Search the Community

BASIC IDEA Slightly alter Condors and Foxtrots to make the aircraft recovery system make sense (but still keep the aircraft recovery system, in essence.) Also, make it known that the reason corsairs and later aircraft can be recovered is due to the alien alloy construction. BACKGROUND After reading the reasons given by the developers for implementing the aircraft recovery system, I've come to agree with them; air combat will benefit from this system. However, there has to be a good in-game explanation to explain why this happens, otherwise the player won't like it. The easy part of that involves the aircraft built using alien technology. Since UFOs (made form alien alloys) can crash land and be more or less intact, why not human aircraft built from those same alien alloys? That's why we can recover corsair-and-onward aircraft. The issue with that explanation is that it doesn't extend to Condors and Foxtrots. These aren't made with alloys, so they should just disintegrate upon impact like normal aircraft do (since they are, basically, normal aircraft). I propose a few changes to the system that would keep the current system (3 days after air combat you get the planes back with no extra $$) but make the in-game explanation/"pseudo-realism" intact. DETAILS Condors First off, make Condors free. They are human technology, and as such they are free for the Earth's protectors, along with all other human technology (guns, mags, missiles, etc). Keep the 72 hour shipping time. When a Condor is destroyed, decommission the dead Condor (freeing the hanger for another plane) and order a new Condor. This would keep the 72 hour "recovery time", and eliminate the X hour "repair time" after the aircraft is "recovered", giving the Condors a slight advantage over other planes in that they can be made ready for battle more quickly after a loss. Reasons for the change: a) Replaced Condors after a loss now makes sense b) Keeps the current system of replacing Condors after a loss c) Makes Condors a more effective swarm plane, since they can be obtained for free within 3 days of the ordering d) Helps a player start up an air force more easily e) Allows the player to recover more quickly after losing his starting planes in the beginning (due to the lack of a repair time) Foxtrots Make new item, Foxtrot Airframe, that is free and takes 72 hours to ship, and is stored in a hanger (just like a Condor). Make the Foxtrot Manufacture cost $0, require/consume one Foxtrot Airframe, produce a Foxtrot in the hanger the airframe was, and greatly reduce the manufacture time (because it takes 3 days to get the airframe). Keep the current recovery mechanic in place, so a foxtrot shot down will be back in the hanger in 3 days, and fully repaired in X hours. Explain it to the player like this: When a Foxtrot is ordered, after 3 days the airframe arrives ready to have the Xenonaut equipment bolted on. The manufacturing project is the stuff being bolted on. When a Foxtrot is shot down, a new airframe is ordered and arrives in 3 days (recovery time). The Xenonaut equipment is bolted on by the aircrew (repair time). Reasons for the change: a) Replaced Foxtrots after a loss now make sense b) Keeps the current system exactly of replacing a Foxtrot after a loss c) Helps a player start up an effective (that is, not just a bunch of Condors) more easily [EDIT] Cannons Cannons on non-Condor aircraft would be recovered normally, along with the aircraft itself. The question arose, what about improved cannons on a Condor? What happen to those when it crashes? Solution: Upon the cannon research, the new cannons are made available for free. (I wouldn't replace the previous cannons, though, just shove them to the bottom of the list, so the best is at the top, then the second best, and so forth.) -It allows Condors to be replaced after a crash without losing your improved cannon -It removes the manufacturing time and cost from cannons, making them equal to missiles and torpedoes in that they are all available free of charge (and this makes sense; if the missiles are free, why not the guns?) [/EDIT] Anyway, that's my idea. I hope the developers like it. It keeps the air combat less important (just like they want) and keeps their original aircraft recovery system basically intact; the only difference is that Condors have no "repair" time since they're ordered new. It also allows players to have a fully fleshed out air force with both dog-fighters (Condors) and missile launchers (Foxtrots) without dishing out a ton of money, in essence making the air combat even less important, especially early game before you have later aircraft. The later aircraft would still function the same way as they currently do. They'd just have an entry in their research descriptions saying that these planes can be recovered from crash sites, much like UFOs, due to the incredibly strong alien alloys used in the construction. Piece of cake. Here's my original post, on the v19.3 Geoscape Balance thread. It's basically the same thing, but less well thought-out. Anyway, it's there if you wish to read it; it's not necessary.

BASIC IDEA: Add another button in the air combat aircraft screens (same category as retreat, afterburners and evasive roll) titled "Emergency Disengage" which would allow the rapid egress of an aircraft from a fight, but would result in a 72hr recovery time in addition to the repair time for the accumulated damage +20% max HP more damage (to a minimum of 1% HP) to simulate the rough landing. (More info in the Details section). -The balance should be similar, if not the same, as the current indestructible interceptor system. (More info in the Balance section.) -This should satisfy both sides of the indestructible interceptors debate, the for's and the against's. (More info in the Reasoning Section.) DETAILS: BALANCE FACTORS: REASONING BEHIND THE SUGGESTION: I am going to post links to this thread in any threads discussing the indestructible interceptor issue. If your needs would be met with this idea, if you like and support the implementation of the idea, please comment and say so. This will help the developers see how popular this idea is (if it indeed gains popularity.) Please comment any concerns or suggestions below as well. Thanks!