New ability for Engineers ?

[Pegon]

Having just played trough the Japan campaign, i was hardly ever able to use land based planes. How about giving engineers the ability to build airfields ? Lets say 3 turns to build and then only one or two landing slots.
Idea ?

[bdoubled]

This article on Japanese WWII air force logistics http://www.historynet.com/japans-fatall ... r-ii-2.htm says that the Japanese really underestimated the importance of logistical support for the JAAF and JNAF. As a result, most of their forward airfields were poor, and maintenance facilities were so inadequate that many aircraft that were only slightly damaged never flew again.

[Boarspear]

This is a great idea that I think could be allowed in some scenarios -- obviously, though, the problem is if one could build an airfield literally anywhere, in multiplayer people would be building way too many of them possibly. I think allowing only one or maybe two landing slots would be good, though -- like in Guadalacanal the airfield was later expanded for the Americans.

[Yogi the Great]

How about instead of using combat Engineers just having some construction type units. Seabees etc. to build things like airfields, docks, supply centers etc.

[Erik2]

I would restrict airfield construction to Seabees and also to open/field terrain.

[Pegon]

Perhaps you can make this ability as something you unlock as a specialization in the campaign only.

[Loki1942]

Had this same idea actually, how about it taking a few turns to finish the airstrip and costing quite a bit of RP. Maybe at first it is only a basic dirtstrip handling only 1 unit at a time, and then you can expand it if you wish?

[bobk]

The DMP mod for Panzer Corps, the Russian one I believe, has a mobile unit that switches to an airfield for a single plane. You have to land right on it, no adjacent spaces. As your front lines moves up, you pack it up and move it also.

[simcc]

This ability to build airstrip will be over power as many players will littered the map with them however I think it's a great idea to build some small airstrip with limitation ie engineer can build an airstrip once per game in 3 turns and airstrip can only house 2 planes with only 6 air supply that way we will be able to house and deploy 2 land based planes

[FOARP]

I don't think building airfields would be OP if its was made to cost a lot - say, 100 RP - took multiple turns to complete, and could only be done on flat terrain.

And yes, the lack of airfields in the Japanese campaign renders all but the carrier-borne aircraft pointless to invest in - since you don't know this (the early missions do give you airfields) you end with strategic bombers that you can't deploy, and sacrificing the chance to deploy better tanks in the hope that you'll get better aircraft when selecting specialisations.