My .02 to this brainstorming session.
The high penalty for death may do more harm then good for this new arena.
It promotes milkruning by hunting AI while avoiding each other.
Punishes the newbi and low skill players by having them retrace their steps in training. These players will be frustrated the most and may not come back.
I believe the 'will to live' will be inherent in the system as it stands without having to penalize it further. If you die in a mission, you must wait for the next. There is no insta spawn back into the same fight like the MA. This is a result most gamers can barely stand.
"... forced to engage,but will want to live. " some ideas:
To advance in rank you must succeed at your mission and survive. If you dont succeed and survive, you don't advance but you don't go back either.
Make the gaining of rank meaningful. Think of each rank as a 'level' in traditional RPGs, offering new and better toys to play with. The toys could be better aircraft, better maintance, the ability to be a flight leader, etc.
Successful rpgs have 2 things in common.
Varied 'classes' that cater to the wide range of individual tastes of the players. Bomber school, jabo school, fighter school, armor school, Command school (the ability to get involved in mission planning) could serve as separate advancement trees.
Carrots. the reward for advancement. Whanna fly that spit? Become a capt. until then learn to luv the hurri. Imagine an English Channel setup with rookies flying 109e's, veterns flying 109f's , and experts getting the new 190s. Wanna lead a squadron into battle? become a maj. you get the idea.