I still would be interested to hear what kind of 'new content' you are thinking about in general. In the 7 years we got a lot of new content added to AH: 26 planes and 13 vehicles (not counting the refurbished ones), new terrain and graphic improvements, new strategic system, new arenas, entirely new vehicle control system. So I would assume you are thinking about new gameplay mechanisms?
All the additions you listed do matter.... yet in my eyes its the same game with the same gameplay I left 7 years ago. Not bashing at all, just being honest. So yeah.... I am talking about more than maps and new aircraft models.
I will offer a couple things here that I think would be good since you asked.... however as I said in my original post I really would prefer to leave this stuff to the people who do it for a living. People who are far smarter than I honestly.
One thing that I really LOVE about all the "Lock on Modern air combat" games is the true feeling of speed you get when flying. Especially when flying close to the terrain. It just feels like I am going fast.... all the time. You can almost get that sinking feeling in your stomach like on a roller coaster when in a dogfight. AH on the other hand feels slow and almost predictable in terms of graphic terrain and overall feel. I do understand that we are "flying" WWII model aircraft here and not a supersonic fighter but 400MPH is still damn fast. I think it should feel like it. It doesn't.
Second.... AH offers no "Immersion" whatsoever. It does offer the best online dogfighting anywhere. Yet I never feel that I am a pilot. Remember when AH1 was becoming AH2 and there was talk from HTC about AI aircraft? What happened to all that? Give me the ability to load terrains, draw up way points and flight paths. Let me set up 100 AI bombers at 30k over a historical map. Let me and friends if they are available roll our Mustangs from the runway to the way points to intercept and protect the bombers.
Make it more of a simulator in terms of the actual operation of the aircraft. IL2 offers "Complex engine management" Opening and closing cooling ducts, tuning engine mixtures and so on. I am not saying copy their stuff. I am saying give me an engine start procedure like an actual pilot follows. Something..... anything except just hitting "E" and rolling off every time. Currently Its all way to arcade until you are actually in the dogfight.
Just my thoughts.
Dave/Vorc