Suggestions for future patches

[john_txic]

I've never tried that, Dingo; I'll have a go tonight.

I do use auto-planning for Recce, though, on occasions. Apart from having Mosquitos dicing at 500ft, it's OK...

[lastdingo]

One more proposal: Make Luftwaffe pilot quality variable in a smart way.
A player who doesn't need many replacements should get better replacements.
The player should also be able to set a minimum skill for pilots (ranging from exp 25 to 75), and the marginal rate of training effectiveness should decline.
~150 flying hours for a exp 30 pilot
~200 flying hours for a exp 55 pilot
~250 flying hours for a exp 65 pilot
~300 flying hours for a exp 70 pilot
~400 flying hours for a exp 75 pilot

The training could run in the background (one flying hour per day and student) and create a pool of replacement pilots.
Everytime a pilot finishes training a new student replaces him. On top of that, quantity of training slots could vary over time.

Now if you need 50 replacements on a day and have set minimum skill to 65, you'd end up getting the best 50 students (may be better than if training requirement was set higher earlier). You'd get less than 50 if there were less than 50 at exp 65. Finally, a random +5/-0 exp  bonus when pilots graduate could keep this mechanic somewhat less unbelievable (not all at exactly the same skill).

[Arkham]

this may have been mentioned before, but how about being able to move the waypoints via the mouse? 

[otisabuser2]

ORIGINAL: Arkham

this may have been mentioned before, but how about being able to move the waypoints via the mouse? 

I think you right click on them and drag them around ?

[john_txic]

VIII. With the quality of aerial reconnaissance available, it should be possible for enemy airfields to be reported as having single-engined or twin-engined fighters based there, even if not exact types - not just a total no. of fighters as at present.

[davidpballmh]

I would like unit auto upgrades to be turned off so I can have total control of when they upgrade.

[john_txic]

ix. In the "Move Units" command, perhaps each Group/Division etc. could be in a separate colour? Aids finding the airfield you want to select.

[harley]

ORIGINAL: lastdingo

The training could run in the background (one flying hour per day and student) and create a pool of replacement pilots.
Everytime a pilot finishes training a new student replaces him. On top of that, quantity of training slots could vary over time.

Now if you need 50 replacements on a day and have set minimum skill to 65, you'd end up getting the best 50 students (may be better than if training requirement was set higher earlier). You'd get less than 50 if there were less than 50 at exp 65. Finally, a random +5/-0 exp  bonus when pilots graduate could keep this mechanic somewhat less unbelievable (not all at exactly the same skill).

there *is* a pilot pool, but it's very limited. It doesn't work the way you describe, but if you limit losses you will get slightly better pilots. It doesn't work the way you've described, but it does also allow for a mini-flood of pilots if you have a bad day.

[john_txic]

x. 83 and 97 Sqn were transferred to 5 Group in April 1944; 627 Sqn followed. I'm in December '44 in my 700-Turn game, and they're still with 8 Group

[john_txic]

xi. Where's the Lancaster BII? We have every little Luftwaffe sub-type, so why not allied bombers too?

[npsergio]

Not sure if it's possible with the game code...

For the next patch:
Not to control the pilots, but to control the unit leader.
I.E. A button in the unit screen let you "retire" the current commander.
Then, it's open a screen with the eligible pilots.
You select the one you want and it's assigned as a new commander.

Eligible pilots:
- same nationality
- not other commanders, only pilots from the units
- same or higher rank. Minimum rank major (maybe)

Cost:
- removed leaders are lost, showing them as "Ret" (retired). Not eligible for anything (posted in administrative jobs?)
- movement points (50 - 100)
- morale points penalty to the new commander unit (like in unit movement)

An easier way:

A button in the unit screen let you "retire" the current commander.
If you click it, the game ask for a confirmation.
If you confirm, then the commander is removed (Ret), and the next pilot in the same unit, given an order of preference is assigned new commander.

Order of preference:
- Higher or same rank
- Better experience
- More missions
- More kills
- Alphabetical order / random

Cost:
- removed leaders are lost, showing them as "Ret" (retired). Not eligible for anything (posted in administrative jobs?)
- movement points (50 - 100)
- morale points penalty to the unit (like in unit movement)
- you can´t control the commander. You don´t know if the new commander will be better or worse than the retired commander.

[warshipbuilder]

Since there is already a "what if" Jet 44 campaign, can we not have Meteors, P-80's and B-29's incorporated?

[drmweaver2]

Obviously none of these will be implemented anytime in the near future (if ever) due to the recent patch/upgrade.

But as a late-to-the-BtR-game new player, these are the things that struck me as "would be useful to have".
1. Color coding of mission types on the map during planning phase (Ex., bombing - as current[red/white], FS - green, NI - yellow, recon - orange)

2. Grouping of "packages" in Missions page list (expandable/collapsible similar to TOE listing) so that you could associate a number of flights as one "mission package" (recon, FS, different bomber raids, escorts). Currently, the sorts may mix up various element of different raids (main, diversionary, theater/area) which makes it interesting-at-best/difficult-usually to scan and see that I've got all the appropriate elements scheduled (when converting/comparing from the paper planning I've done to the computer).

3. A time of event playback list at the end of each turn - not every event, just things like times of: takeoff, interaction(results) with which enemy unit at x/y location, arrival at waypoint/target/base -> for each unit...
Also useful would be weather at location for each bomb drop.

4. An in-game help file.
5. A keyboard shortcut pop-up menu.
6. A hideable or smaller top menu area for the Bombing/Attacking player after hitting Start (seems to be a lot of "wasted screen space" during the turn execution when the Attacking player can only sit back and watch his planes fly.)... Reason - As with #7, as the Allied player in BtR, once I hit Start, I don't need some of the info that currently takes up 1/6th of the display screen at the top - I mostly need just the Stop/Continue button.

7. A multi-level selectable bottom display area where more or less info could be displayed based on keypress selection (similar to some of the database list displays [minimal, medium, most of the screen]). Reason - as the Allied player in BtR, once I hit Start, I don't need some of the info that currently takes up 1/6th of the display screen at the bottom. I probably could do with just 3 lines of text while watching the turn's flights play out.

I realize that some or all of these have probably been considered and rejected already, for any number of reasons. But I've just started playing this and thought I'd just toss the above out there (especially as I once tried to program something similar to this game myself [starting with the old Avalon Hill game, Luftwaffe, as a base] but lacked the graphics programming skills to accomplish anything).

[simovitch]

ORIGINAL: drmweaver2

Obviously none of these will be implemented anytime in the near future (if ever) due to the recent patch/upgrade.

But as a late-to-the-BtR-game new player, these are the things that struck me as "would be useful to have".
1. Color coding of mission types on the map during planning phase (Ex., bombing - as current[red/white], FS - green, NI - yellow, recon - orange)

I like this idea. We have already fixed a few things since the beta release so simple things might be easy to add (as long as I don't drive Alberto completely mad with my requests...) but I'm not promising anything.

[npsergio]

Axis side, to know how many and which model of planes have been produced each turn.

[simovitch]

ORIGINAL: npsergio

Axis side, to know how many and which model of planes have been produced each turn.

You can get a good idea of this number with the new production interface. Look at the number of airframes produced, and if there are enough engines and parts to assemble a complete aircraft (i.e. the engine and parts numbers are green) then you will receive that number of replacements into the pool. If the engine and parts numbers are red, your aircraft production will be limited in number by the deficient element (engine or parts) and the excess airframes/engines/parts will be added to your stock.

What might be interesting would be to look at an air unit and see how many replacements it received that turn.

Hope this makes sense.

[drmweaver2]

ORIGINAL: simovitch

ORIGINAL: drmweaver2
Obviously none of these will be implemented anytime in the near future (if ever) due to the recent patch/upgrade.

But as a late-to-the-BtR-game new player, these are the things that struck me as "would be useful to have".
1. Color coding of mission types on the map during planning phase (Ex., bombing - as current[red/white], FS - green, NI - yellow, recon - orange)

I like this idea. We have already fixed a few things since the beta release so simple things might be easy to add (as long as I don't drive Alberto completely mad with my requests...) but I'm not promising anything.

To expand on my preference, it would be GREAT if you could also filter and/or display ONLY one type of mission or route type at a time on the map (color coded, of course). That is, just recons, bomb missions, FS's...

For example, a single complicated Bomber Command mission package might have 30 individual flight paths associated with it. Limiting the map display to routes of a single type within that package's "active time" would make things much clearer and even easier to plan. Currently, when I try to build a mission package one element/type at a time, TOTs can be examined and adjusted on another screen, but examining specific individual routes must be accomplished on a map screen which can get crowded to the point of unreadability.

Right now, to accomplish this, I have to repeatedly go back and forth between various saves I make during the planning mission phase which is VERY time-consuming.

But failing "to get everything I want or dream of having", I think just having color-coding route types would be quite helpful.

Thanks for allowing me to dream.

[CaptCarnage]

Historically I believe there is no such thing as a Bomber Command Mission Package with multiple individual routes.
Bomber Command would give 1 or 2 targets per night and plan the best route for the stream avoiding flak and what not.
Then the whole stream would try its best to follow that route and get to the target.
Certainly there were no packages with daylight bombing as a tight formation was necessary to avoid casualties. No freewheeling with different groups etc.

A mission package is something for a few decades later I guess.

You should read some of Martin Middlebrook's books about Schweinfurt or Nuremberg or Peenemunde, all is very well explained there.

[drmweaver2]

ORIGINAL: CaptCarnage
Historically I believe there is no such thing as a Bomber Command Mission Package ... snip ....

A mission package is something for a few decades later I guess.

Sigh... Did you understand what I meant? If so... wasted electrons.

Okay, I'm a military intelligence retiree. I use the terminology that I learned and used on a daily basis.

For me, in this game, a "package" in WW2 includes all associated missions by any aircraft in a distinct time period in support of or actually making an attack. So, recon, attacks on radar stations, ECM missions, diversionary attacks and NI missions flying in-the-stream are all part of the package that I plan.

If you want to use a different term for all that... fine.

As far as reading Middlebrook... why? I've read him already. Decades ago. Kinda presumptuous of you to suggest it especially as he doesn't have a specific equivalent term.

[CaptCarnage]

Oh wow a sigh from a military intelligence retiree.
The military must have become less intelligent upon your retirement. I suggested Muddlebrook because apparently you also missed out on a decades old game like Bombing the Reich. Have fun with your package.