IL2 Great Battles Easy Mission Generator

[PA_Juma]

Hello Vander.
Now I get this error. I can't even access the editor. I play normally and without problems and until the last update, your editor was working wonderfully. This update has screwed up a lot of things for me and I don't know how to fix this.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards.

[SYN_Vander]

2 hours ago, Jumapape said:

Hello Vander.
Now I get this error. I can't even access the editor. I play normally and without problems and until the last update, your editor was working wonderfully. This update has screwed up a lot of things for me and I don't know how to fix this.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards.

I usually get this when some files are missing or incorrect. Can you do a fresh install in another folder and run from there?

Edited June 10, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[PA_Juma]

Ik heb het opgelost door alles opnieuw te installeren.
Bedankt voor uw tijd.
Groeten

[SYN_Vander]

New version with the latest two planes added!

 

Release Notes EMG Version 64

-Added Arado Ar 234 to WW2 West and East theatres

-Added B26 (AI only) to WW2 West theatre

-Removed train as objective type from "Channel" map.

 

Download: IL2 Great Battles Easy Mission Generator

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[Retrofly]

18 hours ago, SYN_Vander said:

New version with the latest two planes added!

 

Release Notes EMG Version 64

-Added Arado Ar 234 to WW2 West and East theatres

-Added B26 (AI only) to WW2 West theatre

-Removed train as objective type from "Channel" map.

 

Download: IL2 Great Battles Easy Mission Generator

 

What theater/scenario is the Ar available by default? I couldnt find it and has to switch to a custom planeset.

[SYN_Vander]

3 hours ago, Retrofly said:

What theater/scenario is the Ar available by default? I couldnt find it and has to switch to a custom planeset.

As it says, both West and East WW2 theatres. It depends on date as well though, so check that. Plane sets are no longer fixed per map, but based on in/out service dates.

Edited June 16, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[jollyjack]

Could not get the AR flying in this test:

SYN_Generated v64.zip

Runway too short?

[SYN_Vander]

1 hour ago, jollyjack said:

Could not get the AR flying in this test:

SYN_Generated v64.zip 456.55 kB · 0 downloads

Runway too short?

 

Well yeah there are only a couple of runways where you can use the Arado or Me262. Rheine and Twente I think. If you're lucky maybe some other strips where there are no trees at the end of the runway.

[jollyjack]

Alas, so a mod for the V1 launcher, or piggyback ride on a c47 ?

 

Oops, not only the game crashes too:

 

 

 

Some added engines for the AR?

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by jollyjack

[jollyjack]

16 hours ago, SYN_Vander said:

Well yeah there are only a couple of runways where you can use the Arado or Me262. Rheine and Twente I think. If you're lucky maybe some other strips where there are no trees at the end of the runway.

 

Yep, barely liftoff, and how cute, that chute:

SYN_Generated v64-v2.zip

[DD_Friar]

@SYN_Vander, Salute Sir,

 

A couple of things to report / request.

 

Whilst using your generator over at the DangerDogz, we have noticed that when using the mission generator on our server for co-ops, the AI planes do not want to take off.

This has lead us to use the "Skip Take-off" option for one of the flights, however, this is the lead flight not the escort.

We feel, and hopefully you and others might agree, that it would be better for the ESCORT flight to be airborne if this option is used, where they can circle and wait the main flight to take off?

 

Many thanks for your continued work on this excellent application.

 

Cheers

DD_Friar

[SYN_Vander]

18 minutes ago, DD_Friar said:

@SYN_Vander, Salute Sir,

 

...the AI planes do not want to take off.

 

 

 

 

Under what conditions if I may ask? From parked position or runway start? Is it a problem with taxiing or won't they just take off? The first is probably a generic AI problem, the latter could be a bug in my implementation.

 

I chose Lead flight to be in the air, because AI bombers usually have more problems taxiing and taking off than fighters.

It shouldn't be a problem to switch Lead/Escort but would first like to understand the root problem.

Edited July 6, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[DD_Friar]

@SYN_Vander,

Sorry, I should have explained better.

 

We always start our co-ops with planes on the runway, engines running so taxiing is never an issue, but understand if more people prefer the current solution, then stick with that and we will work round it.

 

The issue is then that if players do not fill all the front slots and start behind the AI they get stuck, or if the skip take off is not used and players only fill the second group on the runway, we get stuck behind the AI planes that sit on the runway with engines running but do not take off so we have to try and go round them, which is not always possible.

 

Salute

Friar

[SYN_Vander]

17 minutes ago, DD_Friar said:

@SYN_Vander,

Sorry, I should have explained better.

 

We always start our co-ops with planes on the runway, engines running so taxiing is never an issue, but understand if more people prefer the current solution, then stick with that and we will work round it.

 

The issue is then that if players do not fill all the front slots and start behind the AI they get stuck, or if the skip take off is not used and players only fill the second group on the runway, we get stuck behind the AI planes that sit on the runway with engines running but do not take off so we have to try and go round them, which is not always possible.

 

Salute

Friar

 

Okay, thanks. Let me investigate why the AI planes aren't taking off. 

[352ndOscar]

I’ve had similar experiences but usually the problem has been the AI taxi to takeoff portion.  If I edit those flights and change the flight to takeoff on the runway - no taxi -then the AI flights get off the ground ok.  It’s more than likely a pathing problem.

[co199]

There's typically a delay between spawn-in and takeoff, whether you are a flight lead or flight member for on-runway starts. The tower clearance will eventually trigger (anywhere between 30 seconds to 1 minute after spawn) at which point the AI will move. Gives me time to make sure all my settings are correct for takeoff.

[DD_Friar]

That is not the issue, we have completed a whole mission and returned to base to find the ai still sitting there with the engines running.

[SYN_Vander]

21 minutes ago, DD_Friar said:

That is not the issue, we have completed a whole mission and returned to base to find the ai still sitting there with the engines running.

 

And is this when you select "skip takeoff" or does this happen when both Lead and Escort flights are on the runway at mission start?

[DD_Friar]

It has happened under both scenarios.

[SYN_Vander]

7 minutes ago, DD_Friar said:

It has happened under both scenarios.

 

Can't explain it. Just tested and all works fine. I could really use a specific mission where this goes wrong. Perhaps a particular aircraft type?

Edited July 6, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[DD_Friar]

Ok, I will run a mission and record it and provide the parameters we used.

Many thanks for your time.

 

DD_Friar

[SYN_Vander]

Following update 4.707 I have released an update for EMG as well.

 

I'm working hard to prepare for the release of the Normandy map and better MP dogfight support, so there are a bunch of new features besides having added the Me410:

 

Release Notes EMG Version 65

Improvements for MP "dogfight" mode:

• All airfields shown on the "situation" map for a front will now be "active" and have AAA: 

  • For Single player/coop mode this means there will be a windsock, T-shape and repair/refuel/re-arm station on these airfields and AI can land there.

  • For Dogfight (deathmatch) it means you can spawn there. The airfields closest to the front will have fighters, the others bombers/recons.

• In dogfight game mode, the Reconnaissance objective in dogfight mode will now unlock the main target that then has to be destroyed.    

• Scenario "Intercept" removed from random scenario types for dogfight game mode as there is no AI to intercept.

• The bonfire near the start tower is now always lit to help locate the start of the runway without external view.

• Added ambient AI transport planes for dogfight multiplayer mode. If AI number > 0 the first two planes will be transports.

• Added "In full service" date for every aircraft so when creating a dogfight mission, the number of planes for a type that was being introduced to the front is limited.

• Added "Primary role out of service" data for every aircraft so a fighter plane that was later used as ground attacker only (e.g. Hurricane) is not available as fighter anymore. This avoids situations where obsolete types are selected as AI fighter escorts.

• Added Radar system for the "Channel" map. Aircraft will be detected and displayed on the map. Radar stations can be disabled.

• In dogfight game mode the flight plan is now by default turned off as it is meaningless without an actual (AI) flight and no home base.

-Added Me410 to aircraft list

-Scenarios 'bombing' and 'attack' now have different target types; strategic vs tactical. The bombing targets will be bigger in size and need more bombs to destroy.

-Added (bombing only) 'factory' target to Channel map, Kuban and Arras.

-Introduced a new (bombing only) 'airfield' target where you have to destroy the buildings on the airfield. For Kuban, Arras and Rhineland.

-Replaced name of the old 'airfield' target with 'planes' since the target is actually a bunch of parked planes

-Replaced old radar objective with a new one, for Channel map only. Removed old radar objective from other maps; to be replaced later.

-Added timeout to avoid long startup time of the app in case version number can't be retrieved from url.

-Added patrol ships as ambient vehicles (if available on the map).

-Airfield start tower will also fire red flare besides turning on the siren when an enemy is near

-Set priority for bombing/attack area to "high" so AI will be more determined on the bomb run.

-Reset all durability values of static objects to the latest defaults

-Removed AAA icons on the map. Too much clutter when you have multiple targets and no element of surprise.

-Fixed bug where mission could not be generated if no flight plan was selected in combination with moving targets.

-Fixed bug where no "Transport" aircraft types were defined for Flying Circus

 

As always download is here: https://sites.google.com/view/il2-great-battles-emg/home

Edited August 2, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[JediMaster]

In past versions, when you selected the theater and phase, it preselected the date ranges for it. Now, it offers all ranges for all fronts, so you could pick 1945 for Stalingrad or 1918 for Kuban, for example. I don't recall when it was changed or if a reason was mentioned at the time for it.

While I understand some may wish to create "what if" scenarios with planes in theaters they didn't historically operate in, is there some way to put that in as a toggle and go back to also enabling the previous restrictions on dates per front?

Personally I can't remember the start and end dates for all these fronts in all these theaters. ?

[SYN_Vander]

47 minutes ago, JediMaster said:

In past versions, when you selected the theater and phase, it preselected the date ranges for it. Now, it offers all ranges for all fronts, so you could pick 1945 for Stalingrad or 1918 for Kuban, for example. I don't recall when it was changed or if a reason was mentioned at the time for it.

While I understand some may wish to create "what if" scenarios with planes in theaters they didn't historically operate in, is there some way to put that in as a toggle and go back to also enabling the previous restrictions on dates per front?

Personally I can't remember the start and end dates for all these fronts in all these theaters. ?

It was done a couple of versions ago. I have created in service dates for each aircraft, so now if you select a date it will automatically select the correct aircraft. This is a huge improvement so you don’t have to fiddle with custom plane sets. I could perhaps add a feature where the date  changes to an appropriate default if you change the map/front.

[grayraptor50]

8 hours ago, SYN_Vander said:

Following update 4.707 I have released an update for EMG as well.

 

I'm working hard to prepare for the release of the Normandy map and better MP dogfight support, so there are a bunch of new features besides having added the Me410:

 

Release Notes EMG Version 65

Improvements for MP "dogfight" mode:

• All airfields shown on the "situation" map for a front will now be "active" and have AAA: 

  • For Single player/coop mode this means there will be a windsock, T-shape and repair/refuel/re-arm station on these airfields and AI can land there.

  • For Dogfight (deathmatch) it means you can spawn there. The airfields closest to the front will have fighters, the others bombers/recons.

• In dogfight game mode, the Reconnaissance objective in dogfight mode will now unlock the main target that then has to be destroyed.    

• Scenario "Intercept" removed from random scenario types for dogfight game mode as there is no AI to intercept.

• The bonfire near the start tower is now always lit to help locate the start of the runway without external view.

• Added ambient AI transport planes for dogfight multiplayer mode. If AI number > 0 the first two planes will be transports.

• Added "In full service" date for every aircraft so when creating a dogfight mission, the number of planes for a type that was being introduced to the front is limited.

• Added "Primary role out of service" data for every aircraft so a fighter plane that was later used as ground attacker only (e.g. Hurricane) is not available as fighter anymore. This avoids situations where obsolete types are selected as AI fighter escorts.

• Added Radar system for the "Channel" map. Aircraft will be detected and displayed on the map. Radar stations can be disabled.

• In dogfight game mode the flight plan is now by default turned off as it is meaningless without an actual (AI) flight and no home base.

-Added Me410 to aircraft list

-Scenarios 'bombing' and 'attack' now have different target types; strategic vs tactical. The bombing targets will be bigger in size and need more bombs to destroy.

-Added (bombing only) 'factory' target to Channel map, Kuban and Arras.

-Introduced a new (bombing only) 'airfield' target where you have to destroy the buildings on the airfield. For Kuban, Arras and Rhineland.

-Replaced name of the old 'airfield' target with 'planes' since the target is actually a bunch of parked planes

-Replaced old radar objective with a new one, for Channel map only. Removed old radar objective from other maps; to be replaced later.

-Added timeout to avoid long startup time of the app in case version number can't be retrieved from url.

-Added patrol ships as ambient vehicles (if available on the map).

-Airfield start tower will also fire red flare besides turning on the siren when an enemy is near

-Set priority for bombing/attack area to "high" so AI will be more determined on the bomb run.

-Reset all durability values of static objects to the latest defaults

-Removed AAA icons on the map. Too much clutter when you have multiple targets and no element of surprise.

-Fixed bug where mission could not be generated if no flight plan was selected in combination with moving targets.

-Fixed bug where no "Transport" aircraft types were defined for Flying Circus

 

As always download is here: https://sites.google.com/view/il2-great-battles-emg/home

Hey Vander,

 

First of all great work on this program. I use it every week for my group. Just a quick note from the last update. When I try to set up an intercept scenario in single or cooperative it gives me the same target list as the attack scenario (vehicles, train, planes etc.). It won't let me set up a mission for air to air combat. I have tried to redownload the program in case it was a faulty download but I am still getting the same parameters. I appreciate your effort put into this project.

 

 

[percydanvers]

Thank you for the update!

 

I'll say I kind of miss attacking "strategic" targets like bridges and fixed fortifications etc with fighter bombers/attackers. I appreciate the reasoning behind the change and I like that the targets are bigger, but I still kind of like going at them in smaller planes even if I don't have the bombs needed to fully destroy them. Is there any way these could possibly also be "attack" objectives in a future version?

[SYN_Vander]

4 hours ago, grayraptor50 said:

Hey Vander,

 

First of all great work on this program. I use it every week for my group. Just a quick note from the last update. When I try to set up an intercept scenario in single or cooperative it gives me the same target list as the attack scenario (vehicles, train, planes etc.). It won't let me set up a mission for air to air combat. I have tried to redownload the program in case it was a faulty download but I am still getting the same parameters. I appreciate your effort put into this project.

 

 

I have changed this logic, so must be a bug. Let me check.

[SYN_Vander]

3 hours ago, percydanvers said:

Thank you for the update!

 

I'll say I kind of miss attacking "strategic" targets like bridges and fixed fortifications etc with fighter bombers/attackers. I appreciate the reasoning behind the change and I like that the targets are bigger, but I still kind of like going at them in smaller planes even if I don't have the bombs needed to fully destroy them. Is there any way these could possibly also be "attack" objectives in a future version?

Yeah I have been focusing on MP dogfight a lot where this isn’t a problem. I’ll try to combine the target list for attack scenarios for single player and cooperative.

[SYN_Vander]

I have fixed above issues. Will also work on a default date per 'front' and then release a new version later today.

[ross607]

EMG Keeps going from strength to strength, loving the new updates Vander.

 

Could I possibly make a request for a future update? - I really love setting as much stuff on random as possible so I literally have no idea, what plane I'll be flying, how many planes will be in escort and lead, mission type, etc, etc until I read the briefing, really adds to the excitement! 

 

However, I only really like to fly fighters and attack planes, I'm not a bomber type (Such as the Pe2).  Would it be possible to add some kind of filter or check box to compliment the random buttons, where I could perhaps turn that on and I would only get a random selection of fighter or attack aircraft? I realise plane selection is linked to mission type, so maybe it would be easier to have a filter on the mission type so I could exclude any heavy bombing missions which would stop the randomiser selecting bomber aircraft?  Not sure how it works with the random buttons exactly. 

 

Hope this makes sense! - Thanks for the great program.

Edited August 3, 2022 by ross607

[SYN_Vander]

Version 65.1
-Fixed a bug where you could not select aircraft target for intercept scenario
-In the GUI is now possible again to select all target types for both Attack and Bombing. However, when selecting (multiple) random targets only strategic targets will be picked for bombing scenario
-Now if you change the front an appropriate default date will be selected. This will then also determine the correct plane set. You can still change the date after selecting a front.
-Fixed loadout for Hurricane and Me410 (AI won't use rockets against ground targets)

[grayraptor50]

1 hour ago, SYN_Vander said:

Version 65.1
-Fixed a bug where you could not select aircraft target for intercept scenario
-In the GUI is now possible again to select all target types for both Attack and Bombing. However, when selecting (multiple) random targets only strategic targets will be picked for bombing scenario
-Now if you change the front an appropriate default date will be selected. This will then also determine the correct plane set. You can still change the date after selecting a front.
-Fixed loadout for Hurricane and Me410 (AI won't use rockets against ground targets)

Vander you are some kind of awesome. Many thanks!

[SYN_Vander]

21 hours ago, ross607 said:

EMG Keeps going from strength to strength, loving the new updates Vander.

 

Could I possibly make a request for a future update? - I really love setting as much stuff on random as possible so I literally have no idea, what plane I'll be flying, how many planes will be in escort and lead, mission type, etc, etc until I read the briefing, really adds to the excitement! 

 

However, I only really like to fly fighters and attack planes, I'm not a bomber type (Such as the Pe2).  Would it be possible to add some kind of filter or check box to compliment the random buttons, where I could perhaps turn that on and I would only get a random selection of fighter or attack aircraft? I realise plane selection is linked to mission type, so maybe it would be easier to have a filter on the mission type so I could exclude any heavy bombing missions which would stop the randomiser selecting bomber aircraft?  Not sure how it works with the random buttons exactly. 

 

Hope this makes sense! - Thanks for the great program.

 

Well if you choose one of the Escort slots you will at least always fly a fighter.

Other tip: Create a Cooperative mission instead of Single Player. Then host your own mission and you can determine in the lobby if you want to fly the bomber/attacker or the fighter. After mission start it's exactly the same as a single mission.

18 hours ago, grayraptor50 said:

Vander you are some kind of awesome. Many thanks!

 

Thanks. It's the user feedback above that really helps. I'm often too focused on certain aspects that I overlook other stuff. Often it's just a couple of minutes work to add a feature.

Edited August 4, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[percydanvers]

1 hour ago, SYN_Vander said:

 

Well if you choose one of the Escort slots you will at least always fly a fighter.

Other tip: Create a Cooperative mission instead of Single Player. Then host your own mission and you can determine in the lobby if you want to fly the bomber/attacker or the fighter. After mission start it's exactly the same as a single mission.

 

Thanks. It's the use feedback above that really helps. I'm often too focused on certain aspects that I overlook other stuff. Often it's just a couple of minutes work to add a feature.

 

EDIT: quoted the wrong post - Thank you Vander! As always you are the best!

Edited August 3, 2022 by percydanvers

[JediMaster]

Thank you so much!

 

I hesitated to say anything at first as being in IT I'm all too aware of how a legitimate question/request may be received as a complaint, and I certainly don't want to contribute to anyone doing so much good for the community deciding to pack it in and call it a day.

 

Even more glad that my request was simple on your side (since I had no idea if it was easy or a burden).

Pretty much 90% of my time in Il-2 is split between the scripted campaigns and using this tool to make a scenario with "plane X in theater Y doing mission Z" for SP or coop.

 

Know that your work is much appreciated.

[Stonehouse]

Thanks for the latest update Vander, great work as always. Really looking forward to cross channel missions via EMG once Normandy arrives.

[Sandmarken]

Whenever I do an interception mission of a group of b26s they wil start dogfighting instead of keeping to formation. Sometimes they wil turn so hard they stall out and just falls to the ground!! ?  

[SYN_Vander]

5 hours ago, Sandmarken said:

Whenever I do an interception mission of a group of b26s they wil start dogfighting instead of keeping to formation. Sometimes they wil turn so hard they stall out and just falls to the ground!! ?  

 

Not much I can do about that. It's a bug that has to be fixed by the devs for the B-26 (also DH-4 if I remember correctly). They waypoint priority in the mission is 'medium' and they should keep flying in formation.

 

EDIT: Tried both with bombing and attack scenarios for the B-26, but I can't reproduce this? Is this single player or coop?

Edited August 4, 2022 by SYN_Vander

[Sandmarken]

5 hours ago, SYN_Vander said:

 

Not much I can do about that. It's a bug that has to be fixed by the devs for the B-26 (also DH-4 if I remember correctly). They waypoint priority in the mission is 'medium' and they should keep flying in formation.

 

EDIT: Tried both with bombing and attack scenarios for the B-26, but I can't reproduce this? Is this single player or coop?

Its singelplayer. I do usually put them at high altitude liken 8-9km and also do an airstart. Il send a mission file but im not anywhere near the computer for the next couple of days sorry!

[=FI=Genosse]

On 8/2/2022 at 6:50 PM, SYN_Vander said:

-Introduced a new (bombing only) 'airfield' target where you have to destroy the buildings on the airfield. For Kuban, Arras and Rhineland.

-Replaced name of the old 'airfield' target with 'planes' since the target is actually a bunch of parked planes

 

Hi, Vander!

To make a long story short: how many airfiled buidings are needed to be destroyed in a COOP mission in order to achive 'Objective completed''?

And in addition to my question: what about hitting and destroying a mixture of parked aircraft and building on an airfield?

Doeii!

Gen