RRR reload refuel repair option

[stovak]

I like the idea. Having a refuel/rearm option would certainly be more immersive than hitting refly as soon as we come to a stop on the runway. It would also mean more interesting activity at the airfield as people fly in then taxi to the refuel point. Whether it takes 1 minute or 5, or whatever people decide, it's no less realistic than refly so I don't see lack of realism as an objection.

Repairs to major damage might be a step to far, maybe leave refly as as a requirement for damage repair? Either way, I'm all for it.

[Pursuivant]

Repairs that don't take hours or days are the least realistic part of RRR.

So, those folks who want realism should probably just turn the "Repair" option off.

Other than that, you might have a random chance that a repair could be completed quickly. Set the "quick repair" chance at less than 1% for realistic results, and only for light damage, fuel or oil leaks, and damage to gauges and guns.

For example, it's possible that your fuel leak isn't due to a badly ruptured fuel cell, but just a small hole in your fuel line. 10 minutes, a wrench, and a bit of hose, and your plane is fit to fly again.

Or, say that your gun damage isn't actually a bullet through the body of the gun, but just a bullet through the links that hold the belt of bullets together. Remove the gun cover, remove the bad link and your gun is back in action.

If quick repair isn't an option, then its time to respawn/get a new plane.

[Marabekm]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Repairs that don't take hours or days are the least realistic part of RRR.

So, those folks who want realism should probably just turn the "Repair" option off.

Other than that, you might have a random chance that a repair could be completed quickly. Set the "quick repair" chance at less than 1% for realistic results, and only for light damage, fuel or oil leaks, and damage to gauges and guns.

For example, it's possible that your fuel leak isn't due to a badly ruptured fuel cell, but just a small hole in your fuel line. 10 minutes, a wrench, and a bit of hose, and your plane is fit to fly again.

Or, say that your gun damage isn't actually a bullet through the body of the gun, but just a bullet through the links that hold the belt of bullets together. Remove the gun cover, remove the bad link and your gun is back in action.

If quick repair isn't an option, then its time to respawn/get a new plane.

A quick repair is a relative term. Remember first you have to diagnose the problem, then fix it, then test it. And its not all about just patching a bullet hole. Its not what you see is broke now, its what got knocked loose or damaged such that it will fail in the future. (Think working on your car - Sure an oil change can be done in 15 - 20 minutes, but to fix something that is broke, that can take much longer and still be considered quick)
Add the issue of parts. So your plane is damaged - The part you need to fix it is at the main supply base 1 to 2 hours away(or worse yet- the part is back in home country and must travel by ship to a main distribution area, then aircraft). Do you really want to sit there for an hour or so while somebody gets in a transport aircraft, flies the part out to the forward base (better hope no one shoots him down), then the ground crew has to perform the maintenance and put plane back together. (Time frame of hours to days depending on the amount of damage) - But still considered quick.

So would it be realistic - absolutely not. An interesting option to have? - sure.

Perhaps as an alternative:
1. Set plane limit (which you can already do) So we have 20 Bf-109Fs at Tobruk.
2. Someone takes off and gets damaged but can make it back to base. Upon returning to base, taxi's and parks at designated repair area. Player hits refly
3. Now that plane at the moment is un-flyable so plane limit goes down to 19 available at Tobruk. Player is in another 109 and goes back into the virtual skies.
4. Upon completion of repairs (time limit would be set by mission builder) that plane would be flyable again increasing limit back to 20.

[Pursuivant]

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.

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.