Preface
The Good
This modes fixes a lot issues normal ARB has.
I do think the following are good and absolutely should be kept:
- Multiple spawn points spread the players across the map
- Ground attackers, bombers and multirole planes doing air to ground stuff (“bombers” further in the post) actually have a purpose *more on this later
- Actual objectives that matter
- Respawns and longer match timer
I absolutely love the overall shape of this mode.
While ARB mostly limits you to using a fighter or being next to useless (for the match outcome) in a bomber this mode provides opportunities for a lot more planes to actually contribute and not feel like dead weight. There is actually an incentive now to protect your bombers as they are now useful and will help you long term in the match.
Or at least that’s the idea. While at a glance this mode seems to fix most ARB issues it doesn’t really work. Let me elaborate.
The Bad
Game ending nukes/killstreaks
As it stands now you can get a game ending 1.5Mt nuclear bomb even if you completely ignore every single objective in the mode and just go in the middle of the map to mindlessly destroy fighters. It completely undermines the bomber role once again as you can lose a game in which you are holding a huge tactical advantage. Why have your bombers go and chip away at enemy depots, AA and radars when you can replace them with fighters to deny the enemy from getting the big nuke. These strategic bombers literally go around the objective of the mode.
To quote myself from the main event topic:
I lost games in which my team had a massive 4 AF advantage and a large number of enemy AA was destroyed simply because someone accumulated enough SP (going negative on the K/D btw) in the middle of the map. I had the opposite happen as well. Camping the air spawns for strategic bombers is not a solution as it is the most boring thing ever.
It just doesn’t feel good to lose a game this way. It doesn’t feel good to win it this way either if you are in a bomber as it feels like all your efforts have been for nothing.
Now let me propose a solution much more in line with the spirit of the mode.
First of all these slow subsonic bombers (B-52 and Tu-95) will not work for this at the BR spread we had in the event. For these BRs we need some supersonic delivery methods.
What I propose is actually very simple. Just have planes carrying the big game ending nuke spawn all the way back on the main airfield. This would promote more teamwork (more on this later) as it would encourage the team to escort their win ticket to the other side of the map and it would also give the enemies time to react and defend.
The Ugly
As it stands right now AA is way to powerful, there is too much of it and it straight up cheats.
We have SACLOS AAs on the frontline that cannot be flared and cannot be notched. And there is an insane amount of them. All approaches to destroying them seem bad. Gunning them is basically out of the question. Launching AGMs from long ranges is also a bad option since the AA is most likely to intercept them. Saturating them with bombs seems to be the best option but if you want to do it from relative safety you need to drop from high alt where longer range AA will target you.
Worst of all is even if you manage to destroy them they respawn straight on the frontline again fairly quickly.
Then you have the fact that they can fire on the move while it is impossible to do so while driving the same systems in ground modes.
Then you have the fact that their tracking is absolutely perfect not to be impaired by foliage or trees.
Then you have the fact that they simply have their search radar down until they are ready to shot at you while still having real time information to where you are at all times.
Even after the supposed reloading nerf it still feels the same. Not to mention that even after that I still got shot down by a Buk and by the time it showed me the system for the killcam it had all 4 missiles on the launcher.
Not to mention the bugs where radar guided AA will simply not trip your RWR.
This issue is so huge there is no single change that can fix it.
Let me be clear. I want AA systems in this mode. I want them to present a real threat. But I also want at least one reliable way to fight them and I want to be rewarded with actual game impact when I destroy them.
Here are some ideas:
- Reduce the number of “short range” AAs (Osa and Roland systems).
- Push them further from the frontline.
- Place weaker AA systems on the frontline. Make it so that they can be destroyed.
- If you make them gun AAs make it so that they are not aimbotting.
- Make it so that destroyed AA doesn’t respawn in the middle of nowhere like on the frontline. For depot or AF AA it makes sense but not for frontline AAs or other encampment AAs. Make it so that they respawn back at a depot and have them drive to their station.
- Make them unable to fire on the move (follow the same rule as players do).
- Make it so that they are not omniscient if they have their search radar down.
- Give all AA systems longer reloads. Make it so that they have a limited number of ammo next to them, and if that is depleted they must wait for resupply (more on this later, I have an idea).
Similar thing goes for those early warning radars. It makes no sense for them to just respawn after a few minutes or whatever.
More Ugly
This event and this mode bring into the spotlight how awful communication systems are in War Thunder.
You have 3 main modes of communicating and they all suck.
- Text chat. It’s the most expressive options as you can say whatever. However it’s not auto translated so it’s not really useful. Also you need to stop controlling you vehicle to use it. Not ideal.
- Radio buttons (T-4-6). They are both quick to use and are localized however they are extremely limiting in what you can say. There is only a few useful commands and that’s it.
- Pinging on the map. Gives you the option to relay positional information but nothing else. This needs to be used with either chat or radio.
Gaijin just copy other games with their contextual radial menu. Make it so that you can ping on the ground/map, spotted targets, friendly players and friendly assets (airfields, ground units etc.) with options like attack, defend, cover, etc.
Here’s Apex’s wheel for example
Spoiler
Make it so that you can respond to pings (affirmative, negative, moving on the mark, etc.)
Another thing that would be very useful it to be able to draw something on the map. Similar to the XVM mod in the other tank game. Have us be able to draw an arrow/path to signify what path we plan to take.
Another issue we had for a long time is that the weapons display for your teammates (in the leaderboard) is broken. You don’t know what loadout they are running. Hope I don’t have to explain why that is crucial for team coordination. Please fix it. Also make a separate icon for nukes alongside the yield.
Random ideas
- Add carriers and naval targets/assets. Such a wasted opportunity. We straight up have an ocean on this map.
- Add helicopters (both AI and player controlled). Have them help in assaulting enemy positions. You can have them carry materials for repairs and ammo to resupply forward positions.
Closing words
I have been crying on the forums for years at this point about ARB. I am very happy that we are getting a new mode. I am also happy that you seem to be listening to feedback or at least I hope that you are.
You are so close Gaijin. I am hoping that this will get fixed and that these are just small setbacks in early stage of testing the new mode.
Please don’t screw it up.
Thank you for reading my semi unhinged unfiltered rant. I might update it after the event is over and I collect my thoughts a bit more.
Also don’t you close this. If you truly want feedback you will not close it.This needs not to be lost in the main thread with thousands of replies