Comments regarding the Big Week scenario:
- The scenario was well thought and an incredible amount of fun to play, i had only been on AH for around a month and it was the most fun i had by far.
On a tactical point of view B17´s needed gunners, on final run my whole wing was busy with bombsight and we got completely wasted, maybe it was bad luck but gunners would have made a big diference.
Technicaly side i got a great connection the whole time (even though i connect from Argentina); I did get bluescreen of death bug on 2 of the 3 frames i played though, and both times on important moments (during final run on b17) maybe its related to density of airplanes/people per space?.
banana did a great job on the walkon assigments, fast efficient and everyone pretty much got what they wanted.
Both sides CO´s (i played one frame as german) did a great job and my flight leaders took me to where we were supposed to be without hassle, channel 1 (all) should be banned though, on frame 4 there was a leak of information (b17s target being called on channel 1).
General comments regarding Aces High scenarios, events, CMs:
- Scenarios are the reason i joined AH, i didnt know what they were, but in my mind a World War II combat sim had to be something like what bigweek was, MA is tons of fun and i understand it would be imposible to have a full realism scenario going on 24/7, but i would like to have at least 8 hours of scenario per month.
Now that 60 years anniversaries of the biggest events on WW2 are aproaching i think you should put a lot of effort and time to recreate them, i would certainly love both to fly there and then download the whole edited films (any way of putting them on the webpage? or making a cd?.
I heard TODs are similar but i need to find myself a squad first.
I had little contact with CMs, but for what ive seen and heard they are doing a terrific job although they seem a little overwhelmed.
Ive heard comments about scenarios rules being too strict and not allowing CO´s to use tactics that would improve their posibilities, im not a veteran so i really wouldnt know, but i think if CO´s had started to do small flaking and probing bombing and field straffing cap for example it would have made the whole experience a lot like MA from the pilots point of view; when ive read Bigweek i pictured big formations of b17s being swarmed by FW190s, and thats what happened and i doubt without the rules it would have been like that.
Finally i would like to help in any way i can with the CM team, but as i said im basicaly a dweeb in AH, i do have some online community gaming experience (mmorpgs for over 5 years, battletech for 4) and have a decent enough knowledge of WW2 air warfare history, so if you can think of any way for me to help just contact me and we can work it out.
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Comments regarding the Big Week scenario:
- My group II./JG 106 was the had the most axis kills and I had the most as an individual pilot. There needs to be a better set of rules. What ever comment I have that is not "positive" is instantly considered a whine so I will let just say that the planning and execution of this scanario was excellant by the cms involved. Dowding did a heck of job. However, I dis-agree with the allied approach to these things so I mostly likely I am finished with them.
I have participated in every scenario and in every frame that we have had in AH so far. I had different expectations as to the direction the PLAYERS and participants were headed in.
General comments regarding Aces High scenarios, events, CMs:
- AK and HS set the standards imho and going into BW the stage was set by the cms to out do the other 2.
I cant in go into an event in that is nothing more then a "snapshot". I did a lot of check 6's and snapshots when I 1st came to Ah expecting a more "historically immersive" stting then the main. Unfortunatley they became nothing more then a "mini-main".
BW to me became nothing more then the "main with registration". I could have cared less whether I got killed 2 min into ever frame and the lw was slaughtered. I dont care for gimmicks or "gamey" main type things.
I and my squad take a serious approach to these things. We test and practice and research. I am too much of a hot head when I see things that imho are nothing more then a way to "get over" on me. every buff in bw I killed was an easy kill. I not taking away from the allied pilots but buffs are easy to kill in any event arena unless they are flown in a very tight disciplined formation. All my kills were from dead 6. I am only pointing this out to show I am not a "sore loser" or someone whos upset over "uber buffs".
I am not one to "go along to get along" if it pisses me off I am gonna tell ya. With this in mind it would be better if I just remove myself from situations where I will get pissed and then vent in a way that causes other to get pissed and diminish the fun of the rest.
If in a Big Week scenario NOE buff runs and the others things I saw and read about in the allied forum are the new standard of Ah scenarios then thats fine I know they aren't for me.
That said the cms have done a great job and I have no ill will or anything bad to say about the guys that pull these things off.
S!
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Comments regarding the Big Week scenario:
- Seemed like it was over too soon, I'm used to 6 frame scenarios. With only four frames, everyone just starts to get warmed up, then there's nothing left to be warmed up for.
I really don't like the signup method of getting the squads signed up, then expecting a GL to magically 'appear.' GLs should be pre-registered, then allowed to pre-register a FL of their choice, too.
General comments regarding Aces High scenarios, events, CMs:
- It seems to me like the events team is trying to keep it all to themselves, and not doing too good a job at it.
Check out this link...
http://www.smguild.org IMO, the events team should be there to help players create events, instead of only putting out their idea of what an event should be. A single team controlled by one person will stagnate and only appeal to certain people. A variety of teams, creating different types of events, will appeal to different people at different times, and get more people overall interested in events.
Right now, TODs are the only events in AH that are worth a crap. Snapshots are worthless, trying to create an organized event on the spur of the moment. Check Six events (which are much like AW's Warnights) are nonexistant. Full blown scenarios are rare (even though we've been promised more), and not planned well. Wild Wednesdays took a good, time honed event (KOTH), and threw out many of the rules that made it work.
(honestly, though, I never cared for KOTHs much, either)
And where oh where is the 'HATE'?!?!?!?
YMMV
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Comments regarding the Big Week scenario:
- The logistics of getting so many people together (even via Internet) in one place at one time are staggering. <S> to the CMs for pulling it off. The usual communications problems getting ready just before the event were evident, but I see this as part of the scenario. I'm sure preparations for a big raid by the 8th AF were no less chaotic.
The big debate about historical accuracy didn't bother me much. The most important thing about the scenarios to me is the planesets and the terrains. I still enjoy the game most when planesets are allies vs axis, rather than all mixed up. Shooting down a Lancaster with a Spitfire over the Phillipines just doesn't feel right.
General comments regarding Aces High scenarios, events, CMs:
- These events are excellent ways to mix blood among the players. You often find yourself flying with people you hardly know because they fly another country in MA, you fly with non-squadmates more intimately, and in general do things you might not otherwise have thought of. New friends and new enemies are always fun
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Comments regarding the Big Week scenario:
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General comments regarding Aces High scenarios, events, CMs:
- While I know there is a lot of hard work involved in setting up these. But allowing registration where you are to just sign up in the squadron you want is a problem IMHO. I beleive it is better to have everyone sign up and state a "preference" as to fighter or bomber. And a choice of flying together with squaddies would be a very welcome addition. While its not always possible there is a feeling among squad mates who fly all year long together in the MA that makes for a much better coordination among flyers in the event. I would much rather fly in the event with other VMF 111 on my wing than people I don't know there. But it is refreshing sometimes to fly with others, I still prefer to be with my m8's. FA used to have a really good system for their events. And a couple of their events had 700 to 800 people rgeistered and ran the events in 4 diff arenas. The combatpilot.com website I beleive has been taken down so it would be hard to explain. I might be able to find out who ran it and give you their email addy if you wanted it if so just give me a holler if you would like to pick their brain for ideas. Over all though these have been a good and fun experience for me and I look forward to the future.