With the 110C remodel in the works, it's logical to assume/guess that the 110G is also coming very shortly on its heels.
There is a subtle change we need when that happens. In short, we need to be able to separate out certain weapons options so that they can be enabled/disabled in scenarios and SEA use. Very specifically we need to be able to represent the early 110Gs and also keep the bomber hunter and ground attack loadouts as viable historic options. For example, in the past we've tried to run 1943 era setups with 110Gs and lancasters, but those 30mm were too much of a problem. Also it's been a problem in designing scenarios and events in the past when the ground attack 110Gs were super effective at taking down buildings and vehicles because of those 30mm.
Here is the solution:
The Bf110G underwent a number of major armament changes in its lifetime. Its performance was basically the same as the engines did not change, but it started out nearly the same as the 110C, but then increased in a number of definite stages for various reasons at different timeframes of the war. I will briefly summarize them and then lay out a way to allow each of these as needed. MA use wouldn't be impacted much if at all.
First: The initial loadout was 4x MG17s in the upper nose and 2x MG151/20 in the cabin floor. These were belt fed and an improvement over the MG/FF of the 110C4.
These were, however, severely underpowered for attacking aircraft. They were used to good effect in ground attack roles but when the 110Gs had to go up against bombers they struggled in the lean times before the 30mm were available. Often removed from air to air units entirely as other weapons were added on.
They removed the 7mms in the nose and put in a big under-belly gunpod that looked like a rowboat. This had essentially the 2x20mm gunpod we have now, but with more drag. Total loadout: 4x20mm cannon at the expense of centerline ord. This loadout was undesirable in most ways, but it was the only way for quite some time to up the cannon loadout against heavy bombers. Later, the gunpod became a little more streamlined, but still had a major drag penalty. I suggest we just limit ourselves to the later gunpod as a compromise (it's already in-game).
Once the 30mms came around those gunpod loadouts were instantly gone never to return. The 30mms more than made up for them and there were still the MG151/20s in the cabin floor as well. This is similar to our default loadout for the 110G right now.
In terms of AH we need to allow for those historic loadouts while also allowing external ords of whatever variety you need for the mission at hand.
Here we have a small problem. We need to be able to separate the options out so that some can be disabled for SEA/scenario use to get an era-appropriate loadout. However, the gunpod makes a little bit of an issue. You could create some unhistorical combinations with it, BUT Hitech has said before (re: US planes with 2x DT and 10x rkt) that he won't limit it to absolutely historic combinations, as long as each loadout was historically accurate. That allows the players to mix and match within historical possibilities. For example, you'd never see a 110G ground attacker with wing bombs and 30mm that strafed buildings into oblivion, or one with the gunpod used for strafing and wing bombs to attack towns/fields. These happen all the time in AH and this wouldn't stop that for MA use. SEA/events would be able to disable loadouts as needed to lock in a certain historical setup.
To that end I see no easy way other than making that gunpod a separate loadout for the external ord. If we don't do this, then we have to have each of the above combinations with AND without both bomb types and/or the gunpod. That's how AH is right now, and with the new sub options required it would get VERY long very fast. The solution is very easy, just split up the loadouts to their proper arms trees in the hangar. What I am suggesting doesn't change anything you can do right now already. It just changes where they are in the hangar options.
PROPOSED INTERNAL LOADOUTS FOR HANGAR:
1) Default: 4x MG17, 2x MG151/20 (+ rear gun assumed on all below)
2) 2x MG151/20 in nose, no MG17 (smoothed over gunports)
3) 2x MG151/20 and 2x MK108 30mm in nose
CENTRAL EXTERNAL HARDPOINT LOADOUTS
1) 2x MG151/20 in slim gunpod (i.e. currently modeled version)
2) 2x 250kg bombs
3) 2x 500kg bombs
WING EXTERNAL HARDPOINT LOADOUTS (no changes)
1) 4x 250kg bombs
2) 2x WGr 210 rockets
3) 4x WGr 210 rockets
4) 2x drop tank
TL;DR: Move the 20mm gunpod and the bombs to their own list. Add a 20mm-only nose option. Add a 4x7mm nose option. Historic reasons. Benefits us all. Scenarios cheer, etc.
