Suggestion for a different approach to handle planes.
Idea:
No rearm of ordenance in the field.
A pilot can “leave” the battlefield by pressing a button. The machine will fly away to rearm.
The machine is not instant away, so if an enemy was fighting you, he can still kill plane and pilot.
The player can play meanwhile other squads (also another plane if in setup).
After a certain amount of time (for example 5 minutes) the plane is back and ready to be plioted again.
Pro’s:
More ppl have the possibility to fly a plane. Slots are not occupied too long.
No need to sucide to come back into action.
Less bomb spamming if rearm time is more than fly time to rearm point.
Players are not stuck in rearm loop. They can defend/push point.
Rearm point further away means:
Pilot/Player is longer no benefit for team. This approach would pull him back to team.
And longer way => more sucide on that team that can afford it.
The main point AGAINST our idea is that, while a plane is rearming and the player is on the ground, it would be logic to leave the plane slot free for other players.
Therefore, there would be a granted turnover preventing a single player from monopolizing the airspace, but at the same time ground units would still be exposed to bombing almost just as frequently, only by multiple players this time.
The issue with planes is this … Bombers have a reason to bomb. it’s relatively easy and they get lots of XP for the time they spend doing it.
A fighter who’s main purpose is to fight the bombers have none or very little reason to fight bombers. It’s difficult and time consuming with very little reward (low xp ) for their time spent fighting other planes.
Solution … increase the reward for fighters to shoot down other planes. Make their time spent worth it and you will have more fighters going after bombers.
Buffing AA guns will help too but the main problem is the air to air battle is not balanced … The only real reason to fly is to bomb and not to fight other planes …
AA vehicles are being suggested too, and while the main concern against them is that they would absolutely destroy infantry, I think they could potentially become the best counter to CAS dominion.
Theoretically, if I’m a trooper, facing a Wirbelwind (in the worst case) or an M13 quad .50 shouldn’t be THAT worse than a facing a regular Panzer/Jumbo, or a 20mm flak emplacement.
Plus, car/truck mounted AA MGs with exposed gunner would be good starter options and not OP.