Auto-country swap is slowly hurting what is left of the game.

[CAV]

Could someone explain the reason for having fanatical loyalism to a chess piece that you were randomly assigned to?

For many of us that came from Airwarrior it was away of life. I was a B lander from the first time I logged on to GEnie to the last night of AW. It's just what we do.

Cavalry

[RotBaron]

Could someone explain the reason for having fanatical loyalism to a chess piece that you were randomly assigned to? 

I was randomly assigned to Bishops long ago, I didn’t stay long and have only been back a handful of times, when I do it’s always at night….  Isn’t hard to figure out is it…?

[mERv]

One important point in a three country war is a kind of a loss of loyalty to your country.  It is what makes a country players work well together when things line up every once in a while.   Not hard pan loyalty, just good gaming friends working together fun.  It feels good.

NASCAR saw the same thing happen to them.  Brand loyalty faded and so did the fan base. 

Auto country changing seems innocent but has more negative impact than positive.

nahh, this game got killed when Dale said ill ride this horse until its dead that day in his old office...

[RotBaron]

For many of us that came from Airwarrior it was away of life. I was a B lander from the first time I logged on to GEnie to the last night of AW. It's just what we do.

Cavalry

I’m not sure who “we” is in this statement, obviously there really is no we in AH or there wouldn’t be any that select auto-switch. However, there a majority, at certain times of day a very large majority that prefer to play very similar, at least on one country there is - from about 5am-noon EST.

I can go over to Rooks any time of day and have close to as much fun, so I’m not part of that we unless you ask Poot apparently, whom actually is usually part of that very large majority   

[LCADolby]

People have more fun when the sides are equal.

Auto Switch helps to keep gameplay fun by enabling people to fight for the lowest numbered side.

It does not hurt, don't be stupid 

[1Cane]

I went auto switch when it was 15 vs 3, Now 14 vs 4 and never looked back.
By your logic you prefer 15 vs 3
Never a shortage of fights just a surplus of bad players

[Shuffler]

There are People loyal to a side, and there are people loyal to the game. They are not necessarily the same.

[oTRALFZo]

Country loyalty is much more toxic to the game.

Greater majority of players usually like to stick to one side which is fine. I do tell you that moving around if you can will give you a chance to work and play with others can be a bit refreshing at times. Staying constantly in that chess piece bubble and not getting a chance to fly with everyone in the community will often make you miserable (Hence, I am sure a majority of "cheating" allegations would change if you flew with that guy a bit).

Loyalty to squad first. Chess Piece second. and besides, it makes for great banter when you get vulched by your squaddie on auto switch (Saitek )

[Banshee7]

Country loyalty is much more toxic to the game.

Greater majority of players usually like to stick to one side which is fine. I do tell you that moving around if you can will give you a chance to work and play with others can be a bit refreshing at times. Staying constantly in that chess piece bubble and not getting a chance to fly with everyone in the community will often make you miserable (Hence, I am sure a majority of "cheating" allegations would change if you flew with that guy a bit).

Loyalty to squad first. Chess Piece second. and besides, it makes for great banter when you get vulched by your squaddie on auto switch (Saitek )

This 

[Lusche]

It's not just simply a choice between 'country loyalty' or 'game loyalty'. it's also about playing styles, how one plays the game. Do you play it as a flight sim only, and it's all about that white knuckles while trying to out turn that one opponent - or do you play it as a war sim/game?

I, for one, have been in the latter group for the most time in my AH career. For me it wasn't just about that single fight, it was about that battle and about the war (inasmuch as it shaped the battles. It was about the strategy, it was about the tactics. It was about correctly reading the enemy's intention, trying to guess his moves- Where is this darbar going to? How long did you say hasn't the Bish CV from P12 not been spotted? Where might it be by now? The (insert landgrabbing megasquad) are on with all three wings, where might they be going now? How can I best help with that battle and turn the tide of war?

That's why I was usually country loyal for months, or (in my later career) per tour or at least per map. With auto switch, that doesn't work any more, because you know too much. Of course, you can still be honourable and chose not to make use of that forbidden knowledge, but that limits you and takes all of the above away. Not to mention doing a long range mission to the enemy strats just to get asked to resupply them after you landed and autoswitch struck

[LCADolby]

Country loyalty worked when there was zone bases with strats, 700 players, and multiple large sized squads in an arena. 2008 is long ago

[Animl-AW]

For many of us that came from Airwarrior it was away of life. I was a B lander from the first time I logged on to GEnie to the last night of AW. It's just what we do.

Cavalry

I was also BZ til the end.
When you stick to one side it’s like 3 baseball teams. Just seemed normal/natural.
It was perceived as bad to change. “TRAITOR!!”

WB players may have been different. Several long time traditions from other games were brought together in AH. Everything has been a debate since.

First ones here gave AWers a lot of crap when we migrated, even tho we doubled to tripled long term population. “This is OUR game…”.

I was Rook since 2000, took a long break, been Knit since.

I think this is all out if proportion. <ducks from projectiles>

[Randy1]

All of this has me thinking of DR7.  Well liked across the game for his game skills and friendly nature.  DR changed sides after a very long stay in each country.  That worked very well.

The AKs swap countries for squad play.  That seems to work.

Lussche's post hit the nail on the head.

I have a lot of good game friends on the Rook side.  I would hate to let that go if auto-swap was mandatory.   

Fugi make a very strong point on the crazy attack on the bish last night.  In the recent past the Rooks and Knits have had the same thing happen to them.

[The Fugitive]

All of this has me thinking of DR7.  Well liked across the game for his game skills and friendly nature.  DR changed sides after a very long stay in each country.  That worked very well.

The AKs swap countries for squad play.  That seems to work.

Lussche's post hit the nail on the head.

I have a lot of good game friends on the Rook side.  I would hate to let that go if auto-swap was mandatory.   

Fugi make a very strong point on the crazy attack on the bish last night.  In the recent past the Rooks and Knits have had the same thing happen to them.

I dont think anyone is talking about making auto-switch mandatory. I dont think it hurts the game as those that do do it.... oops I said do-do! are honorable and dont use the info they bring from the previous team.

I think what needs to happen is who ever is leading these groups to hammer a team has to recognize what is happening. I know our squad, the Sik Puppies, once we take over the 20% of one team we switch to the other front. If a team has an overwhelming numbers like in the morning why couldnt they split their team and hit both fronts at the same time? If players could actually do things like this it certainly would help the game, and make it more fun for everyone.