Anatomy of the Base Capture

[Tilt]

IMO, as many here state, base capture is a game play mechanism to focus combat of all types between all types. It has no secondary reward in itself other than its contribution to " land grab" which may return an eventual reward to a winning country. It does carry a win ethos for many.

It can carry a gameplay penalty, some times to the successful side. This is very often terrain design dependant. e.g. GV Spawns between two bases suit gameplay very well...... One side "wins" and captures a base to find that the spawns to the next base either do not exist or are very poor, or give an extreme air cover bias over the next base that cannot be compensated. The net result is that capture ( in this case)  prejudices game play due to terrain design.  Similar facets of terrain design with respect to air based combat  show up on terrains where some adjacent bases are considered very good for game play and others not. The result is some players resisting capture when these better pairings are " in play".

From the above we see just how critical terrain design can be. It should work in harmony  with the combat ambitions of players whilst promoting both individual and group combat objectives.

Poor terrain design can also promote horde activity. Bases that cannot be easily accessed from more than 1 adjacent base are prone to short lived low quality combat via horde aggression. They cannot be defended. In this respect the principle of triangulation should (IMO) be employed in terrain design such that any front line base should be accessible by two attacking and two defending fields at any time. The only time this should not be true is when infact a base has been by passed and is defacto behind the front line.

Infact base capture is not an AH creation it was in AW4W right from when the three Neutral bases on the lake could be captured and progressed in AW3to a total land grab model very much as we have now albeit without towns.  Towns are a significant AH development. Field attrition  was the only way to capture bases prior to towns. Regrettably this is still very much the case. We still talk about base capture..... When actually in my opinion we should consider the " land grab" as a series of town captures.

 Game play should focus less on field porking and more on team dominance over or in towns. The near absolute necessity to deny players local access to combat over a town to achieve capture is not a game play benefit in my opinion. Particularly required when towns are so close to air bases.

GV bases still generally require to be totally porked prior to capture. Or else they are "sneaked" which is also a non combat game play activity. For me it is the GV field or Port that should be  linked to towns.  Airfields should be lost as they fall behind "enemy lines" ( numerous models how this may be done)

But the point is that denying the "enemy" access to local gameplay should not be the prime mechanism to succesfull capture. Because then the primary building block to achieve capture is infact working against the original objective to focus game play.

Even so capture still focuses combat. It is the extremes of quality that are under discussion.

So terrains must consider player access to combat at each point in the chain of invasion and defence.

Access to combat ( even of disproportionate numbers) over a capture objective should not be denied to players wishing to participate from either side or if denied it should be for very short periods such that the opportunity to  join combat is real.

I saw my first " horde" in 1996 as a "swarm" of bz launched from a lake field. As a newb reporting it on country channel I remember most of C land gathering for the fight and relishing the opportunity of two large groups meeting in combat.

The horde in itsself is not a bad thing. It's ability to deny opposing players access to defence is. Some of us may anticipate the horde and get to combat zone above and in time to engage with some measure of equality ( alt v numbers). Some may just relish the fight from extreme disadvantage. But this is not the norm. Many players may not have anticipated the horde to fly extra time to be in place. Most players do not enjoy a combat they have little hope of achieving any ascendancy over. I see many folk trying to change that mind set...... Waste of time IMO. Ergo with a terrain that suits the horde.... The horde dominates.

[bustr]

Good lord Tilt, you actually like this game. I've spent a few years scratching my head over that.

Our game is like a community that used to enjoy having block parties. Everyone rolled out a few kegs and the pints flowed along with the fun. Then someone complained. Ok, yes drinking and having fun will have consequences. But, initially no one wanted to get rid of the block party and all of it's fun. Fast forward some years and many incidents of perceived bad conduct, attempts at social intervention by fun tea totters , and the Lord Mayor himself stepping in to change the street and building layouts. The temperance fun tea totters have won. And there was never any law in place against the drinking or the bad conduct. And there still are none. And no real block parties either. But, the fun tea totters have their boring arena to which they can now loudly issue "their rules" of fair equal considerate play to us all.

No hoarding missions
No NOE missions
No HOing
No Picking 
No Vulching
No flying too high
No flying too high with a group
No flying too low with a group
No running to ack
No hiding in ack
No running from a fight
No running from a fight no matter how outnumbered
No being a dumb newb on range
No being seen or herd as a newb in general because you are an irritant.
No sinking CV's
No spying
No changing countries
No using your imagination and being sneaky to achieve objectives because it will violate all of the above.

Our game has gotten boring with all of the No's that don't exist as fair use rules in our Aces High customer contract we pay $14.95 a month for. As I pointed out. It's now a very sad day in this game when a respected player says he doesn't want to take part in a mission because it will stigmatize his squad as vTards.

We have done something very wrong to ourselves when someone I respect very much feels that way about a game with no rules to how you are supposed to play it. The very heart of this game is the lack of rules and how we can use our imaginations to make the other guy whine and want revenge. Not, we all have to be fair and act nice or something really bad will happen. FUN = BAD

I wonder if some of us have gotten too old to enjoy a game with no rules? Old people impose rules on children for their own good no matter how much fun they are having. Anarchy is not natural for most adults. So they answer it with rules, even if rules are not supposed to be part of the environment regardless of the unintended consequences. No rules is the heart and soul of the MA.

[Tilt]

" and the animals looked from pig to man and man to pig ...... and none could tell the difference"

Mis quoted perhaps...

Bustr those are not rules they are the peer group pressures of establimentarianism.

Somewhat ironic IMO.

But to be treated with the same contempt ( or respect?) as all other social and religious constraints to freedom.

[Hap]

Todays Mission = Group of old players convincing everyone to abandon missions because somehow they are evil.

I see none of this from the Bishops.  I fly mostly during the morning hours Mountain Time.

[The Fugitive]

Good lord Tilt, you actually like this game. I've spent a few years scratching my head over that.

Our game is like a community that used to enjoy having block parties. Everyone rolled out a few kegs and the pints flowed along with the fun. Then someone complained. Ok, yes drinking and having fun will have consequences. But, initially no one wanted to get rid of the block party and all of it's fun. Fast forward some years and many incidents of perceived bad conduct, attempts at social intervention by fun tea totters , and the Lord Mayor himself stepping in to change the street and building layouts. The temperance fun tea totters have won. And there was never any law in place against the drinking or the bad conduct. And there still are none. And no real block parties either. But, the fun tea totters have their boring arena to which they can now loudly issue "their rules" of fair equal considerate play to us all.

No hoarding missions
No NOE missions
No HOing
No Picking 
No Vulching
No flying too high
No flying too high with a group
No flying too low with a group
No running to ack
No hiding in ack
No running from a fight
No running from a fight no matter how outnumbered
No being a dumb newb on range
No being seen or herd as a newb in general because you are an irritant.
No sinking CV's
No spying
No changing countries
No using your imagination and being sneaky to achieve objectives because it will violate all of the above.

Our game has gotten boring with all of the No's that don't exist as fair use rules in our Aces High customer contract we pay $14.95 a month for. As I pointed out. It's now a very sad day in this game when a respected player says he doesn't want to take part in a mission because it will stigmatize his squad as vTards.

We have done something very wrong to ourselves when someone I respect very much feels that way about a game with no rules to how you are supposed to play it. The very heart of this game is the lack of rules and how we can use our imaginations to make the other guy whine and want revenge. Not, we all have to be fair and act nice or something really bad will happen. FUN = BAD

I wonder if some of us have gotten too old to enjoy a game with no rules? Old people impose rules on children for their own good no matter how much fun they are having. Anarchy is not natural for most adults. So they answer it with rules, even if rules are not supposed to be part of the environment regardless of the unintended consequences. No rules is the heart and soul of the MA.

If the populace could control the arenas then why do we still have all of your "no's" at play?  Because it can't.

The reason the game play has changed so much is because game players have changed so much. In the old days you had more "WWII pilot want-to-be's" and like the real WWII vets that group is dieing off and being replaced by a new generation. The new player knows very little of WWII and only knows that this is a game with certain rules and they play it as such.

Many of us old times look to play the game as a dream moment, when we can slip into that persona of a daring WWII pilot on a mission against the evil enemy. The fight, the battle, the experience IS the end game for us. For the new player the game is to capture bases to accumulate enough to win the war and so collect 35 perk points in each category. How they get there is unimportant to them.

[Arlo]

In the old days you had more "WWII pilot want-to-be's" and like the real WWII vets that group is dieing off and being replaced by a new generation.

I think 'dieing off' is a bit drastic. However, I do think the 18 and under crowd may have less real-life responsibility and perspective. Even without the historical relevant context being well-groomed and exhibited, social skills can go far when it comes to successfully passing a torch. And yes, there are some young players that have exhibited great ability to carry on (BFOOT1 [age 19] in my RAF squad for BOB 2013 comes to mind). But if there's even a 10% to 15% erosion over time then in quick order the nature of the game can change through player attitude alone.

But .... I/we ain't dead yet.  

[The Fugitive]

I think 'dieing off' is a bit drastic. However, I do think the 18 and under crowd may have less real-life responsibility and perspective. Even without the historical relevant context being well-groomed and exhibited, social skills can go far when it comes to successfully passing a torch. And yes, there are some young players that have exhibited great ability to carry on (BFOOT1 [age 19] in my RAF squad for BOB 2013 comes to mind). But if there's even a 10% to 15% erosion over time then in quick order the nature of the game can change through player attitude alone.

But .... I/we ain't dead yet.  

I meant "figuratively" not "really" dieing off. Your squadmate SIK1 is a perfect example. I use to fly with him all the time and now he rarely flies in the Mains. I'm sure it has to do with the environment more than the game as he is still does FSO and Scenarios. The game is no longer played like it was in the old days.

Personally I don't think it will change back on it's own. To us it was those stories that our fathers and uncles told about "the war" that intrigued us. Todays player, IF there fathers talked to them  they most likely talked about video games and how they finished such and such a game (win the war?). The only way to see that type of play to come back in the Mains would be if HTC added rules or incentives to guide the play in that direction. Even if players tried to turn game play that way now it would most likely fail. Too many "need" that win instead of the "challenge" of a battle. 

[bustr]

The experiences along the road traveled to the destination versus, "The Destination" misconception. Each person's road is completely different and can only be traveled by that person. Your personal road is absolutely meaningless to anyone else because it exists as the unique architecture of your self in your mind. The conceit of the old saying is using it to impose your perceptions of your memories upon others as the right reality for them to follow.

The agony and ecstasy of the revolution is always remembered by those who were there as the most alive they had ever been. And that somehow surviving elevates them to a position of wisdom superior to those who come after. Some how because of that experience, your agonies and ecstasies experienced are more real than that of anyone to follow.

The new player or younger generation just entering our world has no experiences of having lived through your revolution or traveling your road. For them all they have is the revolution as it appears to them from their perspective and its road to be traveled. Their current agonies and ecstasies are just as valid as yours while you are judging theirs wanting from your lofty perspectives. Now that you have survived your revolution and promoted yourselves as  the patriarchs of this cartoon universe, you think they should respect and emulate you as the true and only way of playing this game. So you would fancy yourselves able to control the laws of universal nature and hold back the tides of change to satisfy your vision of reality. More simply, to make yourselves feel good at their expense in this environment. Change sucks the older you get. To hold onto what makes you happy you are stifling them unto the point of making our game boring.

No hoarding missions
No NOE missions
No HOing
No Picking 
No Vulching
No flying too high
No flying too high with a group
No flying too low with a group
No running to ack
No hiding in ack
No running from a fight
No running from a fight no matter how outnumbered
No being a dumb newb on range
No being seen or herd as a newb in general because you are an irritant.
No sinking CV's
No spying
No changing countries
No using your imagination and being sneaky to achieve objectives because it will violate all of the above.

This list is a reflection of us. Hitech imposes no rules, and allows our imaginations to create our fun or chain us into a gilded jail of boredom. New and younger players seeing no rules exercise their imaginations until they discover the price for community inclusion, the list of "No's". Older players hold onto their memories at all costs including vilifying a group of young players for using their imaginations into a community swear word: vTard.

My saddest day in this game was when someone I respect refused to be in an NOE mission because he was afraid of his squad being branded vTards. What a bunch of silly old farts we have become to hold onto our memories over walking the ongoing path into the future of this game.
 

[Bear76]

The experiences along the road traveled to the destination versus, "The Destination" misconception. Each person's road is completely different and can only be traveled by that person. Your personal road is absolutely meaningless to anyone else because it exists as the unique architecture of your self in your mind. The conceit of the old saying is using it to impose your perceptions of your memories upon others as the right reality for them to follow.

The agony and ecstasy of the revolution is always remembered by those who were there as the most alive they had ever been. And that somehow surviving elevates them to a position of wisdom superior to those who come after. Some how because of that experience, your agonies and ecstasies experienced are more real than that of anyone to follow.

The new player or younger generation just entering our world has no experiences of having lived through your revolution or traveling your road. For them all they have is the revolution as it appears to them from their perspective and its road to be traveled. Their current agonies and ecstasies are just as valid as yours while you are judging theirs wanting from your lofty perspectives. Now that you have survived your revolution and promoted yourselves as  the patriarchs of this cartoon universe, you think they should respect and emulate you as the true and only way of playing this game. So you would fancy yourselves able to control the laws of universal nature and hold back the tides of change to satisfy your vision of reality. More simply, to make yourselves feel good at their expense in this environment. Change sucks the older you get. To hold onto what makes you happy you are stifling them unto the point of making our game boring.

No hoarding missions
No NOE missions
No HOing
No Picking 
No Vulching
No flying too high
No flying too high with a group
No flying too low with a group
No running to ack
No hiding in ack
No running from a fight
No running from a fight no matter how outnumbered
No being a dumb newb on range
No being seen or herd as a newb in general because you are an irritant.
No sinking CV's
No spying
No changing countries
No using your imagination and being sneaky to achieve objectives because it will violate all of the above.

This list is a reflection of us. Hitech imposes no rules, and allows our imaginations to create our fun or chain us into a gilded jail of boredom. New and younger players seeing no rules exercise their imaginations until they discover the price for community inclusion, the list of "No's". Older players hold onto their memories at all costs including vilifying a group of young players for using their imaginations into a community swear word: vTard.

My saddest day in this game was when someone I respect refused to be in an NOE mission because he was afraid of his squad being branded vTards. What a bunch of silly old farts we have become to hold onto our memories over walking the ongoing path into the future of this game.
 

Unnamed respected player - <S>

[EskimoJoe]

The experiences along the road traveled to the destination versus, "The Destination" misconception. Each person's road is completely different and can only be traveled by that person. Your personal road is absolutely meaningless to anyone else because it exists as the unique architecture of your self in your mind. The conceit of the old saying is using it to impose your perceptions of your memories upon others as the right reality for them to follow.

The agony and ecstasy of the revolution is always remembered by those who were there as the most alive they had ever been. And that somehow surviving elevates them to a position of wisdom superior to those who come after. Some how because of that experience, your agonies and ecstasies experienced are more real than that of anyone to follow.

The new player or younger generation just entering our world has no experiences of having lived through your revolution or traveling your road. For them all they have is the revolution as it appears to them from their perspective and its road to be traveled. Their current agonies and ecstasies are just as valid as yours while you are judging theirs wanting from your lofty perspectives. Now that you have survived your revolution and promoted yourselves as  the patriarchs of this cartoon universe, you think they should respect and emulate you as the true and only way of playing this game. So you would fancy yourselves able to control the laws of universal nature and hold back the tides of change to satisfy your vision of reality. More simply, to make yourselves feel good at their expense in this environment. Change sucks the older you get. To hold onto what makes you happy you are stifling them unto the point of making our game boring.

No hoarding missions
No NOE missions
No HOing
No Picking 
No Vulching
No flying too high
No flying too high with a group
No flying too low with a group
No running to ack
No hiding in ack
No running from a fight
No running from a fight no matter how outnumbered
No being a dumb newb on range
No being seen or herd as a newb in general because you are an irritant.
No sinking CV's
No spying
No changing countries
No using your imagination and being sneaky to achieve objectives because it will violate all of the above.

This list is a reflection of us. Hitech imposes no rules, and allows our imaginations to create our fun or chain us into a gilded jail of boredom. New and younger players seeing no rules exercise their imaginations until they discover the price for community inclusion, the list of "No's". Older players hold onto their memories at all costs including vilifying a group of young players for using their imaginations into a community swear word: vTard.

My saddest day in this game was when someone I respect refused to be in an NOE mission because he was afraid of his squad being branded vTards. What a bunch of silly old farts we have become to hold onto our memories over walking the ongoing path into the future of this game.
 

You are my FPH.

[The Fugitive]

The experiences along the road traveled to the destination versus, "The Destination" misconception. Each person's road is completely different and can only be traveled by that person. Your personal road is absolutely meaningless to anyone else because it exists as the unique architecture of your self in your mind. The conceit of the old saying is using it to impose your perceptions of your memories upon others as the right reality for them to follow.

The agony and ecstasy of the revolution is always remembered by those who were there as the most alive they had ever been. And that somehow surviving elevates them to a position of wisdom superior to those who come after. Some how because of that experience, your agonies and ecstasies experienced are more real than that of anyone to follow.

The new player or younger generation just entering our world has no experiences of having lived through your revolution or traveling your road. For them all they have is the revolution as it appears to them from their perspective and its road to be traveled. Their current agonies and ecstasies are just as valid as yours while you are judging theirs wanting from your lofty perspectives. Now that you have survived your revolution and promoted yourselves as  the patriarchs of this cartoon universe, you think they should respect and emulate you as the true and only way of playing this game. So you would fancy yourselves able to control the laws of universal nature and hold back the tides of change to satisfy your vision of reality. More simply, to make yourselves feel good at their expense in this environment. Change sucks the older you get. To hold onto what makes you happy you are stifling them unto the point of making our game boring.

No hoarding missions
No NOE missions
No HOing
No Picking 
No Vulching
No flying too high
No flying too high with a group
No flying too low with a group
No running to ack
No hiding in ack
No running from a fight
No running from a fight no matter how outnumbered
No being a dumb newb on range
No being seen or herd as a newb in general because you are an irritant.
No sinking CV's
No spying
No changing countries
No using your imagination and being sneaky to achieve objectives because it will violate all of the above.

This list is a reflection of us. Hitech imposes no rules, and allows our imaginations to create our fun or chain us into a gilded jail of boredom. New and younger players seeing no rules exercise their imaginations until they discover the price for community inclusion, the list of "No's". Older players hold onto their memories at all costs including vilifying a group of young players for using their imaginations into a community swear word: vTard.

My saddest day in this game was when someone I respect refused to be in an NOE mission because he was afraid of his squad being branded vTards. What a bunch of silly old farts we have become to hold onto our memories over walking the ongoing path into the future of this game.
 

You seem to have a problem separating real life, and a GAME.

I know how the game was before, as I played such. I was giving you the facts as I remember them. Granted my memory is not perfect, but I like  to think I have the basics down. As for the new players, all I have to do is observe the play in the arena. It is easy to see that they couldn't care less for the fight as they rarely do. They make their HO run and if they survive it the dive away until they can come back un molested. They run the same NOE mission and disappear right after the attack whether they capture the base or not. They then pop up some place else undefended.

The game has changed a lot, and as I said we the players have very little chance of forcing it to change back to a more combat orientated game. For better or worst this is the game we have to play, unless HTC decides to change things to promote more combat. It's not about "me", or any other single player. It is what it is and all the big fancy words you spew to twist what anyone else says isn't going to change it. Do I like the way the game is played now? Nope. Am I going to leave? Nope.

I flew for 8 hours today and had 3 awesome fights. SEarrow gave me a great fight and he got away with a ditch. Chorizzo in a spit vs my Hog, nail bitter to the end stall fighting from 10k. Rapier and Kurmori against me and bricker. Another heart pounder. These are the reasons I pay my $15 a month. WOuld I love to see the old style missions and more fighting for bases? Heck ya! My wife would hate it because I'd start putting in a lot more hours but until then.....if ever, I'll hunt for those few fights that make my heart pound for a bit.

[Hap]

I've done this 2002 off and on.  I do no hear the criticisms you mention.  I fly Bishop, and mostly during the morning.

[Getback]

1. Notice two countries are attacking one country in giant hordes.
2. Go kill ack at gv base.
3. Bring goon.
4. Proclaim you captured it by yourself.

[The Fugitive]

1. Notice two countries are attacking one country in giant hordes.
2. Go kill ack at gv base.
3. Bring goon.
4. Proclaim you captured it by yourself.

But thats the point, the game isn't about capturing bases. It's about the FIGHT TO capture the bases. If it wasn't why is there ack? Why are the town full of so many buildings that have to be taken down? Why can the towns be resupplied?

[bustr]

How did vTard as a pejorative become fixed in the Aces High lexicon? With every new player being made to understand it's explicit meaning and things it means they are not to do in the game, if they want to be accepted as a good community citizen?

This game has no rules.
By definition we impose an oxymoron upon new players to protect our memories of how we whish the present would play out. The past is always used to justify the benefits of forcing the community to live by the narrow scope of the List of No's. Now missions cannot happen in any manner anyone wants to think up. But, only in a very narrow scope driven by a community list of No's. And everyone whines about boring game play and everyone else's lame game play. While lamenting the lost glories of the past, and handcuffing anyone attempting to follow the primary rule imposed by Hitech in this game. There are no rules.

The vTards understood this, and look at ultimately what happened as a community response. Instead of playing the game with them, we used the community against them.

And now we have a term for all of the combined game evils that we threaten our new players with and our veteran members choose not to be associated with. vTard.

And missions are not looked upon as fun generating activities as much as the constant suspicion, the mission will vTard us to steal a base while breaking all of the List of No rules.

Even WW2 evolved because that was human nature to win at all costs in real life. In Aces High we try to force the gameplay to stay in some image frozen in time that appeals to us instead of playing by it's only rule. There are no Rules.