The effect is that the HQ is down much less, especially at low times with few players on (when it also had the worst impact). 100K of damage now means you need 3 sets of Lancasters with all bombs spot on. Downtime can be greatly extended by bombing the city first, so we still have a target worthy of big raids - it's just that single players can't sneak their way to the HQ for maximum disruption anymore. Effort and results are more balanced now.
The 'down all day' thing just happened because the Knights had captured a vehicle base spawning to it and the Bish were incapable to get it back - despite having 3 uncapturable airfields around it and the next Knight airfield about 5 sectors away.
I agree with the hardness setting. Others in my squadron may not. The CO who posts the majority of the missions agrees with the new setting (hardness) as well.
Ill have a personal whine for just a second here. Many people and I mean many complain about having to put in effort to destroy the HQ or lack there of. The 49th puts in a ton of effort to do this when they take M3s. I say they simply because the farthest I will drive is 2 sectors and that is very rare, I like short flights then tons of action. Anyways, The planning they put in takes time then the driving is a pain in the arse and takes away from IMO alot of fun, If seen half way through and engaged most will die in the first engagement, If the very few AA platforms DO kill the aircraft that spots them then the location is known to the whole enemy force and in 5min several 190s and A20s show up. Ive heard VOX when that happens and the raid is a failure.
Now look at the terrain crossed. there are rivers valleies steep mountains ect that cant be crossed for several sectors finding the proper route takes time too. There is a lot of work involved in these raids Effort is extensively put in to these long and boring raids results were and still are balanced for the HQ GV raiders. Arguements stating otherwise are invalid unless you have been through the process to do it successfully. If you havent done it and just say its easy to do then lets see it. I guarentee that if the HQ is flashing and no dar around it you will be found if the 49th or anyone has participated with the 49th in these raids will find you. If the DAR goes down and never flashes then you have sucessfully done it and know how it works its just harder to find a small group of GVs in that big of a radious surrounding an HQ.
But the lone lanc NOE killing it IMO was bad. 4-5 NOE Lancs staying hidden and doing it put some effort in to doing so.
