Official Historical Campaign "Hell Hawks Over the Bulge"

[Gambit21]

1 minute ago, Jaegermeister said:

 

It's nice that your missions are well organized which makes them easy to decipher, LOL. That error you are referring to was a complex trigger doing 2 things at once and they are notoriously tricky. I try to eliminate them unless absolutely necessary now. 

 

At this point, all the basic logic of the missions has been updated to accommodate changes in AI behavior and upgrades to the sim like looped effects, Tactical ID letters and adding appropriate generic skins to eliminate separate downloads that a lot of people don't even know exist if they don't read the forum. That means I have looked at almost every link and trigger and there were no major issues that I found.

 

In the future, there may be new errors that I have caused or a new bug in the sim. If that happens I should know the difference and be able to sort it out, but I think it's pretty solid for now.  

 

Thank you...much appreciated. 

 

[Jaegermeister]

No problem, happy to help out.  

[VBF-12_Stele]

I'm loving this campaign so far. I've been recording myself flying the Battle of the Bulge missions this late December, and it is definitely setting the mood.

 

 

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

Really enjoying the campaign so far, esp the voiceovers are great and really add to the immersion. Did find one item in the 2nd Aachen mission these AT guns seem invulnerable. I shacked one at about 2:45 in the track and no damage.
Track:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NE0QutTQPAjNFaD0ZKaqGhBjdZ9JoNTQ/view?usp=sharing

[LukeFF]

Came across this photo today 

 

Quote

Men of the of the 365th Fighter Group, aka the Hell Hawks. Photo likely taken in the United States before the move to Britain.

 

[Gambit21]

Wow - beautiful photo Luke.

 

 

[chris455]

On 1/22/2024 at 2:11 PM, Gambit21 said:

Wow - beautiful photo Luke.

 

 

Hello Sir-

Reading the book "Hell Hawks" as I write-

Where can I download this campaign? 

Edited March 8, 2024 by chris455

[Patricks]

14 minutes ago, chris455 said:

Hello Sir-

Reading the book "Hell Hawks" as I write-

Where can I download this campaign? 

 

You can purchase it here - https://il2sturmovik.com/store/campaigns/ , still the most immersive campaign ever IMO..

 

[Dauntless]

 

[Gambit21]

1 hour ago, Patricks said:

 

You can purchase it here - https://il2sturmovik.com/store/campaigns/ , still the most immersive campaign ever IMO..

 

Enjoy! 

[chris455]

Thanks to all!

[Jaegermeister]

It's probably even better now with the improvements to the P-47 series.

 

[=SqSq=SignorMagnifico]

On 1/6/2024 at 9:52 AM, [CPT]Pike*HarryM said:

Really enjoying the campaign so far, esp the voiceovers are great and really add to the immersion. Did find one item in the 2nd Aachen mission these AT guns seem invulnerable. I shacked one at about 2:45 in the track and no damage.
Track:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NE0QutTQPAjNFaD0ZKaqGhBjdZ9JoNTQ/view?usp=sharing

Tried flying this mission on the latest version of IL-2, and I can confirm that the artillery guns are invulnerable to damage. Track attached. https://drive.google.com/file/d/16sULgm6Xz1BgMxwtJeTRXYPBadLDVYa_/view?usp=sharing

[LF_Mark_Krieger]

On 3/9/2024 at 2:27 AM, Jaegermeister said:

It's probably even better now with the improvements to the P-47 series.

 

Absolutelly. I reflied the campaign this weekend to try the new FW and the mission 7 is absolutelly crazy. ?

[Spidey002]

On 3/8/2024 at 7:27 PM, Jaegermeister said:

It's probably even better now with the improvements to the P-47 series.

 

Yes! Flying this campaign again after the update, and I’m kinda falling in love with the Jug. 
I’m enjoying the heavy feel to it—especially now that it doesn’t constantly want to wing over and stall on me. 

[=SqSq=SignorMagnifico]

On 1/6/2024 at 9:52 AM, [CPT]Pike*HarryM said:

Really enjoying the campaign so far, esp the voiceovers are great and really add to the immersion. Did find one item in the 2nd Aachen mission these AT guns seem invulnerable. I shacked one at about 2:45 in the track and no damage.
Track:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NE0QutTQPAjNFaD0ZKaqGhBjdZ9JoNTQ/view?usp=sharing

 

21 hours ago, =SqSq=SignorMagnifico said:

Tried flying this mission on the latest version of IL-2, and I can confirm that the artillery guns are invulnerable to damage. Track attached. https://drive.google.com/file/d/16sULgm6Xz1BgMxwtJeTRXYPBadLDVYa_/view?usp=sharing

Made a YouTube video highlighting the issue. If someone could please check for a possible bug. 

 

[Jaegermeister]

13 hours ago, =SqSq=SignorMagnifico said:

 

Made a YouTube video highlighting the issue. If someone could please check for a possible bug. 

 

 

You have mentioned it repeatedly. It's not a bug, I would imagine it was done that way intentionally so the firefight guns would not kill each other right away. That's why it has not been changed.

 

We will consider it. Thanks for your observations.

[Gambit21]

Aye, if you’re attacking what is essentially an “effects” group this is probably the case. 

[=SqSq=SignorMagnifico]

1 hour ago, Jaegermeister said:

 

You have mentioned it repeatedly. It's not a bug, I would imagine it was done that way intentionally so the firefight guns would not kill each other right away. That's why it has not been changed.

 

We will consider it. Thanks for your observations.

 

35 minutes ago, Gambit21 said:

Aye, if you’re attacking what is essentially an “effects” group this is probably the case. 

Thank you. I just wanted to confirm whether this was intentional. I won’t waste ammo on them next time.

[LF_Mark_Krieger]

Elwood leader doesn't come back home in the last mission after the krauts have been shot down.

Missing link to the flight leader in the rejoin waypoint, again?

In some other mission (one of the firsts, I'll try to remember), leader is not invulnerable so can get shot down by AAA and doesn't give the messages to rejoin.

[Jaegermeister]

1 hour ago, LF_Mark_Krieger said:

Elwood leader doesn't come back home in the last mission after the krauts have been shot down.

Missing link to the flight leader in the rejoin waypoint, again?

In some other mission (one of the firsts, I'll try to remember), leader is not invulnerable so can get shot down by AAA and doesn't give the messages to rejoin.

 

I just looked at it. It appears that there is not enough time for the "Looks Like Jerry's Had Enough" message to play and it prevents the RTB waypoint from triggering. I'll see if I have time to fix it before the next update, and maybe come up with a proximity vulnerability trigger for the Ground Artillery reported by  @=SqSq=SignorMagnifico so the player can kill it when within 1000 meters or such like, but it won't get killed by the allied tanks. 

[Jaegermeister]

 

@Gambit21 @=SqSq=SignorMagnifico @LF_Mark_Krieger...

 

I have disabled the invulnerable artillery in mission #5 with closer/further check zones linked to the player. It should allow the player to kill the artillery but no one else except while the player is within range. It was a small firefight group of 5 field guns right in front of the factory. 

 

Spoiler

 

I will test that and the RTB timing in mission #16 to see if the changes worked and submit them if so.

 

Edited March 17, 2024 by Jaegermeister

[JMax]

On 3/12/2024 at 3:40 AM, Spidey002 said:

Yes! Flying this campaign again after the update, and I’m kinda falling in love with the Jug. 
I’m enjoying the heavy feel to it—especially now that it doesn’t constantly want to wing over and stall on me. 

I am really liking the P-47 now too.Beautiful flying if you keep your airspeed up,and it really does have a heavy feel to it. The HellHawks campaign is excellent.A big thanks to its creators. Learning to manage the Jug and fly a mission properly is a workout!! I am going all-in on VR this week and the P47(Razorback)will be my first flight.

[Spidey002]

4 hours ago, JimmyB said:

I am really liking the P-47 now too.Beautiful flying if you keep your airspeed up,and it really does have a heavy feel to it. The HellHawks campaign is excellent.A big thanks to its creators. Learning to manage the Jug and fly a mission properly is a workout!! I am going all-in on VR this week and the P47(Razorback)will be my first flight.

Once you go VR, you won’t be able to go back!

[Spidey002]

Also, Tx_Tip has a fun Razorback mission:

 

[JMax]

Thanks for the link to those missions. They all look awesome. ?

[Jaegermeister]

@JimmyB and @Spidey002 

 

Edit... your discussion is getting a bit OT. Let's try to stick to the Campaign, Thanks.

Edited March 28, 2024 by Jaegermeister

[JMax]

Roger. I am betraying my P47 enthusiasm a bit too much.. Back on the topic of the HellHawks campaign now.

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

Just finished the first "bulge" mission, had a decent haul, but our flight lost the #2 guy. Other than that not too bad casualties so far. Managed to bag 3 planes in the AxA mission, fun.

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

Noticed a bug in the dialogue.  Every time Flighet Elwood get permission to land and enter the pattern when each individial aircraft lines up for landing the aircraft/pilot asks permission to take off and marigold grants them permission to takeoff.

[Gambit21]

34 minutes ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

Noticed a bug in the dialogue.  Every time Flighet Elwood get permission to land and enter the pattern when each individial aircraft lines up for landing the aircraft/pilot asks permission to take off and marigold grants them permission to takeoff.

That’s a new one.

Not much help I’m afraid without at lest telling us which mission you’re taking about. 😐

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

I noticed this in missions 4, 5 & 6.  Not sure about the previous 3.  This is my second time playing the campaign.  First time was more than a year ago.  This is the dialogue from the campaign designer not the stock game dialog (radio volume turned down to zero).  Hope this helps.

Edited May 11, 2024 by --[---MAILMAN----

[Jaegermeister]

11 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

That’s a new one.

Not much help I’m afraid without at lest telling us which mission you’re taking about. 😐

 

10 hours ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

I noticed this in missions 4, 5 & 6.  Not sure about the previous 3.  This is my second time playing the campaign.  First time was more than a year ago.  This is the dialogue from the campaign designer not the stock game dialog (radio volume turned down to zero).  Hope this helps.

 

I flew mission 4 to see what was going on and did not have that message repeat, but a different one did. It turns out various check zones for the messages are missing a deactivate MCU when they fire. I will have to go through every message in all of the missions to correct it. I assume changes in the AI behavior are now making them fly through areas they did not go before.

 

[Gambit21]

11 hours ago, Jaegermeister said:

 

 

I flew mission 4 to see what was going on and did not have that message repeat, but a different one did. It turns out various check zones for the messages are missing a deactivate MCU when they fire. I will have to go through every message in all of the missions to correct it. I assume changes in the AI behavior are now making them fly through areas they did not go before.

 

 

Hmm...those trigger zones were placed an appropriate distance from the field so if AI is overflying that spot again, something has definitely changed for the worse with AI landing behavior...and it was poor to begin with.

 

I was going to say that you can just scoot the trigger zone a bit further away along the waypoint path, but it would probably be almost as quick to place a quick deactivate MCU and be done with it/less testing too. Thanks again for your maintenance. Since not normally necessary, deactivating trigger zones wasn't always part of my default workflow.

 

 

 

 

 

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

FYI

On the fighter sweep mission, there wasn't even landing clearance given to individual planes after the initial Elwood Blue asking for landing clearance.  On the following mission I was damaged strafing so I left for home by myself.  The leader and number three just kept circling the attack objective (with me back at the airfield) with the leader still carrying bombs and rockets, number three had expended his.  Any way when I flew back to St Trond there was no comms with me from the field, which I did not expect, but then on final approach shortly before the threshold the dialogue gave permission for Elwood flight to take off.

Hope this helps you out.

Edited May 12, 2024 by --[---MAILMAN----

[Jaegermeister]

12 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

 

I was going to say that you can just scoot the trigger zone a bit further away along the waypoint path, but it would probably be almost as quick to place a quick deactivate MCU and be done with it/less testing too. Thanks again for your maintenance. Since not normally necessary, deactivating trigger zones wasn't always part of my default workflow.

 

 

Yes, about 1/2 the messages don't have them. They aren't hard to find since they are all in the player flight. Thanks for that, BTW. I always deactivate check zones unless they are supposed to stay active for just this reason. I've had it happen before, and this fix won't require testing at all, just checking to make sure the mission still loads without winter textures, LOL. I think we have all had that happen before.

 

 

11 hours ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

FYI

On the fighter sweep mission, there wasn't even landing clearance given to individual planes after the initial Elwood Blue asking for landing clearance.  On the following mission I was damaged strafing so I left for home by myself.  The leader and number three just kept circling the attack objective (with me back at the airfield) with the leader still carrying bombs and rockets, number three had expended his.  Any way when I flew back to St Trond there was no comms with me from the field, which I did not expect, but then on final approach shortly before the threshold the dialogue gave permission for Elwood flight to take off.

Hope this helps you out.

 

You are not going to get individual clearance messages per plane.

I would have to know what mission numbers they were to do anything about it on the failure to return to base issue. 

Comms messages are triggered by the flight lead, so if you return on your own, you won't hear any.

I already noted that I would have to correct all the check zones for the repeating messages.

Thanks for the observations.

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

Mission 07.Fighter Sweep

Mission 08.The Bulge 1

 

Actually, what I am used to hearing is the flight lead asking for the flight landing clearance and the airfield grants it and the flight leader tells the flight to land individually, and as each plane is on final approach a message usually comes by each aircraft asking for permission to land and it either gets granted or told the runway is busy to go around.  No message from the pilot telling the field that the plane has landed with the airfild replying "Clear the Runway"

 

Mission 8: The Bulge 1

I didn't expect coming back alone that I wouldn't get the flight landing clearance messages, but when I was landing it triggered the request for takeoff by Ellwood Blue Flight and granting takeoff by Marigold.

 

Thanks for looking into this.  BTW The last couple update briefings have mentioned that some of the campaigns got updated including Hell Hawks Over the Bulge and Lightning Strikes.  I can't remember if they mentioment Overlord being updated or not, but I noticed that the other three planes of the player's flight stopped landing at the original airfield where the blue waypoint is.  They land at other airfields regardless of whether they are damaged or not, some a sector or two to the east of the home airfield.

Thanks again for looking into these issues.

 

Edited May 12, 2024 by --[---MAILMAN----

[Jaegermeister]

4 minutes ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

Mission 07.Fighter Sweep

 

Thanks

 

4 minutes ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

Actually, the flight lead asks for the flight landing clearance and the airfield grants it and the flight leader tells the flight to land individually, but as each plane is on final approach a message usually comes by each aircraft asking for clearance to land and it either gets granted or told the runway is busy to go around.

 

That would be the normal in-game radio calls you will only get with your radio turned up. There is no way to do that with custom triggered radio messages

 

4 minutes ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

Mission 8: The Bulge 1

I didn't expect coming back alone that I wouldn't get the flight landing clearance messages, but when I was landing it triggered the request for takeoff by Ellwood Blue Flight and granting takeoff by Marigold.

 

Yeah, I got that, now you know.

 

4 minutes ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

Thanks for looking into this.  BTW The last couple update briefings have mentioned that some of the campaigns got updated including Hell Hawks Over the Bulge and Lightning Strikes.  I can't remember if they mentioment Overlord being updated or not, but I noticed that the other three planes of the player's flight stopped landing at the original airfield where the blue waypoint is.  They land at other airfields regardless of whether they are damaged or not, some a sector or two to the east of the home airfield.

 

You're welcome, I didn't change anything recently in Overlord. That would be an AI issue. 

 

4 minutes ago, --[---MAILMAN---- said:

Thanks again for looking into these issues.

 

 

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

Mission 12. Bastogne

Flew this mission twice the past few days.

First time an AI P-47D-28 collided with me while I was saddled up on and hammering a FW-190A-8 (very last enemy aircraft) so fuel depletion did not cause the mission to end.

 

Second time (replayed the mission) no collision, however in both missions neither white flight nor blue flight (player) fly over the yellow way point (#5) marker and make 20+ circuits around Bastogne.  Finally something triggered the next three short yellow way points and finally the red attack way point.  After attacking the targets 109's and 190's attack blue and white flight.  Combat lasted around 5 minutes.  Blue flight leader calls for form up to continue the mission (RTB).  As Blue Flight flies towards the first yellow way point (rally point) to head home, one by one the entire blue flight runs out of fuel starting with blue 4 then me, blue 3 and so on  I was able to successfully complete the mission because I dead stick belly landed next to one of the US gun positions inside the friendly confines of Bastogne.  I was never hit by ground or enemy aircraft fire so I didn't leak any fuel.

 

Mission parameters are whatever the mission maker set in the mission (I changed nothing) and the player aircraft is given 75% fuel.   I never exceeded time limits for war emergency power (5) or Military power ( (15) and switched to maximum continuous whenever possible during the combat with the enemy aircraft.

 

Is the default fuel load insufficient for this mission or is it an AI flight leader failing to trigger the next way point the problem causing us to waste so much fuel circling Bastogne?  Elwood White and Elwood Blue flight leaders never flew over way point #5,  They flew around the circumference of the battle front markers encircling Bastogne.

[Gambit21]

I think something has changed with the AI causing them to miss a waypoint near Bastogne. I had to adjust some Havoc waypoint distances because of this a while back. Fuel load should be more than sufficient.