Poll: Next theatre of War?

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

Berlin~!!

Without bomber you can forget that! First there have to be B 17s and B 24s added

I do feel it's about time to see a brand new setting and the Mediterranean is the only important one still missing.

 

And a late war setting to see the latest Italian fighters as well as the fight over the boot.

Not quiet there are several still missing that no one has done yet!

Battle of France, Battle of Norway, invasion of Poland have never

been done yet. Up to now only theatres, with exception of

Pearl Harbour, have been made where the allies had the upper hand.

Has no one noticed that yet?

[SOLIDKREATE]

Voted for the obvious choice the Mediterranean theatre. I'd love to fly a Fw-190A8 in full desert colors.

[12.DD_Agost]

Spanish civil war.

 

Early war scenario with some really interesting planes and altough western front, it has a very interesting mix with soviet planes (I15, I16 etc.) along with several french and german early war planes.

 

Great scenario for the HS123 too!

[thx1138]

I went for pacific, because a whole new dimension opens up, plus would help with navigation skills . . .

 

 

but its a big thing to tackle, and I wouldn't be mad if the devs chose another 'easier' theatre. Just because there was a lot of promised but not released features (like dynamic climate etc) 

 

 

I voted PAcific just becasue I love carrier ops.

[LLv44_Mprhead]

I voted for mediterranean, although I think the smart move would be doing one of the more important mid-war battles in eastern front first (Kuban or Kursk, or if going backwards in timeframe is deemed good option, then Crimea). But I think after that Tunisian campaign would be great option imo. It's more or less the last time when Luftwaffe was at somewhat equal footing with Western air forces and there was also a lot of different planes flying on both sides, spitfire, hurricane, P-40, P-39, P-38, A-20, B-25 and Blenheim to name a few from allied side. And many of those planes would be transferable to eastern front scenarios also, so there is some syn-energy benefits.

[Crazedmoon]

I'm a complete addict for pacific air combat. this games engine is beautiful and I would love the chance to fly from carriers with the environment this game can generate! Hellcat's over truck island... it would be amazing :D

[Cybermat47]

Without bomber you can forget that! First there have to be B 17s and B 24s added

 

And the Lancasters, Halifaxes, Wellingtons, He-219s, Ju-88C/Gs, and Bf-110Gs.

[LLv44_Mprhead]

I'm a complete addict for pacific air combat. this games engine is beautiful and I would love the chance to fly from carriers with the environment this game can generate! Hellcat's over truck island... it would be amazing :D

 

Let's just all hope that this will be successful enough, so we will see many expansions that cover all our favorit theatres. I would love to fly P-40 and Hellcat in pasific and I am sure many would want to hop in to japanese planes too.

[352nd_Wheels]

Let's just all hope that this will be successful enough, so we will see many expansions that cover all our favorit theatres. I would love to fly P-40 and Hellcat in pasific and I am sure many would want to hop in to japanese planes too.

 

I hope so too since every theatre of operations is someone's favorite. Hopefully it does well enough that it generates interest beyond the relatively small community that is represented in these forums. If the only sales that are generated are by the community that exists in these forums I won't say that it is going to fail but any future additions to the sim will be harder to come by simply because the numbers don't seem to be there to me for any sort of rapid expansion to the content of the sim.  

 

 

Wheels

[214FG-Widowmaker]

ahh so many to choose from.

the MTO that came out later with IL2 was wonderful.

but its hard to be carrier ops ... landing a corsair or hellcat on a pitching deck. 

gimmie gimmie gimmie

MTO comes in second ... then off to western Europe

[DD_fruitbat]

MTO is carrier ops as well.

 

Mid War and Med for me

Edited December 6, 2013 by fruitbat

[Marcomies]

I think the Mediterranean theatre would be the best. It would be fitting background for plenty of British, American, German and Italian planes for pretty much the entire length of the war so from there it would be easy to move to any other theathre. African/Italian campaigns also haven't been done before (or at least in very long time). Fighting over the desert could also offer some interesting unique scenarios like fighting over a sandstorm.

 

I'm not a big fan of pacific campaign, the flights there can be just incredibly long and flying/fighting over open sea is pretty dull. West European theathre is pretty well covered by CloD and DCS: WW2 and I personally dislike the idea of late Western front because I imagine it would mainly be High altitude bomber escorting/intercepting with long flight times and ground assault with total air superiority. I also don't think it would be that great idea to get stuck and try to "finish" the Eastern front (or any other front) for several years because that will just limit the amount of potential players. Of course if they can make another Russian operation without pushing back the the addition of the next theathre too much then all the better.

 

And I really hope they will expand the Battle of Stalingrad game as was the case with original IL2 rather than make a separate game for each front.

[robbiec]

Eastern Front, Mid War. 3 Separate fronts, North, Center, South... Lots to be explored 

[bivalov]

guys, maybe this is not news for someone or in this topic, but personally for me it's interesting news what 26 and 27 GIAPs, in 44 at leningrad front, had spifire-9s (LL, of course, and mainly LF) and contacted with LW including fw 190... dont know at this moment, about correctness of information about combats not during interception of recon planes, but this looks very promising especially for western community, right? and big + for map of leningrad...

 

but at first, p-40s, p-39s and some spit-5s in Kuban... right?

[SOLIDKREATE]

Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre would be the easiest since we will already have a working Bf-190F-4 FM. The Bf-109F-4/Trop just has an air filter I believe and no other discernible design feature. If they do introduce Spitfires, Hurricanes and P-40's, those will be well tested working FM. We'll also have a working Fw-190A FM too. Then is just boils down to creating a map and skins.

[IonicRipper]

Ever since IL2 1946 I've hoped for a new pacific carrier based flight sim. Just imagine how awesome it would be to land an F4U on a carrier with BOS' game engine.

[Foobar]

Tell all your friends to buy BoS and make it come true

[Heliopause]

Difficult choice, but I go for the Eastern Front the early war. Lots of different planes like PZL11, Fokker D.21, Regianne 2000 and Avia B 534 instead of the usual flown (Fw 190 & Spits amongst others).

Edited December 30, 2013 by Heliopause

[Blooddawn1942]

After 1 or 2 eastern front addons after the releasd of BoS, I would love to see action taking over to the far east! As a initial PTO scenario, the battle of the salomon islands would suit just perfect. Regarding the timeline, it's an midwar scenario. Taking place after Wake and Midway and before the Island hopping which leads to Okinawa and strategic bombraids over Japan.

And with the big Island of Guadalcanal, the map would be interesting and not too boring compared to pure naval operation scemarios.

The planeset would be interesting too. Us Navy SBD Dauntless' and Wildcats, USMC Aircobras.

 

Who knows....maybe one day...

[J2_Trupobaw]

Midterrean, or just Italy with Malta, *all* time periods - wasn't it one of theaters that saw longest continous fighting? My ideal would be a long career / scripted campaign that starts you in Gladiator on Malta and takes you all the way into northern Italy (detour to Africa optional).

[T-800]

How about a Korean era event? World war 2 is way over saturated. The same thing goes with first person shooters. The Korean war really the last true dogfighting the F-86 Sabre vs MiG-15 Fagot. Sub sonic aircraft with there very distinct advantages and disadvantages. Korean war era also plays a huge roll in the ground attack roll. Also I remember the bos team making a Facebook update on our opinion on whether a Korean event would be a good idea.

[johncage]

africa is so boring. the uniforms and vehicles are also meh

[Falco_Peregrinus]

I would love to see a Med Campaign next.

 

It would be a "jack of all trades" as a theatre:we could see biplanes CR42 and Gladiators fighting each others in the 1940,

then the first Hurricane I and IIs against Macchi C.200s, then the more advanced C.202s and Bf.109s

against Spitfires and P40s. And cool bombers such as the Blenheims , Wellingtons, Whitleys, Marylands, S.79s, Breda 65s, Z.1007, Ju.88s and He.111s, plus Beaufighters, Beuforts,

Sunderlands, Z.506s, in theory even the Junkers Ju.86P which was used as a recon plane on Alexandria.

And a lot of action above the island-fortress of Malta, an island full of targets to bomb and surrounded by the 

mediterranean sea, where huge and small convoys (axis and allies) tried to supply their relative armies.

 

We could see the huge Pedestal and Harppon convoys with battleships, carriers, cruisers and lots of

minor ships being attacked by air and sea, great naval battles, night engagements between the Regia Marina

and the Royal Navy, submarines, escort axis fighters trying to repel allied torpedo-bombers from striking

their weapons in the sea, while at the same time high-alt bombers release their explosives on the airfields and ports

of Malta and in the distance flak all around the sky of the island.

 

Fast forward, and we go to the end of 1942 , when desperate italian and german air convoys (huge Me.323s,S.M.82s, G.12s and Ju.52s) tried to fly from Sicily

to Tunisia flying literally at sea level, and those being attacked by newer planes, P-38, P-40E, while being escorted by FW-190s and C.205s.

(My grandpa was there)

 

We could in theory start with PZL-24, Gladiars and CR42 (even Cr 32) and arrive to 1944 with Re.2005, G.55, FW190 and P51 and P47 in the fight

on mainland Italy. Lots of bombers as well , level, dive and especially, torpedo-bombers!

 

Lots of potential IMO!

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ioshic

[jg52hussar-lasalle]

North Africa yes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plz stop everything and start that :}

[Half-DevilPorkChop]

Would love to see some American planes in later expansions. 

Edited August 19, 2014 by BigT-PorkChop

[Mikey]

I just want a map with green grass

[Spacesheep]

Despite I know  it won't be ever done I would love to have an early war extention focussed on the Blitzkrieg in Poland, Norway, Danemark, Neitherland, Belgium and finaly France. (well a periode that goes from late august 39 to the surrender of France in late june 1940 and introducing the BOB)

 

This period is the starting point of the conflict and was the first time the German Blitzkrieg tactics were appiled at full scale.

Unless it has produced huge effects for the entire developments of the war, this part of the conflict never seemed to regarded as an interesting part of air war in WW2

 

As french, I have to say that I have a specific interest in this period that provides me more immersion possibilities, but I think this period could also provide a great amount of interests and fun for a flight sim like IL2 and its community.

 

here are also a few comments to push that idea:

 

- most of the major nation of early war period can be represented in this period.

Germany (of course in all of the major actions from poland to France)

Russia (counter invasion of poland in 1939 and finland war)

RAF (Battle of France : BOF and Norway)

France (BOF and Norway)

Italy (BOF)

Poland (Battle of Poland and represented in BOF)

Belgium

Norway

Neitherland

 

I have to admit that our US friends were not  involved that much at that time but we could count on their very helpfull P36 Hawks !

Talking about planes, some of the one concerned by this early war period don't decrease the pleasure at all..

 

for the luftwaffe:

Bf109's first series Emil

Bf110 

Ju-52 and their involvment in the first air-drops of paratroopers (neitherland may 1940)

He 111

Ju-87 Stukas

Do17, beautifull "flying pencil"

and Ju-88

and these are only the major names...

 

for the allies:

 

P36-Hawk

Hawker Hurricane

Sptifire (for Dunkirk and dynamo operation)

Morane MS406, even if outclassed by the messerschmidt, they prooved to be deadly (and shortly after then dead) with their hispano cannons.

Dewoitines D520

Gladiators

without counting the possibilities of carrier aircrafts with the operations in Norway !

well to many to be actually well listed..

 

Finally I would say that moving to this extention could be a relatively coherent (yes relatively) develoment regarding what has allready been done by other flight seems products.

 

from this early war period, it could be a great base to expand then to MTO or barbarossa plan in mid 1941 to rejoin stalingrad period

 

I also recommand for any of you this (french) website wich I personnaly find of a great interest to learn a bit more about airwar  (centered on french air force) during ww2

 

http://www.cieldegloire.com/batailles_bf.php

 

You'll eventualy learn that more than 800 german aircrafts (combat and transport) have been destroyed during the short period between the 10th and the 25th of may 1940 + more the 250 damaged... wich represent quite a simple answer by itself to the one who may think that nothing interesting was happening in the air at that time  

 

salute to all !

[FokkerH]

Spacesheep, i agree with you. I hope so same day.

 

Regards,

  Héctors

[IRRE_Belmont]

^{I think the battle in Afrika could really be great...}

^{I've never seen at single simulation game featuring this theater, a shame, it's one of the most interesting of WWII...}

 

^{Just imagine the possibilites, Sand covering the cannopy, heat factors....}

[Uufflakke]

^{I think the battle in Afrika could really be great...}

^{I've never seen at single simulation game featuring this theater, a shame, it's one of the most interesting of WWII...}

 

^{Just imagine the possibilites, Sand covering the cannopy, heat factors....}

 

Desert storms, animated camels, the Pink Panthers...

[IRRE_Belmont]

Desert storms, animated camels, the Pink Panthers...

Oh yisssss

[Bars-]

Mediterrenean theatre with North Africa, Italy, Gibraltar, Suez Canal, Malta, Crete all in one map.

 

 

And also A-20s, B-25s, P-40s, A-36s, P47s.

 

[Chuck_Owl]

Personally, I would like MTO first, but I feel it wouldn't fit with the whole Battle of Stalingrad concept.

 

The good thing with BoS is that it "forced" me to discover a part of aviation history that I was not very well acquainted with: which is the eastern front air war. I had only vaguely heard of the Yak, LaGG and Lavochkins. And now look at me... flying VVS aircraft all the time. 

 

I think that Kuban or Crimea would be more interesting because it's totally new stuff for me. I'm already well-versed in the MTO and Pacific theaters, but I think that a good game is a game that forces you to change your perception and "forces" you to learn about stuff that you didn't know before.

[Bars-]

Kuban or Crimea will be a little bit more complicated to create, and also will be no any air-to-surface missions. Instead of that, MTO gives everything: ships, U-boats, convoys, ground troops, Desert Air Force, USN and USAAF, reconnaissance missions,    monotonous landscape with a seashore and some towns and some port areas, which is ideal for any kind of war project in multiplayer.

 

 

[PantsPilot]

For me the most glaring omission historically has to be Malta; and I've been flying combat flight sims since the 90's and its yet to appear other than in mods solely for il-2. In that period the most covered has been (in order): 

 

1. Pacific

2. Normandy to end of war

3. Battle of Britain

 

So anything away from those 3 would be the way to go IMO. Malta/Sicily would be ideal for this engine; minimum flying distance; Sicily to Malta 60 odd miles only. 3/4 Air Forces to fly; RAF/Royal Navy, Luftwaffe and Italian RA. (US could also be added in 1943 when the allies finally go on the offensive against Sicily). All types of mission though little anti-tank, however the theatre could be expanded into Africa in which case there's be stacks of armour operations and tank busting. Level bombing, dive bombing, anti shipping, fighter intercept, fighter escort, carrier operations, night ops, train busting on Sicily later etc. The devs would already have some German planes ready too from BoS. 

This historic theatre badly needs doing in the interest of fairness. In many ways Malta was tougher for the RAF than the BoB; the guys who flew clapped out Hurricanes for example against Bf-109f's flown by experten were the real heroes of WW2. You often see the term "heroes of the Pacific" utilised, well there was nowhere in the Pacific as tough as Malta was for the RAF in 1941, especially considering it lasted nearly 3 years. 

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

You often see the term "heroes of the Pacific" utilised, well there was nowhere in the Pacific as tough as Malta was for the RAF in 1941, especially considering it lasted nearly 3 years.

 

I'm not sure the guys on New Guinea would agree.

[PantsPilot]

You often see the term "heroes of the Pacific" utilised, well there was nowhere in the Pacific as tough as Malta was for the RAF in 1941, especially considering it lasted nearly 3 years.

 

I'm not sure the guys on New Guinea would agree.

 

So were the guys in New Guinea subjected to multiple raids every day by often upwards of 60 aircraft at a time whilst flying worn out, hand me down Hurricanes (already outclassed even if new) from the BoB? Did they have no warning because the enemy airfields were just 60 miles away? Did the guys in New Guinea operate from airfields on the most bombed place in history? Did they have to operate against 2 enemy air Forces at once? Was the quality of the opposition the same standard as the German experten flying Bf-109f's? Did they operate from a place where the logistical supply was often nil due to continuous enemy interdiction of convoys? Did they have to fly biplane fighters in the early days against Italian SM.79's that were faster than their own aircraft? Were their airfields under constant fighter attack from just 60 miles away even when Spitfires arrived? Did they get no sleep because of round the clock enemy bombing? No ice creams or coke on Malta.

My friend how can I put this politely.......I think you need to read up on the Malta campaign.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

One word,

 

TYPHUS.

 

The war was just as difficult on many fronts for many DIFFERENT reasons. It was the most bombed place on earth at the time. You are very enamored of the Malta campaign but you often make these blanket statements which aren't entirely accurate. I love that you push for it's inclusion but I suspect it has been ignored because it would not be high on the list of most simmers and therefore not in the interest of most developers. That is why it has been handled in the past by modder's with the same passion for it you have.

 

The saying is, "War is hell," not, "Malta is hell," for a reason.

Edited September 16, 2014 by HerrMurf

[PantsPilot]

One word,

 

TYPHUS.

 

The war was just as difficult on many fronts for many DIFFERENT reasons. It was the most bombed place on earth at the time. You are very enamored of the Malta campaign but you often make these blanket statements which aren't entirely accurate. I love that you push for it's inclusion but I suspect it has been ignored because it would not be high on the list of most simmers and therefore not in the interest of most developers. That is why it has been handled in the past by modder's with the same passion for it you have.

 

The saying is, "War is hell," not, "Malta is hell," for a reason.

 

Well you can't model typhus in a combat flight sim can you? Look the Pacific has been done countless times, the most recent as you know in Pacific Fighters as part of il-2. Surely it would only be fair to model some other equally important war zones, even if they don't include the US air forces. I think this could be the bottom line; lets be honest shall we and say that if the US had officially been present in Malta (as opposed to represented by a handful of brave pilots flying for the RAF) then Malta would have featured probably several times already. The fact is that devs in the past knew that Americans for the most part only wanted to fly planes beginning with the prefix "P" "F" or "B", and as Americans represented the vast majority of the buying public, places like Malta got passed over, it was a financial decision. Now at last we might have devs that aren't so obsessed with that and also have us loyal combat flight simmers willing to buy whatever they do next after this great effort, so for the first time there is a chance that massive air campaigns like Malta, (and if you still don't think it was significant and unique solely based on the fact that it has been ignored to date, then once again I say you need to read up on it).

As for blanket statements I'm a multi-published aviation historian who used to write about the Pacific air war for Air Enthusiast and other UK magazines and I'm equally well read on other air campaigns, including Malta. Believe me when I say it was exceptional in every respect and harder and longer lasting than the BoB and also that most people, even many WW2 aviation buffs who are generally knowledgeable on other air campaigns are still ignorant of it, much in the same way that the Griffon engine Spitfire X1V is nearly always left out of aircraft wanted lists for games as well.

We are in danger of just repeating the same old theatres of war, same old self perpetuating myths, over and over again. When il-2 did the east it was like a breath of fresh air. If they turn to the Med and Africa it will also be a breath of fresh air. Malta was the biggest air campaign of the theatre. Without Malta there would have been no Italian campaign.

Edited September 16, 2014 by PantsPilot

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Never even implied it was not significant but there are other financially more viable theaters to (re)explore first. Not sure an eastern European developer will be much more interested in it than, 'those guys,' in the US are. Just being realistic.