Just have a few thought how to make B-17s more useful in the game.
1. B-17s should be able to generate fog within ~1km of the plane. It's unrealistic that they are so easy to see.
2. They should be able to land without landing gear -- special command to order gunners to stick out their legs and run really fast. Only good for 1 emergency landing, though.
3. In domination, B-17s should be able to capture airfields simply by bombing the crappola out of them. Hey, it worked in Iraq... in the 19th century... air power!
4. Gunners in B-17s need to have names and special in-game awards. The people need to know the names of their best aces.
5. In BR 5.3+, B-17s need to get energy shields, because 30mm+ shells can cause damage to their adamantium skeletons. Alternatively, rear gunner can be Cyclops, and destroy incoming large caliber shells with death rays from his eyes.
6. B-29s with nuclear weapons need to be introduced into the game as soon as possible. Drop Little Boy near an airfield in domination -- insta-kill 10 fighters circling around (warn your team first).
7. It should be possible to introduce B-17s as ground vehicles into WT ground forces. Awesome AA, and twin 50 cals should be able to take out light tanks.
update 1:
- Equip B-17s with self-destruct button. An enemy fighter managed to take you down despite a black wing, pink engine, and bald user. Is it fair that he should be able to limp away? no! Press self-destruct, and .50 cal shrapnel should shred anything within half of a mile from the B-17.
- B-17s need to be able to carry a P-36 drone under each wing. In flight they can provide additional thrust and lift. If detached, they shall immediately attack nearby enemy aircraft.
- Gunner skills should be expanded. It was mentioned they can use their legs to land the plane in emergencies. But that's not all! For just $19.99 ™, each gunner should be an army of one. Gunners can be ordered to jump out of a plane, in which case they become commandos that will capture nearby airfields or destroy nearby ground units.
- The powerful B-17 engines need to generate turbulence vortexes that disturb airflow behind them, causing pursuing fighters to shake and stall.
- Similarly, low-altitude pass from a B-17 should disable enemy artillery/AA/lighter vehicles, from the immense power of the generated shockwave.
- When two or more B-17s travel in close formation, gunner accuracy should increase five-fold, to account for gunners' increased confidence in mission's success.
- If a B-17 can stay close to an enemy bomber for more than 1 minute, the enemy bomber should then switch teams -- this is known as a B-17 cultural victory.
- Friendly fighters should be able to use B-17s' massive gravitational pull to gain speed via a slingshot effect.
- B-17s need to be able to mount historical JATO rockets, to provide a few minutes of +10 m/s climb when needed.
- If team A has brought B-17s, and team B doesn't have any, team B will be punished by continuous ticket drain until at least one B-17 is fielded. This is known as the B-17 supremacy condition.
