ability to pick up downed pilot

[wiskyfog]

It would be so cool to be able to land,pick up a downed pilot to give a ride back to the base.

[iron650]

Yes, it would but where would the pilot go?

+1 anyway

[gyrene81]

Yes, it would but where would the pilot go?

+1 anyway

in the trunk...or the car seat for those areas that require a seat belt.

[badhorse]

Not sure it would be all that workable in the game. Why wait around when you can just re-up.

But in real life.....

Major Bernard F. Fisher's Medal of Honor Citation


For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On that date, the Special Forces camp at A Shau was under attack by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army regulars. Hostile troops had positioned themselves between the airstrip and the camp. Other hostile troops had surrounded the camp and were continuously raking it with automatic weapons fire from the surrounding hills. The tops of the 1,500-foot hills were obscured by an 800 foot ceiling, limiting aircraft maneuverability and forcing pilots to operate within range of hostile gun positions, which often were able to fire down on the attacking aircraft. During the battle, Maj. Fisher observed a fellow airman crash land on the battle-torn airstrip. In the belief that the downed pilot was seriously injured and in imminent danger of capture, Maj. Fisher announced his intention to land on the airstrip to effect a rescue. Although aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, he elected to continue. Directing his own air cover, he landed his aircraft and taxied almost the full length of the runway, which was littered with battle debris and parts of an exploded aircraft. While effecting a successful rescue of the downed pilot, heavy ground fire was observed, with 19 bullets striking his aircraft. In the face of the withering ground fire, he applied power and gained enough speed to lift-off at the overrun of the airstrip. Maj. Fisher's profound concern for his fellow airman, and at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

 

[gyrene81]

i believe major fisher flew an a-1e which had a larger cockpit than a typical ww2 single seat fighter...

Not sure it would be all that workable in the game. Why wait around when you can just re-up.

that's the real point...even if it were implemented, who would wait around when you can be back in the air with a fresh plane in seconds?

[legomiles]

well one way you could make people want to get back to base is that if they are outside of a 5 km area around a friendly base they would  LOSE the amount of perks they would have gained from landing.
to get into a jeep/tank/plane it would have to be on the ground stopped with its doors(if it had any) open.
it would Lose have to have a gunner or observer seat to get into then when you get into the aircraft/tank you would be able to help that guy working in it.
this wouldn't work if he already has a gunner or if it is 1 seat only.

[Debrody]

"On 1st February, 1944 his swarm had a fierce dogfight against 5 GvIAP’s La-5’s, led by Witalii Popkov over the Korssun kettle. One La-5 hit his plane, and the Messer’s engine failed. Debrődy had to make his second belly-landing behind the enemy lines! His best friend, 2nd Lt. Miklós Kenyeres with 19 air victories, downed Debrődy’s attacker, and landed near the dead Messer on the snowy and icy unknown field. Some Soviet soldiers were running towards the Messers, but Kenyeres managed to take off with some PPS machine-pistol hits in his plane. Unfortunately, two days later the Soviet AA fire downed Kenyeres’ plane behind the enemy lines and this brave pilot had to bail out over a forest. Debrődy was desperately circling around his parachute, but he was not able to help his friend, Kenyeres taken POW."

I dont know how they got home in an open cockpit in the middle of the russian winter... but it was possible

[thndregg]

It would be so cool

Not to be a grump, but I hate this reasoning.

[jimson]

Not sure it would be all that workable in the game. Why wait around when you can just re-up.

It wouldn't add much to MA game play but I could see an application in events.

Especially an event series with a role playing aspect where death meant you lost your character and became a replacement pilot.

Your character could be saved by calling for a rescue.

[Devonai]

The other day my wingman was bingo fuel and coming in for a landing at a vehicle base.  I upped a Jeep just to watch him come in.  He ditched far short of the pavement.  If I could have picked him up I could have at least saved him a ditch.

[Krusty]

And there it is right there.

The ONLY reason for this is to save score points.

It has no place in this game. If you're down, it's over. End of story. If you didn't make it back, either due to bad decisions on your part (flew too far, or took not enough gas) or due to enemy actions (you got yourself shot up, shot down, whatever) that's the end of it.

You get an infinite amount of second chances. It's called the respawn. You end your sortie then you start another. By giving YOU or your wingman a second try to get home when he shouldn't have made it, it cheapens the act for all of us that plan accordingly, or through skill survive and avoid damage.

It cheapens the sound we hear every time our gear touches the pavement and we apply our brakes.


A million times "no" to all these requests that keep popping up. It adds nothing, and it takes away some of the more important things. To me making it back damaged, short on gas, losing oil, whatever, is more important even if I never got a single kill. The harder the effort the greater the personal reward. So I make it 10 feet from the edge of the cement, okay. Big whoop. Moral victory for me. I try harder next time.

A million times "no."

[Devonai]

I definitely get where you're coming from, Krusty.

The most memorable flight I've ever had was one time I accidentally ripped off my ailerons in a A-20G.  I nailed the engine oil of a C205 that had my number with the top turret, then I had to use alternating engine power and rudder to make it home.  I ended up making a three-point landing dead center on the runway after an insane amount of pre-planning.  No name in lights, no kills, just the satisfaction of making it home in one piece.

We'll just have to disagree on picking up pilots.  I support any addition to the game that edges us towards higher realism.  Right now we can drive a GV right up to a downed pilot, and stare at each other.  Why can't he hop in, especially when we're talking about a wingman or squaddie?  In my mind this would be no different than a GV'er asking for and receiving vehicle supplies via M3 or Jeep.

[alpini13]

  +1

[gyrene81]

I support any addition to the game that edges us towards higher realism. 

there would have to be a lot of changes to get close...even then, the time and effort required would not be worth it for the general population.

the idea is better than the reality would turn out...

[Krusty]

It's not realistic though, devonai. Not in the least. If a pilot is shot down he rarely is in perfect condition, and you rarely drive a jeep out to pick him up and take him back to a base with infinite aircraft. 99% of the time a pilot downed is dead or captured the rest of the war. End of game. No more re-ups.

Some RAF pilots spent years trying to get back from Europe, laying low with the French Resistance, taking up identities, etc.

How realistic is it that the gunfire that ripped your plane up and sent you into a 500mph death spiral allows you to instantly bail so you CAN sit there and stare at each other? Not very. You'd be trapped by centripetal forces, unable to move.

The act of bailing is not a realism concession, it's just a gameplay feature. Based on gameplay, there is no reason to pick up bailed pilots. Their name has already been displayed to whomever shot them down (you have killed so-and-so). Their mission is done. The scores have already been assessed, the points handed out. There is no gameplay related reason to pick them up, and it's definitely not grounded in any kind of reality.

Far be it from me to stop you from enjoying the chute we already have, but it needs no more functionality.

I mean, we can already recreate this historic WW2 footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM8MLJjwT84

So what else do you need?