Eds,
...ATF/AATF has its own unique feel as a real time game. I don't see how it could be made into a PBEM game without breaking that.
I don't know what the answer is there either, I think some degree of innovation would be required here. I can only speculate as to some mix of...
1. Optional event triggers for turn interruptions, e.g., let me adjust my COA when <CONDITION> is true otherwise continue on my current COA. Then <CONDITION> might be some Boolean expression you construct from menus such as...when the enemy engages me OR 2 minutes have past.
2. Special shorter games balanced for PBEM.
3. Enhanced AI so units can have plans for reacting on contact.
...and simpler approaches...
4. Initially longer game turns then shorter turns once contact is reached, to skip over the "boring bits".
5. Having game speed set by mutual agreement to be 2X, 4X, whatever.
but I honestly don't know what the right approach is and wonder if there is some analogous situation that one could extrapolate from, whether a military exercise where you need to alternately speed up or slow down the action or even football (e.g., it's real time but a limited number of time outs are allowed, in the AATF analogy each player could set up triggers to call their timeouts...). I assume no other game has solved this problem, or I'd like to hear how, if they have.
It would give Pat and company another opportunity to innovate...and yes it would be hard to get right.
Bill