EDIT: Also a perfect example of why CAS is sometimes needed. Can skip to where I used to R2Y2 to provide air support for my team and allow them to get to B. I tried. Enemy team were starting to spawn camp and i stopped them. https://warthunder.com/en/tournament/replay/252770215623008266
I think balancing air in ground RB is matter of better integrating aircraft into the game mode. The primary “problem areas” of CAS in ground seem to be revenge-killing and giant-bomb abuse, as well as planes that just endlessly fly tight loops over the battlefield, strafing again and again because no enemy fighters are there to punish them for such irresponsible flying. To that end, I would:
Remove all airspawns
Remove the close-in helipads
Move airfields farther back
All aircraft (helis included) spawn at airfield and on the ground
Add AI AA behind ground spawns (in areas untargetable by ground vehicles)
Add additional AI AA around the larger “air” portion of the map, on each faction’s “side”
Reduce the spawn cost of fighters with air-to-air loadouts, possibly to the point of allowing them to first spawn
Tier player SPAA against the era of aircraft they’ll be facing
Give SPAA an RP/SL bonus the option of applying their RP towards Air research
As it is, ground RB honestly has the best RB aircraft experience, because it’s the only option that’s objective-focused, instead of just “deathmatch in planes.” This is a opportunity that can be capitalized on to the benefit of ground RB players: The game mode should try to lure fighter / interceptor players to ground RB matches to provide air cover for their teams by flying CAP and interceptions. The sky should be it’s own battlefield, and CAS runs should be a quick in-and-out affair. Complete air supremacy (and the irresponsible flying of abusive CAS that comes with it) should be akin to spawnpushing - something that really (should) only happen once the game is already won or lost.
An idea just hit me, you know how bombers and naval have an option to toggle Ai gunners to shoot automatically to air, why not allow it for tanks too that have a mg above them. Can allow them to toggle off and on as needed. Dunno, just an idea.
I’d just prevent helicopters equipped with ATGMs from spawning at the forward spawn. Adding several minutes of dead time to rocket helis is useless.
Only move the airfields farther back at prop Brs. You can very easily get hit by the AF AA on some maps. Atleast below 9.3, the AF distance is fine (until you are uptiered from 6.7).
Why should a helicopter spawn 20-30km away from the map? The helipad distances are only an issue when you can launch ATGMs from the close one.
It’s not a bad idea, but just tuning it right is the tricky bit.
CAS in naval is almost never done because AI AA is too accurate and many actually want the strength of AI AA to be reduced a bit. It could be really easy to be overtuned.
There is also the issue of whether youd actually ever want it on passively. If you were being sneaky and then your gun just started firing randomly, would be kinda annoying. Even in naval I sometimes turn it off to be “sneaky”.
It has potential, but I can see it being a bit of a tuning nightmare to be fair and maybe more annoying for most.
Gaijin announced the implementation of a construction mechanic; perhaps we could build stationary AI SAM systems with certain vehicles? Like how you can plant friendly AI peashooters and stuff in Plants Vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2. Obviously this would need a lot of balancing and tweaking, for example a way to limit it, but I think the idea is good.
It’s possible. AI AA would need a total overhaul for that. In ASB, it’s more deadly than any player. I’d contribute a majority of my deaths to them. But just being able to build decent cover would be a game changer and not to have to be conservative on ammo usage as well. I find myself not firing not because I don’t think I can hit the target, but because I’m saving ammo for when I’m far more confident
Note: Please do not do what that SPAA player just did, if he hadn’t done this, i wouldn’t notice a SPAA up and would of flown near him. So he forced me to change my flight path so I can CAS further away from him or bomb him. Plus he stayed in spawn for quite a while. Only moved after realizing he cant touch me due to his mistake giving away he’s there.
To stop CAS early spam the only we need a small SP cost bump , thats all.
Gaijin fixed this issue long time ago but with the last SP changes for tanks the issue come back again.
This problem is like if old Normandy historical event Tiger 1 and Jagdpanther haved the same SP cost than Panzer 4 or Stugs. For balance reasons those tanks haved highers SP cost because spam early in the battle was completely unbalanced and the CAS is exactly the same, just need be higher cost.
Another note to add on:
Aight so, I called “Air Alert!”, typed in chat there is Air to that BTR. Dude ignores it lol Plz don’t be that guy…if you have a gun that can deal with CAS, especially when they are flying like that and very close, do the job at least. CAS wouldn’t be an issue if people paid attention. He ended up dying to CAS i think so yea…
I think this is a symptom of a lack of decent heli mode alternative to GRB. I would love to do the same quite often, not because I want to be overpowered at all, but because I want to fly a heli and just skip the boring tank part
Its honestly really simple, make maps larger, and incress the amout of SP for AIR TO GROUND weapons.
If they ADD more LONG range SPAA for the NATO side then the problems would subside quickly.
What we have is a game mode 1cap, 2 cap, or 3 cap on map sizes where caps can be as close as 500m-1km this means getting enough SP for a plane is easy and gettibg Bombs, ATGM ect… all ya really need is a light tank and a scout, assist or two and a kill.
With the game mode now id say just put a cap of 2 planes on each side and 2 helicopts.
Con- Russia gets a advantage wirh S1
Incress SP for weapons on the aircradlft,
Con- dying in aircrafts could incress 2 death leaving.
Ngl aircraft just shouldn’t be able to see either.
spawn distance should be based on the BR of the plane you spawn.
If you spawn for example a 6.0 AD-4 in an 8.0 match, you will get normal low tier spawn whilst other higher BR vehicles get the further away high tier spawn.
I often presume because I die to a plane after a kill that it is the same person who I just killed.Then I check the log and find it was actually a different player and not the presumed revenge killing.
