Adding another darbar (not dotdar) for GVs would definitely promote more combat.
I asked about this a while back and HT seemed in favor of the idea - that is, letting people know that there were tanks in a certain area so GVs could know where a ground fight is.
A darbar for tanks would help quite a bit in this regard. Another idea would be to have the GV spawn arrow flash red when a GV has spawned into your base. Unfortunately a flashing base doesn't tell you the nature of the threat, when it realistically probably should.
In my opinion, a combination of things has made GVing far more favorable in AH3, but made things worse for game play:
1) We now have considerably more trees in AH3. This greatly favors GVs trying to move around undetected. Of, course this is not very realistic, without tracks showing where a tank moved, or roads allowing for much faster movement. Now tanks just roll through dense forests mostly with impunity and hit the E key anytime an enemy is nearby, instantly becoming virtually undetectable from the air or ground.
2) The shortened GV icon range that was lowered in AH2 persists in AH3, where it is now far less needed. It was shortened in AH2 to make it easier for tanks to move undetected and reward tanks for successfully scurrying from cover to cover (of which there was considerably less in AH2). Now there is literally cover everywhere, extending right up to and even ON TO the bases. This makes it easy for GVs to roll right onto bases, kill a VH or camp runways/spawns. If there is a single air con in the sector, they can do this without anyone knowing. So, I would strongly recommend the GV icon ranges also be increased back to somewhere closer to the earlier AH2 settings.
3) With tanks now able to roll right onto enemy bases, the ineffective layout of base guns really should be addressed. There are gun pits that have virtually no field of fire approaching the base (toward the enemy). Many gun's field of fire, particularly off the field, are extremely limited or even completely obscured by stands of trees literally yards from the gun pits. This is particularly bad for V-bases and Ports, which have no other defensive options once the VH down or camped. In addition, the new elevated 17-lb gun positions don't even have the depression to fire at tanks on the base, when they can finally see them. This allows for the current game-play, where GVs roll right onto an enemy base, unseen in their approach, camp a VH/spawn, wait for a few uppers to kill and then run away back into the trees without ever being seen.
I think a GV "dar-bar" would be an improvement, but addressing these other 3 items would help with gameplay as well.
Bear in mind, I am someone who likes to play in GVs. I was the one who suggested (wish-listed) and advocated for the original reduction in GV icon range in AH2, making it dymamic based on whether you are moving or under cover. I also strongly believe the game should be about combat and not hours of "hide and seek" to no avail, which the current layout favors. I think this combination of issues is enough to warrant a change.
My two cents.
<S>
KP
