The proposed solution to recon aircraft

[1776ZOOMSNIPE1911]

After some thought, I am pleased to inform you that I have an idea.

The humble recon plane. Fragile, slow and useless. More often than not it is not worth taking. If it doesn't get killed, it will get stunned and will lazily drift back and eventually leave the battlefield. It's time to take another look.

My proposed changes will breathe new life to the failed class.

1. Move recon planes to the recon tab
2. Lower the price of recon planes
3. Make them a persistent unit that doesn't return to the call in slots
   
4. Allow recon planes to land in fields on the map

5. Maybe even give the recon plane offmap artillery with the same 1000m range for around 180-200.

This will make them function like helicopters in wargame.

I don't want them to be helicopters so they will need a stretch of land to enable to land

 

[roirraw]

Maybe even give the recon plane offmap artillery with the same 1000m range for around 180-200.

 

[1776ZOOMSNIPE1911]

Maybe even give the recon plane offmap artillery with the same 1000m range for around 180-200.

That is a good idea

 

[roirraw]

They're extremely fragile and would be hard to get into position anyways. Plus, when any offmap is falling back, you are unable to use the ability. I think it would be a decent use for the recon plane class.

 

[jammiebadger]

They're only ever going to be useful if you sling them into the recon tab, so +1 to OP

 

[DoubleDan68]

Something's fishy. Everyone who has posted in this thread seems to agree with each other to some level, but there are a lot of lurkers rating posts with disagrees?
Instead of clicking a button, why don't you engage in the discussion

 

[Hidden Gunman]

It doesn't worry me either way...I doubt I'd ever swap out a recce unit for a spotter aircraft or swap out any of the other air. Ultimately, it is a personal choice thing on what you value more. Moving spotter aircraft to the recon slot is simply a 'want cake and eat it too' thing.

 

[Apolyon]

Something's fishy. Everyone who has posted in this thread seems to agree with each other to some level, but there are a lot of lurkers rating posts with disagrees?
Instead of clicking a button, why don't you engage in the discussion

I'm one of them. Everyone did'not have the time to answer immediatly.
To answer properly to the OP, the first and second points are a good idea. It could make the recon plane more usefull, especially the point 1. However making him persistant is too much. Recon plane can already see nearly everything outside heavy cover and whitout the terrain/bocage effect and for a long time. For balance purpose with all other ground recon, it should keep its "plane trait". About "landing" it's on pair with the persistant trait, no.
Finally, about making it an artillery observator, I disagree. A Phase A plane with recon optics able 1) to spot your units at the very begining of the game and 2) to call an off-map artillery would overpowered, even at 200 points and for 144mm shells. Definitly, no.
Recon planes need to be move in the recon table but shoud keep their role: a slow moving plane with recon optics.
This modification could also force every players to invest a bit of point in plane/AA at the very early game and accordingly to protect their selfs against all other aerial threats.

 

[roirraw]

It would be too strong in A phase, it should only be thought of as a late game option for the ability type.

 

[Mister Maf]

Recon tab, sure. Lower price, great. Landing, persistent, and spotting for artillery? Na. That would be gimmicky and unnecessary. Making them an affordable phase B recon unit or an expensive phase A recon unit would be enough.

 

[Chip Thaddeus]

Something's fishy. Everyone who has posted in this thread seems to agree with each other to some level, but there are a lot of lurkers rating posts with disagrees?
Instead of clicking a button, why don't you engage in the discussion

Because I don't see the point. It comes to a question of taste. I don't like the Forward Observers at all, and would dislike the addition of any more of them. He probably likes FOs, which is fine, but we'll hit a brick wall about 2 seconds into the discussion.

 

[1776ZOOMSNIPE1911]

Recon tab, sure. Lower price, great. Landing, persistent, and spotting for artillery? Na. That would be gimmicky and unnecessary. Making them an affordable phase B recon unit or an expensive phase A recon unit would be enough.

What is wrong with recon planes holding an artillery role? It would be visible to the enemy once it gets close and would take a single AA machine gun to scare away, which is easier to fight against compared to current forward observers. It makes a class useful

 

[Apolyon]

For me, the wrong is that recon plane has its role from Phase A to mid-Phase B until the AA/Air support begin to be to aggressive for its tiny wings. Assuming this statement, adding an artillery-call ability to it is a bit overpowered. The plane will be able to strike anything on the map and efficiently (because it could see everything) at the very begining of the game. The recon plane must keep its actual role: recon.