RCAF_Speedy brings dishonour to an honourable name

[Tiger]

Given Schwack's well articulated comments, I am currently reconsidering my position on chute killing. I was able to provide considerable intelligence over the target area on Wednesday night while hanging in my chute.

It may very well be open season on RCAF parachutes for the next Wings~of~War campaign.

[Schwack]

Let me propose this question:

I will grant that a bailed pilot is not a threat, or at least an extremely slight one, if he is not in the middle of a dogfight. But if that pilot, instead of re-spawning immediately, stays in the server attempting to look around, or spot ground targets, or whatever, has he made himself a valid target? Would we give a bailed pilot a free pass to look at anything within 3km of his position, just because he cannot shoot back, or would there come a point where, while he may not be a credible threat, he is trying to make himself one, and that would be enough reason to shoot him? A captured spy would still be shot for spying, whether or not he actually learned threatening information, just because he was attempting to spy.

It might be like setting an enemy plane on fire in the midst of a fight, and turning away to help a teammate in trouble. At that point, the first enemy is not much of a threat, and you may decide it would be better to let him go home so you can engage a more threatening target. However, if that plane dives and manages to put out the fire, and then turns around and re-engages, you are going to shoot him down when you have the chance. It does not matter if he is smoking, if his rudder is gone, if one of his wings is perforated, or even if all his guns are shot out. The fact that he stayed in the area means that he has made himself a target, and if he is still there when all the greater threats are neutralized, you would chase him down until you got the kill.

[Colslaw]

In the end, if you have to explain it, then the argument is already lost as the other side just doesn't get it.

In the future I will respawn as soon as I exit the aircraft.

The surprising thing in all this is we had little to no chute shooting in all the other campaigns except the first one and these last two rounds of North Africa

[[OAC]Crow]

Gentlemen,

Just like to jump in and point out something as food for thought:

Most aircraft have about a 20 second turn time. In order to return to fire at someone's parachute in the quickest way possible, a crazy 270 degree turn would have to be made back to line up with the chute for even a split second. This means a MINIMUM of approximately 15 seconds between when a pilot has bailed and when the enemy can return to kill him. Schwack has made multiple valid points: 1) That pilots in the game can serve a function that they did not in real life (providing intel/surviving the bail to return to the fight within a matter of minutes); 2) That it is possible to click refly almost immediately after bailing. Given these two obvious and irrefutable points, it seems that a gentlemanly agreement to not shoot bailed pilots could work, but ultimately it will benefit the team who disregards it since it is not a bannable rule. Additionally, because of the time required to shoot a bailed pilot and the quickness with which one can refly, it would seem that the ability to survive should rest solely on the shoulders of the pilot bailing, not on anyone else.

Another couple points that have not been made yet:
1) Parachutes are collision hazards. Unlike real life, if you hit a bailed pilot in IL-2 you die violently and instantly in an explosion.
2) Parachutes can be mistaken for aircraft because of the way IL-2 draws "dots." This would obviously never happen in real life. There is no way to confuse a small parachuting man for a multi-ton aircraft.

On a related note, speaking about shooting parachutes in IL-2 as if real life morality applied to it is silly. The idea of "knightly" or "gentlemanly" aerial warfare in World War II is absolutely bogus. It is something that is perpetuated through western propaganda as a way of making WWII seem more "westernized" or not offending tender sensibilities. The fact is that these romantic visions are far from the truth of what occurred on a daily basis during this brutal, violent, and total war. Individuals could choose to be humane to their enemies, but no such quarter was truly part of the strategy of either country. Total warfare has no limits.

Summary: Tiger, I hope you follow through with your inclination. It is the logical and simplest fix.

[S.L.N]

Given Schwack's well articulated comments, I am currently reconsidering my position on chute killing. I was able to provide considerable intelligence over the target area on Wednesday night while hanging in my chute.

It may very well be open season on RCAF parachutes for the next Wings~of~War campaign.

You are welcome to do so. I will also exercise my liberty to not pop the chute, its not worth my ammo and giving away my position.
As a side note, I always hit refly right after I parachute out, Im either captured or I fought my way out with the spoon I ate my yogurt with (the american ground forces need some work)