I think the issue for online is that in il-2, there are only 2 types, DF, and coop. DF invariably becomes streams of planes that collide in a meeting engagement. Fresh planes are constantly added. The very first sortie is frequently the most interesting because everyone can TO at once.
Coops solve the serial spawning problem at the expense of new blood being able to come in at will.
It has been suggested before to allow players to spawn into AI planes in flight. Oleg said this would be in SoW. This is a HUGE boon to online since it bridges the gap between coop and DF. Really, the best of both worlds. I could imagine a server where at 10pm MST I might login to the server and find a mission in progress, but with NO PLAYERS logged in. I select a B-25, and poof! I get an airstart with the squadron en route to Buna from PM. A few minutes later, another pilot joins me. A little after that, a squad night loads up a half dozen flying japanese.
This would allow the immersion of well-constructed coop missions with more realistic ops, AND the ability to join in the middle of the mission.
In my example above, one of the japanese pilots gets shot down by a tail gunner on his first pass. With this paradigm he can respawn, he'll just take over an AI plane in flight.
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