Night fighters over the Kuban - Bf-110 G2 campaign

[Gambit21]

On 1/16/2019 at 8:52 AM, Juri_JS said:

I never use taxi to take off in my campaigns because many player's don't like it, either because they find taxiing to difficult or they prefer to take off as soon as possible.

 

I don't know...I hear many players say they like to taxi as well.

Thus I mixed it up a bit in the A-20 campaign.

 

I figure they can start on the runway all day long in the QMB if that's their thing.

Really it would be easier on me if there was never any taxiing, because as you know it increases test time.

 

Congrats on this campaign.

Nice to see the library getting bigger.

Cheers.

[Chief_Mouser]

Taxying for me. I like to taxy back to dispersal after landing as well.

The thing that I hate    is spawning on the runway with engines running and my flight belts off down the runway before I have time to set up my plane properly - mixture, rpm, oil and water rads or cowl flaps, wing flaps, lights if dark etc. A 30-second delay would be totally acceptable.

Cheers.

[Juri_JS]

Let's not turn this thread into a taxiing pro/con discussion.

[Gambit21]

Indeed.

 

I'll be giving this a go as soon as I can carve out a minute of flying time.

[Jade_Monkey]

Just played the first mission in VR and it was excellent. Thanks!

[LukeFF]

On mission 5, the bombers never showed up. Is it intended to be that way sometimes?

[Juri_JS]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

On mission 5, the bombers never showed up. Is it intended to be that way sometimes?

No, the bombers should spawn when the player reaches the second waypoint. Maybe you've missed the waypoint?

 

I will use a simple timer to trigger the bombers when I update the campaign.

 

EDIT:

After taking a look at the mission I realized, that I've given every bomber a 50% chance to spawn, so in rare cases it can happen that no bomber will spawn. I think I will change this in the next update.

Edited January 27, 2019 by Juri_JS

[LukeFF]

On 1/27/2019 at 1:30 AM, Juri_JS said:

After taking a look at the mission I realized, that I've given every bomber a 50% chance to spawn, so in rare cases it can happen that no bomber will spawn. I think I will change this in the next update.

 

Ok, cool, thank you for the reply.

[Juri_JS]

I've uploaded a new version. The campaign is now fully compatible with game version 3.010.

http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.1018

 

Changes in the new version:

- The display of red/blue front markings on the map was fixed.

- Reworked English briefings by photog95661.

- Mission 5 has been completely reworked.

- It's now possible to order AAA to cease fire for 5 minutes by firing a flare in a missions combat zone.

[photog95661]

I just downloaded your new version and played its first mission.  I am hooked once again!  I suspect there was an improvement to gunner AI in the game's most recent upgrade, as well.  I had an engine shot out during my second PE-2 encounter of the night.  Landing with one engine was an experience I do not look forward to repeating.  Thank you for improving this already superb campaign.

[SvAF/F16_WhiteMoose]

Its a really nice camping so far. But   I’m stuck at mission five. It doesn’t seam to register the second waypoint? I flew thru it and it doesn’t change? Any solution?

[Juri_JS]

5 hours ago, WhiteMoose said:

Its a really nice camping so far. But   I’m stuck at mission five. It doesn’t seam to register the second waypoint? I flew thru it and it doesn’t change? Any solution?

Thank you for reporting the issue. The waypoint area was set too small. I will fix the mission in the coming days.

 

Until then, use the autopilot after passing waypoint 1, this should work.

[Juri_JS]

I've reworked mission 5 and updated the download:

http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.1018

[SvAF/F16_WhiteMoose]

On 4/30/2019 at 9:35 AM, Juri_JS said:

I've reworked mission 5 and updated the download:

http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.1018

Thank you! Now everything works fine and I past mission 5 last night.

I really enjoy this campaign.

[SvAF/F16_WhiteMoose]

Hello again.

Still enjoying this campaign. After blasting some Night Witches out of the sky its was time to do a offensive maneuver and attack landing bombers and there airfield.

I took down there flying a20s and two parked aircraft. Doing the second pass on the airfield I got shoot upp really bad and had a struggle getting home with one engine and the other one starting to overheat. I was at final approach when I noticed I had only one wheel down. I managed bring the bird down just beside the runway with the plane still intact... almost. But I got a mission field any ways. Thats was a big disappointment after all me and my gunner was thru on that mission. 

Is there a way you could change it? I like the idea of coming home after a hard battle, barley making it in ditch by the air field.

 

 

[Juri_JS]

Mission success requirements can be changed, but it would be a lot of work and will cause a number of other problems, that will require further adjustments to the missions.

 

I have some ideas for more complex mission success requirements, but I will only implement them if I start a new campaign project. Reworking my old campaigns would be too much work.

[pa4tim]

Today flew the first mission. I like night flying. As a newby it is very difficult. I still have enough troubles landing during daylight. I did not see any bandit, I had no clue half the time where I was and needed to fly on my instruments and constant switch to the map. I had to pauze and find out how to shoot flares but nobody marked a runway so I think I was totally lost and at the end I flew straight in to the ground because I was totally disoriented..turned out I also had reality-setting set on expert.

To be short, I loved it ?

 

Night vision or radar would be nice.

 

Edit, just finnished mission 1. I changed  gamma like advised in this topic. That helped a lot. I saw several bandits, one had to go home without one engine and some assorted other parts. I got wounded too. I used the directional homing meter to fly back to the base. And the best thing. They lit up the strip and I landed without any damage. That is the second time this week. The other was strange enough also a nightflight (in a stuka)

A big thank you for the maker of this wonderful campaign

Edited July 6, 2019 by pa4tim

[MasserME262]

I have big problem spotting anything, and even spotting planes coned in search lights its difficult to me.

That said, its the first time in my IL2 life that Im flying at night, yeah I never did before... And Im liking it overall!

 

Thanks

 

Edit:

Just played first mission. Shot down two Pe-2, and headed back to base.

Sadly the landing was atrocious, the touch down was at 300 kmh, I went beyond the runway limits and my plane was destroyed completely.

But that does not have anything to do with night, but with my 110 skills, I almost never landed one?.

 

When I have time I will try to do the first mission again, or maybe start Lions of Kalinin, which looks promising. You, sir, know how to do fun SCs.

Edited December 9, 2019 by ME-BFMasserME262

[Lofte]

Didn't play this campaign, but read a lot about night fighting over Kuban and Eastern Crimea. For red side for night missions only 3 aircraft are appropriate - A-20, U-2, B-25. The others (Pe-2, Il-2) flew at night very rarely.

Edited December 9, 2019 by Lofte

[Juri_JS]

In the next version of the campaign I will replace the Pe-2 with the B-25. The problem is, that we still don't have a Soviet skin for the B-25, because the template hasn't been released yet.

 

Because landing at night is somewhat difficult I will also allow completing the missions without landing.

[MasserME262]

Ok I will have to give up on this one.

Tried for 5th time the third mission, where you have to protect a submarine. The IL2 always manage to destroy my plane or my engines. When I FINALLY made it back to base, I landed by mistake going fast and smashed my plane against a big hangar, just to read a "mission fail" once again, having to fly all that long way for nothing.

 

I love the search lights thing, its so much fun, but the third mission, plus the fact that the IL2 gunners have perfect aiming, makes me give up with this campaign.

 

Gotta try Lions of Kalinin tho, did first two missions and I liked it way better. 

 

Its just me that Im not made for night fighting ?

[busdriver]

On 12/9/2019 at 2:26 AM, Juri_JS said:

 

Because landing at night is somewhat difficult I will also allow completing the missions without landing.

 

LOL...night landings are half the fun. 

[Juri_JS]

9 hours ago, busdriver said:

 

LOL...night landings are half the fun. 

In reality there would be a Lorenz blind landing system at night fighter airfields, which we don't have in the game. Maybe some will remember it from Il-2 1946. This would make night landings much more realistic.

[busdriver]

3 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

In reality there would be a Lorenz blind landing system at night fighter airfields, which we don't have in the game. Maybe some will remember it from Il-2 1946. This would make night landings much more realistic.

 

When I showed up at Zweibrucken in 1981, USAFE permitted night overhead patterns. TAC on the other hand required straight in approaches at night. In your campaign I simply fly a "box" pattern (squared off downwind, base, and final). When I overshoot (and I do overshoot if/when I get sloppy) I simply repeat the box. 

 

Yours is a GREAT campaign!

[Plurp]

13 hours ago, Juri_JS said:

In reality there would be a Lorenz blind landing system at night fighter airfields, which we don't have in the game. Maybe some will remember it from Il-2 1946. This would make night landings much more realistic.

Right now it does act as a quasi system if you put the ndb inline with the approach to the runway @ about 300m from the end.  As you fly over the beacon, if you are lined up directly over it, a light will flash (in the AFN-2 gauge) indicating the time to chop the throttle for touchdown.  One would just have to know speed/alt for each aircraft for this to work properly (ex:  200 meters at 220 km/h)

 

This beacon signal can also be accessed from the gunner station in the repeater compass.  It has a needle that indicates course to the beacon/from the beacon (P to/S from) that lines up with the aircraft icon in the gauge.  

 

 

[MasserME262]

after 8 times trying to accomplish 3th mission, the last I couldn't even locate the damned submarine. So I decided just to fly straight to Anapa and land there totally ignoring the submarine... surprise surprise, mission complete!

goddamn I feel so stupid, I didn't even know I could ignore the submarine ?

 

Finally I finished it, will never play this mission again in my entire life, period.

[photog95661]

For me flying and landing in the dark is what makes this set of missions fabulous!  The degree of difficulty should always be a challenge to anyone who plays.  Updating the missions, i.e. new planes and such is acceptable, but making it easier should be viewed as unacceptable.  Improving one's flying skills through experience should always be foremost.

[MasserME262]

On 12/13/2019 at 2:31 PM, photog95661 said:

For me flying and landing in the dark is what makes this set of missions fabulous!  The degree of difficulty should always be a challenge to anyone who plays.  Updating the missions, i.e. new planes and such is acceptable, but making it easier should be viewed as unacceptable.  Improving one's flying skills through experience should always be foremost.

but you always can do the mission again if you want to improve your skills. Its good to have an "easier" version of the missions. If you smashed your plane and still completed the mission, then go on and play it again. But that's not me.

 

Im glad that the 3rd mission (which I struggled with) can be completed without having to protect the submarine (the main task).

[unlikely_spider]

This campaign is fun. Question though - on the 3rd mission, the submarine one, I tell my wingman to attack nearest air target once the Sturmoviks are in sight. He never does though - he just follows me. Should I tell him something else?

[Juri_JS]

2 hours ago, unlikely_spider said:

This campaign is fun. Question though - on the 3rd mission, the submarine one, I tell my wingman to attack nearest air target once the Sturmoviks are in sight. He never does though - he just follows me. Should I tell him something else?

I think it's useless to give your wingman a command. AI spotting at dusk/dawn doesn't work very well and your wingman will only see and attack enemy aircraft when they fire their guns in his proximity.

[Juri_JS]

New version uploaded:

http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.1018

 

Changes:

 

- Added B-25 as night bomber.

 

- Reworked conditions for mission success. Landing during the night is difficult, so if you like, you can now complete the mission without landing, when you've reached your home airfield after finishing your combat mission. The mission also counts as completed when you land at any friendly airfield.

 

- AI skill level has been lowered to make bomber gunners less accurate.

 

- A few minor adjustments to waypoints.

[easterling77]

Sitting in darkness and waiting for the light-up of searchlights and if two of them are crossing.....the Hunt starts....nicely craftet missions.

Absolutely awsome.

 

Thank you so much for this. Realy a joy to play.

[Dutch2]

Wow never knew night-fighting was that great. 

Thanks for making this, maybe now with BoN planes being released, night fighter over Western front!  Mosquito, Ju88C, me410 if being armed. Just an idea. 

 

?

[Juri_JS]

6 hours ago, Dutch2 said:

Thanks for making this, maybe now with BoN planes being released, night fighter over Western front!  Mosquito, Ju88C, me410 if being armed. Just an idea.

I have some ideas for a Me-410 night intruder/night fighter campaign. Both the Fw-190s of SKG 10 and the Me-410s of KG 51 were used as night fighters over France in the month before the invasion, because no radar equipped aircraft were available. KG 51 also flew long-range night fighter missions over Britain to attack returning RAF bombers over their airfields.

[DN308]

Awesome!

I never tried before yoour campaign because I was thinking about the difficulty.

That's really great!

 

However, it would be really great to have night skins also for this campaign.

Someone knows where to find some?

[Dutch2]

22 minutes ago, DN308 said:

Awesome!

I never tried before yoour campaign because I was thinking about the difficulty.

That's really great!

 

However, it would be really great to have night skins also for this campaign.

Someone knows where to find some?

 

Extract the folder "data" from the "Night_Fighters_Kuban.zip" file into the IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad main directory. This will put the missions into the "IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\data\Campaigns\Night fighters over the Kuban" folder and the skins into the correct sub-folders in the "IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\data\graphics\skins\" directory.

 

Thats your answer I think. 

[DN308]

That's my answer.

Didn't manage to notice a skin folders... oops! My bad

 

Thanks a lot

[Juri_JS]

No nightfighter skins come with my campaign, only a VVS B-25 skin.

 

10.(NJ)/ZG 1 used standard paint schemes, not the nightfighter camo used by units flying over Germany.

[Dutch2]

Then the game itself has nightfighters skins because I can select 2 nightfighter skins. I will check them this weekend what the name of the skins are.  If remember one did have an sharks mount. 

[DN308]

6 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

No nightfighter skins come with my campaign, only a VVS B-25 skin.

 

10.(NJ)/ZG 1 used standard paint schemes, not the nightfighter camo used by units flying over Germany.

Ok, thank you

Just now, Dutch2 said:

Then the game itself has nightfighters skins because I can select 2 nightfighter skins. I will check them this weekend what the name of the skins are.  If remember one did have an sharks mount. 

Yes, please