    Duh...

The CT seems to be an easter egg hunt to find and enemy.  This can take some time.  Then duel fighter vs fighter.  That is it!

Is this the intention of the CT?

Thanks

[Buzzbait]

S!

No the CT is not intended to be the way it is now.

(At least there is general agreement among the flyers who wanted the CT that they don't want what we have now)

There was quite a bit of discussion regarding what is needed in the way of a Strat system.

There was general agreement on the following:

1)  A system of scoring by side, (Axis or Allied) based on target destruction and aircraft destruction.  This would be automatic registered by the server and a record available to players so they can see which team is winning.

2)  The incorporation of new updated maps with the new targets which will be coming in 1.08, as well as the addition of additional strat targets from the currently available list.  These targets would have values put on them.

3)  More regular map and aircraft lineup changes so players can have some variety.

In addition, several other alternate (alternate to the systems in the MA) Strategic systems were proposed.

As well there was the suggestion of possible 'Streak' kill scores being listed or Squadron kill scores being listed, instead of the individual pilot scoring in the MA.

See the postings on this board for more details.

I think there has not been much activity because players are waiting for the arrival of 1.08 and the new Strat elements in that version.  I for one am planning to work on updating the existing Mediterranean Map with the new elements so it can be used in the CT.

We are hoping that once the HTC design group gets past the Convention and gets 1.08 out, they will be able to devote some time to the CT.

                   Cheers Buzzbait

[janjan]

It's very hard to get it right in CT. In current status field capture is out of question because many times there are none people in it (and then someone can capture all by himself).

I really can not easily think what can be more motivating than field capture in arena. Bombing strategic targets? Convoys? Hardly so. Without some change in map (field capture) it gets very old to bomb stuff.

Without buffs or jabos or GVs it's just fighter stuff. Which is fine (lot of good fites) BUT since there is nothing more accomplish one can run away everytime they want cos' there isn't any real cause to stay and fight.

Fortunately most people in CT do fight and yesterday was great time. CT is sort of sport as MA is war.

[Saintaw]

Just numbers Mino, when LW has numbers , we're on the offensive, when the RAF has numbers we're on the defensive...

Not realy intended, but I usualy (75% of the time) take off heavy and have to drop Ordinance because we're jumped by RAF fighters.

IF we take off from an Easter field & try to sneak in behind enemy lines we're accused of "avoiding the fights" ..."being sissies", etc...

I think the reason most of the fighting being done over the Channel (with one or the other runnign to ack, lets be honnest) is due to the numbers... no one realy wants to do a 2 hour uneventfull flight if there's only 10 - 20 poeple on.  So, we end up furballing over the sea...

I don't see that changing before we get numbers in there. I personally don't care to much, but I understand it can be boring for some...

<S!>

[Minotaur]

<snip>

I think the reason most of the fighting being done over the Channel (with one or the other runnign to ack, lets be honnest) is due to the numbers... no one realy wants to do a 2 hour uneventfull flight if there's only 10 - 20 poeple on.  So, we end up furballing over the sea...

<snip>[/QB]

Sorry, and you are right SAW, as I said there is much running to ack.  I did kind of state that LW only did it, but that is from my perspective.

I know that I do all the time, but only if I am alone or let someome get the drop on me. Don't know why but some cyber survival instinct kicks it.  

The CT game seems to be mostly  by a large margin just fighters chasing each other back and forth across the channel.

Thanks

[Saintaw]

That's exactly it Mino : Fights over the Channel.

It will probably stay this way untill we get some kind of Strat working AND we get higher numbers (To avoid what Janjan said about a lone guy capturing Europe from Barcelona to Stalingrad all by himself   )

I trust this will be comming on time. I'd rather have them polish 1.8, the DX8 Beta & the 190, errr (whas about to start whining, hehehe...).

Anyway, what I meant was : CT is "unfinished", think of it just as a beta version for the moment. After that, it will be what we do with it as players.

<S!>

[Nifty]

I'm opposed to player base capture in the CT.  The flow of the "war" moves much too rapidly when base capture is the means of advancing.  Look at the MA, there are days were 2 and even 3 resets happen in one day.  The current idea of "frames" is a start to showing progress once some form of scoring is added.  Perhaps the side that scores better (perhaps not just a raw score, but scores per sortie or per death have some weight, if you need an example explaining what I mean, I'll add it in.) for a frame gets a small foothold along the front.  The other side can bomb the hell out of those bases, but can't take them back.  Basically, we don't control the ground war, just the air war.  The ground war is changed per frame based on how we do in the air.  The frames should only last a couple of days to a week.  Now, C47s could still be used to re-supply damaged cities, factories, and airbases to get some points back towards the frame score.  Hopefully trains and convoys (with 1.08) will function along these lines and become tactical/strategical targets.

Anyways, to answer your question as "What to do?"  Have fun!  If Axis v. Allied furballin' over the channel isn't your idea of fun, then stick to the MA until the CT changes.  I'd rather have smaller numbers of people having fun, than larger numbers of some having fun and some being frustrated or bored.