Flying boat gameplay for Kuban (and the pacific in future)

[migmadmarine]

Especially with the new Career available, which I've been enjoying greatly, I've been mulling over how it would be to have two flying boats for Kuban, I was thinking probably MBR-2 for the USSR and Do-24 or BV-138 for Germany (perhaps others who know more about the Kuban battle know of better types). Then comes what sort of gameplay to provide these aircraft, the ideas I've had so far: 

 

Maritime patrol: (of course) one or more machines flying a route over water, attacking viable targets at digression, 

 

ASW patrol: same of above, but restricting targets attacked to subs, maybe torpedo boats

 

Downed pilot/ships crew rescue: couple of ideas for this one, could choose one or the other method, or have it be weather dependent/based on number of people in need of rescue. These missions would crop up in a way similar to intercepts, not pre-planned but crop up unexpectedly as needed. Variation A: call comes out for SAR, and player is provided a search box on the map. Player flies out and searches the area, if he spots a pilot in raft on the water, they land, pull up along side, wait a little bit, similar to cargo unload, then take off again and return to base. Variation B: Same as above, but instead of landing the player has to drop a smoke bomb/dye pod what have you with in a radius of the pilot, and this would trigger a sub or torpedo boat to vector to that point. At this point the player can return to base. 

 

I'll be curious to see what people who know more about German and Soviet flying boat operations have to suggest/correct/whathaveyou. 

[xvii-Dietrich]

Seaplanes would add great diversity to the planeset and, as I've said on multiple occasions, I'd support the addition of any seaplane. However, realistically, the Devs have vast quantities of work on their hands already, so it is probably unlikely that they'll take on these difficult aircraft (especially the BV-138, for which there are no surviving examples). What is more realistic, would be the conversion of one of the existing aircraft. The implementation of a Ju 52/3m W or a Polikarpov U2-P would make more sense in that regard: they are well documented and museum or flying examples exist for both of them.

[=27=Davesteu]

Would I like/buy a flying boat? Yes!
Would I need a flying boat right now? No!

They are cool, they aren't the nth variant of *your favorite stereotypical fighter here*, but they aren't important to me right now, especially not so in relation to Kuban.
In regards to the Asiatic-Pacific-Theatre they might become more important, but again it heavily depends on the scenario.

Interesting to recreate flying boat mission more often than not lasted very long and the maps are way too small right now. Floatplanes might be the more realistic

choice. But in case of Midway for example I rather highly suggest a PBY (which is the most realistic flying boat to hope for in my opinion and also one I really want) instead of (my beloved!) F1M "Pete". Actually I would go with a 7 (US) - 3 (IJN) setup, but that's another topic...

Most seaplane units operating in the Black Sea area, both Axis and Soviet, exclusively performed surveillance & reconnaissance missions (which differed greatly in their way less offensive nature from those flown by USN Patrol Bombers in the Pacific for example) with especially the Luftwaffe flying boats later also relegated to transportation duties.
VVS ChF seaplane units suffered from great attrition in the western Black Sea during the 1941/1942 timeframe. From mid-1942 on reconnaissance was gradually shifted to newly formed land based units, with the remainder focusing on uneventful ASW duties.
Broadly speaking latter is true for Axis units as well, with rare exceptions like Soviet submarine M-118 for example being shadowed by a BV 138, but sunk by called on naval units.
Probably the most event-, success- & impactful usage of floatplanes in the entire Black Sea area 1941-1944 was in the transport role 1943/1944 by the Luftwaffe.
In summary we miss the western part of the Black Sea for the important operations and most of it would be either uneventful & repetitive or another Ju 52-esk plane for the players, but also the Devs.

 

 

Edited April 24, 2018 by =27=Davesteu