Post by victormagnus on May 28, 2019 23:42:05 GMT -6
Several players have pointed out the problems of late-game aviation. While much of it is realistic (there's a reason why USN AA armament became so memetically dakka-happy!), I think that some minor changes to better model the interaction between aircraft and surface ships would make for a good improvement. The two which I think would negate the most of the problem with the least change to game mechanics are detailed here:
(Credit to a post by 'mycophobia' for inspiring me to think on this topic)
1) Have the number of planes attacking per 'wave' change a lot based on squadron experience level:
(The manual uses another term, but I use 'wave' for the number of planes that run through your AA each game tick on attack) Historically, it was very difficult to coordinate groups of planes larger than ~4-6 into making a simultaneous attack on a target. Above that number, it starts becoming quite difficult for pilots to avoid interfering with each other's attack runs. So have something so that when, say 20 TBs come roaring in, if they're green conscripts who're on their first combat flight they'll hit in ~10 waves of 2 if not singletons, fair or average squadrons would manage ~6 waves of 3-4, and elite pilots can come roaring in in ~3 waves of ~6 each. So that pilot experience (and therefore, training and pilot conservation) have an even more direct and observable impact on aircraft effectiveness. This should mean that under-trained pilots will take the appalling losses to AA fire that were seen from such cases, historically. Furthermore, it wouldn't nerf air strikes against targets that lack effective AA, but it would mean that a good AA suite which can reliably down ~2-3 planes per incoming wave will make the ship(s) largely immune to poorly-trained attackers.
2) Have land-based 'naval' air squadrons be either XP-capped or just slower to gain pilot XP:
Off the top of my head, (and I am only an amateur historian) I believe that such land-based naval-strike aircraft as are depicted here have always been the neglected step-child of military aviation: The Navy usually focuses more on CV-based air, while the Air Force cares more about blowing nice, pretty craters in terrain which doesn't flow right back together afterwards. So to reflect that land-based naval aviation is so neglected, have those squadrons either be limited in what pilot-XP level they can attain (maybe they max out at average or fair, but never Elite). Alternatively, just have them gain pilot-XP much slower than the player's CV-based squadrons (.5x, .25x, etc.). Especially when combined with my 1) suggestion, above, this should make land-based naval air both less of a threat (pilots can't hit squat) and slower to recover from losses (all the cadets who could fog a mirror got drafted into the Fleet).
(Credit to a post by 'mycophobia' for inspiring me to think on this topic)
1) Have the number of planes attacking per 'wave' change a lot based on squadron experience level:
(The manual uses another term, but I use 'wave' for the number of planes that run through your AA each game tick on attack) Historically, it was very difficult to coordinate groups of planes larger than ~4-6 into making a simultaneous attack on a target. Above that number, it starts becoming quite difficult for pilots to avoid interfering with each other's attack runs. So have something so that when, say 20 TBs come roaring in, if they're green conscripts who're on their first combat flight they'll hit in ~10 waves of 2 if not singletons, fair or average squadrons would manage ~6 waves of 3-4, and elite pilots can come roaring in in ~3 waves of ~6 each. So that pilot experience (and therefore, training and pilot conservation) have an even more direct and observable impact on aircraft effectiveness. This should mean that under-trained pilots will take the appalling losses to AA fire that were seen from such cases, historically. Furthermore, it wouldn't nerf air strikes against targets that lack effective AA, but it would mean that a good AA suite which can reliably down ~2-3 planes per incoming wave will make the ship(s) largely immune to poorly-trained attackers.
2) Have land-based 'naval' air squadrons be either XP-capped or just slower to gain pilot XP:
Off the top of my head, (and I am only an amateur historian) I believe that such land-based naval-strike aircraft as are depicted here have always been the neglected step-child of military aviation: The Navy usually focuses more on CV-based air, while the Air Force cares more about blowing nice, pretty craters in terrain which doesn't flow right back together afterwards. So to reflect that land-based naval aviation is so neglected, have those squadrons either be limited in what pilot-XP level they can attain (maybe they max out at average or fair, but never Elite). Alternatively, just have them gain pilot-XP much slower than the player's CV-based squadrons (.5x, .25x, etc.). Especially when combined with my 1) suggestion, above, this should make land-based naval air both less of a threat (pilots can't hit squat) and slower to recover from losses (all the cadets who could fog a mirror got drafted into the Fleet).