Tactical effect of clouds

[dosequis]

Somebody mentioned that HT was going to put
in "good weather" clouds, from 12-22k. I think this makes for a good paramter. This pushes fights higher, with the effect of being able to dive to clouds to escape, and low alt fights it will not be a factor.

I hope that HTC also spaces cloud formations farther apart, modelling nicer days, such that it will be very possible to bounce someone and have them not have a nearby cloud bank to dive for.

Finally, I want to say that Sun Blindness should be easy and next up, and the combo of clouds and sun blindness will really be great. I haven't had good clouds since online SDOE.

XX
Flying Pigs

[leonid]

dosequis,

I think you may have missed something.  Clouds are a great place to pounce from!  Thus, it may result that many aircraft will use clouds to 'perch' from, hidden from view of lower aircraft.  Also, if higher aircraft appear, then any aircraft among the clouds can put them to immediate, good use, and duck out of sight below.

Addendum:  And one last thing: where do you think the entire air war on the Russian front was fought?  Low-mid altitude (16,000ft and below).

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129 IAP VVS RKKA




[This message has been edited by leonid (edited 11-10-1999).]

[fats]

Leonid,

At least the Finnish BW pilots late in the war always hoped for clouds making it easier to get away from the faster and more numerous Russian air craft.

And that's the way I see it as well, clouds are for the slower a/c to escape into. The faster a/c won't need them to be able to escape.


//fats

[leonid]

fats,
I totally agree with you and dosequis, and I fully intend on using them for that very purpose in my mid-war aircraft.  I also think that since clouds will obscure icons (and dots), that the danger of the high bounce will take on a new dimension.

But, I may be wrong  

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129 IAP VVS RKKA

[Lephturn]

The big question for me is... what about the icons.  Clouds won't work right if there is a big honkin' neon sign sticking up while I'm trying to hide my Jug in the clouds before pouncing on some unsuspecting FW (read fats  .

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Lephturn
The Flying Pigs

[Westy]

hee he he. Nailed Fats in his Spit while I
was in a 109. He no likey that  

--Westy

[fats]

Leph:

I would just warp_roll_run away from you.

Wish HTC would release the damn thing already though, I'm going nuts checking the www pages for the update every 30mins or so.


//fats

[Stiglr]

Here are some operative burning questions:

1) Will cloud-obscured icons be a simple 'see em or don't' or will they be subject to partial masking like the plane object itself? My vote is that icons are yes/no, and the actual plane, or dot might wink in and out...

2) Will we get all kinds of cloud formations? For me, it's not enough just to have them in one alt band, or in one form. Do it right, and have times of low clouds layers (pissing off our high alt laser-Norden buff guys), have some wispy, thin strata other times, have big puffy thunderheads other times, etc.

3) Hiding in clouds: everything I've read suggested that air in many clouds was so violent and unstable that people did NOT make a habit of staying in clouds for tactical benefit. Perhaps momentarily, and of course as an escape maneuver, but not as a stalking method. They would use the cloud to keep between them and an enemy for time, is my understanding. Will the violent air also be modelled in the clouds that had them?

[leonid]

 

No, there won't be icons displayed in the clouds.

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Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

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129 IAP VVS RKKA