How to Fight a Major!?

Zero-G · **on:** June 18, 2008, 01:41:23 am

So, Day 4 I've done quite well for myself carving out all the unused strange airports. I had a healthy profit marging going too. however a Major airline noticed me and has put SE 210 Caravelle 10B on all my routes, and a second airlie has started as well with the same plane. it one day my profit margin shrank by $2million which is huge being I'm only on day 4.

So how does a new airline fight a monster like this, what aircraft will do well against a SE 210? do I try to match him with SE210's that could take years! or do I start dropping in 50-80 seat A/C. I was not trying to start a war just carve out a niche which I guess he didn't see till I had it.

I know its in the spirit of the game, I'm not complaining I actually enjoy the challenge, but this is #5 rank against a #500ish so I'm going to need some advice per my future fleet construction.

Zero-G
BTW I love the game, I WISH you had a play at home turn based version!!! I've wasted my money on Airline tycoon, Airline tycoon evaloution, Airlines, Airlines2, Airbucks 1.2, and Aeropro 2007.....just can't find one I like and sick of wasting money

StephenM · **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:06:26 am

The whole concept of bases and restrictions based on bases came from this point. In another game you could create flights wherever you liked, didn't matter. Another game brought in continent restrictions, so this kind of stuff was continent restricted. AM came along and put in Continent and Base restrictions. Its largely worked, and I think this is one of less than 5 complaints in 3 years of a bigger player attempting to destroy a smaller player.

Grow your airline if you can, and expand in bases away from the particular airline. Some tactics involve "swarming" where they just serve all airports, regardless of where they are. That destroys niche markets. Stay away from players like that, unless your happy to share. They wont move!

Zero-G · **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:26:40 am

Not a complaint, I think you guys have done a great job with the balancing act of restrictions Vs playable features. I was just looking for more seasoned insight from more experienced players then myself for a strategy to survive and grow, I was wondering if putting a 50 seater and doing 6-8 leg would lower his profit so that a SE210 would not work, causing him to move on? so I'm a dreamer...

other then that I'll just keep posting the small items I see and if you agree to fix them I'll be excited to have helped. I feel I have some good experience being that I've played all the Airline sims I can find, and being in the industry...

Zero-G
soon to have more time to play since IRL I'm getting furlowed... I'll be available for employment at AM in a few months!

StephenM · **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:46:11 am

There are a few hard core guys who will give you a good analysis of AM. I honestly don't play it that much to give you the indepth view some people have of it. Its said that after a period of time in-game, you have to join the "Spreadsheet Olympics" to stay ahead.

AytchMan · **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2008, 05:51:24 am

Counterpunch, Zero-G. Find the most efficient, small-to-medium capacity aircraft in the game and put them on your routes. Even if the major is hellbent on destruction, you'll survive although it won't be pretty. Don't go toe-to-toe and don't rise to the bait of fare wars. Find the price at which you can eke out a small profit. Join an alliance (but choose carefully) and use their bases to find some relatively uncontested routes. Maybe the alliance heavyweight can reason with the bully -- one way or another. Spreadsheet analysis is useful but not necessary unless you're running an empire. Whether you spreadsheet or no, make absolutely certain you understand the revenue system and particularly the costs of each route and type of aircraft. You must know whether or not a given route/plane is profitable; your survival will depend on it.

Wizzie · **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2008, 06:25:38 am

Through Experience a Fokker F28 is a good aircraft to use.
If he/she decides to go hellbent on destroing you and uses A300s drop the F28s and either:
a. leave the routes
b. get a slighly larger jet than an A300 and hammer the s*** outta Him/her
P.S sorry for the language

Wizzie · **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2008, 06:27:40 am

Oh and before I forget DON'T (and I repeat) DAN'T use a B747 to kill him.
It'll kill you first

Wizzie · **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2008, 06:28:32 am

Also the Dassault Mercure is good at Killing A300s

ApolloA1N · **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2008, 06:32:58 am

lol, its like Mortal Kombat for Airline Mogul.....

Dassault Mercure vs Boeing 747

"Finish it!!!"

Another thing you could try (idk if this was mentioned earlier) is move away from that airline. Make new routes from new bases in different places.

Virgin Serbia · **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2008, 06:37:20 am

Can a Mercure kill an A300 doing 4 frequencies at €1? Hmmm, might invest in an A300...

Zero-G · **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2008, 07:05:45 am

Awsome thanks to everyone for the help.... but I made a major blunder. somone offered SE 210 supers for 5 million I jumped on 3 of them. Then I was going to open a new base to double tap all my exisitng gates and lower over all costs,

I thought it was a brilliant Idea!

I bought 4 million in additional gates and tapped out my resources only to find out you need an additional $20 million to open a base, DOH!!! which I didnt have! so I ended up having to return all those gates and lost my Cash... now I'm limping along with the SE 210's leases trynig to scrape out a profit with the gates I could reach....

there are some major lessons learned here... to bad I dont have the credits to join the next game when it opens...

Zero-G

Chavaquiah · **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2008, 08:33:11 am

Best advice is to mismatch seat offerings. If your competitor is using 104-seaters, either go with a 737-200adv or, better yet, stick to 60-70 seaters. F28 will do nicely, turboprops will do even better.

Don't try to bully anyone out, much less a "heavy." It amuses them and destroys you. Avoid fare wars. I always say it's better to have 80% LF with tickets at €200 than 100% but charging only €120.

In the early stages, just concentrate on growing. If that means pulling away from less interesting routes, so be it. Once you have grown and can get all the planes you want, then go back.

Virgin Serbia · **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2008, 12:44:23 pm

Quote from: "Zero-G"

Awsome thanks to everyone for the help.... but I made a major blunder. somone offered SE 210 supers for 5 million I jumped on 3 of them. Then I was going to open a new base to double tap all my exisitng gates and lower over all costs,
Zero-G

You leased a Carravelle for 5 million? Thats a bad deal. I lease out 737-200Adv. for 3 million...

epxair · **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:17:14 pm

i just wanna say.....
i won't buy anything bigger than SE210 10B unless i need the range.......

iranair777 · **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:49:14 pm

Quote from: "Virgin Serbia"

Quote from: "Zero-G"
Awsome thanks to everyone for the help.... but I made a major blunder. somone offered SE 210 supers for 5 million I jumped on 3 of them. Then I was going to open a new base to double tap all my exisitng gates and lower over all costs,
Zero-G

You leased a Carravelle for 5 million? Thats a bad deal. I lease out 737-200Adv. for 3 million...

I remember last round with leases of 1.2mill