Ideas to encourage flying as units

[thndregg]

Today 95% of the players in MA fly on their own.

It is far from the way the combat missions were flown.

I think it would be very good if flight of units of 2/4/8 and so would be encouraged.

1. Provide good bonuses to fly in such units:

1.(a) Reduce a cost of perked planes for such units - pair - 10% reduction, 4 - 15% reduction, 8 - 20% reduction.
1.(b) Even if the wingman hadn't done a kill it should receive a bonus. For example for unit of two, the wingman that had lower score would receive 50% of the difference between them. For example, a pair returned where normally pilot A received 5 perk points and pilot B 1 perk point. The A would get his perks as them and B would get 3 perks - (5-1)*0.5 + 1 = 3
1.(c) Send a message for entire unit when the last surviving pilot lands, i.e. "Alpha and Bravo landed with total 5 kills (4 - Alpha,1 - Bravo)"

2. Make sure that the group operates a unit.

2. (a) if wingman has a distance with more than 12K (horizontally) it is not considered a wingman for the calculations (and they would receive a message - lost wingman/leader (and if it was a perk plane the wingmand would loose the bonus points it was given for perk plane).
2. (b) leader can let the wingman leave (disengage) - for example in case of emergency, but from this point the new damage done by the wingman would not be counted.
2. (c) for a group of 4 the separation between two pairs would be allowed bigger and the leader of 4 can release the second pair in the same way as wingman.
2. (d) for a big groups 4/8 the leader can split them and direct to some locations, lets say he can allow they to fly in square 4/5 would not be considered separation and allow the second leader of 4 or pair to request to be in some area so the separation would be allowed.

I think this would make a game-play much more interesting and mission oriented also new ranks can be added like
rank as leader of 2/4/8

Also the wingmans and leaders would be able to rank manually their commanders and wingmans - give them scores. Also the overall rank of leaders can be given such that better leaders would attract more wingmans.

The skills of the formation leader are in general very different from the single player and it would add more diversity to the game.

When you tie the game up with too much gobble-de-gook, you'll find I'll play it even less than I do now. I like my "unit" the way it is (wtg 91st  ).

[Puma44]

that would imply 1 "pilot" can not perform ACM...which is obviously not true.

No it would not imply that, nor was it intended to.

[gyrene81]

Air Combat Maneuvering "ACM" is an advanced form of formation flying that requires even more practice and commitment to do it well and effectively.  ACM is the coordinated use of BFM by multiple pair of fighters with the end effect being a force multiplier.   

uh, care to show how air combat maneuvering is formation flying? air combat maneuvers and basic flight maneuvers can be accomplished in formation with a coordinated effort but one does not equate to the other.

[MK-84]

There was something recently introduced that encourages formation flying.  Two patches ago HTC introduced the ability in a .command to keep formation with a target you designate as a wingman (.wingman XXX)
That is a fantastic addition!!! It allows specifically bomber formations to stay in formation even when under attack. It is not perfect however (nor should it be) and one needs to keep this in mind.
The formation leader CAN NOT fly at 100% or near 100% throttle and expect the rest of the group to maintain formation with this command.  This also could aleviate the groups that think bomber groups should not fly at top speed
Second If the formation leader does maintain a reasonable speed to maintain his group it is very important he doesnt make any maneuvers whilst the enemy is attacking.  Any movement he makes causes anyone attached to him to correct.  This can include accidental rudder inputs while gunning using a twisty stick.
Strangely I have heard almost nothing about this fantastic feature added, and most every bomber mission thus far (including strat raids) does not seem to take advantage, and even if they try it, the idiot flight leader insists on flying at something like 95% manifold and making course corrections with no regard to enemy activity.

In short HTC just added something to encourage flying as a unit...and it unbelievably does not appear to be used often.

[Puma44]

uh, care to show how air combat maneuvering is formation flying? air combat maneuvers and basic flight maneuvers can be accomplished in formation with a coordinated effort but one does not equate to the other.

Uh, no.  You read something in my statement that isn't there nor intended.

From Wikipedia:  Formation flying is the disciplined flight of two or more aircraft under the command of a flight leader.  Military pilots use formations for mutual defense and concentration of firepower.

[Puma44]

that would imply 1 "pilot" can not perform ACM...which is obviously not true.

No, it does not imply that. A single can most certainly fly ACM against an opponent.  But, with a well practiced wingman, i.e., a pair, the employment force can be more effective against a single or a pair of opponents, especially if they aren't well versed and practiced in BFM and ACM. 

[ink]

No, it does not imply that. A single can most certainly fly ACM against an opponent.  But, with a well practiced wingman, i.e., a pair, the employment force can be more effective against a single or a pair of opponents, especially if they aren't well versed and practiced in BFM and ACM. 

I absolutely agree that "...a pair, the employment force can be more effective against a single or a pair of opponents, especially if they aren't well versed and practiced in BFM and ACM."<---your words

  "...ACM is the coordinated use of BFM by multiple pair of fighters with the end effect being a force multiplier..."<----your words also


says two completely different things.....the second statement implies that ACM is done by a multiple of fighters.....

I think it is the way you wrote it...."ACM is the coordinated use of BFM by multiple pair of  fighters"  this is wrong.....

from wiki..... Air combat maneuvering (also spelled: air combat maneuvering, or ACM) is the art of maneuvering a combat aircraft in order to attain a position from which an attack can be made on another aircraft. It relies on offensive and defensive basic fighter maneuvering (BFM) in order to gain an advantage over an aerial opponent......<correct even though it comes from wiki...


your statement implies it is done by more then one aircraft.....

 

[Puma44]

I absolutely agree that "...a pair, the employment force can be more effective against a single or a pair of opponents, especially if they aren't well versed and practiced in BFM and ACM."<---your words

  "...ACM is the coordinated use of BFM by multiple pair of fighters with the end effect being a force multiplier..."<----your words also


says two completely different things.....the second statement implies that ACM is done by a multiple of fighters.....

I think it is the way you wrote it...."ACM is the coordinated use of BFM by multiple pair of  fighters"  this is wrong.....

from wiki..... Air combat maneuvering (also spelled: air combat maneuvering, or ACM) is the art of maneuvering a combat aircraft in order to attain a position from which an attack can be made on another aircraft. It relies on offensive and defensive basic fighter maneuvering (BFM) in order to gain an advantage over an aerial opponent......<correct even though it comes from wiki...


your statement implies it is done by more then one aircraft.....

 

Well, it seems semantics are now the issue.  My statement implies that multiple pairs of fighters  are more effective than a lone wolf doing his best BFM/ACM. 

[ink]

Well, it seems semantics are now the issue.  My statement implies that multiple pairs of fighters  are more effective than a lone wolf doing his best BFM/ACM. 

 

is it that hard to say...ya I wrote it wrong

[Arlo]

Yes. HTC should encourage things like squadrons, giving them things like squad channels and AHWiki pages and ......

Oh.

 

[Puma44]

Ink, are you familiar with the "energy egg"? 

[ink]

Ink, are you familiar with the "energy egg"? 

not off hand, no.....cant say I ever heard that term.

[Arlo]

Probably a pre-menopause reference.

[ink]

 

[Puma44]

 How about application of lift vector in BFM?