Tactical Air War

[StG77_HvB 671]

Put this together a few days back when we were on map 5. Probably speaking the obvious to many, but this has been my experience. Trigger Alert: not for thin-skinned, PC types. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrViNSMBXoo

[1.JaVA_DeMoor 20]

I have one suggestion for the server, and it is regarding aerial gunnery.

 

To not allow players to man gunner positions in bombers always has been a missed opportunity in my eyes. For long-term campaigns in which ground targets are key, you want the bomber craft to be enticing to play; they are the lifeblood of the campaign or at the very least the engines behind its progress (nothing against the fighter jocks, but you need bombers to have fighters make sense).

 

There are plenty of people out there who aren't necessarily the best of pilots, or who simply lack the confidence to go up in the air on a server that is about keeping aircraft whole and yourself alive while still contributing to the war. I know I have a friend or two who are familiar with some simple flight models in shooter games who wouldn't mind sitting in the back of my Pe-2 using their mouse to shoot some rounds, but who would be too intimidated by the chance of ruining limited material for other players. For these people it would be a nice introduction to the server, as it allows their pilot to introduce them to some important aspects of the game like spotting, navigation, and in the case of VoIP some simple flight and engine management things. 

 

Apart from enticing more new players it also offers the settled crowd some new opportunities for small-scale teamwork, as it is almost barely ever feasible to have enough bombers to group up for large scale runs (exemptions do apply). In the long run there's a chance gunners become acquainted with the server's game-mode to such a degree that they switch to active flight.

 

Now, ideally (and I suspect this was the reason for not allowing it in the first place) you don't want pilots to swap to gunner seats; not as a choice of play as it reduces the amount of active aircraft on the short-term, and definitely not during flight in the sense of engaging auto-level, doing the switcheroo, and spraying away at bogeys... but I think that with some tinkering with the implementation that could be prevented, especially the in-flight pilot-gunner switch. Simply not allowing it by rules goes a long way - isn't that the only thing that's keeping people from going gunner at all at this point?

 

Perhaps it's even a point of implementation for the game-mechanics to have a gunner spot as a limited resource just like particular aircraft, so that you only want to spend your gunnery point on a bomber pilot you trust, and/or to have people prioritise gunnery when they apply for a campaign, just like they pick fighters, bombers or both right now.

 

Anyways, just my two cents  . I'm fond enough of the server to keep flying regardless.

[bald_eagle 50]

The latest page of posts really make me wonder about my unanswered question. Is the hardcore realist part of this community not big enough or consistent enought to support this server and other servers like it.

The most popular servers are the hardcore ones. WOL, DED-Expert and TAW ( and Berloga). WOL just have GPS and kill notification. They don't make him, much, less hardcore.

Actually WOL is more realistic in a special way. Like in real war, the action of few people have little influence on the outcome. I TAW you can feel that you have influence on the outcome. Which is false in real war.

Edited December 29, 2016 by bald_eagle

[666GIAP_Tumu 297]

Sorry Tuesday ... 

 

Exactly the same???

 

U mean reds any time leave the battle because lose 4 maps??? and because reds leave battle rules need be changed because its imposible play ?? and after change rules, reds come again for play alone?? yes??? this succes before???

 

sorry then..

 

 

I say on all places are the same... if i no win , i no play ( reds an blues )

[=LG=Leutnant_Artur 370]

Guys anyone with help ? https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/26949-mouse-axis-menu/

 

 

 

 

There'll be many changes soon. We are working on with new war and new features.

[SCG_CorZero 46]

Awesome and hilarious video, HvB.  You hit the money (tank) on the head I think.  Having spent a gazillion hours on this server, I'm starting to learn a few tricks as well, and am enjoying the sense of progress with persistent flying.  Many thanks to the  server creators, and hopefully with the changes you suggest the campaign with be even better next time.                                   

[Censored_Space_Ghost 1959]

-snip-

 

To not allow players to man gunner positions in bombers always has been a missed opportunity in my eyes.

 

-snip-

 

 

Does that mean you're volunteering to take a ride in the back of my definitely doomed Ju87 for 40+ minutes?

[1.JaVA_DeMoor 20]

Does that mean you're volunteering to take a ride in the back of my definitely doomed Ju87 for 40+ minutes?

 

If I wasn't on the Soviet side this campaign, I would I always enjoyed being a gunner, and I definitely wouldn't mind investing 40+ minutes in more teamplay, especially if VoIP is involved; two sets of eyes see more than one.

[AbortedMan 632]

Put this together a few days back when we were on map 5. Probably speaking the obvious to many, but this has been my experience. Trigger Alert: not for thin-skinned, PC types. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrViNSMBXoo

This guy! This guy gets it. Everyone should watch this video and listen to this man. Well done. Bravo!

[71st_AH_Scojo 190]

Put this together a few days back when we were on map 5. Probably speaking the obvious to many, but this has been my experience. Trigger Alert: not for thin-skinned, PC types. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrViNSMBXoo

First off, awesome video. Lots of time went into the content and editing, and it's much appreciated. An easy and fun watch.

 

Second, great advice. You really explained your point well and it was all very well thought out. Great tutorial for other Axis as well.

 

I agree with you on every point you made

[Tuesday 312]

Sorry Tuesday ... 

 

Exactly the same???

 

U mean reds any time leave the battle because lose 4 maps??? and because reds leave battle rules need be changed because its imposible play ?? and after change rules, reds come again for play alone?? yes??? this succes before???

 

sorry then..

 

They introduced quorum and Red side was not able to take the map overnight, so Reds quit.  Took away quorum and mostly only Blues left playing so now the map goes Blue. 

 

 

I say on all places are the same... if i no win , i no play ( reds an blues )

And that mindset is what kills the game.  Blue players kept showing up after we lost 20 maps in a row, but you quit when you lose one map because you can't capture it uncontested overnight? 

 

You shouldn't play Blue if losing makes you quit that easily! 

 

Sorry Tumu but I don't think we are ever going to agree here, you obviously have a very different idea than I do of what is going on here. 

[Willy__ 521]

Uhm..... On the rules tab is says that map #7 and plus are Stalingrad_Center, but instead we are playing on the Moscow map ? Was that intended or just a bug ?

[E69_geramos109 606]

Why the blue are stomping? And what can be done?

First off all it's not the blue or red players and teams. Most player are playing both sides. I am as lonely on the red teamspeak in this campaign as i was on the blue TS in the previous campaign.

The main problem is the red dominance in ground attacker. The problem exist on all servers. But on other servers nobody cares who win and it is all about personal achievements. On a server that is based on team achievement the fact that one team has advantage is a problem.

IL-2 and Pe-2 are straight up better than Ju-87 and Bf-110. The 111 and 88 are less relevant on a “Tactical” setting. The slight advantage the blue side has with fighter is not enough to give them equality.

This is not a simple problem to solve. Some obvious solution will not work:

1. Giving more weight to “strategic” targets ( like depots and HQ ) will Just make the blue side win all the time ( they have advantage both in high alt fighter and heavy bombers). Also, it will be a slower gameplay. I think it was tried on the random-expert server.

2. Making AAA weaker. Looks like it will help the blue attackers. But it will help the reds more. Right now only pe-2 can attack alone, barely, a defence or tank column. And it can do only 1 pass. If the AAA will be weaker, first the IL-2 will be able to work alone on enemy position. On any level of AAA above null the blue will suffer more due to their more fragile aircrafts.

3. Adding tanks. Much more data is needed from other servers to see how tanks integrates in this game. TAW is not the right place for the test. As long as tanks are not available in SP they shouldn’t be tried on “serious” servers.

What to do?

I think that the “Elephant in the room” is the Pe-2. From my experience the biggest “game breaker” is the ability of the pe-2 to work alone against defence position and tank column. The blue side must work together to suppress the AAA before they can clean up. While individual attacker on the red side can suppress the AAA with reasonable danger.

What should be done?

1. Make the Pe-2 available only from backline airfields that don’t have enemy target within 70Km (if such are available). It is a bomber. It shouldn’t be used from “tactical” airfield. The same can be done for the 111 and 88 (it's practically done by their pilot now ).

2. Give its gunner some vodka ( if possible ).

3. Make it available only at 0/2 or even 0/1. Anyway it never dies. So at least it should be worked for . And on the first map it shouldn’t be available.

4. Give the blue team plenty of 110 from the beginning.

 

I fly both side. In this campaign i fly the red team and happily abuse the pe-2. In reality I like my side to have a huge advantage. But in training ,and in games, I like my side to be only slightly better than the enemy.

 

 

Completely agree. Is so important to have more available 110 and ju88 as the main attackers. And also only people with BOM can use that planes. 

What happens with red victory is that the planeset fits better with the online experience we have. I really think that the german planeset is better but it requires a lot of time to prepare the attack, a lot of team coordination, time to climb, more or less qualified pilots etc. And with the red side you can just take off, going to the target and take profit that other players will be on the same area than you. Red planes were think for that so you can fly even with no coordination, but a lonely german pilot can´t do the same because he is dead if he goes low to fight against reds. 

Also new players use to chose german side. They think that is easier because the fighters are faster and have automatic management  but we can see how in the game is the oposite, you just have to put 50% radiators, max rpm and full power and you can fly as a klimov and if you want to take the max on the 109 you have to deal with the time limits, trim, manual pitch, and manual radiators on a dive. Im not sayig that is correct or not, is just consecuence of the more simple management we have on the game comparing the real situation like in DCS etc. where the reds does not have to use +10 controls to change the stage on the supercharger. If you take that details and add others like the HE 20mm problems, the OP rear gunners on the P2 with the strange blown ups with one or two shots, The indestructible pneumatic system on the russian flaps, The 0 trim behaviour on some planes... there you have that you need to be an ace to do something flying germans.

 

So for me is important to take profit of the german planeset we have and taking care with the balance options:

 

Now with the JU52 the german side has some advantage making suplies if they allow the paratroopers. Is that bad to have this advantage? German side has no IL2 or P2 and that planes are not forbiden. Laggs with the 23 can also destroy tanks and they are not forbiden and i for me is ok. But we see how now reds will ask for a balance solution for the Ju52 or as we have now, motoriced colums with german 20mm on the red side to solve the lack of an efective motoriced AA that the soviets hadn´t so...  also was not the red army doctrine to have AA on their colums...

So for me is important to have at least more 110 and Ju88s they were no rare planes and they can do a similar job (not as good) as the P2.

Edited December 30, 2016 by E69_geramos109

[ACG_Kai_Lae 247]

Put this together a few days back when we were on map 5. Probably speaking the obvious to many, but this has been my experience. Trigger Alert: not for thin-skinned, PC types. 

 

 

 

To server admins: Dude is right. Why all the tanks of the same type? Why not a mix of various types? Why not halftracks, and armored cars? You know, the kinds of things you would see in a armored company moving to an area. 

 

Also, why the "state fair" layout of the defenses? Why not artillery batteries and other kinds of targets? I assume technical limitations are a problem but maybe with dx11 not so much?

[=LG=Leutnant_Artur 370]

To server admins: Dude is right. Why all the tanks of the same type? Why not a mix of various types? Why not halftracks, and armored cars? You know, the kinds of things you would see in a armored company moving to an area. 

 

Also, why the "state fair" layout of the defenses? Why not artillery batteries and other kinds of targets? I assume technical limitations are a problem but maybe with dx11 not so much?

We're working on brand new campaign. There will be new vehicles in columns, new defence, new targets etc.

[Senor_Jefe-6 76]

We're working on brand new campaign. There will be new vehicles in columns, new defence, new targets etc.

Is there an ETA? I'm excited!

[=LG=Leutnant_Artur 370]

Is there an ETA? I'm excited!

We're planning campaign in the end of january. But it depends 'cos theres a lot of work to do.

[AKADerHuntere 0]

S!

I made a mistake when signing up for TAW, my squad is flying Allied I checked German. Would the admin please move me over to German so I could fly with my Squad mates.

 

Thanks.

 

AKA_DerHuntere

[=2ndSS=Lawyer1 180]

What's up? Where are server???

[=LG=Leutnant_Artur 370]

What's up? Where are server???

I don't know. Crash maybe (?)

[=2ndSS=Lawyer1 180]

I don't know. Crash maybe (?)

It's a pity. We have almost finished the war 

[=LG=Leutnant_Artur 370]

It's alive

[Tata 0]

Hi!

 

I tried to register, but all I'm getting on your page is "Connection failed: Can't connect to MySQL server on '146.0.32.24' (146)", except rules page.

 

[=LG=Leutnant_Artur 370]

Yes we have some problems with it. But I can say war is over now. Next brand new campaign start not faster than in the end of january.

[1.JaVA_DeMoor 20]

A whole month without TAW?

 

But... what are we supposed to do in the meantime?! 

[=LG=Piciu 149]

Dear Pilots!
The Fifth Season of tactical Air War is behind us.
We will remember it as the season of new ideas, changes and interesting forum discussions. Some ideas were better, the second ones - worse. The most important thing that we have learned the appropriate conclusions that will allow us to improve the performance of our "Little War" in future. Next season will bring many changes and features. We will inform you constatnly by forum. Enjoy the oncoming TAW Season VI.
And now Diplomas, and Medal Boxes for the best of you.

 

BEST FIGHTER PILOTS

 

 

Edited January 3, 2017 by =L/R=Piciu

[=LG=Piciu 149]

BEST BOMBER PILOTS

 

 

[=LG=Piciu 149]

BEST FIGHTER SQUARDONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEST BOMBER SQUADRONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2017 by =L/R=Piciu

[=TBAS=Sschatten14 412]

while it sounds great..

How do you lot navigate ingame properly

I tried to spot a distant landmark to navigate by but my game must be bugged.

All i see is low quality Horizon without definition and no way to ID long range landmarks.
Flying by those landmarks under the plane is just silly ..

Is there any way? to improve this super low quality distant terrain (my slider already on X4, i tried to alter config and set it to 8x 6x but nothing else works.
 

[DerSheriff 1033]

while it sounds great..

 

How do you lot navigate ingame properly

 

I tried to spot a distant landmark to navigate by but my game must be bugged.

 

All i see is low quality Horizon without definition and no way to ID long range landmarks.

Flying by those landmarks under the plane is just silly ..

 

Is there any way? to improve this super low quality distant terrain (my slider already on X4, i tried to alter config and set it to 8x 6x but nothing else works.

 

 

Why it's silly to navigate with close landmarks? Just use rivers, lakes, towns, roads, woods below you, spot them on the map, use your compass and here we go.

 

1-3 days of practise and you can show off your navigations skills to your friends. 

[BlackHellHound1 786]

while it sounds great..

 

How do you lot navigate ingame properly

 

I tried to spot a distant landmark to navigate by but my game must be bugged.

 

All i see is low quality Horizon without definition and no way to ID long range landmarks.

Flying by those landmarks under the plane is just silly ..

 

Is there any way? to improve this super low quality distant terrain (my slider already on X4, i tried to alter config and set it to 8x 6x but nothing else works.

 

 

Have a look here, This should help you with your problem 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/23699-make-il-2-look-stunning-improved-ground-detail-and-visibilit/?p=368699

 

BlackHellHound1

[JG700_Rammjager 15]

Allies won the campaign. 

Why I 'm not surpised ?

 

Congratulations especially for Tumu. S!

 

Ramm.

[666GIAP_Tumu 297]

 

Thx for campaign Admins.  As always for me was a pleasure participate.

 

Salute Ramm, this time I was lucky for  campaing end . Die its only a time question ,  in front  are some really good enemies 

 

I read are planned some changes for next edition, sounds very good, TAW its always on progress. Thx again,

Edited January 3, 2017 by RedEye_Tumu

[VBF-12_Gosling-71 40]

while it sounds great..

How do you lot navigate ingame properly

 

Speed in Km / Minute - Eg 420kph = 7 km per minute

Estimate distance with Grid Squares - times 1.4 for 45 deg diagonals

Time - All aircraft have a clock. Note time at know location. Distance divided by Km per minute = Time, Add this time to the noted time

Keep heading

Two minutes to go, look for next waypoint or target.

 

Clock Map Ground - Is it time, what should I see from Map, What can I see outside

 

Finally remember "ish" is good. So heading is 240ish, speed is 420ish ("ish" = Approximately). The idea of navigation is only to get your eyes onto the waypoint / target. Then "See it. Fly to it"

 

I can teach this stuff, and also headings to allow for drift too, if required.

[E69_chopo 16]

 

Thx for campaign Admins. As always for me was a pleasure participate.

 

Salute Ramm, this time I was lucky for campaing end . Die its only a time question , in front are some really good enemies

 

I read are planned some changes for next edition, sounds very good, TAW its always on progress. Thx again,

Enhorabuena Tumu. Kiler Edited January 3, 2017 by E69_chopo

[StG77_Roo5ter 79]

As a suggestion for next campaign, objectives with more targets but only requiring 80% or so to destroy. 

 

Reasoning - allows level bombing to come into play a bit more rather than dive bombing and is a bit more realistic.  I only ended up level bombing with the Pe-2 once in the campaign since it just makes more sense to dive bomb when you have to destroy every last building in the defenses.

It is also frustrating at times doing low passes to search for a single net that has an AT gun in it when in reality the target is kaput.  You can have 3 or 4 people tied up for a few minutes just searching for one truly irrelevant item in the big scheme of things.  

[SCG_CorZero 46]

Thanks again to all the game admins and salute to our VVS comrades!

 

See you next campaign!

[=GW=xshinel 73]

Thank you admins, and conguratulations to the VVS.  We think this is the best servere in the BOS

 

Last campain we quitted becasue of the quorum limit, although you ajust the rules at last, but lots of people lost their passion

Anyway, we still support you, and prepare for the new campain, hope you guys doing better and better.

 

Thank you!

[ACG_Kai_Lae 247]

Agree with above that quorum really negatively affected the last go around.

[1PL-Husar-1Esk 814]

As a suggestion for next campaign, objectives with more targets but only requiring 80% or so to destroy.

 

Reasoning - allows level bombing to come into play a bit more rather than dive bombing and is a bit more realistic. I only ended up level bombing with the Pe-2 once in the campaign since it just makes more sense to dive bomb when you have to destroy every last building in the defenses.

It is also frustrating at times doing low passes to search for a single net that has an AT gun in it when in reality the target is kaput. You can have 3 or 4 people tied up for a few minutes just searching for one truly irrelevant item in the big scheme of things.

This is great idea ,maybe not for convoys but for all others targets it is. Btw thanks for last war and see you in next.