Train Busters (Ju-88 C-6)

[Juri_JS]

Fly train busting missions as pilot of 7./KG 51 with the Ju-88 C-6 in spring 1943.
http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e107_plugins/download/download.php?action=view&id=1354

 

 

A while ago I discovered the scanned original combat diary of III./ Kampfgeschwader 51 for 1943 in a German archive. It was my primary source when I created the campaign missions. Like other Ju-88 equipped eastern front units KG 51 formed a specialized train busting Staffel in early 1943, that was based at Bagerovo on the Crimean Peninsula and flew missions mostly during the night far into enemy territory to hunt for trains.

 

Map:
Kuban

 

Requirements:
Battle of Kuban and Battle of Normandy

 

Installation:
Place the folder "TrainBusters" from the zip file into the games ...\data\Campaigns directory

 

Remark:
A mission is complete when the player returns to his home airfield.

Do not hide the entire HUD (H key) when flying missions. Doing so will disable the messages you receive during flight.

There are no waypoints in the missions, but you can use autopilot for take-off and landing.

Target areas are marked on the map.

 

A look at some of the documents I used for creating the campaign:

 

Edited March 19, 2024 by Juri_JS

[Hanu]

Thank you! I've been hoping for a campaign for C-6!

[jeanba]

Hey, wait, I need a breath, Idid not finish your "Invasion Watch" campaign

Edited March 15, 2024 by jeanba

[LukeFF]

Nice!

[Juri_JS]

A few words on modifictions. No mods are locked in the campaign, but in reality 7./KG 51 flew unmodified Ju-88 C-6s and only used SC 50 bombs. No exhaust flame supressors were used and also no MG 151s and MG 131s. It's possible that some planes had armored glass, that's hard to recognize on photos.

 

Don't forget that the C-6's three 20 mm MG/FFs are drum-fed and need to be reloaded.

 

Ju-88 C-6 of 7./KG 51 :

 

Edited March 15, 2024 by Juri_JS

[Sandmarken]

Great! This wil be a great one to do right after i finish steel birds :)

Edited April 21, 2024 by Sandmarken

[Moebelwagen]

Thank you very much, Juri! Just replayed your wonderful Eltigen campaign for the second time. Looking forward to the train busters of 7./KG 51. 

[XQ_Lothar29]

It's going to be another great campaign, I'm sure. thanks for your time

[sevenless]

Fantastic! ?

[KodiakJac]

Thank you, Juri! 

[Semor76]

Juri, can you tell me why do I need the Prokhorovka map? I tought Normandy & Kuban modules should be enough?

 

 

[Juri_JS]

36 minutes ago, Semor76 said:

Juri, can you tell me why do I need the Prokhorovka map? I tought Normandy & Kuban modules should be enough?

I think it's a mistake in the Info file. Delete the line "&tows=3,5" and resave the file or download the updated campaign files from the link in the first post.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2024 by Juri_JS

[Juri_JS]

The latest version of the campaign now also has Spanish briefing texts by XQ_Lothar29:

 

http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e107_plugins/download/download.php?action=view&id=1354

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2024 by Juri_JS

[taffy2jeffmorgan]

Never been a bomber fan, but the Ju 88 in my mind the best axis bomber to fly in BoS, and the second mission has to be the longest that I have ever flown, and with what seems like no auto pilot support I have a problem staying awake !     but well done Juri  great campaign.

 

Cheers

[Jaegermeister]

20 hours ago, Juri_JS said:

I think it's a mistake in the Info file. Delete the line "&tows=3,5" and resave the file or download the updated campaign files from the link in the first post.

 

BoS: &tows=1

BoM: &tows=2

BoK: &tows=3

BoBP: &tows=4

TC: &tows=5

FC1: &tows=6

BoN: &tows=7

FCII; &tows=8

 

for anyone that might need it... I will assume any FC missions on the new I/II/III map will stay as 8

[YoYo]

Looks like very nice idea and promissing campaign. Will try it, thanks a lot! ?

btw. Im waiting something for Ju-88A4 as well :)!

[YoYo]

@Juri_JS Im after the first mission, thx just ... why not cold and dark start from parking place? Personally I prefer "as real as it gets" :). If the others agree (and you have a time to change it) maybe small update with C&D state and start from parking spot in any mission? Pretty please! 

[Juri_JS]

1 minute ago, YoYo said:

@Juri_JS Im after the first mission, thx just ... why not cold and dark start from parking place? Personally I prefer "as real as it gets" :). If the others agree (and you have a time to change it) maybe small update with C&D state and start from parking spot in any mission? Pretty please! 

At the moment I don't have the time to create a version with taxi to take off. I am still very busy with the missions and campaigns for the Karelia map.

[YoYo]

1 hour ago, Juri_JS said:

At the moment I don't have the time to create a version with taxi to take off. I am still very busy with the missions and campaigns for the Karelia map.

 

Ok, thx for reply! Pity but I can live with it ;). So pls do cold starts for Karelia map (I hope!).

Edited March 21, 2024 by YoYo

[YoYo]

1 hour ago, Juri_JS said:

campaigns for the Karelia map.

 

Fingers crossed for March too, but ... if it needs to be tweeked still, no problem, I can wait.

Taking off from the air spawn or from a runway spoils the immersion of the simulation (this is especially true for campaigns) and makes it closer to War Thunder ⚠️?.

[Juri_JS]

The problem is, that the AI will sometimes do stupid things during taxi to take-off, that's why I usually avoid it in my campaigns.

[YoYo]

1 hour ago, Juri_JS said:

The problem is, that the AI will sometimes do stupid things during taxi to take-off, that's why I usually avoid it in my campaigns.

 

Right, AI is a different matter. It has a lot of flaws here :(.

So if AI are used as wingmans, it's understandable, but if there are solo flights, it's better to have Cold and dark + taxi. ?

Edited March 21, 2024 by YoYo

[YoYo]

I'm on my second mission, cool idea!

Btw. for the future - yes its a good idea I suppose, if you start alone - C&D and taxi, if you start in a group, from the runway.

Notice:

Spoiler

I was killed near Krasnodars, when I noticed the train. I got it centrally from FLAK, it was probably a bad luck. ?

I use finish - but I can continue the campaign - can go to 3th mission (even if I was killed and didnt back to base, is it ok?)

I noticed the train right away near Krasnodarsk. So right at the beginning of the route, even though it is so long. I understand that I have to destroy the first one I encounter. 

Long mission, I flew for about 40 minutes one way. I don't use the time accelerator, but I actually like it ?. Tomorrow again, maybe I won't die. ?

Thank You!

Edited March 25, 2024 by YoYo

[Juri_JS]

6 hours ago, YoYo said:

 

Notice:

  Hide contents

I was killed near Krasnodars, when I noticed the train. I got it centrally from FLAK, it was probably a bad luck. ?

I use finish - but I can continue the campaign - can go to 3th mission (even if I was killed and didnt back to base, is it ok?)

I noticed the train right away near Krasnodarsk. So right at the beginning of the route, even though it is so long. I understand that I have to destroy the first one I encounter. 

Long mission, I flew for about 40 minutes one way. I don't use the time accelerator, but I actually like it ?. Tomorrow again, maybe I won't die. ?

 

Strange, mission success should only get triggered by returning to your base or landing at another friendly airfield.

 

Regarding trains - you will find more than one along the route. It's up to you to decide which one you attack. It doesn't have to be the first one and of course you can continue your mission after destroying the first train, when you have bombs and ammo left.

[YoYo]

1 hour ago, Juri_JS said:

Strange, mission success should only get triggered by returning to your base or landing at another friendly airfield.

 

Right, it's in the description, but unfortunately it didn't work and so I will repeat mission number 2. Cheers!

[YoYo]

Thanks for the campaign, I just finished it. Nice atomsphere, I really like night flights, which are quite a challenge. I died 3 times ;), although one was my mistake and unlucky. The rest was ok. Although I didn't get any awards, I destroyed dozens of targets. A campaign on the Ju-88 A-4 would also be useful. Unfortunately, it's dry here ?. Thanks again!

 

Because I like to document flights, some screenshots trom the campaign, they are edited because I only fly in VR.  Regards!

 

Screenies are hidden:

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2024 by YoYo
NO SWASTIKAS

[LukeFF]

Great job on this one - it really requires a lot of forethought and planning to get to and from the patrol zone without being picked up by enemy flak and fighters. I didn't quite plan my route very well, so I ended up being pinged by a patrolling fighter and losing an engine (and then all our fuel to a leak) on the way back to base. Unfortunately with the way the fuel system is modeled, we probably could have made it back to base in reality, since the starboard engine and fuel tanks were undamaged. Ah well, just something to remember for next time. 🙂

[jeanba]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

Great job on this one - it really requires a lot of forethought and planning to get to and from the patrol zone without being picked up by enemy flak and fighters.(...)

This is something I love with Juri's campaign, they require a lot of planning before the mission

[Juri_JS]

8 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Great job on this one - it really requires a lot of forethought and planning to get to and from the patrol zone without being picked up by enemy flak and fighters. I didn't quite plan my route very well, so I ended up being pinged by a patrolling fighter and losing an engine (and then all our fuel to a leak) on the way back to base. Unfortunately with the way the fuel system is modeled, we probably could have made it back to base in reality, since the starboard engine and fuel tanks were undamaged. Ah well, just something to remember for next time. 🙂

You should be relatively safe when using historical Luftwaffe tactics:

- Cross the front at high altitude (6000 m or higher).

- Only descend to lower altitude once you are near your patrol zone.

- Keep a wide distance from enemy airfields.

- Avoid overflying larger cities because of flak concentrations.

- Be careful near railway stations because of flak, searchlights and barrage balloons.

[LukeFF]

5 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

You should be relatively safe when using historical Luftwaffe tactics:

- Cross the front at high altitude (6000 m or higher).

- Only descend to lower altitude once you are near your patrol zone.

- Keep a wide distance from enemy airfields.

- Avoid overflying larger cities because of flak concentrations.

- Be careful near railway stations because of flak, searchlights and barrage balloons.

 

Yes, I was only at 4000 meters when crossing the front lines. I figured that was enough but apparently not. 😄 That and I overflew at least one airfield during both ingress and egress. So yes, I have no one to blame but myself for that. 

 

The good thing is that the new map tools make it a lot easier now to plan out a route. 

[XQ_Lothar29]

On 3/21/2024 at 6:07 PM, Juri_JS said:

At the moment I don't have the time to create a version with taxi to take off. I am still very busy with the missions and campaigns for the Karelia map.

You are great, your campaigns are very good and we all know how difficult it is to use the mission editor. For my part, thank you very much for the time you dedicate.

[LukeFF]

Alright, much better results this time! We crossed the front lines at 5500 meters while studiously avoiding overflying Soviet airfields and didn't have any problems with flak or fighters. Shot up a train pretty well but wasn't able to get the engine before it reached the protection of a railway station. Still, 10 railcars destroyed on one sortie is pretty darn good. 👍🏻

[Juri_JS]

43 minutes ago, LukeFF said:

Alright, much better results this time! We crossed the front lines at 5500 meters while studiously avoiding overflying Soviet airfields and didn't have any problems with flak or fighters. Shot up a train pretty well but wasn't able to get the engine before it reached the protection of a railway station. Still, 10 railcars destroyed on one sortie is pretty darn good. 👍🏻

Don't waste your cannon rounds on the engine. Bombs are much more effective, but it will take some practice to use them. The most successful tactic of train busting squadrons was to approach trains from the front at tree top height and drop a series of four or more bombs with delay fuse directly in front of the train, so the engine drives into the blast zone. Setting the bomb timer to 2 or 3 seconds and using a 0.25 or 0.5 second drop delay works best for me. Once the engine is destroyed, you can use your cannons to shoot up the railcars.

Edited April 12, 2024 by Juri_JS

[LukeFF]

24 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

Don't waste your cannon rounds on the engine. Bombs are much more effective, but it will take some practice to use them. The most successful tactic of train busting squadrons was to approach trains from the front at tree top height and drop a series of four or more bombs with delay fuse directly in front of the train, so the engine drives into the blast zone. Setting the bomb timer to 2 or 3 seconds and using a 0.25 or 0.5 second drop delay works best for me. Once the engine is destroyed, you can use your cannons to shoot up the railcars.

 

Yeah, I'm finding that I'm dropping bombs too late to take out the engine, hence why I was trying to use the cannons instead. 

[jollyjack]

I tended to blow up bridges sometimes, as blowing up tracks won't work in IL2, but often happened in RL.

Them IL2 train drivers are stupid as they continue until they drown in a river, but it's often spectacularly modeled in IL2.

[357th_KW]

Are any of you seeing the bug where the locomotive will accelerate after rail cars have been damaged and disconnected?  I've seen some get fast enough to where they can outrun an aircraft.

[Ghost666]

1 hour ago, 357th_KW said:

"fast enough to where they can outrun an aircraft."

If you are talking WWII then that is bad. In the early 1900s a light engine just may out run a plane, 90-100 mph being common. And as for accelerating after losing a couple hundred ton or so. Can't find a problem with that.🚂

[357th_KW]

Yeah, we're talking about 300mph - it's really bad.  I'll submit a bug report.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2024 by 357th_KW

[Jaegermeister]

5 hours ago, 357th_KW said:

Yeah, we're talking about 300mph - it's really bad.  I'll submit a bug report.

 

 

It has been reported, but feel free to do so again. You should submit a recorded track with your report.

[Juri_JS]

Does the train acceleration bug happen in my campaign too? I think I've never seen it, but maybe it's because I usually destroy the locomotive first.