Flight Skill Upgrades

This feature allows flights to automatically upgrade in skill due to the presence of Famous Aces.

IL-2 includes a small number of personalized Famous Ace (AI) aircraft. These are:

* BF-109G10 FABIAN
* BF-109G6 GRAF
* BF-109G6 HARTMANN
* BF-109G6 HEPPES
* BF-109G6 KOVACS
* BF-109G6 MOLNAR
* DXXI-SARJA3 SARVANTO
* I-16TYPE24 SAFONOV
* JU-87G2 RUDEL
* LA-7 KOJEDUB
* ME-262A1A NOWOTNY
* MIG-3 POKRYSHKIN
* P-39N POKRYSHKIN
* P-39Q15 RECHKALOV
* YAK-9T ALBERT

These are best used in single-strength flights. Before SEDCS v3.2.4, these Aces did not have extra significance in SEOW, but now they do, if you select the "Enable Famous Ace Charisma for Skill Upgrades" option in the Campaign Modes tab. Because of their elan and charisma, these Aces are able to influence friendly flights to increase in skill. The rules governing this are as follows.

• Famous Aces must be reasonably active. That is, for each mission they fly, they will be able to influence nearby flights for the following three Analyze cycles. As an example, Heppes takes off at 12.00 hours and returns safely. At the 12.00 Analyze, 13.00 Analyze and 14.00 Analyze, his activity and charisma may potentially influence friendly flights to upgrade. Thereafter, unless and until he flies again, his charisma will have no effect. Keep your Famous Aces active, keep your Famous Aces safe!!!
• Only co-located flights are influenced. That is, all flights at your Famous Ace's airbase or Off Map location will be candidates for skill upgrade, unless they are already Ace skill. Flights at other airbases are unaffected. Once you have upskilled your flights, transfer your Famous Ace to another airbase where they can help other flights.
• Skill upgrades are calculated at the Analyze time by a random die roll. There is no calculation of the amount of time a unit has spent near a Famous Ace. Skill levels do not decline over time.
• The chance of skill upgrade from Famous Ace charisma depends on the current flight skill level. At each Analyze cycle, Rookies have a 15% chance of upgrade, Average have a 12% chance, Veterans have a 7% chance.
• Famous Aces can influence any type of flight, so a fighter Famous Ace in a La-7 fighter can influence a recon flight to improve, or a transport flight, any flight.
• Famous Aces cost more to produce in factories!
• Any airframe may be designated as a Famous Ace simply by allocating it a Morale_Influence value of 1 in the SEDB Object_Specifications table. Editing the Verbose Names fields may be a good idea too. For example, if you want a Spitfire MkV to be an Ace aircraft, give it an Ace name like "(Bader)" to distinguish it. Then use it singly in your campaign. If the Famous Ace is shot down, change the Verbose Name and build a new one!