Proposal for the implimentation of meaningful strategic bombing in Aces High

[Karnak]

While the effect, or lack thereof, of strategic bombing in WWII can be debated endlessly, in this game, being very aircraft focused, it is reasonable that strategic bombing should play a significant role in the war game.  The trick has always been finding a method of doing so that does not negatively impact other aspects of the game.  I believe this proposal accomplishes that goal.


Design requirements I had in mind when creating this proposal:

1) Create a system in which strategic bombing plays a required role that is flexible to adjustments for gameplay balancing purposes.
2) Increase the significance of strategic targets.
3) Minimize the impact of the strategic bombing on the fighter vs fighter aspect of the game.
4) Utilize existing assets in the creation of the new system.


In brief, the proposed system ties the respawn rate of the town buildings to the damage percentage of the strategic targets in a manner that makes taking a base very difficult if the strategic targets are undamaged, yet progressively easier as the strategic targets sustain more damaged.  The specific relationship between town respawn rate and percentage of the strategic targets that are destroyed can be easily modified by changing the ratios to suit gameplay needs.

This proposal would be to dramatically increase the respawn rate for buildings and defensive guns in the town when supplied by undamaged strategic targets.  Structures and guns on airfields, vehicle bases and ports would be unaffected and would continue to behave exactly as they do now. The effects of damage to strategic targets on respawn rates for town structures would be greatly increased.  For example a town supplied by a strategic target that was 100% up might have a gun and building respawn rate of around ten minutes while a town supplied by a city at 0% could have a respawn rate of an hour. Another change would be to eliminate the ability for the City strategic target to be resupplied by players.  Players would still be able to resupply factories, bases, towns and the HQ in order to bring them back up more rapidly.  The purpose to removing the ability to resupply the City is to ensure that strikes against it result in a useful amount of time in which to capture bases.  Obviously the exact numbers, including City structure respawn rates, would need to be tweaked for gameplay.  The intention is not for players planning on taking a base to have to hit strategic targets before, or at the same time, that they try to take a base; rather the intention is that players who want to bomb strategic targets to have a measurable impact on the war for a couple of hours or so.  At the same time I would also propose to increase the score value of strategic targets to at least match that of the town's score value.  When I initially created this proposal my thought was to tie the town respawn rate to the city alone.  I now think it could also make sense to include one or both of the AA Factory and Barracks Facilities.

The effect this would have would be to have periodic strikes on the city, and perhaps other strategic targets, make capturing territory much easier than attempting to capture territory while ignoring strategic elements of the game.  At the same time this should not affect the ability of an outnumbered side to fight or impinge on the ability of fighter vs fighter brawls to occur.  In addition this would introduce more high altitude bomber raids, an integral part of WWII air combat that is largely missing from the main arenas of Aces High.  My expectation is that the damage to the strategic targets needed to enable effective territory gains would be accomplished largely by the players who like to bomb things and that it would not often be an additional burden on the players who just want to capture towns.

One algorithm I came up (mathematics is not my strong point) with produced these numbers, rounded to the nearest minute:

100%: 10 minutes
095%: 10 minutes
090%: 11 minutes
085%: 12 minutes
080%: 13 minutes
075%: 15 minutes
070%: 17 minutes
065%: 20 minutes
060%: 23 minutes
055%: 26 minutes
050%: 30 minutes
045%: 34 minutes
040%: 39 minutes
035%: 43 minutes
030%: 48 minutes
025%: 51 minutes
020%: 54 minutes
015%: 56 minutes
010%: 57 minutes
005%: 58 minutes
000%: 60 minutes

(Yes, Lusche, this was the post I mentioned I was working on about a month ago)

[guncrasher]

this is how it was in aw.  and I maybe wrong but didnt the big boss said no to this idea already?

semp

[Guppy35]

Way too complicated

Might just want to make it matter if you can get an ungunn3e Mossie over the HQ to drop bombs while an important speech is being made

[Karnak]

this is how it was in aw.  and I maybe wrong but didnt the big boss said no to this idea already?

semp

No, AW had an airplane factory (Spitfires) that if destroyed denied those fighters to the side that lost the factory.  That idea violates the implicit rules of not blocking the fighter vs fighter aspect of the game and it also sabotages the outnumbered side by removing the low ENY fighters they are supposed to be compensated with from their inventory.

Way too complicated

Might just want to make it matter if you can get an ungunn3e Mossie over the HQ to drop bombs while an important speech is being made

Dunno Guppy.  I think it is pretty simple.  Hit the city, make the town respawn time longer.

[phatzo]

Having to bomb the HQ when all other win the war objects are met to finalise the deal would be interesting. Just sit back and think of that for a minute and the ensuing mayhem, could be fun.

[Guppy35]

Dunno Guppy.  I think it is pretty simple.  Hit the city, make the town respawn time longer.

Just messing with ya by trying to get the Mossie history reference in

I'm allergic to bombs so in the end it really won't matter to me.  If there is something to get the bomber guys interested in things beyond killing fighter hangers, I'm all for it.

[Karnak]

Just messing with ya by trying to get the Mossie history reference in

I'm allergic to bombs so in the end it really won't matter to me.  If there is something to get the bomber guys interested in things beyond killing fighter hangers, I'm all for it.

The interrupted speeches and light raids meant to do no more than trigger all the air raid sirens to deny sleep to the workers were interesting Mossie events, but I don't see a way to work those into the game. 

[EskimoJoe]

Something I had in mind. It could be made where the town's downtime is affected
by the number of resupply convoys (or trains, or barges) that reach it?

Destroying a strategic target would mean convoys (etc.) would 'spawn', or drive to
their town less often.

This would re-introduce another fun element to the game, that is anti convoy/anti-
train/anti-shipping duties for capturing a base.

[Noir]

love the idea, I already can picture squads circling the strats at max cruise in formation, waiting for them bombers to show up.

[Chilli]

 

[DemonFox]

I think it's a good idea but I kinda think it could be fine tuned more seems a little rough. Not sayin I could do any better but I think someone could. Besides the point +1
But only as long as I get the PBY-5A 

[gyrene81]

But only as long as I get the PBY-5A 

*sidetrack* out of curiosity, what do you fly on a regular basis now?



i don't personally give 2 nickels about strategic anything but landing a sortie most of the time but i did like the old strat system...if karnak's ideas would improve the strat system in place now +1

[thndregg]

Anything well thought out like this that goes toward giving us bomber nuts something meaningful to do without negatively impacting but yet promoting the fight is worth investigation. There must be some strategic element worth ATTACKING AND DEFENDING AGAINST attack. That creates (dare I say it), a fight.

[DemonFox]

Gyrene currently I bomb in the Ju-88 and B-25C most commonly. I fight in P-39Q and 109 E4
And I do like the idea +1
And still +1 for PBY 

[Noir]

Gyrene currently I bomb in the Ju-88 and B-25C most commonly. I fight in P-39Q and 109 E4
And I do like the idea +1
And still +1 for PBY 

I think our pathes crossed ingame...keep doing that