AA batteries(no, not Duracell either)

[eddiek]

I'd like to see batteries of the 88mm antiaircraft guns, dispersed on and around the fields, with 4-8 guns per battery.  Much like the buff pilots have in place, allow one person to control each battery so we have the "box" effect of seeing the shells explode with that unmistakable black puff of smoke.
Other than that.......either give us some sunglasses or dim the sun effect down by 10-15%.  As it is, I can see nothing at all in the direction of the sun, not just looking directly at it. 
My two cents worth, and one of the only "wishes" I've ever posted on here.

[MrKrabs]

Real sunglasses actually work...

[Interceptor]

4-8 guns ? If they can, as current ones, be turned against GV, then it will be a "fire wall" that ll block any GVs approaching the field... Not sure game needs that...

[Randy1]

It would help stop a single fighter from deacking a small field just for vulching. 

The number of AAs should at least be doubled on a small field.

[eddiek]

4-8 guns ? If they can, as current ones, be turned against GV, then it will be a "fire wall" that ll block any GVs approaching the field... Not sure game needs that...

From the research I've come up with so far, 4 guns would be closest to "historical".  What gives the advantage to the GV's vs 88mm at this point is the fact that the GV's have a better gunsight.  The 88's have that little circle, and that's it.    Were the batteries sited better, with clear lines of fire like they "should be" (my opinion), yes, the GV's would have their work cut out for them.  As it is, they can be on the base before the 88's even have a clear shot at them, and by then it's usually too late for the defenders.  The slow traverse rate combined with the lack of a gunsight that gives you no idea of where you rounds will land............been there too many times, trying to get the range with my rounds and even the M8's 37mm and Wirb's 20mm have you taken out before you get more than two or three rounds off.
My thoughts were aimed more at the air defense role though.  I think the manned AA in the game is lacking in some areas. 
For example, the 40mm Bofors on the ships historically exploded after a predetermined distance/range, that's why we see so many black puffs in the old photos of the US fleets under attack.  That is another thing I would like to see.
From the late Jug pilot I spoke with numerous times in the early 2000's, the LW antiaircraft fire exploded also.  He said they could tell the size of the AA being fired at them from the color of the smoke when the shells detonated.  I'd like to see something similiar implemented to the bases' 37mm AA/AT guns.  Hit Backspace to select your shell type just like on the ship guns and the 88's.
HiTech might never add stuff like this, but I think it would be a worthwhile addition myself.

[JVboob]

I think three linked together would be reasonable. and have 3 manned positions totaling 9 guns. on a small field. medium field having 5 manned and large field having 7-9 and 1 in every town. near the map room or on top of, if even only a  40mm

[Volron]

4-8 guns ? If they can, as current ones, be turned against GV, then it will be a "fire wall" that ll block any GVs approaching the field... Not sure game needs that...

Let's be honest here, we know it wouldn't be coded like that.  Flak batteries really would be "at home" in defending strategic targets, most notably the HQ.  But I could see them in use for defense of towns and a large field, maybe a medium field and port.  But I don't see it for GV base or small field.

[Oddball-CAF]

I'd like to see batteries of the 88mm antiaircraft guns, dispersed on and around the fields, with 4-8 guns per battery. 

  So you basically want to ramp up the lethality of the 88s at a field by 400 to 800 percent.
This would probably turn each and every field into a "no fly zone" such as is the case with
CV groups and worse, take even more people out of airplanes and put them into a ground-based
weapon sytem.
  I'm all in on the "sunglasses" idea. In real life pilots had tinted goggles to minimize the effect of the
sun. A simple keyboard "dot command" which turned one's view into a sepia-toned perspective
would not only be "cool" to see, but would impart the effect of tinted goggles.
 
Regards, Odd
   

[eddiek]

  So you basically want to ramp up the lethality of the 88s at a field by 400 to 800 percent.
This would probably turn each and every field into a "no fly zone" such as is the case with
CV groups and worse, take even more people out of airplanes and put them into a ground-based
weapon sytem.
  I'm all in on the "sunglasses" idea. In real life pilots had tinted goggles to minimize the effect of the
sun. A simple keyboard "dot command" which turned one's view into a sepia-toned perspective
would not only be "cool" to see, but would impart the effect of tinted goggles.
 
Regards, Odd
   

I'd like to see it more historical or realistic, yes.  "Historically", in the ETO at least, when fighter pilots made a strafing run on a LW airfield, the rule was one pass then get out of dodge, cause a second pass would be suicidal.  Seeing countless pilots fly around in the ack, making run after run on the field.......gets old.  The super slow traverse rate of the 88mm doesn't help.  Your minimum range is 1.5K, and fighters can fly around you faster than you can traverse, all the while staying inside your minimum range.
My bigger concern with the wish is the fact that GV's have to be on the base before you get a clear line of fire at them.  In my mind, defense guns would ideally be suited at the base perimeters, with a few other scattered inside as last ditch weapons. 
The CV groups could be a lot worse, in my opinion.  I researched and posted my thoughts on the ammo and effects.  From what I've read, even the 40mm Bofors should have timed fuses that explode the shell after 2K (I think that was the number, might be 2500 yards) even if the shell didn't strike a target. 
Yes, I think the land fields should have comparable defenses as the CV groups, as the CV is a floating airfield and a high value asset and is defensively equipped as such.  IRL, LW airfields being especially fearsome in their defensive firepower.
Glad we agree on the sunglasses/sun issue. 

[JVboob]

Im down for some wild weasle runs.

[RedDevil]

4-8 guns ? If they can, as current ones, be turned against GV, then it will be a "fire wall" that ll block any GVs approaching the field... Not sure game needs that...

While I really do think that being able to man a battery of 88's (4 is a battery, but 3-4 would be fine) would be really cool, more historically accurate, and give gunners a better chance of downing high flying buffs or swarms attempting to de-ack/attack an airfield, I also believe that them being used to create a "fire wall" against attacking GV's is not a good idea...so I had an idea that would alleviate that issue if it ere to arise. Just like you use the # keys to switch positions in GV's or the gunner positions on buffs, you could use the same scenario with these batteries of 88's. While using them in a purely Anti-Aircraft role they will not be allowed to depress to the point that they could be leveled against GV's. To use them in an Anti-tank role you could just hit the # key associated with that gun battery and then be allowed to switch to just one 88 that will be allowed to be depressed enough to use as an AT gun. Or, you could have, say 3 batteries at a small AF that are only used for AA and a few AT positions like they have on GV bases, and then so on. I am sure that HTC would be able to figure out how to place such an array of AA and AT guns across AF's, GV bases, etc.

[Tilt]

Fundamentally I applaud the concept of making bases heavily defended to permit aircraft to launch free of local attack.

This gives players access to local combat rather than be capped under the enemy or forced to take the longer flight from a field further away.

Unfortunately it also gives pilots  an umbrella to run to.

Essentially then the "war" should take place over a town that is some distance from a heavily defended airfield with no enemy vehicle spawns close to the air field ( only to the town)

In this way pilits of both sides can approach the zone of combat ( the town) from their "local" air fields and fight it out there.