Thoughts for Future Air Superiority Balance

[Belmakor]

Before anyone says "the game hasn't been balanced yet" I do know this. This is just some thoughts on air superiority.

I have no problem with fighting air superiority battles. They make sense and they are fun (even out-witting you the first time they bait you).

However, in the early game you are forced to either have some good micro in the battles (making use of cannon fire) or risk not being able to complete a second engagement during the same sortie. This means you no longer fight ground battles as you are constantly fighting air superiority on your terms, or fighting them on the enemies terms (with reduced squadron size and or not enough firepower).

My suggestion would be to limit these in the early game for a time period after winning a battle. Perhaps the following wave should be clear of them. Otherwise you are forced to build more hangars and aircraft in order to do both air superiority and alien interdiction. Forcing the player to do something early in the game or risk punishing losses they might never recover from is not the best idea (some may disagree!).

This would reflect earth forces achieving air superiority for a period and give you a chance to shoot down some more meatier targets.

Ok so you may argue that they probably were not going to be in the early game anyway but this is one possible solution that still allows them with early tech while keeping the game enjoyable.

[Gauddlike]

There are three tiers of alien fighter so they will probably appear through most of the game.

I think it is a nice touch to have them although I would have them as an uncommon mission so they are a surprise or a shock when they happen rather than an almost certainty.

Early game the missions can involve a single fighter, working up to the full three then start replacing one or more with the next tier once Xenonauts become more advanced.

Early missions would be a threat but not game ending if the enemy numbers were more balanced with the ticker.

I don't think it needs the mission to be locked out after fights or anything like that.

Limiting how many of them there are and how strong the wings are should be enough.