HQ Downtimes set for 5 minutes

[Oddball-CAF]

We do keep others busy, Even one player commented that he FEARS every time strats fash thinking that it's us.

  Dallas, keep on doin' what you're doin' with your squad, but you're doing your squaddies no favors
with regards to respect and credibility in Aces High. Squads naturally gravitate towards doing
in the main, what they're best at; or conversely, the only things they can do.
  10 sector HQ runs and driving 6 sectors to a strat complex are things geared towards "beginners".
  You've got several very good pilots in your squad and obviously some guys very good at level
bombing. But your direction of them is lacking. You're either oblivious to the fact that most Rooks
in the main arena are either laughin' at you or rolling their eyes in disgust half the time.
  You've got the numbers, but you don't have yet, a feel for how to utilize those numbers in a way
which builds respect for your squadron, builds their overall fighting skills and -creates- fun in the
arena.....for all countries.
  The first thing you could do in that regard would be to put a stop to knocking down the Bishop and Knight HQs.
It serves no purpose other than to completely suck the fun out of the game for at least 1/3 of the pilots
in Aces High.
  You might start off with a herd of bombers with escorts, with the bombers hitting a field/fields from 10K, using
your skilled fighter guys as escorts. This guarantees both the bombers and the escorts a fun time and
actually contributes greatly at an operational and tactical level tool in the war.
   I don't watch you guys under a microscope, but in reading forum postings by 49ers and most noticeably
in the Rook country text buffer, I just get the impression that in reality, your herd has very little impact/desire
on "winning the war" or basically doing anything of operational or tactical import which might
actually "contribute" to the Rook war effort. You seem to be gearded mainly towards "griefing" Bishop and Knight
HQs.
  As (if) your squadron and pilots get a better "feel" for the game and its player-base, and develop
your skillsets (beyond bombing and 6 or 8 sector GV parades to HQ/Strats), I think you'll eventually
morph into a herd that gains more respect from the Rooks as well as from the Bishops and Knights.
  In the interim, well......(shrug)

 
 
 

[scott66]

" .but because the 49th has pulled this maneuver off so many times I'm  now paranoid any time I see HQ flash or is down I think it's them and curiosity demands that I go take a look ....those Lil stinkers..."    if you are referring to me 49Dallas that's what I said lol not fear just paranoid

[Grin]

Oddball, lately we're on a Jabo-to-strats kick, focusing on AAA and ammo factories. The past couple days we ran several flights of 5+ Mosquito fighters or Typhoons into the factories, bombed them, then killed trains. Wednesday we were focusing on supportive operations against V-bases, and participated in the defense of one in a canyon against 4 separate enemy missions, including suppression of GVs until auto guns came back up and switching to offense against the enemy V-base on the other side of the canyon wall. We do a lot more than just high-altitude bombing or long GV drives.

[FBKampfer]

I wonder if they realize use of quasi-military terminology doesn't actually improve their tactics or coordination.

I can just hear the 49er vox now, "We've got a tango oscar Mike. Tazz , go Lima, and enfilade his flank, while I shock and awe him from the air with a pincer maneuver!"

"Rodger Colonel field general Dallas! Engaging tango in reverse to confuse and disrupt his command structure!"

"Executing area saturation maneuver, going bingo winchester!"

"Jeep down boys, way to go! Through superior tactics and coordination of our forces, we prevailed against a vastly superior foe"

[DmonSlyr]

Oddball, lately we're on a Jabo-to-strats kick, focusing on AAA and ammo factories. The past couple days we ran several flights of 5+ Mosquito fighters or Typhoons into the factories, bombed them, then killed trains. Wednesday we were focusing on supportive operations against V-bases, and participated in the defense of one in a canyon against 4 separate enemy missions, including suppression of GVs until auto guns came back up and switching to offense against the enemy V-base on the other side of the canyon wall. We do a lot more than just high-altitude bombing or long GV drives.

Seriously, I like yalls squad enthusiasm and all that. And I do think that HQ raid with the vehicles was pretty crafty! But the arugement about the HQ is a no win. It is not about whinning, it is about game machanics that benefit a sustainable player base. Once you realize this isnt about your gaming style, but about the arena constraints in general toward to the HQ, then you will understand the outcry towars this issue.

[The Fugitive]

I wonder why it seems like most of the "old timers" are those types of players who like combat/fighting. You don't see a lot of oldtimers that are into the "win the war", type stuff.

[Guppy35]

I wonder why it seems like most of the "old timers" are those types of players who like combat/fighting. You don't see a lot of oldtimers that are into the "win the war", type stuff.

I don't know if you saw my post up thread, but I'm to the point where I feel like we need an old timers arena just for the air combat types.  And I don't mean the DA.  I keep thinking of that AW arena I started in back in the olden days with three capturable bases that allowed for getting a foothold on the other guys turf but that was it.  You then had to fight for it.  You knew where the fights were going to be, you could buff and cause limited trouble and folks fought at the usual spots on the map.  You got to know the guys across from you and fighting was the order of the day.

I know that all the bells and whistles that have come from the win the war, capture the map additions to the game has attracted a different crowd with a different approach, but I have to believe there are enough of us old timers who would love to have that air combat oriented world again.  I wonder how many guys that have given it up due to the way the game has gone would return to an arena like that again?

Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I'd love to get a few more days running into STS98 near A84 or Crowwe coming across from B83....

[eddiek]

I don't know if you saw my post up thread, but I'm to the point where I feel like we need an old timers arena just for the air combat types.  And I don't mean the DA.  I keep thinking of that AW arena I started in back in the olden days with three capturable bases that allowed for getting a foothold on the other guys turf but that was it.  You then had to fight for it.  You knew where the fights were going to be, you could buff and cause limited trouble and folks fought at the usual spots on the map.  You got to know the guys across from you and fighting was the order of the day.

I know that all the bells and whistles that have come from the win the war, capture the map additions to the game has attracted a different crowd with a different approach, but I have to believe there are enough of us old timers who would love to have that air combat oriented world again.  I wonder how many guys that have given it up due to the way the game has gone would return to an arena like that again?

Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I'd love to get a few more days running into STS98 near A84 or Crowwe coming across from B83....

I'd like to see HT set up an arena with the "old style", or what I've begun calling the "classic" style of play.  The kind where if buffs went on a bombing mission they flew at an alt that guaranteed interception and a fight. 
Some things to steer players towards that style of play might include "jet stream" winds at certain alts, blowing away from the strats. 
Minimal downtime and effect from taking out the HQ and city, thus reducing the impulse for players to log if their HQ got hit while they were playing elsewhere.
Old style, 6K icons for all vehicles and planes.  No more hiding.  Anything you take up can be seen within a 6K distance.
There are other attractions that might draw the old timers back, I am sure.
Give the arenas different names, even call one something like "LW Classic" or something indicative of the style of gameplay in that arena.
Set up a second LW arena for those who prefer the current style of gameplay, then let the players choose which arena they want to play in. 
Then after a month, or two, or even six months, see which arena consistently has the higher attendance.  For all I know, they might be identical numbers, which would indicate what I've already thought, and that the player base is divided on what they want.  Two arenas would seem to be a valid attempt to solve this issue. 
The classic style gameplay would allow those who just have to go hit HQ for strategic purposes to do so without really affecting as many folks as they do currently, or they could log into the other arena and do their thing there is they felt their valiant efforts weren't appreciated or even wanted in the classic arena. 
As for myself, if an arena were setup that fostered the old style gameplay, that is where I would be at every opportunity. 

[Hajo]

Dan and Eddie, Fugi you too!  Classic fighting arena could be a tad smaller then the large maps we have in the MA today.

Mindinao and ND Isles come to mind.  Just a thought.  It would be a good idea to make all bases uncapturable. (is that a word??? LOL)

Griefers will always find a way you know.  Ordnance should not be available.  Either one would work. 

[eddiek]

Whatever would work, Hajo.
My thought was/is that having everything available in a classic gameplay style arena wouldn't neglect anyone.........those who want to fly buffs and bomb could do so, but flying above a certain altitude would be very hard due to the "jet stream" winds, and bomb accuracy would suffer(which it historically did). 
GV types could hop in their favorite tanks and go out and fight, but without the near invisibility advantage they have now........OR enter the other arena with the current settings and gameplay.
Even when I started AH back in Beta, there were buffs, a few base captures, GV battles, GV's attacking bases, etc. 
A second arena with old style settings would, I think, give players a choice.  It would allow those who prefer things the way they are to continue playing their way, and it would allow those of us old farts who remember the early, and what I consider the best days, of AH, to do what we love and loved. 
This proposition is the only way I can think of that doesn't discriminate against either style of play, thus not driving away any more customers.

[Guppy35]

I really believe if it was to happen it would have to be different enough to fit both crowds.  A win the war arena and a win the fight arena.  And to make the last happen you have to make it limited capture.  Smaller map that focuses the fight and the emphasis on the air combat.

The other total war arena would maintain the ability to avoid each other at all costs in the race to win the map that seems to appeal to one part of the player base

[Zoney]

I wonder if they realize use of quasi-military terminology doesn't actually improve their tactics or coordination.

I can just hear the 49er vox now, "We've got a tango oscar Mike. Tazz , go Lima, and enfilade his flank, while I shock and awe him from the air with a pincer maneuver!"

"Rodger Colonel field general Dallas! Engaging tango in reverse to confuse and disrupt his command structure!"

"Executing area saturation maneuver, going bingo winchester!"

"Jeep down boys, way to go! Through superior tactics and coordination of our forces, we prevailed against a vastly superior foe"

That's nothing.   Stampf only allows us to speak German during FSO's.  Unless we are in Japanese planes, then we all just mumble.

[Lusche]

I really believe if it was to happen it would have to be different enough to fit both crowds.  A win the war arena and a win the fight arena.  And to make the last happen you have to make it limited capture.  Smaller map that focuses the fight and the emphasis on the air combat.

The other total war arena would maintain the ability to avoid each other at all costs in the race to win the map that seems to appeal to one part of the player base

Neither arena would offer a place for me

[Wizz]

Neither arena would offer a place for me

you and me both...

We already have a DA and MA guppy come on man

[waystin2]

Neither arena would offer a place for me

I think I would lose interest as well.  I like the Chaos of one big sandbox.