This thread has sprung from a thread by oboe, in which he proposed giving people 30 (fighter) perks to change from the side with most numbers to the one with the fewest. The details need to be worked out, but this sounds promising.
If this were combined with giving each player, say 100 fighter perks at the start of each month, AND we made perks mean something by charging for more planes, even just a few perks...then we might solve several problems:
1. Promote more balanced numbers by bribing people with perks to switch sides. Also, the side with fewest players will have the cheapest perk planes, and since so many popular planes would become perked...well you know how free markets work.
2. Reduce the number of currently un-perked, yet uber planes, like the La-7, and P51-D.
3. Encourage people to survive their missions, resulting in fewer dweebish suicides. Even if you're not flying a perk plane, there will be more incentive to land your missions in order to get more perks (which now really have value).
4. Increase the use of less popular planes for two reasons: they're free, and victories gained in them provide valuable perks for other rides.
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Now, here's the hard part: which planes do you now charge perks to fly, and how much do you charge? Here is a suggestion. (Keep in mind that each player will receive 100 fighter perks at the start of each month, plus be able to get perks by changing to the side with fewest numbers.)
200 Perks
Me-262
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100 Perks
Me-163
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80 Perks
Tempest
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70 Perks
Spit XIV
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60 Perks
Fw-190D-9, F4U-4
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50 Perks
La-7
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45 Perks
Bf-109G-10
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40 Perks
Ta-152
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30 Perks
F4U-1C, Ki-84
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25 Perks
P-51D
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20 Perks
Typhoon
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12 Perks
P-51B, F4U-1D
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10 Perks
F4U-1, Yak -9U, Spit IX, La-5, all P-47s, all Fw-190s (except D-9)
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7 Perks
P-38L, N1K2
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6 Perks
C. 205
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4 Perks
Spit V
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I'm looking forward to your thoughtful, constructive comments.
MRPLUTO
P.S. On this scale, I'd probably put the Ki-84 at about 30 perks.