Hans Johansohn wrote:
Phil, First of all, let me thank you for the wonderful game of BlueMax. I've played it for years, and it is a marvelous game, that is easy to learn, yet difficult to master. I have one question I’d like to ask. Now that you’ve had BM out for years, and have heard all the comments, and criticisms. Within the limited structure of the game, as you mentioned, is there anything you would change if doing it again?
I would probably have put in a different altitude system. The a/c have different speeds at different altitudes and different turn capabilities as the altitude gets lower. I would have put in a system in which you could gain or lose altitude depending on the maneuver, and broken the maneuver charts into altitude bands so you got fewer maneuvers as you get higher and more as you get lower. Likewise there would be a mandatory loss of altitude on some maneuvers. If you read much about the actual air actions one thing stands out. The fight always gets lower. I have read far more AAR's in which one or the other pilot escaped by hedgehopping home after the fight got as low as it could. Most fights only lasted 1-2 minutes, a time limit which still applies today. Very few dogfights went longer. That is probably the thing I would change. But it would come as optional rules. |