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You can teach monkeys to fly better than that, an Il-2 Sturmovik 1946 LP![]() Let's Play Il-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles Ace Expansion Pacific Fighters 1946 (Pe-2 Peshka Sturmoviks Over Manchuria) Uh... What? Full name aside, we're going to explore the amazing combat flight simulator Il-2 Sturmovik 1946. Most flight sim games centered on the second world war focus mainly on the western European part of the conflict, with an occasional visit to the Pacific. Oleg Maddox and his team 1C:Maddox Games set about changing that while also providing a large amount of content that, in my opinion, is unrivaled in the flight simulator genre. The game originally featured 31 flyable aircraft, focusing on the more popular and major models (or variants) such as the ubiquitous Messerschmitt Bf-109. The game also had 40 non-flyable aircraft that could only be used as AI opponents within the game. At the time, 31 aircraft was a large amount of available vehicles to pilot and the game made sure to give you as many options as possible. Not only were there many planes to choose from (or choose to fly with) but the game also had many maps to choose from. The maps were mostly of eastern European locations and they were immense. Some maps are so big that it takes several hours in real time to get from one end to the next. For the most part, the game does a great job including many major and minor countries in the selection. The original list of countries one could select to play as was: Australia, France, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, the USA, and the USSR. There's also the somewhat clunky multiplayer with basic connection options that allowed dozens of players to connect together for large battles. You mentioned expansions and made me read a long title for the game, what gives? The game has many expansions that were released to fill in the gaps and give players a bigger and better game. The first expansion was Forgotten Battles, released in 2003. It offered a substantial amount of missions for users and even increased the amount of planes in the game to 129, 80 of them were flyable by everyone. Cockpits were improved and flyable planes with several positions allowed them to be chosen by humans. The next expansion, called the Ace Expansion Pack, was eventually combined with the first. Smaller in content than FB, offering only 11 flyable, 10 AI planes and 2 new maps to the roster; it was released in 2004. 1C:Maddox and Ubisoft released the next installment "Pacific Fighters" as a standalone game that could still be installed alongside Il-2 Sturmovik as an expansion. As the name implies, it covers the Pacific War from the shocking beginning to the bitter end. It had 76 flyable aircraft, a number of AI aircraft and 16 new maps. Visual updates were incorporated, and the game ran (And still runs) on the same engine as the first game in the series. Pe-2 Peshka and Sturmoviks over Manchuria have very little information about it, but if memory serves it was the inclusion of a few things such as new maps and major, anticipated aircraft that were missing from the full plane list. In any case, these were rolled into the game/last expansion without being considered expansions of their own. Which leads us to the last official expansion, 1946. This time around, the developers decided to add whacky X-Planes: aircraft that only existed on the design tables or produced in very limited quantities. Post-war aircraft, new maps and new campaigns were also added. These days, most people simply refer to the game as Il-2 Sturmovik 1946 or Il-2 1946. The best way to get this game these days is either via Good Old Games or Steam, followed by other shops like Amazon. When the last expansion came out in 2006, it had reached patch 4.07 and as of August 01, 2014 patch 4.13 is being worked on by Team Daidalos. So why do you want to show this off, what does this have to do with me, and how can I participate? I really enjoy this game and have put thousands of hours of virtual flying time into it. The idea will be to fly a dynamic campaign, with as many simulator options turned on while still being able to keep things interested and fun. I'll try to be as informative as possible with mini-updates and dossiers. I find this game doesn't always get the attention it deserves, and newer flight sims seem to focus more on visuals and dazzling users rather than providing a great experience that is second to none. And participating will be quite easy, and hopefully I can make a few things quite fun. How? Well, firstly I will be putting participants in the game and replacing the AI with them. SA'ers will be able to keep track of their achievements. I will also create custom "skins" for their aircraft to give them a unique look. If enough people own the game, or want to play along, multiplayer sessions will be planned and carried out. Modding the game to add people is quite easy, as most of the data for that stuff is stored in .txt files. One restriction is on filesize however, and portraits are limited to something along the lines of 50kb ![]() I will be adding people to the roster, and will make sure to keep track of their performance. Relevant info, such as what plane they can choose or squadron they may fly in will be provided. ![]() ![]() Allied Plane lineup - 300 aircraft. I could add more but it tends to fail to load or crash the builder. ![]() Axis Plane lineup - 235 aircraft. Less nations, less planes than the allies. ![]() Episode 00: Quick Mission (Don't watch) ![]() Episode 01: Main menu and options ![]() Jobbo_Fett fucked around with this message at 06:20 on Aug 22, 2014 |
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# ? May 18, 2024 18:46 |
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Tobruk to Sicily 1941-43 MTO Campaign by Boelcke After months of training, drills and tests, I am finally cleared for combat flights! I was starting to get bored of my flights; I can't wait to see some actual combat high in the skies of the mediterranean. Although I trained mostly on biplane trainers such as the Breda Ba.25 and a few hours on monoplanes. I will be setting out for my Squadriglia soon and, if I'm lucky, will probably get to participate in the current attacks on Malta. There are rumours that the Germans have sent men and materiel to help us but I wonder if we will even need them. -Lorenzo Moretti ![]() ![]() Before I get a proper campaign going, I need votes on what squadron I will be a part of (Mostly for flavour purposes) and which aircraft I will be flying. Each aircraft has different strengths and weaknesses which I will expand upon or provide performance data on in side-updates. ![]() ![]() I will be providing "documents" with information and photos of aircraft, vehicles and ships encountered in the game. They will be longer or more complete than what is provided immediately below. Technical Data -------------------- The Fiat G.50 Freccia ("Arrow") was the first monoplane fighter of all-metal construction and retractable landing gear. It was not an outstanding aircraft, but it was agile and strong. ![]() ![]()
Armament: Guns: 2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns2 The Macchi MC.200 Saetta (Both Arrow or Lightning), similar looking to the G.50 was better aerodynamically as well as being slightly faster. It was also successful as a ground-attack fighter, being modified to carry bombs and used that way quite often. ![]() ![]()
Armament: Guns:2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns1,2 Bombs: 2 x 50, 1x 100 or 1x 150kg 1 The Caproni-Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I was another maneuverable fighter built by the Italians but, strangely, was not ordered into production by the Regia Aeronautica. Most examples built were for the export market, specifically Hungary and Sweden. ![]() ![]()
Armament: Guns:2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns1,2 [1] Fighters and Bombers of World War II by Kenneth Munson [2] World War II Airplanes Volume 1 by Enzo Angelucci and Paolo Matricardi Jobbo_Fett fucked around with this message at 22:43 on Aug 11, 2014 |
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I'll participate in your new-fangled airplane simulator game. And by that, I mean I'll submit myself to replace an AI pilot. First Name: Blind Last Name: Sally Pilot Photo: ![]() I think I did that right. Is that right? Also, I like the looks of the Caproni-Reggiane Re.2000 Falco.
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Blind Sally posted:
That's fine, yeah. If you have a preference for what type of plane (Fighter, bomber, etc.) let me know and I'll earmark you for it. Edit: Also which side, as I can put you on the Axis or the Allies.
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Axis and bomber.
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Sign me up, chief. I have no idea what to do for a portrait, hmm. I do love the Stuka divebombing sirens, so gimme some Axis Fighter Bomber or Dive Bomber action
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Old Great Bulgarian Fighter Pilot :steppewolfe:
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First name: Alberto Last name: Auditore Plane: Fiat G.50 Squadron: Who cares? Portrait: Eh, use one of the default ones
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Hawkeye E. Hilated, an Axis pilot driving fighters (on a side note, does this game include my favorite plane ever, the Me-262?). Amazing eyesight, perfect reflexes, always looks stylish. Sometimes freezes mid-flight to cough up hairballs.![]() edit: You know, given the thread title, let's see you try it with my cat. anilEhilated fucked around with this message at 21:58 on Aug 10, 2014 |
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Petrol Blue, flying the fastest drat thing the axis have at any given moment.![]() I vote for speed over any other consideration in an aircraft for you as well. petrol blue fucked around with this message at 22:57 on Aug 10, 2014 |
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anilEhilated posted:Hawkeye E. Hilated, an Axis pilot driving fighters (on a side note, does this game include my favorite plane ever, the Me-262?). Amazing eyesight, perfect reflexes, always looks stylish. Sometimes freezes mid-flight to cough up hairballs. No true WW2 flight sim is complete without the awesome and awe inspiring Me-262! ![]() And while I was toying with the idea and convincing myself to ![]() ![]() It explains the weird "camouflage" I have on my Schwalbe. ![]() The game also features the U4 variant, with the 50mm cannon strapped to the nose which is great against big targets. But that's not all! *Note the R4M rockets ![]() ![]() And they even included it's big brother ![]() ![]() The modding community is also currently working on several other Me-262 variants, all in different stages of development. There's the Me-262C variant bombers, and at least one Sb.1A. A night-fighter version and a prototype/drawing board HG.IV are also in the works. ![]()
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First Name-Jek Last Name-Porkins Affiliation-Allies Assignment-Fighters Portrait: ![]()
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Votes posted:
In the Spotlight Reggiane Re.2000 Designed by the "Officine Meccaniche Reggiane" or Mechanical Workshops Reggiane, the Re.2000 is somewhat of a forgotten weapon in World War 2 aviation history. One can hardly fault Reggiane for this, as most accounts of the plane itself tell of a very maneuverable and fast aircraft. It was passed over other fighters mainly due to the engine's unreliability and the weaknesses with the fuel tanks which were not self-sealing. Despite those faults, it was still picked up in small quantities by both Sweden, as the J-20, and Hungary, the latter using them on the Eastern front as the Hejja/Heja. The Regia Marina (Italian Navy) was interested in it and there were attempts to convert Re.2000's in order to be used on the RM Aquila. The initial variant carried only two machine guns in the cowling, on par with competing designs from Fiat and Macchi, and the Re.2001 and later versions upgraded the firepower with the addition of heavier bomb capacity (From 200kg to 640kg) and more machine guns of rifle caliber. Night Fighter versions increased the firepower to include 20mm MG151/20 cannons. Interestingly, the British were looking at purchasing a large number of Re.2000's but the outbreak of war between the two countries ended the deal before any examples were delivered. Information on the Reggiane Re.2000 (Series I) General Characteristics: Crew: 1 Length: 7.99m Wingspan: 11m Height: 3.2m Powerplant: 1 x Piaggio P.XI Radial Engine producing 986hp Loaded Weight: 2,839kg Performance: Maximum Speed: 530km/h @ 5300m Range: 545km Ceiling: 11200m Armament: Guns: 2 x 12.7mm BREDA-SAFAT machine guns ![]() Jobbo_Fett fucked around with this message at 22:47 on Sep 3, 2014 |
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I can't believe you're using a PS3 controller for this. Good luck! Might as well sign up while I'm at it. Name: Jake Preston Photo: ![]() Jake Preston was an Apache pilot in the US Army, but after a hazy night in a Manhattan nightclub, he awoke to find himself transported through time and space, to Europe on the eve of WWII. A newfound bloodlust welling up inside him was motivation enough to immediately enlist in the military and take the fight to the enemy skies. Helicopters aren't really a thing yet, so Mr. Preston shall fly Fighters. His ultimate loyalty is to babes and the War On Drugs; since he's of the opinion that babes are ubiquitous, and the War on Drugs hasn't been invented yet either, he will fly for whichever side will take him! Jake likes chewing gum and acting like a crazy person. Also he might be a vampire.
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Mission 01 is complete, recorded footage. Now to assemble them all in premiere and hope it doesn't wet the bed ![]() In the meantime, I've prepared a couple of tindecks for stuff that sounds awesome. Like the 8 .303 caliber machine guns (In cockpit, outside, flyby. Repeat dead engine) ![]() Or the lackluster, in comparison, dual 12.7mm machine guns for the Re.2000 (Cockpit, outside, flyby). ![]() The scoreboard has also been updated for anything that wants to keep track of their stats. I'll try to have a video up before thursday/friday. P.S. Having hundreds of tracers zip by your cockpit when you don't expect it will scare the crap outta you. Also, for some reason this game's Stuka siren isn't all that great. It should be a lot louder, but I guess it's so that it isn't too annoying or overbearing. Jobbo_Fett fucked around with this message at 04:24 on Aug 12, 2014 |
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Put me in a spitfire or hurricane as Adrian Owlslely, please! I'd be really interested in a multiplayer game if that happens since I'm sure I can do better than whatever bot plays me, I know how the ai fly in this game.
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Adrian Owlsley posted:Put me in a spitfire or hurricane as Adrian Owlslely, please! I'd be really interested in a multiplayer game if that happens since I'm sure I can do better than whatever bot plays me, I know how the ai fly in this game. Have you been playing with or without mods? Some of the patches and mods have really given the AI a plethora of maneuvers and alternatives. They will still suffer from lack of experience though and aces are pretty hard to shake. Once I get the full mission builder video recorded and posted I'll start working on small, easy to digest missions with emphasis on fun. Like having 1 B-17 with only human gunners, scramble missions, etc. Scoreboard should have permissions up for comments. If it doesn't work or can't be viewed please let me know and I'll fix it ASAP.
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I play with the hsfx mod pack, is that what you're using? The ai is definitely really vicious in turn fights when they decide to be but they have their share of goofy ai stuff too. I guess it's a bit boring but I usually like to get above them and win that way since all the fancy evasive moves the ace ai does tends to burn quite a lot of energy too.
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Adrian Owlsley posted:I play with the hsfx mod pack, is that what you're using? The ai is definitely really vicious in turn fights when they decide to be but they have their share of goofy ai stuff too. I guess it's a bit boring but I usually like to get above them and win that way since all the fancy evasive moves the ace ai does tends to burn quite a lot of energy too. HSFX Mod 7.2 (I think, not sure what the auto-updater is at) + Expert Mode. I'm not always lucky in my positioning ![]()
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Am I reading right that I got captured on my first mission? Dammit, I knew I should have read the instruction manual...
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Welp, I guess cats don't fly better than monkeys.
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petrol blue posted:Am I reading right that I got captured on my first mission? Dammit, I knew I should have read the instruction manual... anilEhilated posted:Welp, I guess cats don't fly better than monkeys. If it makes you guys feel any better, the losses for that mission were approximately Allies: 14 fighter aircraft, 3 ships Axis: 8 fighter aircraft Crew losses were around 6 dead per side. The Stukas didn't lose a single plane, which is amazing since I was expecting somewhere around 50% losses with them. And since it's the first campaign, being captured/wounded/killed won't do anything except count towards the end score.
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Clearly the problem is that our planes aren't going fast enough! ![]() When do we get to kick it up a notch?
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petrol blue posted:Clearly the problem is that our planes aren't going fast enough! Once we get a pilot named Elzar. Upgrades won't be around for a while, and being in a Italian campaign, we might not see the Me-262 at all. I will definitely make sure to have some side/special episodes that either show off certain aircraft(s). However, once we get to a certain point we will be able to change aircraft (When we go from Malta to North Africa) I will change our planes for something better. I'll most likely fudge the historical numbers so that we can choose between the Bf-109F-2, Bf-109E-7 or the Macchi MC.202.
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"I had my first taste of combat today, it was thrilling! My CO wasn't too happy that I had broken formation to chase the enemy, but he congratulated me on my victory when we were out of earshot from the rest of the men. I didn't get to see any spitfires, but I think that's a good thing judging by the stories some of my compatriots have told me." -Lorenzo Moretti Mission 01 is up! The briefings in this game can get quite detailed, especially when you're running certain mods. That said, it's extremely appreciated. For some reason it doesn't specify who we are escorting, but looking into the data files tells me that its the Junkers Ju-87 Stuka. The date and names are wrong, but that will happen when you start editing stuff. (Note: For some reason the first segment of the grand campaign takes place in May, and the second in April) ![]() Blitz on Malta: Mission 01 ![]() The debriefing page is also quite nice, however editing seems to mess it up frequently so I'll see if the 2nd mission will be an improvement. If not, I'll just include a random one as an example. The debriefing is just like the briefing before the mission and gives a good overview as to what happened. I have confirmation of my first kill! ![]() And so does Hilated. ![]() ![]() The black line traces my flight path. Red icons indicate Allied units and blue are Axis. ![]() Hooray for overcomplicated methods to record and encode a video!
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![]() Apparently not! In the Spotlight Fiat G.50 Freccia The Freccia was the first monoplane, all-metal fighter with enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear in production for Italy. Built and introduced before the end of the Spanish civil war, it proved to be a fast and agile fighter. However, by the time they had joined the war on the Axis side during World War 2 it was outdated. Due to the Mediterranean theatre of operations being a secondary front, the Italians were matched against older Allied aircraft and materiel. The light armament on the Fiat G.50 was a staple of Italian fighter design, with only two 12.7mm Machine guns. Also, despite having an enclosed cockpit the Italian pilots seemed to dislike it and opted to modify their cockpits for an open-style one. There were several variants for the G.50 but aside from the bis version, which extended the range of the aircraft, nothing else was built in significant numbers. By the time Fiat had created an improved version using the German produced DB601, Fiat's 5 series plane (The G.55) was close to production. Just like the Re.2000, the Fiat G.50 was sold to several countries. Finland received 35 or so aircraft and used them with great success, achieving an astounding 33/1 kill ratio. Information on the Fiat G.50 General Characteristics: Crew: 1 Length: 8.01m Wingspan: 10.99m Height: 3.28m Powerplant: 1 x Fiat A.74 Radial Engine producing 870hp Loaded Weight: 2,402kg Performance: Maximum Speed: 470km/h @ 5000m Range: 445km Ceiling: 10,700m Armament: Guns: 2 x 12.7mm BREDA-SAFAT machine guns ![]() Jobbo_Fett fucked around with this message at 22:46 on Sep 3, 2014 |
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I was about to say "gently caress the mission, were I playing I'd totally go for that Carrier kill." Then I remembered it's a UK carrier, so a single 500 kg bomb won't wreck its day. Shameful mass bombing of that one freighter though. pick different targets you geese! 2 bombers to a target is plenty! Or go one wing a target. Or just. Not 9 bombers, 1 freighter. Though we got the warehouse too I guess.
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Veloxyll posted:I was about to say "gently caress the mission, were I playing I'd totally go for that Carrier kill." Yeah... It's more a problem with the mission parameters that the campaign designer put in, since you can manually set targets for individual planes or wings in the FMB. I think their low skill also contributed to not killing the 2nd transport right next to it as everyone seemed to drop a little short. Not going after the carrier was most likely the reason no Stukas died either. Oh, and because of limitations in what I can modify, the next mission will have a change of equipment for you and Sally. Personally, I think you'll like it.
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Ah well, I spent the rest of the video getting mad at pilots for not taking easy kills, so I guess it's 'fair' for everyone.
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Those Stukka pilots should get some sort of award for that formation flying, if nothing else! Apparently my wings are not like a shield of steel. Y'all should thank me for tanking for you. Also, 'she'. ![]() I'm really liking the extended focus on individual pilots, even if it's painful in places.
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petrol blue posted:Those Stukka pilots should get some sort of award for that formation flying, if nothing else! That reminds me of the days before extensive modding. Back when I started playing in '06 or so it was commonplace to see large formations of planes have ![]() ![]() Edit: Landing procedures for AI in this game forces them to fly a long time if there are many planes trying to land. It can sometimes be the main reason for losses ![]() I'm glad the focus on pilots is appreciated. I may be playing, but I wouldn't do an LP of this game if it was just about me. The further we get into the campaigns, the better the pilots will be. Depending on how things go, Lorenzo Moretti might just realize that breaking formation isn't always a good thing. And sorry! I'll try to remember the gender distinction Jobbo_Fett fucked around with this message at 01:25 on Aug 14, 2014 |
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Unless you're an expert on sexing sloths, I'll not take offense.
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petrol blue posted:Unless you're an expert on sexing sloths, I'll not take offense. I legally cannot confirm or deny such accusations.
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It's not very historical for the theater anyhow, but how do you think the re.2000 compares to the hurricane? Usually I think the planes that traded reliability away for performance find a pretty good home in flight sims where reliability and maintenance problems matter little to none but the hurricanes seemed to be getting the best of it. Also I bet the 8 machine guns would have been nice. I did notice that the re.2000 visual model has a little problem of the cowl flaps disappearing when you look around before they've actually left view. Also, are all the hurricanes right now mk 1s with the 12 lb boost or are there other variants around? It definitely seems like when the ai gets into its 'I'm going to fly straight and level now' mode due to engine problems they should just bail, at least if there's an re.2000 still trying to kill them. Adrian Owlsley fucked around with this message at 03:07 on Aug 14, 2014 |
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Adrian Owlsley posted:It's not very historical for the theater anyhow, but how do you think the re.2000 compares to the hurricane? Usually I think the planes that traded reliability away for performance find a pretty good home in flight sims where reliability and maintenance problems matter little to none but the hurricanes seemed to be getting the best of it. Also I bet the 8 machine guns would have been nice. I did notice that the re.2000 visual model has a little problem of the cowl flaps disappearing when you look around before they've actually left view. Also, are all the hurricanes right now mk 1s with the 12 lb boost or are there other variants around? Well, the Re.2000 most likely didn't fight over Malta. That being said I just haven't found any sources to contradict it so I could always be wrong. I feel like the Re.2000 has the upper hand on the Hurricane, but the Mk 1b/Mk 1 12lb boost isn't exactly a spring chicken by 1941. I would kill to have 8mgs and the amount of ammo they have, as the 12.7mm always feels lackluster to me. The accuracy is nice thanks to being mounted in the cowling, but it gets hard to be effective with them when your opponent presents a small target. Funnily enough, there is a reliability option in the difficulty settings (Which I should probably make a small update for). I've never noticed how much it affects gameplay. I've never had a gun jam on me without taking damage, or an engine fail in mid flight, but I do believe it affects how easily something can be put out of action. At times, I've had an engine get shot out in one burst but maybe it was just an extremely lucky shot ![]() I completely forgot to mention the visual bug about the cowling flaps! It's actually because the game isn't built for a widescreen monitor (2001 release, remember?). There's a mod to allow widescreen resolutions to be used, and the side effect is that some moving parts will just disentegrate. I'll double-check with the campaign data files, I know for sure the Gladiators are Mk.I's and the Hurricane's are the 12lb boost variant. I believe the Blenheim Mk.I is available for use plus one or two more planes in the transport/recon role. Somehow, the Axis on this map have been allocated 3 Me-323's which is amazing, not only because it's almost a full year before they enter service but also because the game let's you fly the beasts! ![]() P.S. I wish that an example had survived the war. The Germans developed some kickass transports, in my opinion. ![]()
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Yay,Porkins survived! ![]()
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Christ, that looks like something Games Workshop would sell! ![]() ![]() e: Permission to be reassigned to the 14th Grimdark Murderskull Deathlegion, sah? petrol blue fucked around with this message at 03:30 on Aug 14, 2014 |
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petrol blue posted:Christ, that looks like something Games Workshop would sell! Life imitates art... or something. I was tempted to name the thread DAKA-DAKA-DAKA-DAKA as a Battle of Britain reference but wasn't sure if it was going to get confused with Warhammer. Seriously, everyone needs to watch Battle of Britain if they haven't already.
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# ? May 18, 2024 18:46 |
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I just love the image behind the design, of a victorian man, a relic of a bygone age, snorting softly as the butler reads an article about 'aerodynamics'. He's heard of it, and he'll have none of it. A bigger engine, or another engine, is always the solution.
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