Official Historical Campaign "Fortress on the Volga"

[SvAF/F16_WhiteMoose]

This was a lot of fun and the story before each mission added a great load av immersion. After reading the story I put on my Rift and I'm right there in my 109 with a background story, ready for take off.

Great missions with a lot of interesting fight going on.

Looking forward to your next campaign and I happily pay for it.

 

Na zdrowie

[BlackSix]

Thanks!

My next campaign will be devoted to the actions of the special IL-2 group (from 226th ShAD 8th Air Armу) in November - December 1942 as it was chosen by the community)

 

[CrazyDuck]

Outstanding campaign! Great fun dogfighting all those La-5s and Yak-1s for which basic armament of G-2 is sufficient, but I was getting more and more frustrated versus Il-2s and Pe-2s. With my single cannon-ed bird (the 7,9s aren't even worth mentioning versus these) I felt like trying to kill partially sedated boars with a sewing needle. 

Finally I arrived to the "KanonenBoot" mission yesterday and got a couple of those cement IL-2s with it - but sheer number of enemies is becoming daunting! Despite winning an aerial Kill to Death ratio, Reds are winning the numbers game nevertheless. Like somebody said: "The idea is not to outkill, but rather to outproduce them."

 

Hat's off BlackSix!

 

[BlackSix]

Thanks! I tried to show that Soviet aviation had an overwhelming numerical advantage all time, but their actions were ineffective and this situation persisted until the end of the war, apart from rare exceptions.

[ShamrockOneFive]

It's taken me a little while to get to finishing this but I've now completed my play-through of Fortress on the Volga and here's my review of this Scripted Campaign for IL-2: Battle of Stalingrad. https://stormbirds.blog/2019/03/24/review-fortress-on-the-volga-scripted-campaign-for-il-2-battle-of-stalingrad/

[BlackSix]

Thank you for the review!

[Ceowulf]

Hey BlackSix,

I just want to write while it's fresh on my mind.  Fortress Volga mission #3 is one of the most fun SP missions I have played.  What a hot mess! ...just the way I like it.  I've replayed it a few times just because I don't want it to be over with only two kills.  

 

(Here's what I like about it if feedback helps you:  Short commute to work.  Busy world, fog of war.  Different flights with different objectives.   Often, cool to see a real war on the ground.  Good challenge without playing the same exact dogfight over and over.)   

 

I haven't played Sea Dragons but your fighter campaigns rock.  Hope you're coming to Flying Circus soon.   

 

(And I like that you're working toward making the campaigns more replayable, like you said in the Stormbirds interview.)

 

Thanks,

Ceowulf<><

 

 

 

[BlackSix]

Thanks! The third mission was the most difficult, I've spent about three weeks to make and debug it))
Regarding Flying Circus, I don’t know anything about WWI aviation and I've never been interested in this period. So I can't create any missions for FC but I've huge plans for the WWII aviation campaigns.

[=gRiJ=Roman-]

Black Six is the master of Campaign Making.  Two thumbs up! I love them! 

Just a tiny comment, I wish you reconsidered the possibility of having official campaigns with collector planes. 

[BlackSix]

Unfortunately, as I wrote earlier, it's too much risk and I'm not ready to accept it.

[BlueHeron]

Keep making those campaigns and I'll keep buying them!     For me they're quickly becoming the heart and soul of Great Battles.

[BlackSix]

Thanks, my next work will be official German campaign for the Tank Crew and then I plan to return and finish IL-2 campaign for BOS I announced last year.

[Tapi]

Just finished. Excellent campaign BlackSix. Great THANKS!

Looking forward very much to your next WWII campaigns...

[Blackhawk_FR]

I'm currently doing the campaign. 

I have to say that I'm normally an online player only. I thought I could give it a try with the promotion of the moment. Against all my expectations, I'm having a lot of fun and I'm sure I'll play more scripted campaign in the future. 

 

Thx you for your work!

[BlackSix]

I'm glad you like it))

[LuftManu]

Welp, finished the campaign and it was a blast, thank you @BlackSix

I had it on hold during the last month but finally managed to complete all the missions.

The briefings were really good and ever mission felt different. Can't wait for your next work.

Edited August 24, 2019 by LF_Gallahad

[BlackSix]

Thanks)

[MasserME262]

Just bought it today. First time I buy a scripted campaign, I thought about it like 1000 times but the good comments and the fact that Im tired of QMB made me do that ?. And since 109G-2 is one of my favs plane, I decided to give it a try. Seems to be exciting according comments, lets try it out!

[vino]

I bought this. Only $4,99. I’ll bet this is way too hard for my skills, but I’ll give it a shot. This is also my first scripted campaign. I’ll let you know how I progress ?

[BlackSix]

Thanks, I try to do a medium difficulty in my campaigns, I hope it won't be a problem for your skills. 

[MasserME262]

Just finished "05. One Step Ahead" (blockading Srednyaya Ahtuba airfield). Just managed to shot down 2 La's, then my plane got hit and my fuel started running out (got hit in there). So I decided to back home, but when I was over Stalingrad, I couldn't resist the temptation (lol) and engaged a Yak1. Hell, I couldn't shot him down, I guess he was on "ace" difficulty, no matter what, we always was at the 9 o'clock of the other one, and I couldn't do some energy fighting so I just disengaged after some minutes trying to get his 6. So finally I went back to Pitomnik, with 2 enemies down, but sad because I really really wanted to bring that Yak down lol.

 

Great missions so far!

 

I was really scared about buying Scripted Campaigns, but I'm having a lot of fun, 0 regret! Thanks for the well done job BlackSix!

 

 

EDIT:

If someday you can build a Scripted Campaign about a FW190... Count on me, for sure I gonna buy it?

Edited September 30, 2019 by ME-BFMasserME262

[BlackSix]

Thanks!

About Fw 190 campaign - I'm afraid it will be possible for BoBP only in the far future.  I encountered a number of problems and I’m not sure that I can create a campaign about II./Sch.G 1 for BoK.

[BlackSix]

I've two good news regarding Fortress on the Volga.

Firstly, thanks to the help of @DN308, the campaign will be translated into French.
Secondly, I prepared a big update, which should be included in the next patch and will make the campaign relevant for the current game version and add some innovations.
Blazing Steppe also will be updated.

[BlackSix]

Fortress on the Volga improvements in 4.001:

- Aircraft appear and disappear according to the new visibility distance;
- You can encounter U-2VS when flying over the enemy territory;
- U-2VS and Hs 129 can be seen on airfields;
- The movement of all transport and armored columns has been corrected;
- Soviet tank attack in mission 3 has been completely overhauled;
- Other minor improvements;

[DN308]

2 hours ago, BlackSix said:

I've two good news regarding Fortress on the Volga.

Firstly, thanks to the help of @DN308, the campaign will be translated into French.
Secondly, I prepared a big update, which should be included in the next patch and will make the campaign relevant for the current game version and add some innovations.
Blazing Steppe also will be updated.

Many thanks to have let me be part of this work

[BlackSix]

Thank you ?

[MasserME262]

Just finished it!

 

It was a hell of fun, and Im starting to spot enemy planes better, while I can recognize if a plane is german or russian easier now than before.

I specially loved the last 2 missions.

 

I have been shot down twice, both by a Yak1 that I failed to spot on time.

 

I will probably re-play it again someday and see if I can make it even better.

 

My total "outcome", the 7 mediums where Il2's. The 23 lights were maybe 70% La5's and 30% Yak1's.

 

Congrats for such great SC!

[Fastbikkel]

WOnderful campaign, really immersive.

 

I am into mission 8 or so now and i swear i feel like a seasoned luftwaffe pilot.

Never have been shot down, even though some of the AI pilots gave me a good run for my money. I am usually outnumbered and i made it back at least once with a smoking engine.

 

Only thing that was kind of weird ...

Doing another patrol mission over enemy territory, i went deep into their area and noticed a bunch of planes flying around not acting on my attacks.

I came across yaks and il-2's and whenever i shot at them, they hardly did anything.

It was like i was fighting student pilots that were unaware of what to do against me.

SOme did turn and try to evade, but none of them tried to shoot at me.

 

What is this? I simply told myself i had run into a group of planes that were on training mission, yet close to the front.

[BlackSix]

23 hours ago, Fastbikkel said:

Only thing that was kind of weird ...

Doing another patrol mission over enemy territory, i went deep into their area and noticed a bunch of planes flying around not acting on my attacks.

I came across yaks and il-2's and whenever i shot at them, they hardly did anything.

It was like i was fighting student pilots that were unaware of what to do against me.

SOme did turn and try to evade, but none of them tried to shoot at me.

 

What is this? I simply told myself i had run into a group of planes that were on training mission, yet close to the front.

These planes are returning from combat sortie in 7 mission. Fighters are really complete beginners and they are not able to oppose you, such meetings also sometimes happened and this was done on purpose.

[Fastbikkel]

Ooh, that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation!

[Grancesc]

On 9/30/2019 at 9:40 PM, BlackSix said:

Thanks!

About Fw 190 campaign - I'm afraid it will be possible for BoBP only in the far future.  I encountered a number of problems and I’m not sure that I can create a campaign about II./Sch.G 1 for BoK.

 

That is a great pity. The FW190 is a darling of many SP. I guess commercial success would be almost certain. I would definitely be an enthusiastic customer of a FW-campaign made by BlackSix. Congratulations for "Fortress on the Volga".

[BlackSix]

I've to finish my current ground attack campaign for the winter Stalingrad map and then I'll decide what to do next.

[MasserME262]

I'm in love with Fortress and 10 days! After completing Fortress, Im doing it again, and will probably play it a third time. I want to play it until I can consistently play well and not die, while scoring kills.

2 missions remaining to finish 10 days, and Im sure I gonna re-play it when I finish it. I will buy whatever you make for german side.

I really want to buy blazing steppe but I hate yaks, well I dont like russian overall, except for Mig, Il2 and LaGG3...

I know I gonna buy blazing steppe at some point anyway, you are a master at doing SCs ?

[BlackSix]

Thanks! I'd like to continue the story of this pilot and make Bf 109 campaigns for the Kuban, Normandy and Rhineland, but it looks like the community wants Fw 190 campaign for the Luftwaffe.

Regarding Blazing steppe  -

Spoiler

you'll fly LaGG-3 in the last mission)

 

[itsbillyfrazier]

I would buy more 109 campaigns, in fact I'll buy anymore SC you make @BlackSix.

 

I'm on mission 4 or 5 in Blazing Steppe, you might want to put a spoiler on above post to not giveaway the surprise of the laGG-3 in the last mission. ?

 

The official SC have really gripped my interest in il-2 recently.  i sometimes dabble in MP when confidence is high after doing well in SC....only to soon return to playing SC with my tail between my legs!?

 

@ME-BFMasserME262 - I am on Blazing Steppe now and really enjoying it. My usual preference is to play the Luftwaffe but I'm enjoying the Yak campaign so far.

 

SC are a good way to learn planes you may not automatically pick in MP or QMB.  i bought all the campaigns after playing "10 days"  after enjoying it so much.

 

I really look forward to playing some of the community ones also when I am done with the official SC.

 

Looking forward to your next release Blacksix.

[BlackSix]

Hello everyone!
At present I'm reworking this campaign to a modern standard.

Do you have any wishes or information about errors in missions? Of course, I'll do a full cycle of testing, but I might not notice something.

[vonGraf]

I'm playing the campaign for the first time ever and Im in the middle of it.

I like it very much, it's exactly the right for me at the moment, means not too demanding and difficult and a good place to start exploring the scripted campaigns section.

So far I can recognize everything runs well and smoothly, I had no bugs or strange things happening.

Only the big plumes of smoke seem to have the known fade-in/out issue, don't know if it's the same kind of smoke that's mentioned and fixed in one of the last updates.

 

I'll definitely order and play more of these campaigns as soon they're available.

[BlackSix]

6 hours ago, vonGraf said:

I'm playing the campaign for the first time ever and Im in the middle of it.

I like it very much, it's exactly the right for me at the moment, means not too demanding and difficult and a good place to start exploring the scripted campaigns section.

So far I can recognize everything runs well and smoothly, I had no bugs or strange things happening.

Only the big plumes of smoke seem to have the known fade-in/out issue, don't know if it's the same kind of smoke that's mentioned and fixed in one of the last updates.

 

I'll definitely order and play more of these campaigns as soon they're available.

Thanks!

 

I've already fixed the smokes, replacing them with new continuous ones, and many other fixes and improvements were made. Blazing Steppe and Ice Ring campaigns for BoS will receive similar changes. But patch 4,505 came out too quickly and I didn't have time to test. All of this will appear in the next update.

[MurrayCod]

Thanks for this campaign BlackSix, it has been a lot of fun.  Fortunately I have had a few days off work, so I have binged the campaign from start to finish over a couple of days.  I got killed a couple of times over the journey, but that is all part of the fun in the virtual skies.  Next up.....Ice Ring 

[BlackSix]

Fortress on the Volga improvements in 4.506:

 

- all fire effects updated, ammo trucks added, many other improvements and fixes;
- fuel and ambulance trucks added to the transport columns, the overall number and size of the columns increased.