Eastern part of Kuban

[PatrickAWlson]

What is it good for or what am I missing?

 

Here's what I mean.  The front lines during the Kuban time frame are more or less at the 40/60 percent (east west) mark near Myshako.  That puts many airfields to the east out of effective range, or at least out of fun range.  If you want to fly from the eastern fields you have a 200km trip to get to the front.  From there the lines only move west, making the eastern fields even further from the action.

 

I tried to read up to see how far east the Germans got, and the line from Myshako running north seems to be about it.  

 

To make matters worse there is a dearth of airfields around the front lines, particularly North of Anapa where I would really  love to have a couple.

 

If that's how it really was then so be it.  Long trips will have to be the order of the day.  But I was hoping maybe somebody knew something that I didn't and might help me to make more effective use of the Kuban map.

[unreasonable]

Kuban map should I expect also work for a 1942 scenario - the Germans occupied much of it during their attack south towards the oilfields.   

[Finkeren]

It’s definitely open to an extended career mode. In fact you could have a continuous career spanning at least 18 months on that map.

[Gambit21]

Patrick, what we really have is a "Battle for the Caucasus" map, not just a "Kuban Air Battles" map Which is cool!

 

For 1942 we're talking about the German push toward Taupse and the oil fields and the Taupse Defensive Operation- that's where my A-20 campaign takes place - loosely.

This is the interesting part of the map to me, not so much the region where the "Kuban Air Battles" take place which is mostly flat and very 'farmy'

 

Now the issue for a bomber campaign in this case of 1942 is that there were no Russian held airfields in the region because the Germans occupied all of the territory north of the Caucasus that we see on the map.

They were flying long distances from the north (off of the map area) In any case, this would be too long for the average player even if the map were that large.

So I have my squadron based at Adler for most of the campaign.

 

I'm more of a "what's the western part of the map good for" guy. I have no use for anything north of Anapa certainly. I know the history, I just don't find flying over it interesting enough for the endless hours of testing that I have to do,

and I like to make my missions as much about ambiance and the act of flying as about the action itself.

As it is the most of the target areas (that are not anti-shipping and there are some) are in the flat lands beyond the mountains, but ingress and egress are mostly over the mountains themselves, with a few missions in the mountains to mix things up.

 

There is much potential on the Eastern portion of the map for a number of campaign scenarios, including the I-153 if we ever get that little gem.

 

I attached a few maps, please not the southernmost front deep into the mountains.

AI behavior in the mountains is still up in the air, so I'm waiting to see how that shakes out before I decide about targets in those valleys - for the AI anyway.

 

I attached a few screens but I can't show the A-20 yet, so here's a few from the Pe-2 test missions in the public build.

2 of the mountains, 2 just because

Edited February 3, 2018 by Gambit21

[unreasonable]

Patrick, what we really have is a "Battle for the Caucasus" map, not just a "Kuban Air Battles" map Which is cool!

 

For 1942 we're talking about the German push toward Taupse and the oil fields and the Taupse Defensive Operation- that's where my A-20 campaign takes place - loosely.

This is the interesting part of the map to me, not so much the region where the "Kuban Air Battles" take place which is mostly flat and very 'farmy'

 <snip>

 

Quite: what I would have said if I were not so lazy.

 

Except that for "AI behavior in the mountains is still up in the air," I might have said that "AI behaviour in the mountains is still  not in the air"    

Edited February 3, 2018 by unreasonable

[BlackSix]

I tried to read up to see how far east the Germans got...

 

 

You need to find Osprey - Campaign 281 - The Caucasus 1942-43 Kleist's race for oil

[BlitzPig_EL]

Thanks for the thread, and all the historic background info.

 

Gives me more ideas, and pushes me closer to figuring out the mission editor.

 

Oh and yes please to the I-153.

[Sgt_Joch]

if you want to explore interesting 1942 scenarios. The Russians held on to most of the ports where their Black Sea Fleet was holed up. The Germans launched several attacks on the ports in july-august, before most of the bombers got sucked into the Stalingrad cauldron. The ports were heavily defended by flak.

[PatrickAWlson]

Thanks for the responses.  This will definitely make it to PWCG in time.  

 

Gambit - thanks for the detailed response.  What I like about the west is anti shipping missions.  Also 1943.  Have to say that getting into the mountains is also great, and easily replaces the other maps as a focus for early to mid 1942, when my Stalingrad and Moscow maps are static.  

 

Black Six: thanks for posting the map

Edited February 3, 2018 by PatrickAWlson

[Gambit21]

Here you go Patrick,

 

http://histomil.com/viewtopic.php?t=21123

 

https://medium.com/@Inflab/eastern-front-maps-of-world-war-ii-17f4a26545e9

 

 

https://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=284

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG7fY6esp_g

[EAF19_Marsh]

So the Kuban map is east to Maikop / Sochi but not beyond that (Armavir and towards Terek)?

Edited February 4, 2018 by EAF19_Marsh

[GarandM1]

Gambit21, your campaign looks great! Will it be available with the launch of the A-20?

[Gambit21]

Marsh...Kuban Map attached, there's a full size version available somewhere but can't remember where at the moment.

 

Garand (like the handle BTW) the A-20 campiagn is on mission 12 of 16 right now, with some work needed to test and de-bug the 11 missions that are already complete.

I'm also being held-up a bit by some unknowns that affect the build.

 

It won't be available right at the launch of the A-20, a bit more work and those unknowns need to be sorted.

When Kuban is officially released I'll create a thread for this campaign to keep you guys updated and look for a few testers.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Gambit21

[Chief_Mouser]

Definitely missing the airfield of Slavyanskaya (Ust-Labinskaya on map) at 0734 kp2. Don't know why, photographic evidence was provided for it.

[PatrickAWlson]

I am moving the start date for PWCG in Kuban back to July 1 1942 (from March 1 1943).  That will make effective use of western Kuban and provide for some mountain flying fun after August.  The lines will not be 100% historically accurate to make the best use of the map, but the progression will be right.

 

Thanks to Gambit for the reference material.

[Gambit21]

Glad to hear it Patrick.

[Gambit21]

Patrick here's another one from my bookmarks.

 

http://survincity.com/2011/02/on-the-70th-anniversary-of-the-battle-for-the/

[Chief_Mouser]

Pat and Gambit - looking forward to both of your works, thanks for your dedication in doing this.

Cheers.

[BlitzPig_EL]

It is one of the most beautiful maps I've seen in any game...

 

 

Can't wait to get the full release.

[unreasonable]

It is one of the most beautiful maps I've seen in any game...

 

 

 

Can't wait to get the full release.

 

I agree. I forced a couple of non-simming friends to watch my movie set in the Kuban map and they were gob-smacked.  By the scenery, at least...

 

Just think what this team could do with Sicily or Tunisia.  I fear the Netherlands-German border region in winter is going to be a dreary let down scenically.  

[312_Lazy]

Kuban map is also somewhat usable for late 1941 scenario: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Kerch_Peninsula