USAAF 9th/RAF 2nd TAF Career Critiques

[DD_Fenrir]

In the interest of improving career mode to reflect more accurately the operations of these air forces I would like to suggest the following:

 

1. Formations - current formation seems to default to Echelon Starboard for cruise to target, however Finger Four was the general preferred formation for Allied fighter flights within the ETO, with some 2nd TAF groups adopting the Fluid Six formation.

 

2. Cruise Altitude - for interdiction/CAS type missions against specific targets, currently ingress and egress cruise seems to be set for 4-5000ft which is okay to represent Armed Reconnaissance type missions (searching for targets of opportunity) but too low for planned dive bombing; 2nd TAF tactics for dive bombing mandate a dive bombing entry altitude of 6-8000ft and most cruise was done in the range of 8-12,000ft in order to mitigate AAA, particularly the lighter calibres

 

3. USAAF squadrons should consist of 4x flights of four for a 16 aircraft full strength squadron operation. Actual airframes available to the squadron (depending on losses/availability) should be 22-24; pilots similar

 

4. RAF squadrons 3x flights of four for a 12 aircraft full strength squadron operation. Actual airframes available to the squadron (depending on losses/availability) should be 16-20; pilots similar

 

5. Any chance of seeing anything over 4 a/c strength missions? Many were flown in squadron strength.

 

6. Any chance of seeing Armed Reconnaissance mission types?

 

Otherwise, really enjoying the general ambience and experience of career mode.

Edited November 14, 2019 by DD_Fenrir

[Ribbon]

That would be stutterish experience!

[Talon_]

1 hour ago, DD_Fenrir said:

Any chance of seeing anything over 4 a/c strength missions? Many were flown in squadron strength.

 

You can fly 8 if you make yourself commander

 

1 hour ago, DD_Fenrir said:

Any chance of seeing Armed Reconnaissance mission types?

 

"Free Hunt" is pretty much the above

 

All your other concerns are valid.

 

Other issues: Tempest missions are under 10 minutes long and don't involve penetrating the front line further than a few km

 

Mustangs in February get launched and have to fly 30 minutes to the front to "intercept ground attackers".

 

Newspaper reports outcome of Bodenplatte on the morning of the operation

 

Newspaper reports battle at Remagen before its conclusion

 

Newspaper reports completion of the Ruhr encirclement two weeks before it happens

 

Operation Bodenplatte doesn't happen

 

Spitfire default loadout should be clipped wings before January 45 and clipped wings + 150 grade fuel thereafter

 

 

 

[Alexmarine]

3 hours ago, EAF_Ribbon said:

That would be stutterish experience!

 

 

For point 3 and 4 he is probably referring at the units strenght we have in the menu section of the career which bring us to another point: both german and soviet units are actually represented at Staffel/Squadron strength instead of their Gruppe/Regiment one (which is also why several of them finds themselves with a mix of planes that the mission generator mesh together with no sense whatsoever...)

[Ribbon]

1 hour ago, Alexmarine28 said:

 

 

For point 3 and 4 he is probably referring at the units strenght we have in the menu section of the career which bring us to another point: both german and soviet units are actually represented at Staffel/Squadron strength instead of their Gruppe/Regiment one (which is also why several of them finds themselves with a mix of planes that the mission generator mesh together with no sense whatsoever...)

I was just referring to numbers of planes he proposed, game would struggle to run it.

 

[Gambit21]

6 hours ago, EAF_Ribbon said:

That would be stutterish experience!

 

I have 16 P-47’s taking off and forming up with no problems in the scripted campaign.

 

That's along with ground units, AA, enemy AC - it’s not a problem.

 

9th Air Force squadrons often operated in 4-ship flights, rotating in and out of their assigned sectors - especially in December/CAS missions.

 

However it shouldn’t be 4 aircraft flights every single time regardless of the mission. Airfield attack, or fighter sweep (which Jugs were assigned now and then) would always be squadron strength. 

 

352nd Mustangs should never be operating in 4-ship flights. 12 was common however.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Gambit21

[Ribbon]

4 minutes ago, Gambit21 said:

 

I have 16 P-47’s taking off and forming up with no problems in the scripted campaign.

 

That's along with ground units, AA, enemy AC - it’s not a problem.

 

9th Air Force squadrons often operated in 4-ship flights, rotating in and out of their assigned sectors - especially in December/CAS missions.

 

However it shouldn’t be 4 aircraft flights every single time regardless of the mission is not correct. Airfield attack, or fighter sweep (which Jugs were assigned now and then) would always be squadron strength. 

 

352nd Mustangs should never be operating in 4-ship flights.

Haven't played on monitor for 2 years but in VR it's unplayable with that amount of planes, now scenery with 10 planes all together and decent amount of ground units it's stutterish.

Maybe they could add option for both type of players (VR/monitor).

I know  i sound elitist now but flight simming is getting decent numbers of VR users so they have to be taken in consideration too.

[Gambit21]

Just now, EAF_Ribbon said:

Haven't played on monitor for 2 years but in VR it's unplayable with that amount of planes, now scenery with 10 planes all together and decent amount of ground units it's stutterish.

Maybe they could add option for both type of players (VR/monitor).

I know  i sound elitist now but flight simming is getting decent numbers of VR users so they have to be taken in consideration too.

 

I will not build to VR standards - it’s crippling/compromises the mission environment too much.

[Ribbon]

8 minutes ago, Gambit21 said:

 

I will not build to VR standards - it’s crippling/compromises the mission environment too much.

I understand it!

?‍♂️

[104th_IronMike]

What I am missing as well is the addition of historical "landmarks" or moments of interest if you like. For example, Battle of the Bulge, Allied Counteroffensive, etc... not one mission really relates to that.

I joined a p51 in the 478th, so that I was stationed at Asch on Jan 1st 1945, the day Y-29 got attacked (Legend of Y-29), and the mission I got was: "attack enemy colon" somewhere randomly behind enemy lines. This was extremely disappointing, I flew Ironman up until that point. I was so disappointed that I started the mission and crashed my plane to end the misery lol.

Also during the battle of the bulge the fronline lags behind actual events, and completely omits the couple days of encirclement. The Frontline will jump to the frontline after the breakthrough, I forgot the date, iirc on dec 26th or 27th. To have the encirclement and some missions related to that would be nice.

I think the campaign could use some historic interjection missions that marked a special moment in each theatre. Don't have to be many, maybe 1 or 2 per phase.

Another thing I noticed was that some days would progress with 2 missions, none of which you take part. This is not a biggy, couple clicks, but when I play on realistic I don't play to really miss days. If it is a day every now or then, alright, but 5 days in a row, and that quite often, is not why I am playing haha.

Lastly, I find the missions in general too random. Too little connected with what is happening. I know this one is probably quite hard to achieve, but it is just a pool of random repetitions at some point, and while connected in general to the front line, it does not seem connected to its progress. The squadrons had objectives though, and missions which are known, and while in general the MO of the squadron is being followed, it would be nice if the "why" and "what for" of the missions would be reflected. For example: the 101st is trapped at Bastogne, let's see if we can provide support. (Yes, I know, flights were suspended, it is just an example).

[Talon_]

3 hours ago, 104th_IronMike said:

I joined a p51 in the 478th, so that I was stationed at Asch on Jan 1st 1945, the day Y-29 got attacked (Legend of Y-29), and the mission I got was: "attack enemy colon"

 

Oh that was you?? I thought it was that dodgy kebab I had last night ?