I can see why they’re called “Goons”...

[beet1e]

... because you have to be a Goon yourself to fly one or, more to the point, respond to the many premature calls like ”bring goon to xxx”.

My cheapo Oxford paperback dictionary lists two meanings for the word Goon.

• A stupid person
• (especially in America) a hired ruffian

Some while ago, I was gooning to a field as requested. I had to go high to get over some mountains, then make a right turn into the town. There were about 20 friendlies capping the base, but they were all way down low – vulch height. No-one was on hand to make sure the town stayed down, and no-one was prepared to offer goon cover. A lone 190 had come from the nearest field, and instead of diving on the cons, he maintained altitude. Smart 190. He seemed to know that the 20-odd friends of mine were too busy vulching one or two zekes to cover me, so I was dead meat. I had called (three times) for cover, but was told town is down. Smacked of Drop your own troops and do not disturb us – we are having too much fun vulching and scorepadding.

This morning I was online for a brief session – 30-40 minutes. Not enough time for any serious war planning. I think a lot of kids were online, judging from the Ch1 banter. Goons were being summoned all over the shop! Get a goon to A5, went up the cry. OK, I’ll do it. A5 was a lone rook base between a knit base and a bish base. Having levelled the town, no-one bothered to provide cap, so guess what? The knits got it instead. And I have to hand it to them!  I bailed.

Next, A53 to A35. Goon needed at A35! lit up the text buffer. OK, I’m going. Having got into the area there’s only one other Bish talking to me. The others are dogfighting, out of voxx range. No cover, no support, and town not quite flat! Anyway, it didn’t matter, as a Spit made an immelman as to get on my 6 and kill my C47. I’ll give it one more shot...

...Upped a second goon. Three greens ahead of me on radar display, but those guys were on a suicide mission – disappeared from radar, and I watched as the bardar shrank to almost nothing. Just one friendly left, and he wouldn’t talk to me. xxxxxx I’m in a goon and need a sitrep I asked. No answer. xxxxxx Can you say if there are cons present? Is the town flat? Can you cover me? No answer. The pilot in question was a P51 on a reciprocal heading. Maybe he was anxious to RTB to land his vulches – who knows. The zeke chasing him broke off the somewhat futile chase, and came for me instead. With no support, no cap, and no sitrep, I decided enough was enough, and bailed.

OK, fellas. Two goons is all you’re getting out of me. If you can’t be bothered to protect the resources you call for, you can drive your own goon. Reminds me of those fighter jocks who call for jabo at the field to de-ack – just so they can vulch.  

Maybe I’m stupid, but not that stupid. How is it for you other Goon jocks?

[Wotan]

thats why you get 12.5 bomber perks for getting your troops out and capturing a base.........

[ZAMO]

Originally posted by beet1e
Some while ago, I was gooning to a field as requested

Some while ago..when exactily? I remember I killed 1 goon yestarday night when he was about to drop...their 20 buddies where all capping a dead base. Me and MANDOBLE were the only resistance there.

[gofaster]

After awhile, you learn who has a serious goon request and who's just doing it because they've seen others do it and they see the town flat.  I typically task the person requesting the goon to provide the protection for my run-in.  I also goon if its part of a mission and a C-47 is one of the plane options, because that would indicate that at least one member of the group (the designer) intends to capture the town.

[Shiva]

thats why you get 12.5 bomber perks for getting your troops out and capturing a base.........

Only if you land it; you get 10 if you don't make it back. In most cases, if you survive long enough to get the capture, the defenders will run off and leave you alone, but there have been a couple times where I've gone in on a hot drop -- where there are still defenders in the air at the field -- and used my plane as a distraction while the troops are dropping (read: fighter magnet)

[Turbot]

Also helps your bomber score (for some reason) a great deal.

Still wish you got some sort of scoring incentive for resupply.  As it is all you get a 1-5 bomber perks to add to the already useless thousands you have already, no points.

[LePaul]

Goon drivers are far too nice...I've been up in a fighter many many times only to have their "escorts" drag me right to the poor goon driver whose probably flown 100 miles on the deck to get there.

Thanks, [un named Knight Squad], appreciate them perk points!  Someday you'll guard those poor goons     We flew through a raid of about 12 Typhoons one night, and sure enough, not a one turned around, and there were two poor goons, on the deck, trying to make a green plane blend with the water.  Poor poor souls.

[beet1e]

ZAMO - No, it wasn't you and Mandoble. The very first incident was 2-3 weeks ago, but sticks in the mind.

Oedipus - LOL! Not the first to have told me that.

Anyway, you guys made me feel better so I'm glad I posted. The same problems existed in WB, flying the ju52.

[Ripsnort]

When the B29 comes to town, everyone will want to fly the goon for perk points (12.5)

[Dago]

Most persons already are aware of why the C47 in AH is referred to as a "goon", but I am supplying this information for any that might not understand.

The C47 used by the military in WWII was affectionately nicknamed "the Goonie Bird" by the members of the armed forces.  In AH, players have shortened the nickname "Goonie Bird" to "Goon".

If you call for a goon, you are calling for one C47 loaded with paratroops.  If you request "goons", you would be requesting multiple C47s.  This might be the case when you want to have backup troops if there were suspected to be a defender or two that might kill the first deployment.

dago

[Shane]

Originally posted by Dago

If you call for a goon, you are calling for one C47 loaded with paratroops.  If you request "goons", you would be requesting multiple C47s.  
dago

and the troops were in AW, at least, affectionately referred to as "drunks".

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Dago
Most persons already are aware of why the C47 in AH is referred to as a "goon", but I am supplying this information for any that might not understand.

The C47 used by the military in WWII was affectionately nicknamed "the Goonie Bird" by the members of the armed forces.  In AH, players have shortened the nickname "Goonie Bird" to "Goon".

If you call for a goon, you are calling for one C47 loaded with paratroops.  If you request "goons", you would be requesting multiple C47s.  This might be the case when you want to have backup troops if there were suspected to be a defender or two that might kill the first deployment.

dago

Note foreground in picture below (They are very dumb birds due to lack of predators on the isles in which they reside)

[Nash]

Good. That'll teach ya for trying to take Rook bases. I'm glad you learned your lesson. Go elsewhere next time.

"A5 was a lone rook base between a knit base and a bish base."

Heh, typical.

[ccvi]

Originally posted by beet1e
The same problems existed in WB, flying the ju52.

Much less. Before a field can be captured over there it has to be closed - no vulchers required, and when they're not busy vulching they're more usefull, even when they don't use proper techniques to make sure the goon get's to it's target.

[Shiva]

Note foreground in picture below (They are very dumb birds due to lack of predators on the isles in which they reside)

They're not dumb birds; it's just that, like most birds, survival behaviours tend to be reinforced only by differential reproduction, not by learning. The Liaison Albatross (Goonie Bird) and Black-footed Albatross (Black Goonie) nest only on Midway Island, which has no natural predators, so the goonies never develop fear of other creatures -- or much of anything else.

From a website about the goonies of Midway:

The laws of physics were against these poor creatures from the beginning of time. The goonie cannot simply flap it's wings to become airborne. He needs a "running start". Holding his huge wings out, parallel to the ground, he would run ... faster and faster ... until he had attained enough "lift" to rise gracefully into the sky. Often, the goonie would run out of "runway" before he had acquired adequate "Lift" ... the result was not pretty. They could be seen, running full speed ( with outstretched wings ) and crashing headlong into trees, buildings, airplanes, even people. Un-deterred, the bird would shake it's head, dust itself off, and try again.

In flight, God never made a more graceful or beautiful creature. Their long wingspan allowed them to ride the air currents, which they did for nearly a year at a time, until it was time to return to Midway for mating.

The Landing was also...less than spectacular. ( but funny to see ) Having been in flight for many months, and not using their legs during all that time ... the goonie didn't seem to realize that ... they simply wouldn't support his body weight. Gliding beautifully and gracefully in ... until his feet touched the earth, then Rolling "head-over-heels" in a flapping, flopping ball of feathers ... rather like a tumbleweed ... until he was sprawled, in a most "un-gentlemanly" manner on the ground. Quickly, he would get to his feet, and look around as if to say: ... "I meant to do that"!

..and so it went running, crashing, flying, crashing, and just "sitting" ... waiting to be "crashed into" by another of his kind who is trying to attain flight.