Radio comms improvements

[DN308]

The radio comms are quite poor and I always regret the impossibility to alert my wingmen or flight leader that enemies are coming or that I need help in combat.

As a squadron leader or attack leader, it’s impossible to specify which target to priorize or to coordinate the action.

There is no possibility  to switch from a waypoint to another nor to request the air controller or tower to vector back home or to land in priority due to a/c failure, damage or fuel shortage.

 

Maybe I’m the only one to regret that compared to CoD or the old IL-2. What’s your opinion?

Edited November 8, 2020 by DN308

[FodderMonkey]

Not sure what it would entail from the programming end, but it would be nice if you could call to allies to break left or right when they’re under attack.  Always frustrating watching a wingman get shot up when a simple turn at the right time would have lined up a shot for me. 

[Alan_Grey]

Good poll ! Radio communication is missing ?

[Eisenfaustus]

While I absolutely agree that additional radio orders are needed, a good start would be if the current radio would work as intended. 

[DN308]

I imagine the radio chat implies a lot of work for the devs’ but as said before, it would be nice at first, that the chat works.

[Enceladus828]

I really enjoyed from IL-2 1946: " Hello Good friends, good to see you guys. Somebody decided to join us, over", " Attention. Beginning our attack run. Enemy... Commence the Attack.", " Stay with your leader, stay on course!" (my favourite quote as a child playing the original Sturmovik), " Go around. Go around.", " I'm on fire, bailing out!", and all these other quotes.

 

I like from IL-2 1946 and CloD that you can request help from your wingman, vectors to home base, less helpful when over water and no landmarks for a position reference; turning on runway lights, and a lot of other Radio Comm/Command related from the 2 games that I like and should be added to IL-2 GBs... hopefully for Normandy.

 

And yes, landing priority is something I think should be hopefully implemented. I found it annoying when a twin engine plane was damaged and down to one engine and was denied landing clearance due to another plane in working condition ahead of being cleared to land first, and the twin engine plane went around and crashed/crash landed☹️

 

Cheers.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Enceladus

[DD_Arthur]

14 hours ago, Eisenfaustus said:

While I absolutely agree that additional radio orders are needed, a good start would be if the current radio would work as intended. 

This!?

[Sowercrowd]

I am very happy to see this poll ... I just saw my wingman break formation to attack enemy fighters without a single radio warning.

The first message was consequently "I am wounded" ... radio communication like in the good old 1946 would be a great improvement, it is really very well done there; I play BAT regularly and don't miss anything in terms of commands. Especially when playing career in Expert Mode and Iron Man, it's imho really important to have some basic radio functionality because if the AI just keeps getting better (which of course is great per se) and it remains so difficult to spot friend or foe;  it becomes too frustrating then.

[NETSCAPE]

and rather than hit keys you could use voice commands... this works well with uboat sims. I experimented with it with Tank Crew, acting as tank command - this also worked. It seems like voice commands over a mic activating the games radio commands would be nice - but since it is multiple key strokes to access different layers of options it would be a bit more tricky than the ones I did with Tank Crew. 

[vonGraf]

How was the radio in reality? Did all the pilots in a 100 km circle really talked on the same channel like in the game? That you have to listen to the endless airfield procedures of flights far away and you have nothing to do with? I guess not.

 

[FTC_Konaber]

3 hours ago, vonGraf said:

How was the radio in reality? Did all the pilots in a 100 km circle really talked on the same channel like in the game? That you have to listen to the endless airfield procedures of flights far away and you have nothing to do with? I guess not.

 

Thats why the chaps quicly adapted to 4-channel radio. Check for the "A B C D" box in a Spit e.g.
And as fair as I remebered, BoX already has commands for "Next channel" in the key mapping overview (?)
Would be neat if this would serve a functionallity within the game.

Edited November 9, 2020 by ACG_Konaber

[Heckpupper]

7 hours ago, vonGraf said:

How was the radio in reality? Did all the pilots in a 100 km circle really talked on the same channel like in the game? That you have to listen to the endless airfield procedures of flights far away and you have nothing to do with? I guess not.

 

 

Airfield ops were on a different channel from the combat ops, but for example sometimes in the Pacific strike packages of 100+ aircraft were all sat on the same frequency. Safe to say pilots didn't like it and even though they were all naval aviators (best of the best) discipline was sometimes less than ideal as described by the guys themselves.

[Sokol1]

What was planed for CloD, but... you know. ?

 

 

 

 

 

Only formation and headings work well. Headings are given in an "It's CloD way!"

 

"Controller" headings (and wind) information follow YE-ZB (Zed Baker) "Hayrake" chart (or Timosthenes of Rodes Classic Wind Rose), divided in  30 degrees segments.

 

An "Vector 120" means any heading between 91º and 120º.

 

 " Stay with your leader, stay on course!"

 

Is nice have some an automated chat, but most time they are annoying and in wrong moment.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2020 by Sokol1

[vonGraf]

I'd like to have a kind of 'sitrep' command as the flight leader too. Who is still there and who's not.

All I found out was, if you're not able to give any command at all anymore, everyone in your flight is dead.

[Gambit21]

5 hours ago, ACG_Onebad said:

 

Airfield ops were on a different channel from the combat ops, 

 

Further, different types of aircraft were on different channels in Europe.

For instance the Mosquito night fighters were not on the same channel as the Intruder flights, nor were say the day intruder flights on the same channel as the Spitfire day fighters etc.

[Yogiflight]

16 hours ago, vonGraf said:

if you're not able to give any command at all anymore, everyone in your flight is dead.

Or your aircraft is already counted as dead by the game. I had that happen one or two times, my aircrafts seriously damaged and I tried to give commands to my flight, but I couldn't anymore. A few minutes later I knew why. My engine died and I never had the chance to get back to my airfield. AI knows, if an aircraft will not make it back. You also can see this when they stop shooting at an enemy, who is still flying as nothing had happened. But a little later he goes down.

 

Aaand yes, it really is time to improve radio comms. Someone in german forum asked if it would not be possible to transfer the comms of 1946 to GB. Would be nice, but I don't think this is possible.

[Avimimus]

What I'd actually like isn't on the list: More detailed call outs of situational awareness... detailed reports on enemy aircraft or ground objects, their types... call outs for what the AI is doing... so more the automatic messages.

[jeanba]

I am very happy with 1946 Radio comms and logically, I would like the same for GB

[vonGraf]

8 hours ago, Yogiflight said:

AI knows, if an aircraft will not make it back.

 

On the other side they follow and keep shooting at a broken and burning enemy's plane from 3 km height down to the ground and 'lawndarting' because the enemy pilot was apparenty still alive all the time. ?

[Feathered_IV]

The current system of radio calls are awful.  Completely out of step with the high standards of the rest of the sim.  It’s like trying to enjoy the greatest meal of your life while someone is throwing up at the table next to you. 

[BMA_FlyingShark]

If ever we can request home vectoring, I hope they implement the system like the real ones had with a signal Morse code.

And let them then also give us control over course setters and choose the base we want to home to, not just the closest one nearby.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[AWC]

On 11/8/2020 at 4:22 AM, DN308 said:

The radio comms are quite poor and I always regret the impossibility to alert my wingmen or flight leader that enemies are coming or that I need help in combat.

As a squadron leader or attack leader, it’s impossible to specify which target to priorize or to coordinate the action.

There is no possibility  to switch from a waypoint to another nor to request the air controller or tower to vector back home or to land in priority due to a/c failure, damage or fuel shortage.

 

Maybe I’m the only one to regret that compared to CoD or the old IL-2. What’s your opinion?

 

I think more sophisticated radio calls are sorely needed in BoX. I believe it is one of the last things this sim needs to make the world feel truly 'alive'.

[JG5_Schuck]

This definitely would be a great idea.

 

I'd like to see:

"Permission to land"

"Permission to take off"

"Vector to home base"

and "Vector to nearest friendly base"

 

Of course this could go along with being able to switch radio channels between nearest friendly base, home base and your flight.

And also depend on type of radio fitted (better radio set, greater range?) and whether the plane was actually fitted with one!

Plus damage to a radio could mean losing all communications with the ground..

 

 

 

[No105_Swoose]

4 hours ago, JG5_Schuck said:

This definitely would be a great idea.

 

I'd like to see:

"Permission to land"

"Permission to take off"

"Vector to home base"

and "Vector to nearest friendly base"

 

 

 

Yes indeed!  And I'd like them to include the command I used the most in the old IL-2 Sturmovik 1946: "ANYONE HELP ME!!!" ?

[SYN_Ricky]

I loved in European Air War that your wingmen would call out enemy aircraft types, I've been missing hearing "109s 10'clock" or "long-nosed Focke-Wulfs", really brought some immersion.

Edited November 16, 2020 by SYN_Ricky

[DN308]

Totally agree 

[Gambit21]

12 hours ago, SYN_Ricky said:

I loved in European Air War that your wingmen would call out enemy aircraft types, I've been missing hearing "109s 10'clock" or "long-nosed Focke-Wulfs", really brought some immersion.

 

EAW did a lot of things right.

 

[DN308]

Didn't heard about that game. I just had a look on and that's really good. Comms are the same as IL2 '46 or I guess IL2 took the comms from that game.

Well, is that that hard to make something equivalent in IL2 GB?

[Skinny_Huesudo]

I wonder what "do like me", "cover me" and "continue with mission" actually do. I think I've seen AIs "covering me" leave me as soon as they saw enemies on the other side of the map.

[Skinny_Huesudo]

IMO, the inability to control our wingmen effectively in Single Player is the biggest problem Il-2 BoX has right now. I don't know if it's an inherent limitation of the RoF engine, I hope it's not.

Edited November 22, 2020 by Skinny_Huesudo

[jeanba]

On 11/22/2020 at 6:57 PM, Skinny_Huesudo said:

IMO, the inability to control our wingmen effectively in Single Player is the biggest problem Il-2 BoX has right now.

I totally agree, and even worse, when you are a wingman: for instance, you cannot call for help

[DN308]

On 11/8/2020 at 8:41 PM, Enceladus said:

I really enjoyed from IL-2 1946: " Hello Good friends, good to see you guys. Somebody decided to join us, over", " Attention. Beginning our attack run. Enemy... Commence the Attack.", " Stay with your leader, stay on course!" (my favourite quote as a child playing the original Sturmovik), " Go around. Go around.", " I'm on fire, bailing out!", and all these other quotes.

 

I like from IL-2 1946 and CloD that you can request help from your wingman, vectors to home base, less helpful when over water and no landmarks for a position reference; turning on runway lights, and a lot of other Radio Comm/Command related from the 2 games that I like and should be added to IL-2 GBs... hopefully for Normandy.

 

And yes, landing priority is something I think should be hopefully implemented. I found it annoying when a twin engine plane was damaged and down to one engine and was denied landing clearance due to another plane in working condition ahead of being cleared to land first, and the twin engine plane went around and crashed/crash landed☹️

 

Cheers.

I try to add some of these quotes in my missions to add some immersion

On 11/21/2020 at 1:13 PM, Skinny_Huesudo said:

I wonder what "do like me", "cover me" and "continue with mission" actually do. I think I've seen AIs "covering me" leave me as soon as they saw enemies on the other side of the map.

You’re right

On 12/1/2020 at 6:33 PM, jeanba said:

I totally agree, and even worse, when you are a wingman: for instance, you cannot call for help

Absolutely. 

That’s really frustrating to see everyone doing their own life, sometimes just flying around without even trying to chase the guy on your tail. 

What makes me mad is when your teammates are supposed to attack the bombers and going to chase the fighters, ruining the purpose of the mission.

[JG27_Steini]

What i like to hear is a respone like "Roger" or "Viktor". It feels like commands are send to nowhere. At least you would know that AI got it, even it does nothing. 

[Chief_Mouser]

This thread has been too quiet lately.

WE NEED AN OVERHAUL OF THE AI AND GROUND COMMS! Please....... ?

[DN308]

Yep, agree!

[Startrek66]

During the Second World War, the Regia Aeronautica did not have radio equipment on board the fighters capable of ensuring reliable communications and the pilots preferred to disassemble them to lighten the aircraft.  So the pilots used gestures.  I don't know if the RAF or the Luftwaffe or the Russian army were in better shape.  In my case, even if the developers introduce serious more communication features, I would only use them if in reality they were used.

In any case, however, I would not like to lose performance in the simulation as a result of greater radio functionality. 

Edited March 11, 2021 by Startrek66
More comments

[Eisenfaustus]

1 hour ago, Startrek66 said:

During the Second World War, the Regia Aeronautica did not have radio equipment on board the fighters capable of ensuring reliable communications and the pilots preferred to disassemble them to lighten the aircraft.  So the pilots used gestures.  I don't know if the RAF or the Luftwaffe or the Russian army were in better shape.  In my case, even if the developers introduce serious more communication features, I would only use them if in reality they were used.

In any case, however, I would not like to lose performance in the simulation as a result of greater radio functionality. 

For Lw/RAF/ USAAF radio communication was absolutely crucial - VVS I‘m not sure.

[Dutch2]

Reading a book about Lydia Litvyak, that Yak1 of all the female pilots, did have the Luxury of an onboard radio. So I guess due shortages not all the Russian planes were equipped with radios at the start of the war. 

[vonGraf]

Maybe it's a performance issue that so few radio calls were implemented in the game?

At least on my mediocre PC (~4 Ghz Ryzen 2700X, 32 GB RAM DDR4 and Vega64 card) I get short stutters when the AI talks too much on a busy SP mission. Especially when they call out something 'new' for the first time.

But maybe not a problem on faster PCs.

[Startrek66]

3 hours ago, vonGraf said:

Maybe it's a performance issue that so few radio calls were implemented in the game?

At least on my mediocre PC (~4 Ghz Ryzen 2700X, 32 GB RAM DDR4 and Vega64 card) I get short stutters when the AI talks too much on a busy SP mission. Especially when they call out something 'new' for the first time.

But maybe not a problem on faster PCs.

In my experience with COD, radio communications are a problem and cause stutters in my elderly PC.