Perhaps HQ disables country channel and CH 200 only?
No no. This will create a similar problem as disabling all darbars - make people want to log off. It will also hurt mostly the new players and those that are not in squads since the latter have their own txt and vox channels or use external programs for voice chat.
Bombing HQ is a strategic mission and should have a
strategic consequence not a tactical one! Strategic consequence could be affecting down time (I suggested to do this by lowering the effectiveness of resupply, including AI which will add to down time on top of strat factories penalties), affecting the ability to base capture (no troops while HQ down), affecting ENY limit (I do not recommend this), and affecting dot dar including the friendly dots (as it does now). The latter loss of friendly dots makes finding each other difficult. Also, you do not see the location of the person speaking on range on the map. Both effects are pretty devastating by themselves and affect also the furballers, but not enough to make them logout in disgust.
-1
Because it would make the game easier.
The HQ can be defended, just like it can be attacked and most times it's impossible to sneak in on it so you have plenty of time to set up an intercept.
Fighting without any dar isn't impossible, it's just harder. Communication is key when HQ is down and it's pretty easy. You can see who is near you on range and help each other out. You can type on your country channel and give or get instantaneous communication across the entire map, and you can give your SA a good workout.
HQ down is no different than how we fly FSO's, and those are mightily fun as I recall. In FSO, I understand you know what the mission is and where to expect an attack. Well, in the Main Arena, you got a pretty good idea what the enemy is also doing especially if you communicate with your mates.
It does not make the game easier - it makes finding a fight easier.
Defending or attacking the HQ is simply a matter of time investment. Put bombers on auto-climb, go to the supermarket, come back and fly to HQ at 35k. To defend: put fighter in auto-climb, watch the screen in a blanc stare for 20 minutes, snap out of it and fly around hoping to find the 35k bomber flying at 300+ mph, get pinged from 1000 yards to the radiator and pilot wound. Both activities are not what I and many others want to do in AH.
FSO operation are designed to make the forces meet. FSO where you do not meet the enemy are merely two hours of formation flying. Try doing FSO and let all COs choose their own targets and TO bases anywhere on the map. See how long till no one shows up to these events.
