Quote:
Originally Posted by Marabekm
A quick repair is a relative term. Remember first you have to diagnose the problem, then fix it, then test it.
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Again, agreed. That's why, realistically, the chance of being able to make a quick repair should be minimal (like 1% or less).
But, there were a VERY few cases where aircraft were able to be quickly repaired in the manner I described. The mechanic was able to instantly diagnose the problem, then very quickly fix it with sufficient confidence in his work that he didn't have to test it.
So, not the norm, but the stuff that legends are made of.
If you want a deeper degree of realism in mechanical repair options, the game should keep track of degree of damage to an aircraft and then assign a "damage category" to it after the mission.
Category 0 - Undamaged - Only routine maintenance needed.
Category 1 - Light Damage - Aircraft can be repaired on site - repairs take hours to days to complete. In most campaigns, the aircraft can be returned to action. In game, this might represent light damage to one or a few areas of the plane, or a well-done belly landing.
Category 2 - Heavy Damage - Aircraft beyond repair in field - repairs take weeks or months to complete. In most campaigns, the airplane is out of action. On an aircraft carrier, the deck crew might just tip the plane over the side. In game, this might represent heavy damage to several areas of the plane, or light damage to most areas of the plane. It could also represent a belly landing which cracks the plane up, or damage due to overspeed/ excessive G forces.
Category 3 - Fatal Damage - Aircraft is "beyond economical means of repair" and is a write-off. It is no longer flyable, although it might still be useful for parts, ground training, etc. Repairs take years to complete, and are mostly funded by eccentric millionaires who drag decaying wrecks out of deserts, lakes, and jungles 60 years after the aircraft was lost.
In game terms, this represents heavy damage to many parts of the plane, or damage to planes which catch on fire, explode, or crash at high speed.
The same categories could also be used for kill claims. Damaged = Category 1 damage, Probable = Category 2 damage, Kill = Category 3 damage (plus "other stuff" like seeing the airplane crash/crew bail out).
Note that the categories above are simplifications of RAF and USAAF aircraft damage categories, which were a bit more complex.