Rapid Air Response

[Craftyatom]

So your squad's pinned down in a base, tanks + planes outside, you know you can't even leave the building without dying. You're part of a small squad, so although you can defend it for a bit longer, there's no way of getting outside help from teammates. Unless...

Rapid Air Response! An outfit (with or without that name) dedicated to giving help where help is needed! Instead of waiting until more enemies arrive and take the base/kill you all, jump into a chat/channel/voice/message/carrier pidgeon with a dispatcher, tell them your location and situation, and (if available of course) they'll send a squad of Libs/fighters to clear things up on short notice!

Think EMS+Mercenaries, but without the payment or medical parts.

Or perhaps, if they don't have any emergencies to tend to, ask them for an escort/Gal pilot (because your infantry-based outfit can't fly worth beans, especially without certs).

I think this opens up a lot more opportunities for smaller outfits, assuming it's done right. Maybe you like playing with irl friends, and don't have a giant outfit backing you up. RAR could back you up when you're in trouble, or provide some extra support in your weak areas, especially since in a small ground-based outfit (the big ones already have designated drivers, and as such don't need help), getting someone to cert Galaxy might be tough.

TL;DR: Certed/experienced pilots for hire, when and where they're needed, because you might not have any on hand.

Thoughts? Comments? Criticism?

[BlueSkies]

This is kind of what the mission system is for. Any fliers who are setup to receive air support missions will be alerted if a commander requests air support to a particular location.

[Craftyatom]

Originally Posted by BlueSkies

This is kind of what the mission system is for. Any fliers who are setup to receive air support missions will be alerted if a commander requests air support to a particular location.

I wasn't aware of this, and that's actually pretty cool, the only other things I can think of are that
a.) an outfit knows each other and are better coordinated,
b.) there's at least one video out there where you see multiple aircraft flying one by one into a base, the place is a meatgrinder, whereas an outfit might have a more focused/bolstered attack, rather than an aimless one

Actually though, if commanders can call for air assistance/pilots, that solves all of my problems, albeit in a slightly less organized fashion.

[Gugabalog]

I'd like a mission system where people could set priority on their mission requests.

[Rat]

I think its a good idea, play the game the way you want to, this small squad thats pinned down may not have a member with the leadership certs to set up a air support mission...as long as RAR was well known enough to get the call from someone.

[Erendil]

Originally Posted by Craftyatom

Rapid Air Response! An outfit (with or without that name) dedicated to giving help where help is needed! Instead of waiting until more enemies arrive and take the base/kill you all, jump into a chat/channel/voice/message/carrier pidgeon with a dispatcher, tell them your location and situation, and (if available of course) they'll send a squad of Libs/fighters to clear things up on short notice!

There are a number of outfits from PS1 that specialized in just such RAR tactics and at least a few will be making an appearance in PS2, so they're out there.

No doubt once the Devs iron out the kinks the strategic metagame and the mission system gets implemented, more RAR outfits will pop up.

[Roidster]

or you respawn at sanc,and attack them

[sisu]

once they nerf reavers to an acceptable level we'll have an even air fight on our hands.