When I called the environment of the campaign a bit lifeless and empty, I had no idea how wrong I was!

[Finkeren]

Currently flying chapter 3 of the campaign, and I just had the most amazing experience flying IL-2 on close support. I really wish I'd remembered to take screenshots, but I was far too engrossed, so my describtion of the will have to do.

 

During the early chapters of the campaign, I honestly felt, that the world in which I flew missions seemed just a bit underpopulated, especially with regards to ground units, which seemed to pop up only around the target area and close to the front line.  Well, in chapter 3 that has all changed.

 

I had selected a short mission for CAS in the IL-2. The mission called for the destruction of artillery and took place at dusk. I was a bit disappointed/worried to learn, that I only had one wingman on the mission and no escort. It was a beautiful evening with scattered low hanging clouds that we flew just beneath, just about the best the landscape in BoS can look is just after sunset with the darkening sky in the east and a blood red band in the west.

 

En route to our target we were repeatedly fired upon by small caliber cannon from the ground but with little effect, and within 4 minutes we were over the target area, and boy was it something to behold! The fighting we were supposed to be supporting happened right on the outskirts of an airfield, which was fully equipped with both planes standing at the ready and AAA firing like mad at us, streaks of yellow tracers coming in from several directions at once. Everywhere below vehicles darted back and forth both on roads and in the terrain. No less than 6 batteries of German artillery were dug in just outside the runway and grenade blasts erupted everywhere both on the ground and in the air. All over the place small human figures were seen running back and forth. Two nearby villages were burning and the air seemed full of whispy smoke. All together there cannot have been less than 100 ground objects (not counting humans) in action at once. 

 

The scene was so intense, that I didn't even notice the 2 Bf 109s swooping down on us, and just as I was pulling up after dropping my bombs on the nearest artillery position, I spotted the thick, black brush stroke of my wingman going down in a blaze  . I turned and met the 2 Messers head on and took a couple of hits but no serious damage. I said to myself "to hell with it" and instead dove on the damaged artillery position and managed to get the last gun to secure me a "task completed"   and I thought "I gotta get out of here". The 109s made one more pass without hitting me and then apparently gave up and started climbing again (I don't know if that's just a fluke in the AI, but I liked it) I took another hit of 20mm from the ground on the way out despite my frantic maneuvering, but was left with nothing more than a few holes in my left wing.

 

On the way home darkness was settling into a beautiful night. I felt like getting the extra points for a landing and flew all the way home. On the way I saw several enemy convoys with their headlights now turned on. I was fired on repeatedly from the ground and even stalked briefly by 4 109s, but they ended up in combat with some patrolling Yaks. I was just circling the bonfire-lit home base, when suddenly the search lights came on and the heavy AAA started firing. I looked up and saw 6 He 111s escorted by Bf 109s, barely visible against the dark blue sky, passing overhead at some 4000m. I don't know if they were attacking the airfield, as I saw no bombs go off, but one Heinkel was shot down in flames and crashed in a nearby village, just as I was about to put the wheels down in the icy runway. Even the landing was perfect. 

 

I didn't get that many points for the mission, as I had only just done the necessary damage to the artillery, but boy did I have a blast. I will never accuse the campaign world of being empty again

Edited October 20, 2014 by Finkeren

[Endy]

 Nice story Finkeren, I agree, there does seem to be a lot more going on in later missions. The atmosphere is second to none.

[SYN_Per]

Nice one! Sounds like sweaty palms.

[LLv24_Zami]

Good story! Campaign missions are really fun sometimes

[SCG_Neun]

What a pity Herr Finkeren that you made it home ALIVE.....

[MarcoRossolini]

Sounds like the problem with the campaign is that it doesn't show you this early enough then...? 

[Matt]

Yes, those Il-2 missions can be quite eventful. This is how one of my missions ended, which involved a bunch of Panzer IV advancing against our anti tank guns. Unfortunatly, a Bf 109 eventually got me and i had to crash land right in the middle of it. Luckily the tanks didn't see me.

 

Still got captured though.

[LLv24_Zami]

Maybe it already is and recent tweaks have only kicked in for OP since coinciding with reaching chapter 3 ... 

 

I think that is the case. I didnt see that kind of action in chapter 3, I played it earlier.

[Finkeren]

Just flew a couple more tonight. Nothing quite as dramatic as the battle for that airfield, but still very engaging and with huge amount of stuff going on. Did much better as well  in the last mission I destroyed no less than 12 cannons and 5 trucks/cars for a total of 17 'soft' targets. I've really come to appreciate the toughness of the IL-2 (yes it is tough) That last mission left my Sturmovik with more holes than a french harlot in an iron maiden, but she still kept flying (barely) and saw me safely home for a less than pretty but safe landing.

 

Gotta say that not only the amount of objects but also the bonfires and burning villages near the fighting really adds something.

 

That last sortie unlocked "Wintergewitter" for me. I'm not sure I'm ready for even more action than this.

Edited October 20, 2014 by Finkeren

[heinkill]

Yes, I too vote to crank up the action more, and earlier, if this is what waits later in the campaign. Plenty of players say they never saw such a thing in their campaign despite finishing so I wonder is it to do with pilot level? Low pilot levels = no action, high pilot levels equal more? If so the balance is not yet right because I am about to give up on my IL2 campaign after about 20 missions, level 5 pilot (yep I die, a lot), because there is nothing much going on. It's a flight game! I want action! (My inner 12 year old speaking there...)

 

H

[Nil]

(and not leveled based AAA!) I have no other problems with the campaign (since I haven't played it) other then being forced to be a russian for the first missions= having to set up special controls.. or not as it's in normal mode, with no CEM? But I want to be able to choose if I want to be a russian or not.
 

[Finkeren]

Yes, I too vote to crank up the action more, and earlier, if this is what waits later in the campaign. Plenty of players say they never saw such a thing in their campaign despite finishing so I wonder is it to do with pilot level? Low pilot levels = no action, high pilot levels equal more? If so the balance is not yet right because I am about to give up on my IL2 campaign after about 20 missions, level 5 pilot (yep I die, a lot), because there is nothing much going on. It's a flight game! I want action! (My inner 12 year old speaking there...)

 

H

 

I'm only level 6. Honestly, you should be experiencing something like what I did I think.

[dburne]

(and not leveled based AAA!) I have no other problems with the campaign (since I haven't played it) other then being forced to be a russian for the first missions= having to set up special controls.. or not as it's in normal mode, with no CEM? But I want to be able to choose if I want to be a russian or not.

 

 

Well I have problems with the campaign, in that I just don't like how it is being implemented - therefore I am not playing it.  However, in all fairness you can enable CEM in Normal mode, you just need to bind disabling auto prop pitch, mixture, rads. You can bind to one button, and press it to have manual control of CEM.

Only thing is, you have to do it at the start of each mission, rather than it being a global setting like if we were able to pick a custom realism.

Edited October 20, 2014 by dburnette

[keeno]

Great story, nice write up!

[Rjel]

(and not leveled based AAA!) I have no other problems with the campaign (since I haven't played it) other then being forced to be a russian for the first missions= having to set up special controls.. or not as it's in normal mode, with no CEM? But I want to be able to choose if I want to be a russian or not.

 

How's that? How did you have to be forced to be a Russian? I didn't. Haven't flown a Russian campaign mission yet.

 

I've had a couple of similar missions Finkeren. Lots of aerial activity that was spread out in the mission. After completing my mission goals, I turned for home and ran into a couple of other fights going on while on my way back. The ground seems to have a random amount of action too. I think there's much more to this than meets the eye. If nothing else, it's a foundation to build on.

 

[Finkeren]

One more point I want to stress: Since before the launch of the campaign I've been very critical of the design of the campaign, and I still am.

 

If anything, experiences like these make me even more convinced that something has to be done. Missions like this deserves a proper framework to tie them together, be that in the form of a career, a dynamic campaign or even just some historical flavour in the briefings and elsewhere to give a sense of purpose and progression.

[dburne]

 

How's that? How did you have to be forced to be a Russian? I didn't. Haven't flown a Russian campaign mission yet.

 

 

 

 

I suspect he is talking about the first three training missions.

[Rjel]

I suspect he is talking about the first three training missions.

Well then he should be more specific. Half truths do no one any good and it could lead a casual reader to a misinterpretation of what this sim is. But really, I think we all know that what some folks have set themselves up to do.

[Gambit21]

Nice Fink - thank you for posting that.

Makes wish I could fly right now.

Alas I'm just on a lunch break.

[Finkeren]

Well Gambit. Apparently you can look forward to an update that not only fixes the recent performance issues but also contains more detailed campaign mission briefings and actually implements the Fw 190 FM fixes which were for some reason left out of the last update.

I unfortunately am on my way to bed now will have to check the new stuff out tomorrow.

[Nil]

Well then he should be more specific. Half truths do no one any good and it could lead a casual reader to a misinterpretation of what this sim is. But really, I think we all know that what some folks have set themselves up to do.

Can it be more 'specifically' forced to join Stalins forces, then having to be forced to do the first missions for your arch-enemy? With no possibility to skip it and start the campaign!?

[Rjel]

What a deal breaker. A few minutes of my time is all it took. No, instead people sit here on this forum for hour after hour complaining. That's a lot better.

[Finkeren]

Can it be more 'specifically' forced to join Stalins forces, then having to be forced to do the first missions for your arch-enemy? With no possibility to skip it and start the campaign!?

LOL I hope you're being tongue in cheek here.

 

Well, if it's any consolation, we pilots of the glorious Red Air Force are also being "forced" to join up with the fascists for one of the initial missions

[Nil]

LOL I hope you're being tongue in cheek here.

 

Well, if it's any consolation, we pilots of the glorious Red Air Force are also being "forced" to join up with the fascists for one of the initial missions

Ha! Have a taste of der Führer's superior planes .. and we all know you lost the Battle of Stalingrad totally!   Actually I look forward to seeing how 'the last chapter' plays out as a German pilot (no spoilers of the ingame endings plz)

[sallee]

Good write up, Finkeren. I agree that when it's good, it's very good!

[Endy]

I just did an evening intercept mission, at high altitude.

At the "Intercept area", the sky was full of contrails, looked fantastic.

 

Hit a bomber and smoked his engine, then chased another, fired a few short bursts, his engine started with some small flames, then the flames grew bigger. A rear gunner hit me as I passed below him. No apparent damage.

Headed for home, I've yet to see those bonfires on your home airfield, so looking forward to that.

 

Then the canopy started with oil splats, which got worse all the time, I hoped the engine would keep running. Later it stopped. I tried gliding back, I had loads of height, gradually sank down to cloud level, and did a safe [one you can walk away from] landing. Mission complete. Still haven't seen those damn bonfires. Maybe next time.

 

Beautiful atmosphere.

[pilotpierre]

Good write up, Finkeren. I agree that when it's good, it's very good!

+ 1

[chris455]

Fink,

I'm glad you didn't take screenshots. Your narrative was so much better. 

Good job!

[avlSteve]

Night intercept, engaging stukas, I go nearly vertical and pop up through the clouds... and through my front windshield I clearly see the constellations Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades!  I glance around and see the big dipper and little dipper.  It was so startling that I lost track of my targets (never could relocate them) so I RTB while checking out the gorgeous night sky.  The clouds casting shadows from the moonlight... AAA fire here and there. 

[CUJO_1970]

Very nice writeup - I've been planning on starting the IL/2 campaign soon and this is something to look forward too.

[Pringliano]

Definitely a +1 Finkeren!!! Yes I am starting to taste it too ;-)

[TheBlackPenguin]

Finally got around to trying the first mission after the tutorial and decided to try an intercept mission with the Yak, and when returning to base the first thing I saw was a bunch of tracer shells going up towards aircraft high up, they wee attempting to attack my airfield, so as I was out of ammo and kinda low I did a circuit to get into better position and when lining up on final I saw one plane come down in flames before crashing into the Volga, followed by another plane out of control.

 

Its really nice to see things like this happening, help to bring the entire battlefield to life.