Tom Karpf

Most of the following are of most use for the computer opponent. 1) When launching aircraft (whether to attack, ferry, or patrol), have a 'launch via waypoint' option. This would, for example, allow you to launch strike aircraft from one base in Scandinavia and hit Keflavik from three different directions. This would be especially useful for having more intelligent attack options for the computer. Otherwise, it's easy to park defensive aircraft around Keflavik to defend the vectors that you KNOW the opponent will launch ground-based aircraft from. 2) When launching aircraft, have a 'loiter over unit' button that would allow an aircraft carrier to easily protect (i.e. CAP) other groups. 3) When launching patrol aircraft, have some way of setting a patrol area (either set a rectangular area, or perhaps define a radius within which to patrol). This would be especially helpful when sending out long-range ASW assets that are patrolling large areas of the ocean. Patrol aircraft that go to one fixed point are of limited use. 4) Make surface groups AFRAID of subs. There have been numerous times when I've charged a carrier group with a single SSN (i.e. running at max speed at any depth) and have had no problems closing to a couple of miles before sinking their carriers. Ideally, surface groups should treat subs that are detected at close range as ACTIVE TORPEDOES. 5) Carrier groups should aggressively prosecute attacks against detected subs. As long as the sub is detected, launch an ASW platform every couple of minutes. Don't depend on that single ASW helicopter to attack that sub. 6) Have the ability to set the posture of a group. Options might include 'Cautious - run away from enemy combatants', 'Sneaky - Move SLOWLY away from enemy combatants unless they get TOO close', 'Assertive - prosecute enemies you have a reasonable chance to defeat', and 'Aggressive - Attack the closest opponent at maximum speed'. 7) Have a way to temporarily toggle the visibility of various types of units (i.e. Mine, Enemy, My Weapons, Enemy Weapons) to make it easier to select your sub that's being attacked from eight different directions by torpedoes that are less than two miles away. 8) Have a way to launch a 'shotgun' attack from a group of aircraft. There have been cases ('The Carriers Move North' and 'Land of Fire and Ice') where I KNOW that there is a surface group in an area, but don't want to pop up and active the radar on my aircraft group. It would be useful to be able to launch a shotgun attack that would launch N groups of M missiles each, with all of the groups targeting a series of positions along a line somewhere. Now that trails for missile groups don't show up any more, it makes it difficult to neatly do something like that manually. This could be displayed either as N groups, or as a single group.