OK, the new release is available and it has support for multi-sector operations, so we are in a position to start designing our first test of an Aces Campaign. Now is the time for
commanders interested in taking part to announce themselves here. Presently I have had firm commitments from (in no particular order):
- 102nd_HR_cmirko (Croatia),
II/JG3K.Brandle (USA)
IV/JG7_Warg (Australia)
II/JG77Hawk_12 (Australia)
Hitcher (USA)
IV/JG7_Dogsbody (Australia)
=69.GIAP=PAVEL (Spain)
=69.GIAP=CONAN (USA)
Paddington (Finland)
22GCT_Gross (Italy)
13sqn_Taipan (Australia)
13sqn_Baxter (Australia)
I am not looking for squads or pilots yet, although we will eventually need them, I am interested in finding experienced and committed commanders who want to operate at the highest SEOW level.
Here's what I propose. We run 6 simultaneous sectors, all starting at the same campaign date and time. Each side will be allocated one overall
Supreme Commander who will be responsible for resource sharing and allocation among sectors according to needs.
Sector Commanders will be appointed to sectors (ideally no Sector Commander will have authority in more than one sector) and will have to strive to meet the objectives set by the Supreme Commander with the supplies and reinforcements given. Reinforcements will be produced entirely by Factory Production using historical availability with restricted unit types (e.g. no Japanese units in Europe). The SEOW HQ database set and MP at seowhq.net will be the authoritative campaign resource, although DB replication or mirroring will be allowed if it can be set up, e.g. by Cmirko.
The proposed sector list is:
- Berlin (Axis home sector, Allied level bombing, Axis army/air production)
Kurland (front line, Axis navy production, Allied production)
North Sea (front line, shipping actions, aerial interdiction)
Murmansk (front line, shipping actions, Allied production)
L'vov (front line, Allied production)
Tubruq (front line)
with a nominal starting date of something like May 1941 and a pseudo-historical strategic situation. Front line templates will be made in isolation and merged using the standard tool.
Some of these sectors may end sooner than others as objectives are achieved or not. Within general guidelines and objectives set for all campaigns, e.g. DCS campaign settings and sector objectives, each sector can be templated to a scale decided by the sector commanders. That is, the opposing commanders in, say, L'vov, may decide they want to average 30 pilots per mission and have a suitably powerful coop host, whilst the Tubruq and Murmansk commanders may seek to have a very light template and low pilot numbers, concentrating on AI action. This sector scaling will be at the discretion of the local sector commanders, as will be object movement and flight limitations. Squad and freelance pilots will be allowed to join sector coops by invitation of the sector commanders only. Brandle has shown most interest in developing the total campaign historical context and has offered to provide sample templates for some of the six sectors, but I expect that other commanders may also have good ideas so I encourage all to join in discussions ASAP at the SEOW HQ TS server.
Finally, an important word on motivation and philosophy about the Aces campaign series. It is not my goal to provide the IL2 community with a massive SEOW campaign that gauges its success by numbers of pilots taking part. Having lots of players is fun, but there are lots of other online wars out there that do a great job of drawing large numbers of players. If flying fighters against 50 other guys all the time is what turns you on, then SEOW Aces is not for you. In SEOW Aces we are concerned with historical warfare simulation. Fighters will be only a small proportion of the plane set. Bombers, jabos, transports and recon will be the focus, like it really was in WW2. Full supply rules will be in force.
SEOW Aces is not about me providing fun on a plate for everyone else to just show up and consume. It is about
all of us getting together and contributing skills and effort to each other in producing an engrossing and rewarding strategic campaign experience. If we get to a stage where commanders are not working together to build and maintain a rewarding campaign, or squad politics starts to impede progress, then I reserve the right to invite the antagonists to leave! I never want to hear anyone say "but I don't fly Red" or "I can't fly a bomber" or "I hate night missions, I'll go to Spits vs 109s instead". That is not SEOW Ace level.
So now, the discussion commences in earnest - we all need to discuss things like resupply point placement, notional starting front lines, hosting and time zones etc. But maybe most importantly, do you guys think we should set up a special forum at SEOW HQ to handle all the discussions, or should it be hosted here at Official SEOW? I personally prefer the new forum at SEOW HQ route, but I can be persuaded!
Cheers,
4Shades