Fun factor

[TW9]

<Gripe on>

This was a very badly organized FSO. Our group had JU87s and we were suppose to link up with bombers for whatever reason. The bomber group was faster in auto climb than we were leveled. We ended up way behind the bomber group and had to pass over enemy bases to get to the target. By the time we got there, it was a hornets nest and we had no escort to boot.

In all I spent just over 1 hour in the FSO. About 98% of that time was spent climbing and just getting to the target. The other 2% was spent trying to evade fighters who had already engaged the bombers, landed, rearmed, and took off again before we even got there.

I understand the need for realism in the scenerios but the fact that people are dedicating their late Friday nights to participate in these things should be considered as well.

The fun factor should never be sacrificed entirely in order to maintain a sense of realism. There should be a balance.

<Gripe off>

With all that being said, this was just my 2nd FSO since coming back and the last one was just as fun as this weeks was bad. So my opinion is only about last night's scenario. In my opinion, a plane that was pretty much obsolete at the start of BoB probably should not have been included in an event that is meant to be enjoyable for all involved. To me, including it just because it was actually there is not a good enough reason at all. With better planning, it may have worked out, but unfortunately that was pretty bad too.

[Wiley]

Not sure on the particulars of why you wound up with no escort, possibly the fighters got in and got wiped out or low first?

As to the plane choices, IMO that's 3/4 of the fun of FSO.  Doing what you can with what you're assigned, even if you've got the worst crate in the sky.  Sometimes you get the good ride, sometimes it's your turn in the barrel.

Wiley.

[TW9]

Doing what you can with what you're assigned, even if you've got the worst crate in the sky.  Sometimes you get the good ride, sometimes it's your turn in the barrel.

Wiley.

Great point and I am sure that many would agree with you. I think that maybe the overall strategy compounded the issue and made it seem worse than it actually was more so than the plane's inclusion itself.

[MachNix]

TW9,

There is also a strategic side to FSO where a person has to know the capabilities of the weapon systems (aircraft, guns, bombs, etc.).  Unfortunately the learning curve is steep and expensive since most, if not all, is leaned from hard knocks like the one you had.  It may have not been fun but you did learned that the Ju87 is a lot slower than an 88 and any coordinated strike package has to be flown so the slowest and least capable aircraft can keep up.  That coordination of the strike packages is left to the individual players to work out, which is also part of FSO.  As Wiley said, it is up to you (you individually as well as the others on your team) to make the most of what you are given.  Next Friday's lesson will be on how the best planning goes out the window as soon as "THE FIELDS ARE OPEN" appears in the text buffer.   

Mach

[branch37]

When you fly FSO long enough, it becomes obvious that not every Friday is created equal.  Sometimes there are streaks where you do awesome, and there are streaks where you feel like there is some sort of conspiracy against you.  I am in a streak of chronic PC troubles that seem like the world is stacked against me. Last week for whatever reason the game would not launch, and I had to redownload and reinstall it before I could get in.  And I was CiC to boot.  Last night we were in bombers and I discoed about 5 minutes from target, and could not get back in in time for the AI to let me back in the air. 

My point is that S&*T happens more often than we would like it to.  Many times there is nothing we can do about it except dust ourselves off and try again next week.  My squadron will back me up when I say that we have all been in your shoes at one time or another, but the good frames are what keeps us interested in FSO. 

[snakeplissken]

I have seen many squads do this but, let me extend the invitation:  I personally believe the best thing HTC ever gave you is the ability to create custom arenas.  My squad routinely practices during the week in a custom arena in the plane we are assigned to fly.  Routes are planned, targets are located and the timing of strikes and the capabilities of our planes are tested.  If you see a setup on-line during the week simply pm us and we would be happy to teach you how to setup custom arenas.  In the alternative, if there is enough interest, post on this thread and I will arrange a class time.

[ink]

 this was my fault......I didn't realize that we were that much slower then the bombers....(thats what I get for being a fighterjock)

I figured we would fly in with the bombers.....

hopefully a lesson learned by me.


on another note....I really hate sat connection.

[SlipKnt]

Always good to see other's perspective. 

Not going to get involved in finger pointing and I am going to assume there must have been a miscommunication.

Our squad was assigned to provide escort.  There was a plan in place.  Our fighters were split and one group was to rendevous with your group however, nobody ever came to the renedvous and our attempts to establish your location met with failed results.  Even during our fight over enemy territory, we were trying to locate you so we could get you in.  In fact, one of our guys clipped a tree attempting to communicate to your group to locate you while fighting off a hornet's nest of Spits and Hurricanes.

The bottom line is your escorts were where they were supposed to be, when they were supposed to be there.  They attempted to adjust and find you but in the end, never made the connection.

It happens.  I'd chalk this one off to "Fog of War".

We'll get em' next time!

 
SlipKnoT

[Rodent57]

Well heck,  I WAS going to stay out of this thread, but can't let the defamation of the CiC & Mission Planners go unanswered.

TW9, Welcome back to FSO!   You have the right to have an opinion, but in this case, I think you didn't have the whole picture scoped out ... so here is the rest of the story:

...

The statement, "This was a very badly organized FSO. Our group had JU87s and we were suppose to link up with bombers for whatever reason" is absolutely wrong.

- Not going to flog a deceased equine, but the simple fact is that the JU87s were not supposed to link up with the bombers ... (as Ink has already addressed above, and that should be all we need to say ).

  -- G3-MF made a calculated tactical decision to lessen the escort numbers for the FBs and dedicate 4 of our 109s specifically to the Ju87s (on their separate northern route) to make sure they were not naked.   
    --- I was the lead for that escort cell. 
    --- We sat in the tower, watched your 5-Ship formation takeoff (Very nice BTW- I took a screen shot as you lifted), launched 6 minutes behind you and flew the planned routing as designed.  {Why'd we wait the 6 minutes?--simple, we were trying to make sure that we had that extra 6 minutes of gas to cover you on the way out - it translates to roughly 20 more miles of JU87 egress time}
    --- Once we were 10 miles past where we should have run you down, I communicated with your lead and discovered the routing change decision.  At that point, we turned and affected a rejoin with the main  HE-11 push. 
    --- From there things unfolded pretty much as you perceived.

...

'Badly Organized FSO' .... NO, I don't think so... and it isn't a fair knock on those that took the time to put it together...   

  - It was hashed and rehashed over a period of days by the CiC and Squad lead planners (Almost always is for those of you who don't get to get involved with the work that goes on behind the curtain). 
    -- Decision was made to use mass to force the main body through the layers of Defenders that were predicted to be waiting. 
        --- The slower and (potentially more vulnerable) JU87s were assigned a more circuitous routing in order to hopefully draw the presupposed defenders away from their caps as the HE111s lit the airfield up.

    --- G3-MF (Dedicated Fighter Escorts for Green Group) wasn't about to leave the squad that stuck with us through the target array last week (AoM) unescorted. 
         ---- If anything, the CiC should be miffed at me for making the decision to shred out a flight to cover the JU87s -- (hey, it seemed like a good idea, and the right thing to do at the time).   Oaktree  (CiC), you have my apologies for the decision (but I'd do it again -- we will always cover our debts, it is what we do).

...


Just looking to keep the record straight ... Now, on to frame 3 <S>!

 
- Rodent57