In the Heavy Cavalry update, ALARM has been added to the game but artificially restricted from the Tornado GR1 due to “balance concerns”.
There are 2 major issues with.
The first is one BR placement, The Tornado RET8 is getting 4x AGM-88C at only a BR of 11.7. So clearly the presence of ARM at this BR is not an issue and the RET8 is an overall much stronger aircraft to the GR1 with more CMs and MAWS.
The second is that the Tornado GR1 is only usable at 11.7 anyway. So restricting its loadout, to maintain a battle rating of 11.3, when it is exclusively used at 11.7 is just stupid.
They have claimed the issue is the quantity of ALARM that can be carried, though I genuinely question the issue with this given that ALARM can only be used vs SPAAs anyway and therefore there is a limited impact something with a lot of ARM can really actually do. But at a bare minimum, ALARM could still be added to the Tornado GR1, I would propose the outer shoulder mounts, plus the 3 on the belly, this combination would result in 5x ALARM, and be reasonably balanced in terms of blocking the overall CAS loadout.
This only considers the Tornado GR1 in a GRB setting, and totally fails to acknowledge the Tornado GR1 in an ARB/ASB setting as well, in both gamemodes the Tornado GR1 (and other IDS) are in need of meaningful and long lasting buffs, weapons like ALARM would have gone a long way to buffing the Tornado GR1 in a fair way that wouldn’t affect its balance within that gamemode. But this decision is once again GRB-centric and it is deeply frustrating.
What should the Tornado GR1 (at a GRB BR of 11.7) receive?
This is exactly the same issue affecting the Italian Tornado IDS line.
If the Tornado Ret.8 can receive 4x AGM-88C at BR 11.7, then ARM capability itself clearly cannot be considered a balance issue at this level.
Italian Tornado IDS aircraft from Ret.3 standard — and even earlier through the IDS-HARM configuration — were also able to use AGM-88 HARM. Italy operated the AGM-88B and later the AGM-88E, while the AGM-88C is already present in game.
So, if the Ret.8 already receives AGM-88C, there should be no real reason to keep the Italian Tornado IDS variants without any SEAD capability.
The same restrictive approach also affects anti-ship missiles: Italian Tornado IDS variants still do not receive Kormoran, apparently because it remains reserved only for the old German Navy event Tornado.
At this point, the Italian strike aircraft line is suffering from the same artificial loadout restrictions discussed here, despite having historically valid options available.
Gr1 can only be used at 11.7 in GRB due to lineups and if it’s used at 11.7 it will see 12.0 more often than not and what lives at 12.0? That’s right pantsir, can’t give us a way to deal with that now can they?
I need this, I need those 2S6 players specifically to be clapped by this. I’m happy its on the GR.4 but I do not have a 12.0 Lineup and pretty much no desire to get one at all right now. Not with that new Pantsir out.