Italian BOM campaign length

[kaisercoffee]

I am looking to start a campaign in the Italian 202 but I am unsure whether or not to use PWCG or the base game career mode. I prefer the actual missions created by PWCG but also like the progression and clear end date of a battle in the base game.

 

With that said, I would like to know if there is an actual campaign end date in PWCG or does it just keep running? Additionally, if there is an end date, is there a way to alter the campaign length/speed as in the base game?

[PatrickAWlson]

The Italian campaign starts in Moscow and goes until the end, so it can be quite long.  Not sure whether you view that as good or bad.

 

There is a lot of flexibility in PWCG. You can change pilots.  You can have many pilots in a campaign and they don't even have to be on the same side.  Or you can just quit a campaign when you no longer feel like flying.

 

If you want to emulate the pacing of career mode it is very simple.  Take long leaves between battles.  I do this myself.  I like flying end to end but I do not need 1500 missions for a career.  

 

If you do not want to fly end to end as an Italian pilot you can mix it up.  Retire your Italian pilot any time you want and change to a different pilot.  Your Italian pilot will still be known within the campaign.  Fly many pilots at the same time, switching between them.  I also do this just to fly something different every once in awhile while still retaining focus on my primary campaign pilot.

 

Choice is yours.  If you can tell me exactly how you would like the campaign to go I can probably tell you how to do it.  

 

Key features:

Leave allows your pilot to rest while advancing the campaign date immediately.

Flying other pilots allows your primary pilot to take short breaks while you do something else.

Retiring a pilot or simply choosing to fly another permanently allows you to be a new pilot while still keeping the history of the original pilot in the campaign.

[kaisercoffee]

@PatrickAWlsonThank you for the very detailed response. From what you've told me, I think I'll probably play out the BOM and BOS timeline in the Macchi, retire and play in the Spitfire in Kuban and Bodenplatte campaigns. 

 

Thanks again for the information and an additional thanks for providing this il2+ mod, very well done!

[PatrickAWlson]

35 minutes ago, kaisercoffee said:

@PatrickAWlsonThank you for the very detailed response. From what you've told me, I think I'll probably play out the BOM and BOS timeline in the Macchi, retire and play in the Spitfire in Kuban and Bodenplatte campaigns. 

 

Thanks again for the information and an additional thanks for providing this il2+ mod, very well done!

 

Even within those you might want to take a liberal amount of leave.  PWCG alternates the pace of mission assignments from on a day to one every few days. From Oct 1941 to January 1943 is a lot of missions.  The longest dead period is from Jan 1942 June 1942.  Jan 1942 to March 1942 is hanging around the Moscow map.  The rest is hanging around the Stalingrad map from March 1942 to June 1942.  These are largely place holder activities and IMHO worth taking large chunks of time off.

 

On June 1 1942 you move to Kuban and do the German advance through that area, which I enjoyed doing.  The you return to the Stalingrad map on August 1942 where the battle begins in earnest.

[kaisercoffee]

@PatrickAWlsonIs it possible to play on the Kuban map with the Regia Aeronautica? When setting up the campaign, only the Stalingrad and Moscow maps are available. 

 

If I select the Luftwaffe however I get the full list.

 

Would I need to create a Luftwaffe campaign with an Italian pilot added to experience the Moscow-Stalingrad-Kuban-back to Stalingrad map progression? Apologies if this is a daft question I just don't want to invest too much time in a campaign only for it to be ruined by a mistake made when setting up the campaign. 

Edited May 5, 2021 by kaisercoffee

[PatrickAWlson]

1 hour ago, kaisercoffee said:

@PatrickAWlsonIs it possible to play on the Kuban map with the Regia Aeronautica? When setting up the campaign, only the Stalingrad and Moscow maps are available. 

 

If I select the Luftwaffe however I get the full list.

 

Would I need to create a Luftwaffe campaign with an Italian pilot added to experience the Moscow-Stalingrad-Kuban-back to Stalingrad map progression? Apologies if this is a daft question I just don't want to invest too much time in a campaign only for it to be ruined by a mistake made when setting up the campaign. 

 

You're right.  Apologies for the incorrect information.  Been a long time since I looked at Regia Aeronautica.  The squadron is no longer assigned airfields after Stalingrad and therefore is only available until the end of Stalingrad in early 1943.

 

They will make an appearance for a couple of months on the Kuban map from June to August 1942.