Combat Box by Red Flight

[Drum]

This is exactly the issue, I mainly attack and as with all ground attackers it's very easy to fly into a target to bomb it before the defensive fighters respond, which is something I love about the Allied team because I'm an axis main.  Problem is the axis fighters do the same too.  A few guys are actively trying to intercept the attackers before the targets, but they're too few to matter, it's a large map and they don't fly 24/7.  Stats show that ruffly 2/3rds of all sorties are usually in clean fighters as well, yet they routinely allow the enemy attackers to fly right into the target and bomb.  Team wins basically just boils down to who are dropping the most bombs per hour.  In fact, the vast majority of each team's kill tallies are other fighters or attackers who have already dropped on target.

 

What's needed are fighter pilots who are sweeping way out in front of the targets actively trying to stop the bombs from getting through.  IL-2 doesn't allow the server admins to get the data required from the game either to allow them to control how the points are being divvied out, they need to code that themselves which is a huge job I've heard, but thankfully they are working on that.

 

If the admins can control the point system completely, they'll finally have everyone by the virtual balls and can then dictate how the player base plays.  Proper fighters OPs would completely change the gameplay but you need fighters who cared about the team more then their stats, but alas that won't happen until they gain control of how the points are handed out.

 

If everyone who normally only fly in clean fighters were to stay off the server for instance, the frontline movement would actually slow down because without those fighters there to shootdown the attackers after the drop, they'd have to spend more time flying back to rearm.  😁  Sad but true...

 

Edited November 19, 2024 by Drum

[Otto_bann]

Also eared several times at comms in this campaign : many pilots played more like fighter because the distance of targets was added to a deadly Flak : when a bomber or striker flies since 15 or 20 minutes to go on a far away target, and get a crushing shell before to have the time to drop a single bomb, it wears out patience quickly and makes many of guys give up the experience. They didn't want to risk anymore a wasting time and so, they chosen a fighter for the next runs and stayed around the border (especialy for some planes more fragile than others).

Best Flak IRL at WW2 couldn't hold comparison with flying aces (IMO). May be in this last campaign sim, the really hot flak did it?

Edited November 19, 2024 by Otto_bann

[Alonzo]

On 11/11/2024 at 11:20 AM, Red_Dragon said:

Pilots get more pleasure from downed planes, rather than from destroyed objects. And destroyed ground objects do not affect the pilots in any way. It does not reduce the amount of available fuel (for example, 60% refueling instead of 100%), does not reduce the availability of high-performance aircraft, does not reduce pilots' awareness of enemy targets in the air. 

So who cares about winning 🤣

 

You are incorrect. Supply levels at objectives and airfields *do* change airframe and loadout availability, as well as affecting the strength of AAA defences at each. For example, a low-supply frontline airfield will have many fewer aircraft choices than a well-supplied rear airfield.

On 11/18/2024 at 1:01 PM, Red_Dragon said:

Although I would still like to ask a question. Isn't the radar detection and warning system for pilots about threats, including an attack by ground troops, a little, very little too effective? 😅And maybe a little bit very fast.. 😆 I mean, it seems like we get information almost instantly after the first bomb hits the ground..Forgive me, this is just my non-specialist question. And also, what is the altitude at which the radar cannot see the plane?

 

The radar system is currently inactive. The "under attack" message after a bomb hits is delayed a short amount, from 20-30 seconds, and has a cooldown of several minutes.

Savvy pilots use a 15 second fuse already, so they have a few more seconds to get away before the bomb blast.

On 11/19/2024 at 9:01 AM, Otto_bann said:

Also eared several times at comms in this campaign : many pilots played more like fighter because the distance of targets was added to a deadly Flak : when a bomber or striker flies since 15 or 20 minutes to go on a far away target, and get a crushing shell before to have the time to drop a single bomb, it wears out patience quickly and makes many of guys give up the experience. They didn't want to risk anymore a wasting time and so, they chosen a fighter for the next runs and stayed around the border (especialy for some planes more fragile than others).

Best Flak IRL at WW2 couldn't hold comparison with flying aces (IMO). May be in this last campaign sim, the really hot flak did it?

 

There were no flak changes. If players are attacking full-strength 200 (or even 300) supply objectives, the flak is going to be a problem. They need to fly in a group, or fly other tactics such as high altitude bombing to take the target below 200 supply and reduce the AAA strength.

This is the same as it's been for several campaigns now.

[=1stROF=lapwin]

Maybe a bit off topic, but the last 2 days SRS doesn't work properly. I can hear it all, but mic is not being recognized even though it shows when I do the test on the SRS start window. And yes its updated about 10 days ago, but it worked fine untill 2 days ago.

What am I doing wrong?

<S>

 

Lapwin

1stROF Netherlands

[BMA_FlyingShark]

3 hours ago, =1stROF=lapwin said:

Maybe a bit off topic, but the last 2 days SRS doesn't work properly. I can hear it all, but mic is not being recognized even though it shows when I do the test on the SRS start window. And yes its updated about 10 days ago, but it worked fine untill 2 days ago.

What am I doing wrong?

<S>

 

Lapwin

1stROF Netherlands

You may wanna try updating, that did the trick for me.

Find their auto updater on discord.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[III/JG11_Tiger]

On 6/7/2024 at 6:59 AM, AstrixAU said:

Hey guys, used to be into IL-2 and want to come back and do multiplayer when I can, what are the peak times for this server, what ne umbers can I expect during those times. I'm in Australia and I am happy to have better pings then those in Russia but I'm not sure what the peak time for this server is. If I remember correctly this is a USA server so what US times are the peak and I can work out the local time here.

I'm in WA, Saturday and Sunday morning there are quite a few in, also Friday and Saturday evening but the morning are generally the best time for Aussies in my opinion.

[Alonzo]

 

[No_85_Gramps]

Music tie-in was perfect!

 

[c19580]

When flying the P51 and I land at an airfield to refuel, I hit the refuel button and the two wing (right and left) fuel tanks do not refuel evenly.

 

What happens is that only the right tank will start filling and completely fill before starting to fill the left tank. This requires me to fill both tanks to the max which is more fuel that I need, or stop the refuel process but would leave me with a right tank much more filled than the left tank.

 

Is there a way to fill both fuel tanks evenly?

[[CPT]Crunch]

It doesn't matter, same as the weapons reload doesn't add any weight back, so the fuel imbalance won't be a factor, just ignore it and go for total fuel quantity. 

[c19580]

On 12/25/2024 at 9:53 AM, [CPT]Crunch said:

It doesn't matter, same as the weapons reload doesn't add any weight back, so the fuel imbalance won't be a factor, just ignore it and go for total fuel quantity. 

Thanks.

 

does this mean that fuel quantity has no weight? Is this a combat box nuance only?

 

I was pretty sure that the p51 was very sensitive to fuel weight and became imbalanced when the rear center tank was filled. And thought that filling one wing tank more than another would surely have an effect on performance. 

[--[---MAILMAN----]

I stopped refueling because it does affect stability, both having too much fuel in the 85 gallon fuselage tank or uneven fuel in the wing tanks.

I will only refuel if I plan on filling both wing tanks.  If I get a little in the 85 gallon tank fine, but if I can't stop the refueling below 20 gallons in that rear tank it in time, rather than fly until I burn enough off before combat I just end the flight and respawn.

Since we don't need the capability of long range escort missions there should be an option built into the refueling that lets you block filling the 85 gallon tank.  I am okay with having to fill both wing tanks (filling one then the other) to maintain stability rather than have to heavily trim roll and yaw if the wing tanks are not equal in fuel.

[Haluter]

COMBAT BOX 2024 Recap By Numbers

It was an exciting year for Combat Box. Here are some of the highlights:

 

• Migrated to 2 new and more capable servers.
• Ran 8 Apollo campaigns, including the all new Kuban and Sealion campaigns and a refreshed "Big" Normandy campaign.
• Added new technology, such as new, and sometimes familiar, voices for CB Radio and AI bomber flights for Apollo.
• During the year players flew 673,077 sorties and scored 217,124 air kills and 643,741 ground kills during a total of 175,639 flight hours (481 hours per day).
• The three most active players were kiwi_d, sl1d3r, and Dragon-Kid . The number of hours they flew is redacted for their own protection.
• The "Paragon of Balance" award goes to C6_Werner , who flew 493 sorties on Red and 496 sorties on Blue. 🏆  Chapeau!

The admin team wants to thank everyone who participated in our community this year. From flying on the server, to engaging on Discord, or lending us your voices, creative talents, or some money, it is the community that makes Combat Box what it is. Thank you! 

 

We are hard at work on exciting things for 2025 that we can't wait to share! We hope you'll join us in the new year.  🎆

[GOA_Karaya_VR]

Best server of all IL-2..

 

Happy New year folks. 

 

S. 

[Vonclare]

How can I call in and report targets to the Mission Control?

[Knarley-Bob]

How much longer on Kuban?

[Alonzo]

On 1/4/2025 at 9:13 PM, Acorn-Vonclare said:

How can I call in and report targets to the Mission Control?

 

That's not currently a feature on Combat Box, but if you join SRS you can communicate with other pilots, and use the AI bot for slightly more basic stuff like asking for a bearing home, asking about airfield conditions, etc. https://combatbox.net/en/info/#cb-radio

 

On 1/6/2025 at 8:41 AM, Knarley-Bob said:

How much longer on Kuban?

 

 

 

[JG4_Moltke1871]

A question for the mission creators: is it possible to fly under the radar?

[[CPT]Crunch]

You really don't have to worry much about radar no more on the Box, the guy who created it left.  There's some simple stuff remaining in some of the missions but it's visible to all, you can see the enemy closing in on you too with an open map.  Also can fly low as you can, tree tops and you'll be mostly off the scope.

 

Radar was having many deleterious effects, it was way too good feeding information on things like type and mission.  Radar never told anyone in the real world your aircraft type and whether it was equipped with an attack load out, yet in game..... 

[III/JG11_Tiger]

Love flying on your server on weekend mornings for Perth Australia, always plenty online.

 

I have a question I flew on the weekend and killed a few and got killed a few times but when I check the stats on the stat server my pilot is not found, it was working prior to Christmas but not now?

[Sketch]

On 1/16/2025 at 12:05 AM, III/JG11_Tiger said:

Love flying on your server on weekend mornings for Perth Australia, always plenty online.

 

I have a question I flew on the weekend and killed a few and got killed a few times but when I check the stats on the stat server my pilot is not found, it was working prior to Christmas but not now?

Every month is a new tour. Unless we start a new Apollo campaign - then we also start a new tour. To see your stats for a tour, you must fly in that tour.

 

 

 

Your stats for December are still available, you just need to go to that tour:

https://combatbox.net/en/pilot/32701/III/JG11_Tiger/?tour=112

 

You also fought in the Apollo Kuban Campaign:

https://combatbox.net/en/pilot/32701/III/JG11_Tiger/?tour=113

You have not flown for January's tour yet. And that is why you don't see your stats for January.

[Sketch]

Introducing the New Stats Website for Combat Box!!!

 

 

https://campaign.combatbox.net/

 

 

The main front page with all the campaign information.

 

An example of a pilot's flight logs and details.

 

The new stats website is a comprehensive upgrade, designed to bring deeper immersion and realism to our players while providing enhanced tracking and visibility into the progress of the campaign. Here's a breakdown of the exciting features:
 

From Casual Skirmishes to Immersive Gameplay
Our old stats system provided a way to track player performance but didn't fully capture the depth of combat experiences. With the new stats website, we're introducing persistent pilots and a promotion-based scoring system, aiming to enhance immersion and reward strategic gameplay.

Persistent Pilots
Each player now possesses up to four unique pilots—one for each faction. When flying for a faction, you'll use the corresponding pilot. Pilots are unique and personalized, with their own:

• Ranks and Awards: Pilots earn promotion points for completing successful missions. Points lead to rank advancements and prestigious awards that appear on their uniform in the Awards Tab.
• Flight Logs: Every action a player takes during a sortie is recorded in a detailed flight log. It includes mission results, landing outcomes, crashes, captures, and more.
• Combat Logs: A comprehensive record of sorties and their details, similar to the old system, but tied to individual pilots.
• After Action Reports: A narrative summary of each sortie written from the perspective of your pilot.

Consequences of Combat
If a pilot is captured or killed, a new pilot is generated for that faction. Players must then start anew with their fresh recruit, bringing a layer of challenge and immersion to the game. The top pilots on the leaderboards, will be those that perform successful missions and stay alive. 

 

Ranks and Promotions
Each new pilot persona starts as a junior officer: Junior Lieutenant, Pilot Officer, 2nd Lieutenant, or Leutnant, depending on nationality. Pilots earn promotions by completing successful sorties and collecting "promotion points." For a sortie to qualify for promotion points, a pilot needs to have at least one ground or air kill or assist and successfully return to base and end mission or be in flight at mission end. One to four promotion points can be awarded, depending on the degree of success achieved: minor, moderate, major, or outstanding. If a pilot is forced to crash or bail out, no promotion points are awarded. Destroying friendly aircraft or ground targets will result in negative promotion points, and a total below zero will get the pilot demoted.

 

Personal Touches
Each pilot is given a custom name and portrait, so players can visually connect with their character. Past pilots for each faction are always viewable, and our Memorial Wall honors all captured or deceased pilots across all players—a tribute to their contributions.

 

Campaign and Mission Status at a Glance
The main page offers players instant access to critical campaign information, including:

• Objective and Airfield Supply Status: Know which locations are well-stocked or in dire need of support.
• Airfield Information: See what the take off direction is, the type of airfield, and more by viewing the airfields list.
• Recon Photos: View detailed reconnaissance images of objectives to plan your missions.
• Weather Updates: Check the current weather and forecast for the next campaign day.
• Ownership and Progress: See which faction controls key objectives and airfields.
• Campaign Metrics: Track the current war effort on losses for planes, pilots, tanks, and more.

Built for Immersion
The new stats website isn't just a tool; it’s an extension of your gaming experience. With features like dynamic pilot progression, flight and combat logs, awards displays, and real-time campaign insights, we’ve transformed stats tracking into an essential, engaging part of your journey.

 

Dive in and experience the new stats website today!

Edited January 17 by Sketch

[ITAF_Rani]

Outstanding job!!😀😀👍👍

Compliments👋

[III/JG11_Tiger]

On 1/17/2025 at 5:28 PM, Sketch said:

Every month is a new tour. Unless we start a new Apollo campaign - then we also start a new tour. To see your stats for a tour, you must fly in that tour.

 

 

 

Your stats for December are still available, you just need to go to that tour:

https://combatbox.net/en/pilot/32701/III/JG11_Tiger/?tour=112

 

You also fought in the Apollo Kuban Campaign:

https://combatbox.net/en/pilot/32701/III/JG11_Tiger/?tour=113

You have not flown for January's tour yet. And that is why you don't see your stats for January.

Thanks for the help Sketch, fortunately I am now able to find my stats again

[I/JG53_Kurtz]

Very cool stats page!

I like the flight logs, the pilot pictures and the awards! And the fact that every virtual life is separated from previous ones.

 

At the same time I miss the aircraft statistics and the aircraft profiles, moreover I would like to see again some comparative statistics like "K/D" ratio, "K/h" etc. Any chance of getting them back?

[Sketch]

 

On the Active Pilots page is where you want to look. The list includes air kills, ground kills, sorties, flight time, and promotion points. If you're looking for 'player statistics', you won't find it here. During the campaign, you are possessing a pilot and working their stats; that is why you'll only see 'pilot statistics'. I do agree that kills per hour and ground kills per hour columns could be added, and we'll look into that in the future.

[R33GZ]

Does anyone know why I cant connect to the server this morning (probably evening northern hemisphere time) There were 5 slots left out of 84, but I keep getting booted back to the lobby screen. I have a ping of 190; is there a cutoff ping limit when the server is near full? otherwise my connection is fine 200Mbps down and 100Mbps up

 

Great job with the stats site on the new campaign by the way 😉

[I/JG53_Kurtz]

Dear developers, I noticed the presence of AI bombers formations loithering in a specific sector and waiting for fighter escort before to start their bombing mission. Very cool addition!

I'm curious about their functioning logic, in which circumstances the bomber formations spawn? their frequency? their numerical consistency? In the manual there are no informations yet.

I love these types of additions in a multiplayer server, because they force the players to fly in a disciplined and historical way in escorting or intercepting the AI bombers.

Please if possible add more of these AI formations!

[Knarley-Bob]

Have noticed after rearming on a P-51 that the rockets do not fire. The toggle for mode of fire is inoperative also.

 

KB

[ITAF_Rani]

Hi in March stats we don t see italian fighters as squad in the ranking stats.

 

And how to add a new pilot at the squadron stats?

[Alonzo]

From Jagged Fel and the 356th.
 

 

[Beefs2]

Sortie: 06.04.2025 - 05:41 / =Elite=Foxtrot7 / COMBAT BOX (IL2 stats)

I find this very interesting. 

His gunner fires 26 shots and hits me with 30 bullets.

[354thFG_Leifr]

15 hours ago, Beefs2 said:

Sortie: 06.04.2025 - 05:41 / =Elite=Foxtrot7 / COMBAT BOX (IL2 stats)

I find this very interesting. 

His gunner fires 26 shots and hits me with 30 bullets.

 

There is no conspiracy, please refer to comments by the official developer of the tool here.

[Beefs2]

11 hours ago, 356thFS_Leifr said:

 

There is no conspiracy, please refer to comments by the official developer of the tool here.

 

I didn't say anything about "conspiracy". You assumed that yourself.  

I'm not going to go through a whole thread to find whatever it is you're not bothering to put me onto directly. 

Thanks anyway.

[354thFG_Leifr]

15 hours ago, Beefs2 said:

I didn't say anything about "conspiracy". You assumed that yourself.  

I'm not going to go through a whole thread to find whatever it is you're not bothering to put me onto directly. 

Thanks anyway.

 

The IL2 stat website isn't accurate; you stated thirty rounds hit you out of twenty-six fired, there is nothing interesting happening here, it's simply working as intended. If you took the time to read the link I provided, this disclaimer is posted at the top.

[BOO]

8 hours ago, 356thFS_Leifr said:

 

The IL2 stat website isn't accurate; you stated thirty rounds hit you out of twenty-six fired, there is nothing interesting happening here, it's simply working as intended. If you took the time to read the link I provided, this disclaimer is posted at the top.

 

Clearly the log was so interesting he missed the bit at the bottom of it. 

 

[Beefs2]

8 minutes ago, BOO said:

 

Clearly the log was so interesting he missed the bit at the bottom of it. 

 

 

And what is that supposed to tell me besides he was damaged further by either scraping some trees or had a rough landing?

[ITAF_Greycap161]

hello everyone,
same thing as Beefs2, and I have a better connection.
It all started when there are no more rotating maps.
Can someone explain to us what's happening, please? Also, Il-2 closes for me.
So I'm wondering if it's a CombatBox problem or something else.
Does anyone have an idea?
Thanks
R!

 

On 1/26/2025 at 9:46 PM, R33GZ said:

Does anyone know why I cant connect to the server this morning (probably evening northern hemisphere time) There were 5 slots left out of 84, but I keep getting booted back to the lobby screen. I have a ping of 190; is there a cutoff ping limit when the server is near full? otherwise my connection is fine 200Mbps down and 100Mbps up

 

Great job with the stats site on the new campaign by the way 😉

[--[---MAILMAN----]

I have found that if something prevents the CBRF mission to complete loading to my machine I am unable to to join no mater how many times I retry. The fix was to join any another server then come back and join CBRF providing there is a slot available.

It is almost as if you are clearing a cache.

[ITAF_Greycap161]

Excuse me, but someone from Combat Box Server Could me/us answer about server situation what can we to to back to fly in?

 

On 4/25/2025 at 10:24 PM, ITAF_Greycap161 said:

hello everyone,
same thing as Beefs2, and I have a better connection.
It all started when there are no more rotating maps.
Can someone explain to us what's happening, please? Also, Il-2 closes for me.
So I'm wondering if it's a CombatBox problem or something else.
Does anyone have an idea?
Thanks
R!