CAP
Combat Air Patrol (CAP)
CAP is ON HOLD
Please check the message board for updates on when CAP will resume.
The Saturday event "Combat Air Patrol" will attempt to simulate WW2 in a chronological order, starting with events in Europe and the Nordics 1940. The campaign will be constantly re-written to take advantage of new aircraft from HTC so each run through should be different.
CAP event frames are held at 3:00pm EST - 8:00pm GMT - 9:00pm CET in the Special Events Arena. Please aim to be there early for assignment.
The Campaign
The CAP campaign is branching depending on results. It is entirely possible for the Axis forces to win World War Two, however, individual frame designs may not be equal. What I mean is that not all frames will have totally fair victory conditions so don't complain. For example, it'll be very difficult for Germany to invade Britain, just as it'll be difficult for the Allies to win the Battle of France, etc. This is not to say every frame will be stacked one way, the great majority will be pretty equal, it'll just be the big frames that will allow the campaign to depart from written history that'll be hard for one side. However, in the first run through of the campaign Germany did conquer Britain, this allowed us to run a US/RN Naval assault on Britain later in the campaign.
The Frames
Each frame with lean more towards objective based gameplay than score based. The side COs will be given their objectives each week and it's up to them how they go about reaching them.Arena settings for all CAP frames will generally be the same. Unless specifically stated in the frame design notes fuel setting is 1.5 : 1, icon range is long, anything on the ground destroyed will stay destroyed until the end of the frame, all strat targets (factories, city, HQ) are not involved in the event and hitting them is a waste of ammo. Some frames will use the strat targets to simulate enemy installations to be hit but unless otherwise stated they are all off limits, this is to prevent MA style HQ raids.
Radar
Radar settings are a little different to most events. Short range tower based radar (dot dar) is available, minimum alt 500ft. Actual ranges will change as the campaign goes on depending on the map size and what year is it. In order to further simulate long range radar coverage we also have sector counters (bar dar), however, sectorcounteralt is set to 20,000ft. This means that bardar doesn't show every plane that scrambles anywhere on the map, it only shows if there's a formation flying at over 20,000ft. Incoming raids have to then decide whether to fly over 20k and announce themselves on bar dar or stick to slightly less, of course as soon as the raid hits tower based radar range (dot dar) the subterfuge is over. But it also means that incoming raids can choose to avoid enemy formations that are over 20k and therefore showing on bardar.
Spawn windows
Instead of 1 life per frame we will be re-opening fields every 30 minutes for 5 minutes. As the event will be under way there is a distinct possiblity of some vulching going on so choose your start field carefully. If you are vulched then take off again from another field. Outside of these 'spawn windows' ground vehicles and gunner positions will be available so there's no need to sit around in the tower waiting for the next spawn window if you get shot down. M3s and troop carrying LVTs are the exception to this rule and are only available during spawn windows.During the frame itself we turn off the ability to spawn certain aircraft after the 1st or 2nd spawn window. Depending on the time-frame being simulated, expect newer and/or rarer aircraft to be only available for the 1st spawn window, other aircraft may also be disabled after the 2nd spawn window. This DOES NOT mean that you'll only see (for example) 262s for the 1st 30 minutes of a frame. We'd actually quite like to see people trying to stay alive to RTB and rearm in CAP, therefore using this idea the only way to keep your brand new ride is to rearm, lose it and you'll be flying something not quite so hot......well in theory anyway.
Tactical airframe placement
In each frames details will be the equipment list. On the Command forums, players will decide which airframe will be available at what field on the map. These are limited, single runway fields can handle one plane type, two runway fields can handle two plane types and (surprise surprise) three runways can handle three types. Depending on the frame setup, CMs reserve the right to further limit the number of fields that one particular airframe can be stationed. Ground vehicles will usually be unlimited but CMs may limit certain vehicles.In situations where the same terrain is used in multiple frames, the airframe placement chosen for the first frame will stand for all further frames on that same terrain. This is to allow commanders the option of attempting to attack and shut down airfields that spawn certain types of aircraft in order to gain a tactical advantage.
Stuff you need to know about
In order to run CAP we use the tools HT has given us in a way they weren't designed to be used. The arena allows us to set up tables with all the data saved from arena settings to field ownership, we use two tables for a CAP frame, one with all the aircraft enabled and one with only the ground vehicles and gunner positions. This allows us to keep flight enabled at all times so people can spawn vehicles and man guns. Guess which table is loaded during a spawn window. Because we run things this way there's two side effects that everyone needs to be aware of:1) When you first log into the arena there will be no aircraft available at any field. This is normal. This is because we have the table with no aircraft loaded to prevent people from noting which plane is available at what field and planning around it. A few minutes before roll time we'll load the 'open fields' table so people can set up their rides, flight will be disabled until roll time. Outside of spawn windows there will be no aircraft shown in the hanger, this is also normal, once a spawn window opens aircraft will be shown again and you can set up your ride and take off.
2) When fields are captured it causes issues. The next time we load a table (to open or close fields) the airfield ownership will be reset. This means that as the spawn window opens any recently captured field will revert to the original owner. The hosting CM will quickly change it's ownership to whoever captured it and save the table, the ownership of the field will now be saved on both tables and it won't happen again. As most know, when a field is captured ack respawns. Therefore, when it's near a spawn window stay well clear of any recently captured fields as you may get shot down.
Think of it as trigger happy ground troops that are a little nervous finding themselves at this newly captured base with enemy emblems and flags all over the place.
Commanders
There is no permanent commander for a country in a CAP frame. Instead we have private forums setup on this BBS for anyone who wishes to be part of the Command Staff for a particular side, all frame planning is done on these forums and a frame CO is designated here. Anyone can ask in this forum for access to one of the Command forums, we specifically invite all squadrons flying in CAP to have at least one representative with access to a Command forum so you can be involved in frame planning and hopefully have your mission(s) all planned out well before the frame. Any individuals who would like to be involved in the planning and command of their chosen side are also welcome to ask for access.In other words, if you think you can do better than the CO you fought under last CAP frame then step up and get involved. It's pretty democratic in the Command forums.
Medals
The medal system worked out will reward pilots both for success and dedication in the CAP event. Each countries medal system is slightly different but sticks to the same general theme of 3 types of medals:Bravery medals: Awards given for success in combat (i.e. kills)
Achievement medals: Awards given for reaching long term targets of numbers of kills, streaks without death, frames flown, etc.
Service medals: Awards given for long service as a pilot or CO and squadron unit citations.
Medals awarded are scripted, however, the CMs have the option to upgrade or downgrade an award depending on AARs of the event. For example, as a British pilot if you shot down 2 aircraft and landed safely you'd be awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, if AARs indicated that during these engagements you were outnumbered 4:1, your wingy was calling for help and you went back to save him, the medal awarded would be upgraded to a Distinguished Flying Medal. Medals are also awarded for ground targets and ships.
At present we have medal systems for the RAF, Luftwaffe, USAAF, USN, USMC, Italian Air Force, Russian Air Force and IJN. Each system differs slightly, for example the Luftwaffe system awards an Iron Cross for pretty much anything but only one of each medal can be awarded, the USAAF system includes more unit situations and medals for being best something or other.
Medals are awarded per sortie, therefore if you land and rearm then continue to shoot down people it's all counted as the same sortie. 10 kills in 1 sortie (with multiple rearms) would be worth an extremely high medal. As soon as you end your sortie (death, capture or a new plane) the scoring is done and the next plane you take up will be counted as a new sortie.
Awards will be displayed on a seperate website, link to be published as soon as someone much better looking than Swoop (and with a much cooler bike) gets it done.