HQ Downtime should be tied to 25% fuel reduction - Reasons Why

[Chilli]

Before this gets smooshed away to the wishlist    I think it might deserve some general discussion.

HQ Downtime currently causes loss of all radar function.  This combined with the extended downtimes in the current strat system design and tedious resupply routine has been hindering the ability of players to find suitable fights, leading to reduction in numbers of the affected country due to frustration / rage quits.

Connecting the very same system of downtime for HQ to reduction of 25% of fuel will do a number of things:

• First it does away with the total blindness we currently suffer
• Next, it effectively knocks out the use of Me163s since 75% of fuel would hardly get it airborne, or make it effective weapon at all
• Then, it also handicaps a number of other fighters and bombers, while still leaving the option open to fly fuel efficient aircraft or fly shortened distances to defend or strike
• Finally, game play follows logic of command and supply, without the proper orders, the fuel sits in storage unable to reach the fields where long strategic missions have to be canceled

[GhostCDB]

I don't understand 

[Xavier]

I don't understand 

I believe he's talking about the effects of a downed HQ, changing the radar blackout to a 25% fuel loss in all fields.

[Chilli]

GhostDB,

I am suggesting that instead of loosing all radar abilities when the HQ goes down, all of that country's bases now only have 75% fuel capabilities and no drop tanks.  It is much better than causing the loss of any information besides base flashing of where anyone is, including your own countrymen.

You will know that you are crippled as a country but personally every player has the option to fly something more fuel efficient, limit their flight, or resupply the HQ.

• Plus, it would be a very important role for the new tower information system coming with the new graphics update

Thanks Xavier said it simpler.

[Latrobe]

A lot of the planes I fly I usually take 75% fuel or less in, and I know lot of other people do this as well. Reducing the fuel loadout when the HQ is down would limit the range of most planes, but I think the HQ should have a more important impact on the gameplay than just the loss of 25% of your fuel and DTs.

What if the HQ also added to the downtime of objects? Kill the HQ and double the downtime of all objects. So, if ack is down for 30 mins if killed, then you can destroy the HQ and up that time to 60 mins.

Or what if all resupplies were stopped when the HQ is destroyed? Kill the HQ and base objects and strats don't get resupplies until the HQ is back up. Hangars would of course still only have 15 mins downtime so you can still fight and defend but thing like ack would stay down until the HQ was brought back up. Maybe even make it so you can still resupply your base with the HQ down if you drive/fly the field supplies in but make them 50% less effective.




Just throwing out ideas. HQ really needs a new function.






Also, just a thought. If the HQ function does get changed can we get a message in the text buffer "Your HQ has been destroyed" whenever it goes down? Right now it's easy to tell because you go blind, but if it was to be change to maybe affecting downtimes then you don't really have a way of knowing it's been destroyed unless you are paying attention of someone else was.

[GhostCDB]

I have seen the downtimes up to 100 minutes WITHOUT the HQ being down 

I think the rules should stay as they are. It is just this map the reason for the HQ being slapped every few hours.

[Chilli]

GhostDB,

I don't know how many hours in MA you have been putting in lately, but the rumors about this map having much more HQ downtime than others is not founded.  HQ is ALWAYS being taken down by one country or another.  There a some folks that just like to take it down just so they can hear the complaints.

Latrobe,

- The fact that you fly a plane w/ 75% and several others (myself included) do also, helps with my idea and does not distract from it. 

- 75% fuel reduction has been tried and tested in AH1. 

- For game play sakes it would be best to keep as many aircraft in the air as possible, while still making HQ a viable target. 

- Plus a whole lot of Spitfire, La7, Yak and Tempest pilots would wildly suggest that 75% would be a game killer (no imagination). 

- Especially, since eny doesn't allow you to fly certain planes with any amount of fuel.

[Drane]

IMHO HQ should remain associated with radar. The distribution of real time war information would be affected and radar is a part of that.

HQ being down would be less related to fuel supply because that's more of a snail action (no pun intended Snailman), fuel delivery schedules would already be made and distribution could continue unless the supply is interrupted. Even if fuel supply is interrupted, there will be a lag before it impacts the front line.

What is the solution to the HQ radar down problem? Is there really a problem?

[DREDIOCK]

How about this.
HQ down removes the dot dar across the board leaving only local dar bar.In addition to this It should also remove the "Base under attack" message
(Base under attack message should also be updated to say or include a system text message similar to "joeblow landed 3 kills in a..." as to which base is under attack.)
Another addition that IMO needs to be made is a situation board of sorts that can only be looked at in the tower that has a readout of which bases are being attacked. Which bases a side is attacking. And the number of estimated planes or vehicles both friendly and enemy involved in the engagement. This could also be effected by damage to HQ as it would represent accurate G2 intel. The3 more damaged HQ is. the less that is displayed

Leaving local dar bars on would simulate local radar

BUT if the radar tower does down at say A42 as well as HQ being down then all dar in that area and adjacent  areas without a friendly dar ring becomes non existent


Hitting HQ should also reduce ALL strats resupply by an additional 25% on top of what other damage may have been done to them
This would represent the disruption in the command communication system

[FLOOB]

Actually in weird Aces high world, a base's fuel capacity undamaged is 125%. Reducing a base's fuel by 25% only disables drop tanks.

[Lusche]

What is the solution to the HQ radar down problem? Is there really a problem?

In my, and many other opinion, it's just the balance that's way off now.
One single player in a set of bombers can easily shut the lights out for an entire country for prolonged times. Some HQ's are virtually indefensible against NOE attacks by that lone player, and the downtimes are much longer now  (and resupply much more tedious) than they used to be.

[Tinkles]

Going to attack it at a different angle.

I think instead of fuel or radar, why not CV downtimes?

If the HQ is down, any CV destroyed in the next 30-45 minutes (even if the HQ is restored to full glory 15 mins after the attack, realistically, there would still be a delay in transmission because they would need to find or repair communication equipment), has their downtime increased by 15-30 minutes. So instead of 10 minutes after being destroyed it would be 25-50.




I think we need something else in addition to my above suggestion, for maps without CVs. However, I am trying to think of ideas that don't punish players who weren't online during the attack.
I mean, what would you do if your side was limited to 25% fuel across the board for the next 30mins to 90 mins? WIth that being increased by strats to who knows how much (lusche)?


Does anyone have a practical idea, perhaps something abstract, that makes it so players joining in don't get punished, and it doesn't completely cripple one sides offense/defense?

Sure, the attacking side needs an edge because they attacked a critical component of the enemy. But I think it would be wise to think 'outside the box', perhaps only being able to take off from certain airfields? Or certain ENY planes can't be used (like perked - 5 eny planes for X time). etc.

Just random stuff.

Any ideas?

[Lusche]

Going to attack it at a different angle.

I think instead of fuel or radar, why not CV downtimes?

Because we have maps without CV's

[caldera]

I think instead of fuel or radar, why not CV downtimes?

Flatten the HQ and all auto ack ceases to function.   No town ack, base ack, CV ack or puffy ack. 

This gives the attackers a big reward and will inspire more base attacks = more fights.   Radar down = less fights.

If a flurry of bases are taken during the downtime, well good.  This is coming from someone who flies defense, 99% of the time.


ps- the HQ still needs to be hardened so that a single player cannot destroy it.

[DREDIOCK]

Flatten the HQ and all auto ack ceases to function.   No town ack, base ack, CV ack or puffy ack. 

This gives the attackers a big reward and will inspire more base attacks = more fights.   Radar down = less fights.

If a flurry of bases are taken during the downtime, well good.  This is coming from someone who flies defense, 99% of the time.


ps- the HQ still needs to be hardened so that a single player cannot destroy it.

Not bad. Would give the ack huggers (of which there entirely too many of ) something alse to do too