Pacific Theatre Ideas

[Tiwatz]

I could go on for a day how great the game is… but I'll save it. Here are some observations about how the game could be enhanced with add-on content revolving around the Pacific Theatre and the Indian Ocean. Or a pacific sequel. All of my ideas are based on actual events- just as in the original campaign for the Birds of Prey... making anything not based on reality for this game would ruin the series.

Single mission: B-17 coming into Hawaii from West Coast in the midst of the attack on pearl harbor. (player must survive and land the B-17)

Single mission: Patrol in a PBY Catalina searching for the Japanese fleet over the vast Pacific.

Guadalcanal Campaign: Player plays as one of several pilots in the infamous “Cactus Air Force” that flew hundreds of missions from the tiny airstrip at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. The missions include dive-bombing Japanese ships in a Dauntless, strafing and attempting to keep air superiority in an F4F Wildcat or P-39 Airacobra and perhaps torpedo and bombing runs in an Avenger.

Indian Ocean Campaign: Player flies as the British Commonwealth attempting to thwart the efforts of the Imperial Japanese carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku. Players fly as a variety of British Aircraft including the venerable Swordfish from a British carrier.

Single mission: Attempt to sink a long range Type IX U-boat near Malaysia with strafing and bombing runs… The player must sink the hapless German Submarine using surprise, speed, and violence of action. If the Submarine successfully crash-dives the chances of scoring a hit even with air-dropped depth charges would be slim (though it did happen- a testament to the skill of real pilots during the war)

The Opening Salvo Campaign: A short campaign chronicling the first few weeks of the war in the Pacific missions include The raids over Kwajalein, Wotje, Wake, and Marcus island, and the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo (B-25s would be nice).

Turning point Campaign: Player flies a variety of missions over the course of a single day as different pilots in the American Task force at the battle of Midway. Aircraft include F4F Wildcat, Dauntless, B-17, TBD Devastator, and the Avenger (which was doomed at Midway).

Island Hopping Campaign: Player flies a variety of aircraft from battle to battle across several islands. Missions include Support for Army and Marine units on the ground as well as fighter missions and escort missions for low level bombers. Aircraft include F6F Hellcat, F4UCorsair, SB2C Helldiver, P-61 Black Widow, and B-24 Liberator. New weapons could include Para-Bombs for low-level runs.

Okinawa Campaign. Player flies a variety of aircraft on ground support missions screening patrol missions and strike missions. Aircraft include the SB2C Helldiver, Avenger, and the F4U Corsair. Missions include anti Kamikaze patrols (including shooting down G4M Bettys carrying Ohka Rocket propelled suicide bombs) and the massive air strike on the Superbattleship, Yamato.

Single mission: Intercept and shoot down a flight of G4M betty bombers believed to be carrying Admiral Yamamoto. P38 lightings would be needed and the mission could unlock the G4M Betty medium bomber.

Single mission(S) or campaign based upon the famous Flying Tigers and their exploits over china in the P40 War hawk.

Single mission: Marianas Turkey Shoot… imagine how fun that’d be…

Obviously a great many new aircraft will be needed including Japanese planes and new British planes… I’d love to take an A6M2 Zero into multiplayer.

New encyclopedia article and new weapons and physics…. Two words… SKIP BOMBING.

Aircraft would include a full range of new ones, many listed above… but here are some Japanese planes and a few more allied ones that I didn’t put down before:

Ki 43
Ki 84
Ki 44
J2M Raiden
B 26 Marauder
Bristol Beaufort
G3M
G4M
Kikka
D3A Val
B5N Kate
B 29 Superfortress
B 24 Liberator
Buffalo
Ki 74

The list goes on and on really…

A new multiplayer game type: the players attempt to simply make it from one side of the the map to the other in high or low altitude bombers- Each aircraft that makes it will gain one point for their side- other players can either fly their own bomber or fly a fighter or interceptor and try and shoot them down- or escort their own side's bombers. The B29 would be great for that type of game- just survive the trip.

Landing a Damaged B-29 Superfortress at the emergency airfield on Okinawa would be pretty cool too.