Anyone making campaigns?

[Sandmarken]

Scripted campaigns have always been my favorite way to enjoy the game; I've played most of them now, some I've done twice!😃

 

It seems the rate of new campaigns has slowed considerably lately. Is anyone making campaigns still, or has the focus shifted elsewhere? 🤔

 

[Vendigo]

Currently I am making a Ju-87G campaign in the Kuban map, it's gonna be a short one (I think less than 10 missions).

[Juri_JS]

At the moment I have no plans for more campaigns on the existing maps.

 

As already mentioned, I have a 90% finished "Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey" campaign pack for the Karelia map, that will be available when the map is released.

 

I also have a campaign idea for the Odessa map, but at the moment I can't say if I will have the time to build it.

 

 

[kraut1]

-ca. 55% completed / beta released:

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/89556-jg54-courland-pocket-fw190-a8-kurland-kessel-1945-campaign-beta-071224-48-missions/

-and I support a further IL-2 campaign with some special task missions.

[jollyjack]

1 hour ago, Vendigo said:

Currently I am making a Ju-87G campaign in the Kuban map, it's gonna be a short one (I think less than 10 missions).

 

Ju-87G ?

[Juri_JS]

What's really missing at the moment are Luftwaffe fighter campaigns on the Normandy map. Is anyone working on such a campaign?

[Sandmarken]

2 hours ago, Vendigo said:

Currently I am making a Ju-87G campaign in the Kuban map, it's gonna be a short one (I think less than 10 missions).

This sounds great! I have a really hard time with the 37 mm, so this will be a challenge.

[kraut1]

25 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

What's really missing at the moment are Luftwaffe fighter campaigns on the Normandy map. Is anyone working on such a campaign?

No, I am currently active in Kurland 1945, and after that again 1940 BoF...

But when I flew end 2023 / early 2024 in the Normandy I created with my EMG Normandy modification 7 FW190 SG4 missions, 7 BF109-G6(late /AS / ASM) IIIJG1 Missions and 10 I. JG2 FW190 missions for my Excel Logbook careers (the low number of missions because the pilots died)

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/69ap36ajdbmdahjvuf1q6/z-my-current-LW-Normandy-Missions.zip?rlkey=2ensycbxpg5lr64oudd5favfm&st=56z88c9w&dl=0

-the missions are with small flight sizes / low plane numbers for FPS, intended to be flown with realistic settings.

-because some of the missions to be flown from improvised Feldflugplätzen closer to the front, take off / landing difficult. But smooth surfaces could be created I suppose.

-Installed a mod with selfmade wingmen audio warnings for air combat. If they are disliked could be exchanged by my wingmen subtitle warnings.

2 of the missions I have published:

 

In my EMG mod I have defined some more semi historical front lines:

-Operation Cobra and Falaise Pocket default by Vander, Battle of St. Lo / Caen: draft by me, implemented by Vander in the original EMG)

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/89267-easymissiongenerator-v85-all-new-normandy-fronts-v01/

 

[Sandmarken]

2 hours ago, Juri_JS said:

At the moment I have no plans for more campaigns on the existing maps.

 

As already mentioned, I have a 90% finished "Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey" campaign pack for the Karelia map, that will be available when the map is released.

 

I also have a campaign idea for the Odessa map, but at the moment I can't say if I will have the time to build it.

 

 

The finished map looks great, and a campaign there will be interesting, as I know nothing about the air war over Finland! I hope someone is making a campaign for a finish unit aswel! 

1 hour ago, jollyjack said:

 

Ju-87G ?

Thats the one with the 37mm i think? 

1 hour ago, Juri_JS said:

What's really missing at the moment are Luftwaffe fighter campaigns on the Normandy map. Is anyone working on such a campaign?

My plan was to make a campaign for III./JG 27 on the Bodenplatte map, a very late-war 109K-4 campaign. I have some sources and research completed, but knowing how long these things take, I have taken a pretty long break and am unsure when or if I will try to make it at all.

2 hours ago, kraut1 said:

-ca. 55% completed / beta released:

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/89556-jg54-courland-pocket-fw190-a8-kurland-kessel-1945-campaign-beta-071224-48-missions/

-and I support a further IL-2 campaign with some special task missions.

I've seen this and it looks interesting!

[kraut1]

35 minutes ago, Sandmarken said:

This sounds great! I have a really hard time with the 37 mm, so this will be a challenge.

You could try this:

I really tried to design it realisticly.

[Jaegermeister]

I have finished a new one for the Mosquito FB MkVI which will be released very soon.

 

1 hour ago, Juri_JS said:

What's really missing at the moment are Luftwaffe fighter campaigns on the Normandy map. Is anyone working on such a campaign?

 

I have considered that exact thing as well. I like the idea of an FW 190 Normandy campaign. 

 

Starting out in the A-6 before the invasion, get a replacement A-8, do some anti-shipping missions before they removed all the bomb racks, then fighter and ground support patrols, and then getting harassed into a bare bones cadre towards the end around July. It could be fun.

 

I think there is plenty of material there, but the research is very scarce. Most of the records from those units were lost so there would be a lot of speculation involved. I think there is a good book regarding the subject in French, but it would be hard to find here in the US.

 

 

[Juri_JS]

10 minutes ago, Jaegermeister said:

 

I think there is plenty of material there, but the research is very scarce. Most of the records from those units were lost so there would be a lot of speculation involved. I think there is a good book regarding the subject in French, but it would be hard to find here in the US.

 

 

Caldwell's "JG 26 War Diary" would be a good source for such a Luftwaffe campaign.

[Sandmarken]

43 minutes ago, Jaegermeister said:

I have finished a new one for the Mosquito FB MkVI which will be released very soon.

Wow! Cant wait! 

[Jaegermeister]

2 hours ago, Juri_JS said:

Caldwell's "JG 26 War Diary" would be a good source for such a Luftwaffe campaign.

 

I have that one and they were my first thought too. After looking a little further into it, I was actually thinking more like III JG/2. I've had some chats with LukeFF about it while I was working on the Mosquito campaign because we were discussing which units would have been sending up Bf109 night fighters around that time, and they were added into the pre-invasion Normandy career as a result.

 

JG/I is also a possibility operating from Alencon / Semalle Airfield, but it would be a much shorter and concentrated affair. 

 

There is the Richard Smith book about the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Volume 3, 1944-1945, but it costs over $300 and I'm not inclined to spring for that right now. Maybe someone like @Jade_Monkey has a copy they can look up some information in?

 

 

1 hour ago, Sandmarken said:

Wow! Cant wait! 

 

You'll have to. I'm not telling when, haha.

 

 

Edited December 16, 2024 by Jaegermeister

[Gambit21]

8 hours ago, Sandmarken said:

 

It seems the rate of new campaigns has slowed considerably lately. Is anyone making campaigns still, or has the focus shifted elsewhere? 🤔

 

 

It doesn't really pencil out to be honest. 

 

I doubt I'll create anymore campaigns for this title...but in theory I could be talked into it, but has to make sense financially which I don't see happening at this juncture.

Anyone who is willing to create one for free, then that's a fantastic thing as well. I don't have that luxury/free time.

 

I'm creating some single missions for an as yet to be released DCS module, then the next time I create missions/campaign will be Combat Pilot I believe.

If I do anymore mission building for this sim, it will be for fun/when PTO arrives.

 

[Jade_Monkey]

I put a TON of work over a couple of years into bulding a Typhoon campaign for the 609 Squadron on Normandy. It was (is?) a historical campaign with tons of documents from ORBs, real squadron pictures and real missions. Very proud of what I built.

 

Unfortunately one of the key innovations of my new campaign, which was to put all the briefing with the pics in a very tall picture only works for the first 6 or so missions and then after that it stops working for the rest of the missions. I did a proof of concept with one briefing at the beginning to make sure it was a feasible approach and moved ahead with all the work. Then when i finally completed it, started seeing that some later briefings just don't show up at all. I assume that it's some sort of optimization or limit on how many pictures can be loaded although I could be wrong. I have 12 missions fully done, and the LAST one, the 13th would be D-Day, is not finished.

 

I messaged one of the devs regarding the issue with the picture briefings and got no answer.

Unfortunately, I just gave up. I dont have it in me to keep pushing for this. 

 

If anyone is interested in independently taking over the project which is pretty much DONE, let me know. I'll share all the materials.

 

Here is a sample of one briefing just to give you an idea:

[Sandmarken]

1 hour ago, Jade_Monkey said:

I put a TON of work over a couple of years into bulding a Typhoon campaign for the 609 Squadron on Normandy. It was (is?) a historical campaign with tons of documents from ORBs, real squadron pictures and real missions. Very proud of what I built.

 

Unfortunately one of the key innovations of my new campaign, which was to put all the briefing with the pics in a very tall picture only works for the first 6 or so missions and then after that it stops working for the rest of the missions. I did a proof of concept with one briefing at the beginning to make sure it was a feasible approach and moved ahead with all the work. Then when i finally completed it, started seeing that some later briefings just don't show up at all. I assume that it's some sort of optimization or limit on how many pictures can be loaded although I could be wrong. I have 12 missions fully done, and the LAST one, the 13th would be D-Day, is not finished.

 

I messaged one of the devs regarding the issue with the picture briefings and got no answer.

Unfortunately, I just gave up. I dont have it in me to keep pushing for this. 

 

If anyone is interested in independently taking over the project which is pretty much DONE, let me know. I'll share all the materials.

 

Here is a sample of one briefing just to give you an idea:

That's cool! I'll keep my fingers crossed someone will finish it if you don't. All your earlier works have been of great quality 😁

[Jaegermeister]

2 hours ago, Jade_Monkey said:

I put a TON of work over a couple of years into bulding a Typhoon campaign for the 609 Squadron on Normandy. It was (is?) a historical campaign with tons of documents from ORBs, real squadron pictures and real missions. Very proud of what I built.

 

Unfortunately one of the key innovations of my new campaign, which was to put all the briefing with the pics in a very tall picture only works for the first 6 or so missions and then after that it stops working for the rest of the missions. I did a proof of concept with one briefing at the beginning to make sure it was a feasible approach and moved ahead with all the work. Then when i finally completed it, started seeing that some later briefings just don't show up at all. I assume that it's some sort of optimization or limit on how many pictures can be loaded although I could be wrong. I have 12 missions fully done, and the LAST one, the 13th would be D-Day, is not finished.

 

I messaged one of the devs regarding the issue with the picture briefings and got no answer.

Unfortunately, I just gave up. I dont have it in me to keep pushing for this. 

 

If anyone is interested in independently taking over the project which is pretty much DONE, let me know. I'll share all the materials.

 

Here is a sample of one briefing just to give you an idea:

 

Spoiler

 

 

I can take a look at it and see if I can figure out anything that would help you, but I can't guarantee anything.

 

I would be interested to know why your briefing materials aren't displaying correctly after a certain number of missions.

 

PM sent

 

[Vendigo]

On 12/16/2024 at 3:49 PM, jollyjack said:

Ju-87G ?

 

Yes, the Kanonenvogel! It will include some tank busting but more of hunting the small boats - and it's my favorite part actually - like shown here: 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Sandmarken]

12 hours ago, Vendigo said:

 

Yes, the Kanonenvogel! It will include some tank busting but more of hunting the small boats - and it's my favorite part actually - like shown here: 

 

  Hide contents

 

 

That sounds great! Do you make the campaign around a spesific group? I know there was some experimental units using the 37mm at Kuban. 

[Vendigo]

2 hours ago, Sandmarken said:

That sounds great! Do you make the campaign around a spesific group? I know there was some experimental units using the 37mm at Kuban. 

 

Yes, exactly - the experimental anti-tank squad based at Kerch, which means quite long distance to combat area so I am opting for mid-air mission starts (although I prefer to have the mission started with takeoff, but not in this case). The takeoffs will be in a couple training mission before the action starts.    

[Sandmarken]

2 hours ago, Vendigo said:

 

Yes, exactly - the experimental anti-tank squad based at Kerch, which means quite long distance to combat area so I am opting for mid-air mission starts (although I prefer to have the mission started with takeoff, but not in this case). The takeoffs will be in a couple training mission before the action starts.    

This will be a very interesting one, I believe! I did some research about the units at Kerch for my IAR 80 campaign. Some very interesting units were stationed there. Some Hs 129s as well. I had a hard time finding the exact date they stopped using the attack squadron triangle in their tactical markings. It's a lot of rabbit holes one can fall down into!

[CzechTexan]

On 12/17/2024 at 8:36 AM, Jade_Monkey said:

I put a TON of work over a couple of years into bulding a Typhoon campaign for the 609 Squadron on Normandy. It was (is?) a historical campaign with tons of documents from ORBs, real squadron pictures and real missions. Very proud of what I built.

 

Unfortunately one of the key innovations of my new campaign, which was to put all the briefing with the pics in a very tall picture only works for the first 6 or so missions and then after that it stops working for the rest of the missions. I did a proof of concept with one briefing at the beginning to make sure it was a feasible approach and moved ahead with all the work. Then when i finally completed it, started seeing that some later briefings just don't show up at all. I assume that it's some sort of optimization or limit on how many pictures can be loaded although I could be wrong. I have 12 missions fully done, and the LAST one, the 13th would be D-Day, is not finished.

 

I messaged one of the devs regarding the issue with the picture briefings and got no answer.

Unfortunately, I just gave up. I dont have it in me to keep pushing for this. 

 

If anyone is interested in independently taking over the project which is pretty much DONE, let me know. I'll share all the materials.

Could you break up the campaign into smaller pieces?  part 1, part 2, etc.

I know it's not as great as having it all in one long bundle but at least your work will not be wasted.  To not put it out there would be a shame.

 

By the way, I do not have Normandy nor the Typhoon because I have plenty of East Front material to cover but I do really like the Typhoon as a ground pounder.  I have actually contemplated on making a campaign for it.  I know my campaign would not come close to how great yours is.  One reason is due to all the factual information you have.

 

Soon, I will be releasing a Sturmovik cpgn for Velikie Luki 1941.  This will give everyone a chance to use all the unusual IL-2 '41 camo schemes.

Edited December 22, 2024 by CzechTexan

[BlackSix]

I've big plans for campaigns too 🙂
1) the Soviet fighter campaign (La-5/BoS) is scheduled for Q1 2025 (unless there are any unexpected issues);
2) the next campaign is being created for Normandy. During the development of the Typhoon campaign, I made some great templates that would be a shame not to use again. At the same time, I made some pretty bad decisions and would like to fix all of that. This will be a ground attack campaign for the Spitfire IX for one of the RCAF wings;
3) after that, I'm going to switch to Korea and make a Soviet fighter campaign for the MiG-15bis.

[Sandmarken]

8 minutes ago, BlackSix said:

I've big plans for campaigns too 🙂
1) the Soviet fighter campaign (La-5/BoS) is scheduled for Q1 2025 (unless there are any unexpected issues);
2) the next campaign is being created for Normandy. During the development of the Typhoon campaign, I made some great templates that would be a shame not to use again. At the same time, I made some pretty bad decisions and would like to fix all of that. This will be a ground attack campaign for the Spitfire IX for one of the RCAF wings;
3) after that, I'm going to switch to Korea and make a Soviet fighter campaign for the MiG-15bis.

Sounds great! Will the spitfire campaign be before or after d-day? 

Looking forward to see what the editor will be like in the il2 Korea. 😁

[BlackSix]

4 minutes ago, Sandmarken said:

Sounds great! Will the spitfire campaign be before or after d-day? 

Looking forward to see what the editor will be like in the il2 Korea. 😁

It will be after D-Day of course, I'll never make the player fly across the Channel again, this element was the one that received the most complaints and claims.

Unfortunately, I've no right to tell anything about Korea. Ask Luke please)))

[Juri_JS]

21 minutes ago, BlackSix said:

I've big plans for campaigns too 🙂
1) the Soviet fighter campaign (La-5/BoS) is scheduled for Q1 2025 (unless there are any unexpected issues);
2) the next campaign is being created for Normandy. During the development of the Typhoon campaign, I made some great templates that would be a shame not to use again. At the same time, I made some pretty bad decisions and would like to fix all of that. This will be a ground attack campaign for the Spitfire IX for one of the RCAF wings;
3) after that, I'm going to switch to Korea and make a Soviet fighter campaign for the MiG-15bis.

Any chance for a Normandy Luftwaffe campaign?

 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Juri_JS

[LuftManu]

I am working on a Kuban to Odessa Campaign with Yak 9T and later on Yak-3 but it will take time  Novice here!

 

 

[BlackSix]

5 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

Any chance for a Normandy Luftwaffe campaign?

Unfortunately no. I like to create short but intense missions, while all German airfields are too far from the battlefield for my taste. Even if you create a campaign against south-east England before the invasion. But this is exclusively my attitude towards this issue.

[Sandmarken]

7 minutes ago, BlackSix said:

It will be after D-Day of course, I'll never make the player fly across the Channel again, this element was the one that received the most complaints and claims.

Unfortunately, I've no right to tell anything about Korea. Ask Luke please)))

Complaining about flight times in a flight simulator! 

27 minutes ago, LuftManu said:

I am working on a Kuban to Odessa Campaign with Yak 9T and later on Yak-3 but it will take time  Novice here!

 

 

And what about your P-47 campaign? 😁

[LuftManu]

46 minutes ago, Sandmarken said:

Complaining about flight times in a flight simulator! 

And what about your P-47 campaign? 😁

I decided to postpone it.

With Korea incoming, I decided to tackle a different work with a soviet pilot that might see action after the war 😁

About the P-47: creating an SP campaign is a different animal than creating MP missions. I thought that I could have managed in a limited amount of time. Oh my! My mistake.

 

[Sandmarken]

28 minutes ago, LuftManu said:

About the P-47: creating an SP campaign is a different animal than creating MP missions. I thought that I could have managed in a limited amount of time. Oh my! My mistake.

I hope you finish it someday! Mission-making is a lot of work for sure!

[kraut1]

2 hours ago, BlackSix said:

Unfortunately no. I like to create short but intense missions, while all German airfields are too far from the battlefield for my taste. Even if you create a campaign against south-east England before the invasion. But this is exclusively my attitude towards this issue.

I have already defined 2 "improvised airfields" (and implemented in my EMG mod) closer to the front, currently very rough terrain, but smooth surfaces could be created.

Maybe the campaign design could be:

Very early in the morning a transit mission from the main airfield to the improvised airfield (under constant threat to be attacked by allied fighters).

1 or 2 very short combat missions from the "improvised airfield".

In the evening a return flight back to the main base (under constant threat to be attacked by allied fighters).

Here an example of a combat mission from such an airfield:

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/87125-210644-normandy-fw190-a8-fighter-bomber-escort-mission-created-with-easy-mission-generator-v811modded/

https://youtu.be/6ZcP0yDQD7Q?si=Ux9UwskpF5qR8CwU

 

[Jade_Monkey]

Hi @BlackSix, could you confirm, or at least pass along to the other devs the desire to have a more sophisticated briefing interface for user made campaigns, such as the ability to have multiple images per mission (for maps and intel).

 

From what I’ve seen in the videos regarding the new Korea interface looks really good, but I wanted to ask just in case.

[LuftManu]

2 hours ago, Jade_Monkey said:

Hi @BlackSix, could you confirm, or at least pass along to the other devs the desire to have a more sophisticated briefing interface for user made campaigns, such as the ability to have multiple images per mission (for maps and intel).

 

From what I’ve seen in the videos regarding the new Korea interface looks really good, but I wanted to ask just in case.

I second this! This might be really useful for custom missions

 

 

[CzechTexan]

3 hours ago, kraut1 said:

I have already defined 2 "improvised airfields" (and implemented in my EMG mod) closer to the front, currently very rough terrain, but smooth surfaces could be created.

 

Making the airfields smooth is pretty easy to do.  it's all in the IL2Surface_Guide.

I have a question though.  If the airfield is made for your mission, will it work for other players when they play the mission? 

I'm confused about how others are able to see changes done to a map.

[DBFlyguy]

If there is anyone still looking for ideas of a Normandy campaign....

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.142wg.ang.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3740412/first-campaign-the-371st-fighter-group-in-the-air-offensive-europe/

 

https://www.142wg.ang.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3849230/second-campaign-the-371st-fighter-group-in-normandy/

 

https://www.142wg.ang.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1868126/the-371st-fighter-group-in-operation-overlord-remembering-normandy-at-75/

 

https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2779852/he-was-close-to-my-wing-when-flak-burst-between-us-the-last-mission-of-p-47-pil/

 

https://www.142wg.ang.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/864399/the-french-farm-girl-of-the-flying-field-yvette-hamel-and-the-371st-fighter-gro/

 

 

 

Just a suggestion 😁

[Humbre79]

7 hours ago, BlackSix said:

J'ai aussi de grands projets pour les campagnes 🙂
1) la campagne de chasseurs soviétiques (La-5/BoS) est prévue pour le premier trimestre 2025 (à moins qu'il n'y ait des problèmes inattendus) ;
2) la prochaine campagne est en cours de création pour la Normandie. Pendant le développement de la campagne Typhoon, j'ai réalisé d'excellents modèles qu'il serait dommage de ne pas réutiliser. En même temps, j'ai pris de très mauvaises décisions et j'aimerais régler tout cela. Ce sera une campagne d'attaque au sol pour le Spitfire IX pour l'une des escadres de la RCAF ;
3) après cela, je vais passer en Corée et réaliser une campagne de chasseurs soviétiques pour le MiG-15bis.

Didn't you have a plan for a  Fw190a8 campaign on the Bodenplatte map? There aren't Luftwaffe official  campaigns on the western front, that would have filled a gap. 

Anyway I'm very happy for the future Spitfire campaign. 

[kraut1]

1 hour ago, CzechTexan said:

Making the airfields smooth is pretty easy to do.  it's all in the IL2Surface_Guide.

I have a question though.  If the airfield is made for your mission, will it work for other players when they play the mission? 

I'm confused about how others are able to see changes done to a map.

Hi @CzechTexan

In general I implement all improvised airfields into the template missions of my EMG modifications.

This means that all players using these EMG mods will have these airfields available for mission creation.

In the Normandy Map I have currently not marked the improvised airfields, so the player sees only the Home Airfield Label automaticly placed by EMG.

I will add MCU Icons to the template files as additional labels.

For example have already labeled "Kokoda" for Papua New Guinea with a MCU icon (see below), but I will rename it to "Kokoda Airstrip"

Or in my Rheinland = Kurland Mod I have labeled these airfields in the overworked GUI Map.

This means all players that are flying these missions created with EMG can see the airfields in general.

 

Example Normandy improvised airfields (Feldflugplätze) in modified EMG:

Currently in game Normandy Feldflugplätze without labels,  but if in the mission the airfield is used the Home Airfield Marker is placed by EMG:

Kokoda with MCU icon, but to be changed to Kokoda Airfield:

in EMG:                                                                           IL-2 during flight: (I will change this label to Kokoda Air Strip)

 

 

And for the Kurland mod with overworked  GUI map:

EMG:

 

IL-2 Kurland GUI Map:

Edited December 30, 2024 by kraut1

[Gambit21]

9 hours ago, BlackSix said:

I've big plans for campaigns too 🙂
1) the Soviet fighter campaign (La-5/BoS) is scheduled for Q1 2025 (unless there are any unexpected issues);
2) the next campaign is being created for Normandy. During the development of the Typhoon campaign, I made some great templates that would be a shame not to use again. At the same time, I made some pretty bad decisions and would like to fix all of that. This will be a ground attack campaign for the Spitfire IX for one of the RCAF wings;
3) after that, I'm going to switch to Korea and make a Soviet fighter campaign for the MiG-15bis.

 

I'm surprised you're putting time into the older, defunct version of the engine honestly...but I guess you have to do what you're asked to do.

When you have a MiG 15 campaign ready to go I'd be interested.