PBY5-A

[Drano]

Dude are you playing under a different name or have you really only been here a month and change? You're gonna tell a guy that's been doing this since the mid-90's about game experience? Seriously?

And re-read my other post. I did recognize that the PBY was essential in it's role during the actual war that took place in real life. That doesn't occur here **in this game** on any level resembling that role. It's not part of this game at all. Pilot rescue? For what? A $25 gift certificate to Target? A perk and a half? Really? I bet even Midway doesn't have the time for all that . I can see it now--look guys I'm the best at pilot rescue for this tour! Fear me! It could shadow carriers? Dude the maps aren't that big. A sector is only 25 miles square and only the event maps have large, open spaces of water on them. And those events have time limits. There's simply no time for that pig to crawl across a map to find a task group when a faster fighter (or most any other bomber for that matter) could do the same thing and accomplish the mission in the time allotted. There's no comparison to the B-24. The PBY isn't in the same league as the Lib. Just a little game experience to throw back at ya.

FWIW I don't see the storch being more than a passing fancy. Like the I-16, it'll get clubbed repeatedly and folks will pretty much stop flying it other than just for kicks now and then or for an event. Unless you'd get perks for getting killed in it I just don't see it being viable. Cool little plane, sure. It'll be all neato at first. Heck I might take a hop or two in it myself. Look, at least some of the other hangar queens in this game have some degree of usefulness in the events where they have next to none in the regular arenas. They fit their roles in the appropriate theatre given an appropriate plane set. The PBY one has none. I get that you like the plane. I like the plane too. Really, I do. I just see absolutely no use for it *here*.

I'm a usually reserved guy here. There's a couple things that just get on my last nerve. Planes like this and night are on my list. So   uh, sorry!

[Ack-Ack]

Sure ... and there are OTHER planes that do the same thing the Storch does MUCH better (faster, armed, etc) ... But the Game Experience goes BEYOND THAT ... AND - just to subvert the obvious argument that the Storch is STOL and will be available from Vehicle bases ... The PBY is AMPHIBIOUS and could function from Ports and Task Group areas.

 

I'm all for adding a plane that used broken beer bottles and regular ordnance for night time harrassment bombing missions but sadly, as I and others have mentioned, the plane just isn't viable.

As a scout...bombers or even a heavy fighter would be a better option for seeking out the enemy fleet.  The PBY brings nothing special to the table in this regard.  Yes, in real life the PBY carried a primitive ASR system but that was used primarily at night for searching for shipping and navigation, in the daytime the crews relied on the Mark I I-Ball with the binocular extensions as this was more reliable for finding surface targets than the ASR radar system.  You'd be able to find a fleet just as easily in a bomber or a fighter and have a higher rate of survivability.

As a bomber...as the crews in real life found out, daytime attacks in the Catalina were near suicidal due to the low speed of the plane, that is why offensive operations were done at night.  In AH, it would just be cannon fodder and most likely never reach the target if it is defended.

As a supply plane...in the early years of the war, it was pressed into service to ferry supplies to the various as teh Japanese were over running the Pacific.  One of the most famous of these runs was the attempt to resupply Corregidor in late December of '41 and to carry out personnel.  The supplies were limited though, mostly ammunition and medical supplies as the Catalina couldn't really carry anything much larger than that.  In game it would only probably be limited to carrying vehicle supplies and it would have to land those as it couldn't air drop them.  As for carrying personnel, it would be rather limited as well.

It takes more than "just the experience of flying it" for a plane to be viable for the game...flying just for the experience would get tiring after awhile if it resulted in your death 9 out of 10 times before you were even close to the target.

the Japanese Emily flying boat would be much more viable for AH.

ack-ack

[Drano]

Even if we did that it'd prolly look something like this:

http://www.theartofalaska.net/galleries-2/the-art-of-john-hume/struck-by-lightning/

 

[SpencAce]

ok, i get that it isn't the most amazing plane ever but come on.. u can't tell me that you wouldn't have fun landing on WATER FOR GODS SAKE. and it really wouldn't be so hard for hitech to make.. for the actual plane part, just do whatever is always done.. and then for the amphibious part, just take whatever software design they used for the hull of the pt boat and give that to the softwae of the hull and wing floats on the pby.. ... smart right

[EVZ]

Dude are you playing under a different name or have you really only been here a month and change? You're gonna tell a guy that's been doing this since the mid-90's about game experience? Seriously?

Yeah I am, I was flying Air Warrior while you were sucking a tit.

And re-read my other post. I did recognize that the PBY was essential in it's role during the actual war that took place in real life. That doesn't occur here **in this game** on any level resembling that role. It's not part of this game at all.

We have Carriers, That have to be found ... PBYs NEVER did that ? Did They ? Never heard of Midway ? Never heard of Coral Sea ? New Britian ? PBYs quite possibly saved Australia from invasion.  (DUH?)

I don't see the storch being more than a passing fancy.

There seem to be quite a few people upset by the notion that they might no longer be allowed to sneak base takes with CVs. If the Storch is a passing fancy, it's one that High Tech thinks will ADD to the playability and enjoyability of the game, despite your reluctance.  -I- Think the PBY will too.

[Ack-Ack]

Yeah I am, I was flying Air Warrior while you were sucking a tit.

Drano was one of the original members of The Damned if I recall correctly and I started playing AW when it was on Genie.  Don't recall you in AW, what was your CPID?

We have Carriers, That have to be found ... PBYs NEVER did that ? Did They ? Never heard of Midway ? Never heard of Coral Sea ? New Britian ? PBYs quite possibly saved Australia from invasion.  (DUH?)

I never said they weren't used as scouts, I just said that in AH there are planes that can do the job much better and be able to survive.

There seem to be quite a few people upset by the notion that they might no longer be allowed to sneak base takes with CVs. If the Storch is a passing fancy, it's one that High Tech thinks will ADD to the playability and enjoyability of the game, despite your reluctance.  -I- Think the PBY will too.

Sneaking bases has nothing to do with adding the PBY to the game, don't know why you brought that in unless you're trying to imply that that disagree with you have some alterior motive.  While the Catalina has a signficant role and place in real life during WW2, sadly in AH it will be nothing more than a hanger queen in the main arenas and probably in scenarios as well, though I do see some options for scenario play but sadly it would be in a very limited role due to game mechanics and design.

ack-ack

[Shifty]

There seem to be quite a few people upset by the notion that they might no longer be allowed to sneak base takes with CVs.

Explain this please.. Are you saying adding the PBY will stop people from bringing CVs in to capture bases?
Just how is the PBY going to stop it anymore than any other aircraft currently in the game?

[Rino]

     Yet another guy who flew AW that I never heard of.  Man I must be getting old.  I definitely remember Drano and AkAk,
heck I even remember old geezers like NB and Lonewolf.  I used to get killed every once in a while by some dork named Hitech
too  

     I also admire EVZ's self control...he waited about 10 years before starting an account and haunting the Wishlist...nice
willpower amigo!

[Drano]

Actually Dano and Drano are two different guys. Dano and Drano were both Damned yes, and both flew AW although Dano goes back just a couple of years before me. I missed the Genie era. I miss seeing him around. Used to wing with him regularly. Talk about confusion on VOX!

[Drano]

And EVZ you're talking about a scenario-like application for this plane that wouldn't work for the events we have here. We don't have the time for a plane that simply takes too long to do what you describe. Everything is compressed here. If you were a part of this game for any length of time longer than a month you'd know that. In the main arenas if a PBY sighted a carrier and it had ANY sort of a CAP around it--what's it gonna do? It's gonna die. Easily. Can't run away from anything but a Storch. Can't shoot it's way out. Gonna die. Let's say you were looking for a "hidden" CV on one of the maps. Some moron has taken it to the outer rim of the map. You find it after flying around half a day. Literally. You call out on country channel. Hey guys there's a CV 300 miles away come get it. What do ya think is gonna happen? A mad rush? There's an actual fight goin on right over here. Why bother? If that didn't happen the CVs aren't more than 50-60 miles away from anywhere at any time. The CV will engage on the map eventually and when it does it'll get attacked. Been around that long you'd know that's the drill. I don't think you have. I think ya just googled air warrior.

[EVZ]

Explain this please.. Are you saying adding the PBY will stop people from bringing CVs in to capture bases? Just how is the PBY going to stop it anymore than any other aircraft currently in the game?

I'm saying that when CVs are discoverd ... even at considerable distance from a base ... a general announcement of their location usually brings in at LEAST 5 or 6 attackers, sometimes as many as 12-15. There are LOTS of people who want to sink carriers. But CVs are often undetected, even after they begin shelling a base or town ... Because the game doesn't even flash the base until someone ups from the carrier or they get a stupid gunner who kills the radar. My Squad DEFENDS as well as attacks and YES we frequently patrol areas we suspect as likely spots for CV attacks. Often the FIRST indication you've found a CV is puffy ack. They're NOT that easy to spot ... A dedicated ride with Long Range Observation ability (outside puffy range) would be a REAL asset.

We also sneak carriers into bases that see little use, shell the town/ords/hangers down and have launched Clean Up Birds and LTVS before ANYBODY knows we're there. TOO LATE by then ... 

[EVZ]

We don't have the time for a plane that simply takes too long to do what you describe. Everything is compressed here. If you were a part of this game for any length of time longer than a month you'd know that.

So now you are the voice of Aces High? If you'd bothered to follow this thread since it was started, you'd KNOW that there are LOTS of experienced players here who WANT the plane you don't have time for ... But, since they disagree with you, they don't count, right? You don't want to fly it ... DON'T ... WHO is twisting your arm?

In the main arenas if a PBY sighted a carrier and it had ANY sort of a CAP around it  --- Been around that long you'd know that's the drill.

CAP around it ? The only time a carrier in this game has a CAP AROUND IT is when it's under active attack ... It doesn't really require detection at that point ... gee WHOSE credibility is at issue here? CHANGING THE "DRILL" is why this wishlist exists ... it's unfortunate that some people want to use it to reinforce their personality inadequacys ... 

[Drano]

Ahh then you have extensive experience with the puffy ack too then. I don't know how you'd do it but if I'm in a P-38 at 12K at max vis range to the carrier (I have a high end PC with a high end video card and run the game at max settings btw), I mean max range as in can about make out the wakes to the ships not the ships themselves. I'm still gettin hammered by the puffy--and I'm at 300mph at 12K a great distance away. You'd be in a relatively stable target drone. Great practice for the puffy if anything else.

I'm not seeing a great outcry from what I would consider the "experienced players" here if you'd be the measuring stick for that.

[Karnak]

EVZ,

The PBY would not have any longer visibility than any other aircraft.  The Storch is only getting vehicle icons a bit further out.

That being the case, why would one take a PBY-5 instead of a P-47N, P-51D or Mosquito when scouting for carriers?

Or, another way of putting it, why have the PBY-5 for that job and not the much faster and more capable H8K2 'Emily'?

[SpencAce]

Or, another way of putting it, why have the PBY-5 for that job and not the much faster and more capable H8K2 'Emily'?
[/quote]

its because the pby was amphibious.. come on guys.. it is a plane that can land on land and water.. i'll be honest, i mostly want it because i would have some mad fun doin stupid stuff with it offline