How to make balanced missions with Paladin and Reaper ?
I have a problém - it s very difficult to estimate how big "game changer" can be use of jet and heli during mission.
With the new FIR AWS systém the Harrier is possible to repair, refuel, change loadout and rearm in 30 seconds.
The point is, if Harrier takes couple of times 12 gps guided bombs, or LAU 3x7x6=126 HE rockets at once + basic 30mm cannon with 300 rounds. The game is almost over for the ground units. The maps are not so big, and 700Kmph is on any map, except Altis, RTB 3-6 minutes and back to action.
On the other hand - to rearm or repair from trucks is real hell and can také like 20 minutes. And just becouse that I would never také the Paladin role I think (but I can not fly too )
Use of Paladin and Reaper:
Can be Paladin tasked to provide insertion, reinsertion, resupply drops and fly Jet ? (to balance the mission and not having jet all mission in air)
Can Zeus také the role of Reaper to insert, resupply ? (what if Zeus can not fly ?)
The idea behind this is:
the Reaper pilot would be most of mission without any action - which I want prevent.
If I would give Reaper armed helicopters, to have some action, it would be too much for the mission itself, if Paladin and Reaper survives - the ground units would have it too easy.
On the other hand, if they not survive, the ground units will have a hell on ground.
The dilemma is:
fun for Paladin
fun for Reaper (Can Paladin or Zeus insert, reinsert, extract, resupply ? )
no Reaper at all but heli insertions required (Paladin or Zeus or other will insert, reinsert, resupply ? Is it allowed ?)
fun for ground units
balanced mission (As the jet is able to win the mission almost itself. The mission has to stay FPS wise too.)
too quick rearming from FIR AWS station
FIR AWS provide pylon settings - can leads to extremes
extremely long rearming, repairing from trucks
maps are "small" for 700kmph jet - very quick RTB
I do not think to shot down Paladin on purpose from Zeus is too Ok
To send an AI jet on Paladin could be pretty boring as the AI jets are just running in cirles to get behind you
Put a counterweight unit on the enemy side, like AA or another jet controlled by 2nd Zeus. AA has to be localized so don’t spam them all over map. Also, consider that helicopters and jets have heavy armor as primary target so put few of them too. That way infantry and air force need to cooperate and use so called reinforcement principle of combined arms.
Additional consideration could be opord. Usually jets have interdiction role, meaning they prevent the enemy reinforcing area under attack so you might give instructions to air force to prevent and destroy any enemy motorized reinforcements coming down the MSR.
Also an important thing is not to reduce server wide visibility range and not crank up the fog/etc. To hinder paladin. Paladin needs ample threats in the form of AAA and SAM missiles if no air threat is detected. In my opinion you need a 2nd zeus if you want to threaten the player with another jet. Otgerwise the enemy is content with lobbing missiles at you and then harmlessly circling the area. Most of my AA kills as paladine were made using the Cannon. Reducing paladin’s visibility will make him depend on ground lasing which is more than often absent. Last mission as paladin i spent circling tte same place trying to find targets which meant i wasnt effective at supporting friendly troops
Note that the missile carrier shouldn’t really be used in a mission scenario, it is too unbalanced. The jets work perfectly fine with the ace rearming system and should be used with that. If you do want the pilot to select his own loadout I recommend spawning a missile carrier in through zeus and then despawning it. The only issue is that while refueling the craft through ace works it will always refuel the aircraft up to the level it would have if it had 4 external fuel tanks (twice as much as it should have). We’re currently working on a fix for that by changing the maximum fuel level to the level without fuel tanks ([user avatar=“https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.enjin.com/821401/site_logo/small.png” name=“Xander”]12587882[/user]) but until then I’d recommend letting people rearm and refuel through ace anyway otherwise the harrier will have a turnaround rate of below 2 minutes in the hands of a skilled pilot.
I can just talk about Reaper. Paladin is a hard topic but there you go with Churizo, Argon and Highway giving some advice.
In my next mission "Lost and Found" i will use Reaper mostly as transport pilot, but Reaper will have work from minute 1 until the end without a lot of time to think about taking a break. A lot of lifting, scouting and transporting will make sure true-out the entire mission that Reaper is needed. This is a no gun scenario for Reaper, i build it specifically for helicopter pilots doing scouting, transporting, scouting, transporting, scouting, sling-loading, transporting etc. And it does not take anything away from Infantry Platoon, they actually have to coordinate.
(but I can not fly too 