Burma '44 in the CT

[Dennis]

I really appreciate the effort put into all of the setups.

But I'm with the guys who'd like to see an end to the "what if", "for some variety" and "interesting addition" stuff.

Splash1

[oboe]

Buzz.  Thanks for listening and responding.

I hope more people fly Japanese and post comments about the
plane performance matchups.   Its interesting to see.

I really do hope HTC is going to seriously augment the Japanese side with more planes in v1.11.   I thought that was going to happen in v1.10, but instead we got just 2 of the 9 new A/C.  With Target:Rabaul nearing open beta, I'm afraid we're going to lose the few dedicated Japanese pilots we have unless something is done.

AH could still offer something TR cannot if it concentrates on later war Japanese planes like the Ki.44, Ki.84, Ki.100, and J2M3 (I know both the Ki.44 and J2M3 will be present in the first TR distribution, but they will not be used in the game).   Mid- to Late-war is where the best matchups lie IMHO anyway, actual history notwithstanding.

[Wilbus]

The thing with TR is, that after the release everybody can make their own planes thanks to the Targetware engine. Don't be surprised if the players start making their own planes and add, and if they are good enough maybe the TR team are willing to add them in the public download or something, depending on the team of course. Otherwise the players can just use them them selfes in their own servers. So the late war planes will come for sure in TR aswell, maybe faster then we all think.

[Kweassa]

Isn't A6M5b a 1943 plane?

[Kweassa]

Oh, and by the way, the P-40Bs, F4F-4s vs A6M2s were very well balanced against each other, and fighting them(in both sides) was a very interesting experience in previous Burma setup.

 The A6M2 is not as incompetent as it seems.

 Be it 1 vs 1, or many vs many, the A6M2 holds its own against the P-40B and the "MILD"cats .

[ergRTC]

If you want bnz that ki cant be beat in this scenario.  

Last night I was dogging in a p40 against catseye in a a6m2, I came in with mucho alt, but no difference he eventually got the upper hand (he is darn good in those clouds).  The only way I could get away is to slowly get him down to the deck (a6m2 can outdive a p40, even turning at 400 mph) and then out run him at tree level, which is really the only place where the p40 speed stands out at normal altittudes.  

Fight lasted for 15 minutes nobody died but I think cats coulda smoked me 3 times but was just being nice.

As far as group tactics, any of these planes will have fits 2vs1.  

I am going to try to get my wing to fly p47s tonight,  hehehe

[Jaekart]

Just a side note and an agreement with Kweassa.  I was restless last night and went into the CT around 3 AM (CST).  I was flying our Squads Normal Bird, the Ki-61, and doing fairly well with it  Nothing super, yet I was finding a few fights, mixing it up, and surviving most of them.  Got a few Kills, and got killed by a few, LOL  The only A/C on the allied side that outran me was an A20G! That thing is virtually uncatchable when it decides to run.

    The point of My Post is that while flying between A25 and A26, I spotted the unmistakable White of an A6M2 mixing it up with varios birds, Hurries, Spits, P40's and P47's.  Each time I thought to myself, " Oh Lord, I better get over there and Help that Guy ! "  Instead of assisting another player survive, I was treated to some Superlative Aircraft Handling.  It was like I was watching an areial ballet.  There was no doubt in my mind, that I was watching an artist at work, one that had completely Mastered the tool that He was using.  The only times I even saw an enemy plane fire on him was in a 2 vs 1 engagement, and I think they were desparation shots, as the tracers were nowhere near him.  Each time I saw Him fire, I saw an enemy plane fall from the sky or explode.   Eventually, while I was flying orbits around this show, a message appeared on the Country text buffer.

" Ryu :  I'm RTB for ammo . "  

  A few minutes later, while I was doing my best to stay between Ryu and any enemy A/C so he could return to base, the text buffer popped up with:

   " Ryu has landed 7 kills in an A6M2 of .... "

  Ryu, that was a beautiful display of the Mastery of a machine.

While I know that the supply of Ryu's is limited, it provides me with the hope that one day I shall be able to Master an Aircraft in the same manner.

Ryu helped Me remember an important lesson.  Those that do not know their aircraft inside out, front to back, side to side, often die in those aircraft.  I intend to learn My aircraft, to the best of My ability, instead of feeling outclassed by a "better" aircraft.

[Löwe]

The Guys that set up these CT scenarios, really have a a hard time trying to please everyone.
I understand that. The ETO's are usually better balanced than the PTO's. It's not the CM's fault they only have so much to work with. It's not a fault of HTC ethier, HTC is a business, and the popularity of USA, and European aircraft dictates, that these are the planes to add first.
To face facts not nearly as many people have shown interest in the Japanese plane set, the Italian, and USSR planesets could use some additions as well.
So my pissing and moaning is really useless, and I ethier need to accept the fact that flying Japanese is a challenge, and press on, fly,and shutup, or move on to another side or sim.
Splash1 would like to see more what if scenarios, thats great if you have enough what if aircraft. If you don't the question what if, can be easily answered. The side with 3 types of aircraft that are mediocore, are going to get their face kicked in by the side that has mediocore, and more modern types.
Example the last Kurel islands setup.
Yes Kweassa the A6m5 was a 1943 aircraft it came out about the same time as the F6F3. The A6m5 stands up well against it's foes.
The pilot quality of the IJN had been decimated by that time though due to Midway, and the pilot attrition of the Solomons battles.The A6m3 came out in 1942, and was a bit of an improvement over the A6m2, but not as vast of improvement as the A6m5.
Buzzbait is correct though the A6M5 was not used in Burma, the CBI, China Burma India theater was really more of a IJAAF show, and to be perfectly honest we're still better off in early Burma flying A6m2s, than we would be flying Ki-43's.
Erg I agree with you that the P-40B, vs the A6m2 is advantage A6m2, and to be honest I'd rather be in a A6M5, than a P-40E.
The F4F, is a much better plane than the A6M2, in my opinion, and the way the FM2 is flying it's almost more of a threat than the F6F.
Hopefully someday all the planesets will be full, but the damn list of missing aircraft for all countries is still pretty vast, and the folks at HTC have to get some sleep every now and then.
Don't take my whines as a lack of appreciation for what these CM's do. If it wasn't for them I wouldnt even fly AH, because I am not a Main Arena type. If some of you are convinced that the A6M2 is a great aircraft and I just suck and don't know how to fly it, you may well have a point. I am not one of those Ace of the Base, types that can fly everything well. I can hold my own in P47's, F6F's, FW-190s, and Bf-109s.
The Ki-61, and A6M5 I do pretty fair in, the A6m2 is a damn death trap for me, and it's not like I havent spent a lot of time in it.
I have yet to see the big advantage people says it has in any setup yet though.
CM's keep up the good work feedback  be it glowing or critical is a good thing guys, it's never an attack on you or HTC.
If people don't get opinions, and ideas out, nobody benefits.
Salute!

[ergRTC]

I think another thing that trips up the CT and historical scenarios, is the fact that they were not evenly matched in history, and if they were it was only for a little time.  

The other problem is that numbers cannot be represented no matter what the cms try.  Lets say the majority fighter aircraft in some battle was the zero vs the f4f but there were a couple of kis and f4us.  We replicate that plane set and its probably going to be even numbers of f4u f4fs zeros and kis.  That means it will be a very unbalanced arena (well actually that would be pretty even, but you get the idea).

I love the CT, but I cant wait for the mission arena.

[Kweassa]

Ryu is brave enough to fly Zeros in the MA

 He's the one of the few guys who ups in a Zero and comes back alive

[Sixpence]

lol, axis pilots complain about allied planes, allied pilots complain about axis planes. The more things change the more they stay the same:cool:

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Löwe
Splash1 would like to see more what if scenarios, thats great if you have enough what if aircraft. If you don't the question what if, can be easily answered. The side with 3 types of aircraft that are mediocore, are going to get their face kicked in by the side that has mediocore, and more modern types.
Example the last Kurel islands setup.

Not that it's a huge deal or that being misquoted is terribly critical here ....
but I wrote that "I'm with the guys who'd like to see an _END_ to the 'what if', 'for some variety' and 'interesting addition' stuff."

Ergo, I _don't_ want to see more of it.

Geez Löwe, you can't even let me agree with you?  

Splash1

[Löwe]

Originally posted by Dennis


Not that it's a huge deal or that being misquoted is terribly critical here ....
but I wrote that "I'm with the guys who'd like to see an _END_ to the 'what if', 'for some variety' and 'interesting addition' stuff."

Ergo, I _don't_ want to see more of it.

Geez Löwe, you can't even let me agree with you?  

Splash1

Damn sorry Splash1!!
Guess I worked myself into a frenzy on this subject, even more reason for me to shutup.
My apologies Dennis

[HiJack]

Lowe,Lowe,Lowe When will it ever end, just have another Stag and jump into that lil ole rice burner, thank the Emporer for the opportunity to die for him and face it like the man you are!  Oh ya and by the way, stay the hell off my 6, that goes for Jester too!

[Kweassa]

After a first real try-out, I think the plane set is very interesting.

 I flied for both sides today, and it was a enjoyable experience for both sides even though the Allies consistently had about 10 more people. Situations changed in a very fast tempo so it was pretty hard to figure out who was advantaged and who was disadvantaged.

 But you have to admit, once SpitVs are in, all the majority of the people were flying SpitVs. Only one~two people in P-47s, and just as much in Hurricanes. No P-40s were to be seen.

 But nevertheless, the Ki-61 and the SpitV is a very interesting match up, and thogh the allies have speed, altitude and firepower to their side, one mistake and they all succumbed to the Zeros - like ants swarming on a dead rat

 When the Allied were flying in orderly, well organzied manner, they were a big threat, and seeing the high Allied planes looming around was a very frightening sight .. but without strict discipline gone, the advantage quickly shifted to the Japanese planes - very historical!
 
 Thus, JP tactics formed  naturally.. faster Ki-61s, with great dive, would engage and lure allied planes low. Once low, the Zeros kick in and most Allied planes seemed to fal under panic jumping into low fights - though they had numbers, they split up, their collective and orderly formation was shattered, they were isolated, and got shot down one by one. After that, whilst the shotdown Allied were reforming, the Ki-61s chased the few survivors and got them too.

 All in all, Burma showed its potential for interesting tactics. And even though the IJAAF and IJN planes are seemingly disadvantaged, hey, guess what, real pilots had to put up with disadvantaged situations. And it wasn't so disadvantageous that it couldn't be overcome with good tactics

 Ah, I love the CT.