High altitude bomber scenarios.

[II/JG7_Warg]

Hi guys,

I'd like to tackle the dearth of high altitude combat scenarios. As you'd all be aware, much of the focus is on the low-level tactical battlefield arena. True, nearly all combat on the Eastern Front took place below 5,000 metres, but in the West, it was a much different story. In the skies above Western Europe, high flying heavily armed and armoured Fortresses and Liberators forced the 109's and 190's up into battle, where they could be destroyed by Mustangs, Lightning's and Thunderbolts. This aspect, in many ways spelt the doom of the Luftwaffe. Consequently, I'm planning to produce two templates principally based on the heavies of the US Army Airforce, where aerial combat above 7,000 metres was the norm. These will be called, ?The Mighty Eighth?, late 1943 campaign using the Kurland map and ?Merlins Reach?, early 1944 campaign on the Berlin map. In both cases, the map will be all blue owned, with very limited ground movement and objects. The principal targets will be industrial, fuel and supply.

However, with reference to the target locations and western borders of these maps, I'd like to sound out the feasibility of some ideas in SE before proceeding.

1. Adjustable off map spawn points. I.e. a function or button that allows the mission plotter to adjust the coordinate of the starting point in the ?.mis? file for a flight using that off map spawn point. To manually illustrate this, create a flight using the FMB and put a plot in. Make sure that you put the starting plot on the western edge of the map. Then directly edit the respective ?.mis? file and adjust the value of the first plot coordinate, so that it appears as a negative value. Be aware, that every 1,000 is equal to one kilometre. Save this and go back and fly that flight in the mission. You'll find yourself starting off the map and depending on what negative value used, will need to fly in an easterly direction to regain the maps western edge. We can use this for our scenarios, as it delays the entry of the offensive bomber formation and escorts onto the map. Additionally, an infinite value could be used for the last way point to ensure that plotted aircraft leaving the map truly leave the map avoids them hanging around the edge in a slowly descending circle.

How is this useful? Well, looking at the Berlin map, it would take the bombers, air start, travelling at 300kph from the western edge, less then five minutes to reach Berlin. It takes a clean Bf-110G about twelve and half minutes to reach the bombers altitude at 7000 metres. Yes, you may give the Germans air starts or put the bombers at a lower altitude, but this defeats the purpose of the scenario and still won't give them time to defend the target. In real life, the defenders would be alerted through radar and ground observers from across Germany. What's required is a lengthy run in period for the attackers, where the defenders are scrambling and getting into defensive positions. More build up, realistic flavour and makes a running air battle of it, on the way in and out of the target area.

2. Mass Bomber formations. Something similar to mass bomber option in Lowengrin's DCG mission generator system. Whilst I'm sketchy on the mechanic's of it, maybe something along the lines of aircraft flights organised as task forces, where they a spaced, staggered altitude in a preset pattern, not too dissimilar to a ship convoy. Without this, plotting is more haphazard and labour intensive, as well as much more prone to error or collisions.

3. Leaving externals on? Personally don't know anyone that flies outside the cockpit, never tried it, too gamey and am pretty sure none of us do anyway. Leave them on, so that those pilots downed early can watch the action. Only requirement is that they kill whispers and move to a common TS channel not used by participants still flying to avoid any unintentional coaching or interference.

4. Existing DCS options ticked for the above strategic bomber scenarios. Disable the requirement to land to survive for the side that has an off map exit. Allow radio communications, so that off map units can get a vector to target or home. Remember, there is no identifiable terrain. One hundred percent of fuel for the attackers, as it's assumed that they'll need it, to get back to England.

My gut feeling is that if we get something that is like this up and running, you'll probably have IL2 enthusiasts everywhere, stateside to fly the thing. After all, aside from the rare coop, how many times has there been a full on heavy bomber campaign in IL2.

Regards, Warg

[102nd-HR-cmirko]

Hi guys,

I'd like to tackle the dearth of high altitude combat scenarios. As you'd all be aware, much of the focus is on the low-level tactical battlefield arena. True, nearly all combat on the Eastern Front took place below 5,000 metres, but in the West, it was a much different story. In the skies above Western Europe, high flying heavily armed and armoured Fortresses and Liberators forced the 109's and 190's up into battle, where they could be destroyed by Mustangs, Lightning's and Thunderbolts. This aspect, in many ways spelt the doom of the Luftwaffe. Consequently, I'm planning to produce two templates principally based on the heavies of the US Army Airforce, where aerial combat above 7,000 metres was the norm. These will be called, ?The Mighty Eighth?, late 1943 campaign using the Kurland map and ?Merlins Reach?, early 1944 campaign on the Berlin map. In both cases, the map will be all blue owned, with very limited ground movement and objects. The principal targets will be industrial, fuel and supply.

However, with reference to the target locations and western borders of these maps, I'd like to sound out the feasibility of some ideas in SE before proceeding.

great idea m8

ycut> no ideas about this - seems that you thought of all major problems

3. Leaving externals on? Personally don't know anyone that flies outside the cockpit, never tried it, too gamey and am pretty sure none of us do anyway. Leave them on, so that those pilots downed early can watch the action. Only requirement is that they kill whispers and move to a common TS channel not used by participants still flying to avoid any unintentional coaching or interference.

very simple solution is to change a value in conf.ini of camera movement - default is on 3000 i think but if you put that value on 100k you will get a free movement of camera in circle of 100km of your death

4. Existing DCS options ticked for the above strategic bomber scenarios. Disable the requirement to land to survive for the side that has an off map exit. Allow radio communications, so that off map units can get a vector to target or home. Remember, there is no identifiable terrain. One hundred percent of fuel for the attackers, as it's assumed that they'll need it, to get back to England.

i think that 75% with droptanks for escorts and 100% for interceptors would be a better idea actually sine they would burn maybe that much fuel to get to berlin in the first place

My gut feeling is that if we get something that is like this up and running, you'll probably have IL2 enthusiasts everywhere, stateside to fly the thing. After all, aside from the rare coop, how many times has there been a full on heavy bomber campaign in IL2.

Regards, Warg

once again, great idea, i would for sure want to participate in a campaign on this premise as would my squad

S!