Sorry State of Affairs!

[earl1937]

  Last night, 10-1-13, the 94th Bomb Group flew a re-enactment mission to the Knights strats. NOE, with three different groups, approaching from 3 different directions, not one iota of a dar bar showing anywhere in the 3 different sections we were in. Half way to the target, we are bounced by 2 262's, number's of other fighters and entire force of 33 bombers were shot down and I think about 90% of the fighters, who were low and heavy!
Problem was, we had a couple of people on our VOX channel, who after the mission launched, joined the knights and I guess they were in on the slaughter. I won't mention any names, because I wasn't inside their head and could't see what they were thinking. Maybe it was just bad timing, but to have three different groups in three different sectors, all getting jumped by a number of fighters, when there was no way anyone could know we were coming, because no dar bar was showing, so someone had to be listening to our VOX communication about where we were going.
what makes those kind of people "tick" is beyond me! In my opinion, this is one more reason for channel 200 being shut down. Once we were bounced by the first 262, as if by magic, other fighters swarmed in for the kill of the B-24's which were at 65 feet AGL I don't have a problem with someone discovering a flight of bombers and announcing that on the VOX channel in use at the time, but the ability to tell everyone in Aces High what is happening, anywhere on the map in play is, I don't even know how to express the wrong in that. I personally have never tuned channel 200 since I have been in this game, because the unknown as to what is ahead is one of the excitements of the game.
We did return at high altitude and damaged the strats considerably, and was a fun mission and even with the large dar bars showing our position, hardly any fighters came up to contest the space in the skies with us! But, knowing all those buffs and fighters were NOE, a lot of people were rubbing their hands and saying, "oh boy, fish in a barrel"!

[dedalos]

Sad, is true. 10% or more of the players on line at the time were looking to avoid enemy contact. Better yet, they decided to file a complain when the had some 

[Lusche]

In my opinion, this is one more reason for channel 200 being shut down.

200 has nothing to do with that and shutting down 200 would have not made any difference at all. You could still PM people, you could still switch to the side and thrash the mission (which is a dastardly thing to do in my opinion), or use any type of extra game communications.
And if you would tune to 200 yourself, you would already know that this is NOT the place where missions are "ratted out", as everybody (including the mission guys) would instantly note it.


Not that it would matter at all, but when I switch sides, I magically forget about everything. Locations of CVs, NOE missions on the way, M3s hidden someplace where nobody would expect them, strategy discussions...
I might join a furball in progress from the other side or help defending a base after someone else had rang the alarm bell and there already is some defense... but when in doubt, I simply go elsewhere. In fact, I usually don't engage in combat with the country I just left for at least 30 mins 'cool down time'

[Scca]

Seems like that stuff happens every day.  Just about any "public" mission like that seems to be doomed to failure.  It's kind of like that guy who flys 190's, runs when you engage him (either away, or to his base ack), then when you are getting low on fuel he vultch's you on landing.  I wish there was a way to fix this, but lamers will be lamers.  Fortunately, I don't seem them often.

Try to find a friendly squad and quietly up with them.  Sure, there will be a big green blob, but at least the entire country won't hear all the mission advertisements and that lone lamer may miss his/her opportunity to ruin a good thing.  

[Scca]

Not that it would matter at all, but when I switch sides, I magically forget about everything. Locations of CVs, NOE missions on the way, M3s hidden someplace where nobody would expect them, strategy discussions...
I might join a furball in progress from the other side or help defending a base after someone else had rang the alarm bell and there already is some defense... but when in doubt, I simply go elsewhere. In fact, I usually don't engage in combat with the country I just left for at least 30 mins 'cool down time'

That's the way it should be...

[Arlo]

Whether someone switches sides or not, they can still communicate via PM or 3rd party group communication programs to inform others of the mission details. That makes it about impossible to avoid things like this. I suppose squadrons can run impromptu missions without actually uploading one. If advanced planning is desired I suppose one could even e-mail squad members with the details of a few potential missions (since one or more bases within the area of operations may not be available to either operate from or strike) that a would-be player spy wouldn't be privy to. Then when everyone shows up to run said mission the guy running things could say 'Looks like there's still opportunity to run mission 3. Ted can take alpha group to it's objective. Fred can take Bravo and Wanda can take Charlie.'

Then the only thing you need be concerned about is a 'tag-along' that's still bent on reporting via PM or Teamspeak (or another program) the whereabouts and strength of one of the elements.

Pick-up missions, however, are always open to screwage.

[Fulcrum]

Sad, is true. 10% or more of the players on line at the time were looking to avoid enemy contact. Better yet, they decided to file a complain when the had some 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....the sweet sounds of busted NOE buff mission rage. 

[The Fugitive]

You already figured out how to cut back on the problem. Don't run NOE. NOE like you said is "fish in the barrel". Climb to alt and and the easy kills are gone and you have you mission because the dweebs don't want to have to work for them.

[Aspen]

Spying and espionage were a huge part of WWII.  Consider it immersion.

Its lame but when you fly a mission with the intention of being sneaky and using the element of surprise, and you get jumped by guys being sneaky and using the element of surprise....

[Arlo]

[dedalos]

What probably happened is they made a base flash or someone popped up. Unless they were flying over water, with 30 buffs over terrain it easy to figure out what happened.

But spies are easy to blame lol

[Wiley]

Why do people insist on planning missions that will not survive contact with the enemy?

Wiley.

[-ammo-]

Sad, is true. 10% or more of the players on line at the time were looking to avoid enemy contact. Better yet, they decided to file a complain when the had some  

Please be coherent.  I'd like to understand your post.

[Fulcrum]

Please be coherent.  I'd like to understand your post.

Why can't you understand his post, ammo?  Seems rather easy to understand to me.

[LCADolby]

I'd like to echo ded's post;

The horde players online are looking to avoid enemy contact, so when they had enemy contact most of us are not surprised they complain.

Bringing it to the BBS will get little sympathy blaming it on 200 even less so, because lemmings find it impossible to fly under 200 feet at the best of times.