Battle of the Reich

[Eisenfaustus]

We know strategic bombers are a huge effort to build and that the current engine is unsuited for a strategic air campaign. 
 

So I was thinking wether a module that only concentrates on maybe only 3 airplanes and uses the freed workpower for the huge map and general improvements needed to make strategic aerial warfare possible would be bought for full price at least the hardcore fans that are active on the forum.

 

The planes:

I‘d say such a venture would have to concentrate on daylight bombing as nightfighting is even more niche - so an early and a late B17 with one B24 Variant would be great. 
Maybe an earlier P38 in Combination with a Bf109G5 as collectors to have at leased some fighters included. 
 

The map:

Talking about strategic warfare it needs to be absurdly huge. In an attempt to built upon work already done I would be content with a combination of Rheinland and Normandy expanded far enough to the north to include the 8th airforce airfields - yet such a map would still lack Schweinfurt and Berlin as historically very important targets…

 

The general improvements:

Here comes a list without which a strategic would not be immersive in my opinion - although wether they are at all possible I have of course no idea:

- AI optimisation so that at least 20 heavies escorted by 20 fighters can meet 20 interceptors AND the average PC can still increase game speed at least 8x to shorten the real time for the excessively long missions

- Auto real-time/pause so that after a very long journey passing by in fast forward you don’t miss the action

- AI formations tactical overhaul so that correct formations are used and flight leaders try to position their whole formation in an advantageous position before commencing attack - and try actively to regroup after combat

- radio comms rework so large formations can be led effectively (and AI leaders can give sensible orders to the player)

- vastly improved object viewing distance so that on a clear day even after slight navigational errors a bomber flying at 9000m can identify a target (railway yards/factories ect) from so far away that he can line up for a proper attack run. 
 

so - would such a package be worth 90 bugs to you?

 

PS

I know the few who are active on the forum don‘t represent the average customer of GB - but I am interested in your opinions 

[sevenless]

Yes bring it on. Until then I use IL2-1946 for that purpose

 

 

[BMA_FlyingShark]

I say yes.

But I would like to see more control over navigation aids like control over course setters, player selectable base for radio navigation, asking a Morse signal of the home base etc., if we get to fly large distances and altitudes like that.

 

Have a nice day.

 

 

[FoxbatRU]

I voted yes.

 

But I would be more happy with such a set:

Me 163

He 162

Do 335

+

Yak-3

La-7

Il-10

+

Tu-2 (AI)

B-17 (AI)

B-24 (AI)

 

[Feldgrun]

Heavy bombers would add such a different element to this game, with escorts and attackers, and I think it could make [nearly] everyone happy. The dogfighters would be happy fighting as Allied escorts or against the attackers, and the bomber destroyers would be thrilled to unleash cannon rounds on heavy bombers, weaving in and out of formations as .50 cal tracers zipped by. If the bombers were AI, I think it would make things much easier for the developers. I think you could use existing maps (link BoN with BoBP) use existing fighters, add AI heavy bombers, and you'd have a winner! 

 

The late war Luftwaffe was built to tackle heavy bombers with 30mm cannons, high altitude interceptors, Werfer-Granate 21, etc. The lack of heavy bombers in the western theater is what's missing. I hope to see them added, and soon.

[Mtnbiker1998]

My mind auto-read that as asking about a late war Eastern-Front battle and I voted no, wasn't until I read the post and saw what it actually was that I got excited.

 

While I think something like this is incredibly unlikely, it would certainly be an awesome addition to the game and I'd be all for it.

[357th_KW]

I’d happily spend the money, and I think the idea of B-17/B-24 + P-38J-10/15 and a Bf109G-5 or 6 AS variant would be awesome.

 

You mention improvements to radio coms, and in addition to this I think we would need an improved simulation of radar ground control - I know steps are already being taken in this direction with air marshall, and perhaps that project could get rolled into this package.

 

In addition to some sort of draw distance solution for the Norden (and other bombers) bombsights, it would be great to see the American H2X radar based bombing system introduced.

 

I’d also want to see a way for a bomber pilot to lead a formation of AI bombers in multiplayer, as well as options for players other then the pilot to use the bombardiers station (and maybe think of adding a navigators station as well) - really enhance the multi-crew experience to get the most out of the big bombers.

 

Lastly for a map, what we would need is a long skinny map stretching from East Anglia to Leipzig.  This could probably be in the neighborhood of 125km wide by 800km long, with roughly the same total map area as Normandy.  This would provide a usable play area, with critical historical targets from 1943-1945 (Essen and the Ruhr valley, Kassel, Merseburg/Leuna, Leipzig).  Much of this map already exists on Rhineland, and could be used as a base to build the rest, hopefully greatly reducing the workload involved.

[CountZero]

that big map over europe aint gona happend here, you just have to take a look at bobp map, for some it dosent have enought stuff to populate it and for others they avoid playing on it because its heavy with amount of stuff it has...how would mutch mutch bigger map of same areas be posible then... 

 

 

[Feldgrun]

8 hours ago, VBF-12_KW said:

Lastly for a map, what we would need is a long skinny map stretching from East Anglia to Leipzig.  This could probably be in the neighborhood of 125km wide by 800km long, with roughly the same total map area as Normandy.

 

Allied heavy bombers could depart from the BoN map, with a Ruhr industrial target in the BoBP map. The connection of the two maps (or part of them) and the addition of AI heavy bombers in formation is all that would be needed. Also, a little extension of the BoBP map gets you to Schweinfurt, which would be a great addition.

[Diggun]

6 minutes ago, Feldgrun said:

all that would be needed.

Is that all, huh? ?

[Feldgrun]

1 hour ago, Diggun said:

Is that all, huh? ?

You could always add more...

[Gambit21]

After a few PTO releases sure - not before then.

[=GW=xshinel]

I want PTO, or a heavy bomber?

[Jade_Monkey]

If they decide to make that the next module, would I pay for it? Yes.

 

Is it my first choice? No

[VilsonFarias]

For my case:I'd really love the battle of the Reich and I'd also love if the 1CGS could figure out a way to make 4-engine bomber viable as a product. I would pay for a pre-release version of any strategic bomber even if they were as expensive as a new game or the release was scheduled for one year later. That would be a game changer for me. Same for the Battle of the Reich, I'd buy it the same day the pre-release was announced.

Edited February 2, 2022 by VilsonFarias

[Feldgrun]

I would love to try my hand with a FW-190 A8 at becoming a Viermottöter! The fact that the top ace in all of Germany had only 36 kills tells me it was a difficult job, with little success. The Allied bomber formations with escorts were very effective at keeping fighter victories to a minimum. 

[354thFG_Drewm3i-VR]

I voted yes, but I would also love the Pacific or Italy/Sicily with carriers. That being said, having heavies and the engine improvements needed to support this type of virtual warfare would absolutely improve the sim so much so that the Pacific could suddenly become more feasible.

[Docholiday]

I would prefer to have MTO,  Nort Europe or Far East first..

[Avimimus]

Honestly, I probably would (as the Fw-190A8 needs something big to attack). However, I'd want a Lancaster to be included  - and they were used in Daylight raids increasingly in 1945.

 

But I'd definitely prefer a lot of other scenarios first.

[spreckair]

Honestly, I would probably just buy anything that 1C puts out for IL-2 Great Battles.  Its hard for me to imagine that they would put out anything that I would not enjoy.