::Post OP note: See Reply#8 for conversion formula::
1) Aerospace PV is off balance, as its PV is multiplied by 1.5 (against 2.0 of mechs) in defensive factors while it utilizes mech sized weaponry. They are carrying, at average, 5 reloads in expendable ammo whereas a Mech carries on average of 10 shots. But because ammo is not accounted for in AS, aerospace maintain the favor again in this respect.
2)Aerospace structure is too high. Why is half of the SI being added to aerospace units as structure? This is insane. SI is determined, during unit construction, by tonnage x 0.10 or the Safe Thrust, whichever is higher. Now, imagine a Locust or a Flea on the battlefield with this kind of structure being added! It skewers the lighter and usually faster aerospace units over medium sized units. Let's not even talk about the heavy and assault weight fighters.
3)Their armor is converted at the same rate as mechs, divided by 30.
Whose idea was it to add structure in this way? In many respects the old original Battleforce 2 conversions for aerospace were more balanced. Armor was divided by 4 and you took a tenth of that in BF2 for mech and for aero. Therefore Aero had LESS armor. A light strike fighter SHOULD be able to only take a single hit. They are hard enough to hit by their speed that aerospace was given its own TMM ratings based on angles of approach. I suspect that SI was done for the same purposes, as adding a buffer of reduced damage to structure by half was intended ... to what, keep aerospace in the air longer? Whoever did the recent conversions adaptations took the halves idea and ran with it to create this crazy problem. Historically, anti-air always made minced meat of flyers. If there were mech's today it would be the same, but aero is so buffed or heavy with structure that you'll rely on crits to bring one down. The only thing really missing from the old Battleforce 2 conversions is the multiple movement rates having both walking and jumping values and the separation of some damage for multi-target use from special weapon abilities. I don't know what's going to happen for Alpha Strike in the future, but I don't know how anyone can play combined arms and not sea Aero wipe the map clean every time. Vehicles are a different matter, as they have zero armor in BF2 and their entire defensive values are represented in structure. They have their own critical hit table that includes motive system hits that make sense of this and require rolls for every attack received just as in core and current BF rules for motive systems in particular.
Maybe this post belongs in Stategic, as most of these concerns are seen in Battleforce play. It is too stark to ignore how hard mechs get owned. The only respite is that Aero have reduced bomb loads in BF/AS, as a single bomb run from a light Flight (2 fighters) can wipe an entire light Lance off the map.
I tried doing a search in the forum for structure or SI, but the results are subpar. Is there a better thread anyone can point to that might be discussing these things?
My personal decision may be to use the old Battleforce 2 values for aero and use the CAT35AS001 and 002 printouts for Dropships and higher. There's little overlap with aero anyway if they aren't using Antiship missiles. The lists included are long for mechs, but you're losing the ability to split damage or hit different targets and will have to bring in the specials yourself and reduce the primary damages accordingly. I'd be happy to hear anyone else's thoughts and possible solutions they have found.