ARB games for bombers make practically no sense anymore, as in huge maps 90% like vietnam and the like, the bases are all concentrated in the center.
In addition, the maps and the minutes of autonomy are not equal, in the sense that the maps are often too large for the autonomy of the vehicles, which, once unhooked, always if they reach first base, must necessarily go back, or me who, for example I use the F-4J/S once the bombs have been dropped I can engage in combat or give support to my team I can’t do it because the fuel used to get to the base at speed is almost half of what I have, and therefore I will be forced to go back arriving at the base with still a few minutes available, refuel, change weapons and run to help my team, provided that in the meantime they have not killed them all or that the game is already over because we have won. everything is very poorly structured in the high-end jet age, not to mention the smaller maps where bombing is a wheel of fortune, as they are squarely concentrated in the engagement area.
I believe that this type of game can go well up to Cold War planes, but when speeds are higher than Mac1 it is necessary to structure a game of a different type, on vast maps, where the flight range is more realistic and allows for a less chaotic and frantic and more tactical game
You dont have to use afterburner 100% of the time
I almost always have plenty of fuel to burn on after burner to the base, then engage enemies for a decent amount of time on 3/4 fuel.
it really depends on which plane you use, because some planes need to maintain high speeds, also at the beginning you have only 4 bases so the first one to come can destroy it, I with the F-4J in afghanistan and vietnam only have tanks for one run, and if I can get there without being intercepted first, since with full load I’m at Mac 1.1 and can be reached easily, I can destroy first base, and if second base is close that too, otherwise I throw the bombs and I’m forced to return I run to the base without wasting any more time otherwise I’m left dry. in the small maps instead the fuel problem doesn’t exist but on the other hand everything is too chaotic and most of the time you get killed before reaching the base because you are slow and not very agile.
if you have to run to the base otherwise someone else will destroy it you must, also because keeping the bombs means being slow and having less maneuverability and being more vulnerable, consequently the sooner you arrive the sooner you drop and the sooner you can leave. the concept, however, is in the fact that everything, as usual, is done very roughly, without taking care of the details, without understanding there are planes that consume more and others less. you see an F14A that has 54min of autonomy, but as soon as you light the after burners it creates a black hole in the tanks and also sucks up the fuel of the aircraft that is next to you if you are not careful. they should put more realistic autonomies
I think instead of just increasing the map size like they did they should have added air spawns.
Currently I think it’s boring in Air RB to get up to speed and altitude and close the distance before engaging. Every match has a period in the start where you do nothing.
If they had air spawns you could also stretch the area in which jets spawn out. I stead of everyone coming off 1 airfield you could spread the team out(either in a line or in groups in different areas)which would create more angles to attack bases and the enemy team.
It would also reduce the time to target on these large maps while still leaving space to manoeuver
this is an interesting point, and I am totally in favor, so at least one has to be careful in 360° without knowing that enemies will come from only one direction
I’d like to see more variety to air RB missions than what we currently have. Fighter intercept missions. Bomber intercept missions. Air spawns for both teams. Some planes deserve and air spawn when the other nations with a respective counter-part get one and one nation doesn’t it’s kinda ‘huh?’
Some kind of game mechanic needs to reward teamplay more too.
I haven’t been playing too long but coming from other sims I understand this game makes some players really focus only on the grind and rp/sl earning. Really changes the behavior of games.
Really frustrating to watch half the team drop on the first bomber who is rushing a base when their fighters are going to be above them in 2 minutes later… if they don’t get the kill they then rush the ground targets or ai targets because they know they’re dead meat and want to get something before they die…
Teammates who care more about a kill than your plane… Haven’t been playing that long but it’s happened many times now in AB and in ARB where teammates form a lemming train behind you shooting literally THROUGH you to get the plane you’ve been damaging or you’ve put into a poor position through the dogfight. I don’t mind if a teammate swoops in mid dog fight and finishes a plane off or if they clear my six and kill a plane that is teamwork.
I do mind when they shoot through me to kill the plane OR when they swoop in on a plane that’s super crit on fire and nose diving into the ground put in some rounds and get the kill… WHY? you spend all your energy and altitude position to get a 100% dead plane already.
These types of situations turn me off playing the game mode more. I prefer AB for this type of mindless entertainment, it’s faster and same type of player mentality.
RB needs some variety of game missions I think. I definitely prefer lower tier games, planes feel more balanced. WW2 planes fighting time traveling planes is another annoyance of mine.
What we really need is a well made RB EC gamemode. Take Air SB. But change it to realistic controls and third person, but keep everything else the same. I.e no markers. The issue with both top tier bombers and many top tier BVR interceptors. they need space. THey dont do well in furballs or in areas of high enemy activity.
A Tornado Gr1 was designed to fly under the radar, hopefully evading the attention of enemy fighters and then hitting a target. They aren’t meant to charge into the entire enemy airforce.
I play AIR RB just to grind a few unlocks. I dont really enjoy it though.
I would probably enjoy it if it was like ground RB and enemys dont appear on HUD. The arcade HUD indicator pretty kills it for me. Id rather play interceptor in Ground RB.