I think that the biggest problem with the current set-up is that the map is very stagnant as far as base captures go, perhaps the most stagnant I have ever seen. All battles from the center are uphill time-line-wise, that is players must use earlier war planes to fight progressively later war planes. I knew that this would become and issue, but figured that it could easily be overcome by the lopsided numbers that we often see in the CT.
I think the multi-era theme has had too great of an impact on game-play, especially the way it was implemented this week. The CT this week could have moved to mid and late war front line fights, but has instead remained early war with an occasional jet and Tempest showing up. It would have worked better if there were more of a reward for base capture. As it stands this week, if you capture a base using 1941 planes, you get 1942 planes. With these 1942 planes you must fight against 1943 planes, unless you fight laterally, in which case you are fighting against the same era. My original idea for this set-up included a new map idea with closer bases. With the current set-up, if you don't like any of the front line planes, you are looking at a minimum 50 mile flight just to get to the enemies front line base.
I'm not sure why, but I never saw the Allies putting up an offensive campaign, and am not sure if German territory was ever captured, not what I expected with the numbers advantage to the Allies. It seemed as if the Allies were only trying to recover lost land. I did see some Allied fighter sweeps into German land, but no base capture task groups.
I still like the one-fighter-per-base idea though. I figured that the Axis had the plane advantage early war/mid-map, and the Allies would hold the advantage late war/on the edges. I have found, however, that the Hurri IIC is a very competitive match for the 109E, if not a superior aircraft. I also loved the one plane type verses another fights that occurred. As I figured from the beginning, one side usually had an aircraft advantage, but there were also some very good match-ups this week. The 109G-2s from the Finish CV had some great fights against the Spit Vs at A23, and also matched well against P-47D-11s at A-36.
OK, enough of my thoughts, what (if anything) about this weeks set-up did you like?
What didn't you like?
Did you try this weeks set-up, and did you fly more or less than you have in the recent past (in the CT)?
If it were to be repeated, what would you change? (Map, less of an uphill time-line fight, more than one plane per base, more bombers, drop the multi-era concept, etc.)
Did this set-up give you any new ideas for a future set up, in any way?
eskimo
