BoX IL-2 Extended Careers: The Skycat1969 years

[Skycat1969]

Version 34i

This is a branch of the excellent mod created and developed by sevenless. The original topic is no longer available.

External download link: https://www.mediafire.com/file/6g3sl3tn4oywu7u/Extended_BOX_IL2_v34i_-_cumulative.zip/file 

 

Extended BOX IL2 v34i - cumulative.zip

 

BLUF:

1. Adds more flyable planes to careers.

2. Changes some squadrons to fly different aircraft and/or missions.

3. Removes the historical ordinance restrictions for aircraft.

4. Current as of game version 5.504b

 

Individual downloads

Bodenplatte - BoX Extended v34i (game 5_504b).zip Kuban - BoX Extended v34i (game 5_504b).zip Moscow - BoX Extended v34i (game 5_504b).zip Normandy - BoX Extended v34i (game 5_504b).zip Stalingrad - BoX Extended v34i (game 5_504b).zip

Edited March 6 by Skycat1969

[Lt_Gorossa]

Do we have information whether the mod will be further developed or can it be considered abandoned?

[Skycat1969]

What would you like to see added or changed? As far as I know the mod is up-to-date for the latest default mission templates and flyable aircraft.

[d3rt13n]

I would like to request adding the Fw-190 A3 to Bodenplatte and Normandy if you would find the time to do this.

[Skycat1969]

I'll take your Fw190 A-3 request into consideration. I'd like to see what I can do with the new I-153 and LaGG-3, if they can be added to the Moscow career yet in a reasonable way. 

[percydanvers]

Hey Skycat,

I was getting set to do another career runthrough with my RAF Mustang squadron and I downloaded the latest "cumulative" build. It seems No. 416 City of Oshawa is using Spitfires instead of Mustang IIIs in the Normandy career. All the other changes called out for Normandy seem to be present and No. 416 uses Mustangs in Bodenplatte. I hate to bother you about it as I can always just use the existing Normandy RAF Mustang squadrons and then transfer to 416 in Bodenplatte, but I was wondering if there was something I could do on my end to correct it. 

[Skycat1969]

It's a super easy fix. I just checked and all the files *except one* are already set up for No. 416 Squadron RCAF to use the P-51B. I think I copied the default text in for squadron 102416's combat profile, intending to change every instance of the Spitfire Mk. IXc back to P-51B (the easiest way to update the old file to include the new missions), and I forgot to finish.

 

Edit: Corrected version is attached.

 

Normandy - BoX Extended v34j (game 5_504b).zip

 

Edited June 15 by Skycat1969
Fix for No. 416 Squadron

[XQ_Lothar29]

There are some issues with skins on AI-controlled aircraft.
For example, in the first mission of III./JG54 at Bodenplatte with the Ta152, the Bf110s all have the Ju52 skin by default.

 

This is the squadron

 

 

 

 

It would be great if you could fix it.

Edited July 21 by XQ_Lothar29

[Skycat1969]

I'll look into the specific problem with skins you have pointed out. However, are you using the most current version? My edits were all based on the original v34 by Sevenless; I've added lower case letters at the end of the version name as I add modifications.

[Skycat1969]

Update: I just went through the skin assignments for Bodenplatte v34i, and all of the Bf 110s are either unassigned to skins (which forces them to use the 'hard coded' primary default skin); or they are assigned: skin="bf110g2\bf110g2_blank_02.dds". You can confirm in the data\swf\il2\worldobjects\planes\bf110g2\skins folder that bf110g2_blank_02.dds is a default skin option. Furthermore, this skin assignment is also used in the most current unedited default files for the game.

 

As an aside, I haven't included or assigned any user-made skins in this mod.

 

I have the Milktoast 'historic' versions of Luftwaffe skins installed to replace the default skins. However, I did a quick check with the object viewer and the modded Bf110 G-2 skins are rendering correctly. I also tested the Bf110 skins in the Quick Mission Builder.

 

I flew some career missions with JG 54 -- which with my v34i mod is a Fw 190 D-9 unit -- and with JG 11, which is the only Ta-152 unit in Bodenplatte. I didn't see Bf110s in any missions I tested.

 

Conclusion:  I can't replicate the error you are posting; and my review of the files indicates there isn't a mis-assigned skin. I have to assume the error is caused elsewhere within your stack of mods.

 

Edited July 20 by Skycat1969

[XQ_Lothar29]

1 hour ago, Skycat1969 said:

Update: I just went through the skin assignments for Bodenplatte v34i, and all of the Bf 110s are either unassigned to skins (which forces them to use the 'hard coded' primary default skin); or they are assigned: skin="bf110g2\bf110g2_blank_02.dds". You can confirm in the data\swf\il2\worldobjects\planes\bf110g2\skins folder that bf110g2_blank_02.dds is a default skin option. Furthermore, this skin assignment is also used in the most current unedited default files for the game.

 

As an aside, I haven't included or assigned any user-made skins in this mod.

 

I have the Milktoast 'historic' versions of Luftwaffe skins installed to replace the default skins. However, I did a quick check with the object viewer and the modded Bf110 G-2 skins are rendering correctly. I also tested the Bf110 skins in the Quick Mission Builder.

 

I flew some career missions with JG 54 -- which with my v34i mod is a Fw 190 D-9 unit -- and with JG 11, which is the only Ta-152 unit in Bodenplatte. I didn't see Bf110s in any missions I tested.

 

Conclusion:  I can't replicate the error you are posting; and my review of the files indicates there isn't a mis-assigned skin. I have to assume the error is caused elsewhere within your stack of mods.

 

I'll see right now, because I have the latest version.

[XQ_Lothar29]

I just downloaded all the packs to make sure they didn't have any download errors.

I checked the folder you mentioned "data\swf\il2\worldobjects\planes\bf110g2\skins\bf110g2_blank_02.dds" again, and I can't see the 110 file anywhere.

[Skycat1969]

Maybe I have that folder because I unpack files for my modding projects.

 

Really what you need to verify is if that skin is in this folder and it looks correct: 

data\graphics\skins\Bf110G2

 

And even if it is, one of the mods you are using might be overriding the correct default skins with incorrect versions.

Edited July 21 by Skycat1969

[FodderMonkey]

Are there any plans to update career squadrons to include the recently released aircraft in Moscow, Stalingrad and/or Kuban?

[Skycat1969]

Maybe.

[percydanvers]

On 6/15/2025 at 2:45 AM, Skycat1969 said:

It's a super easy fix. I just checked and all the files *except one* are already set up for No. 416 Squadron RCAF to use the P-51B. I think I copied the default text in for squadron 102416's combat profile, intending to change every instance of the Spitfire Mk. IXc back to P-51B (the easiest way to update the old file to include the new missions), and I forgot to finish.

 

Edit: Corrected version is attached.

 

Normandy - BoX Extended v34j (game 5_504b).zip 291.26 kB · 19 downloads

 

Sorry it took me so long to see that you had replied and fixed this! I guess I didn't have the notifications enabled. Thank you very much!

Edited October 4 by percydanvers

[FodderMonkey]

On 8/15/2025 at 10:11 PM, Skycat1969 said:

Maybe.

Still maybe? 🙂

[Skycat1969]

Maybe maybe.

 

My plan, loosely, was to wait until the official Siege & Liberation campaign is released and see if the Moscow/Stalingrad/Kuban campaigns also get updates. I found that simply inserting the S&L aircraft into the existing careers is problematic for the AI aircraft loadouts right now. That's one reason I haven't bothered adding the new Stuka yet. 

 

I could just transfer my work from the S&L mod into the Extended Careers mod? Unless you want something more specific.

 

[FodderMonkey]

No, I totally missed this S&L mod when you put it out; it's exactly what I was looking for!  Thanks!  

[Rudini]

wow, thanks @Skycat1969

 

some wishes/questions:

 

1. rename units - can you show how to overwrite the so called II./JG 52 squadron into a real squadron, for example 4./JG 52 (BoM, BoS, BoK)? because as you all know, most Luftwaffe units are groups containing 3-4 squadrons and a group staff unit. so i get more emersion feeling seeing only those 12 guys of a regular squadron. most realistisc emersion feeling is in BoN with 4./JG 52 or 7./JG 52...

 

later on in 1941 Siege and Liberation over Odessa i would like to change the III./JG 77 group into a 9./JG 77 squadron.

 

 

2. enlarge units - if rename units is not possible, them flying in group strenght would feel more emersive. For example flying in BoBP with III./JG 27 group, but not with 8 aircraft, since at that time the group had 4 squadrons and 64 aircraft per mission. i wonder if it is possible to enlarge the unit to that extend of a soviet unit (30 pilots) and the  flying missions with 20 aircraft.

 

3. bf 110 g-2 intruder night missions - as you all know 10.(Nacht)/ZG 1 in BoK was used as a night fighter. i wonder if it would be possible to add just one type of mission (from april to oktober 1943): namely that type of intruder night mission of the KG 51 in BoN - searching for Transport aircraft by night: U-2, Li-2, and of corse some bombers, too, like A-20.

 

 

thanks!

[Skycat1969]

1) I don't know how to rename units.

 

2) I also don't know how to increase the formation size. And I don't think a formation of 64 planes is possible.

 

3) A career of only night intercepts is possible I think. It would be a matter of deleting all other types of missions from that unit's profile, and ensuring that the remaining intercept missions are set to hours of darkness. I can't add or remove the type of aircraft hunted though.

Edited November 2 by Skycat1969

[Rudini]

@LukeFF could point 3 be fixed?

 

3. bf 110 g-2 intruder night missions - as you all know 10.(Nachtjagd)/ZG 1 in BoK was used as a night fighter. i wonder if it would be possible to add just one type of mission (from april to oktober 1943): namely that type of intruder night mission of the KG 51 in BoN - searching for Transport aircraft by night: U-2, Li-2, and of corse some bombers, too, like A-20.

 

look at the victories of 10.(Nachtjagd)/ZG 1, especially of Josef Kociok

 http://cieldegloire.fr/zg_001.php

 

Can intercepting U-2, Li-2 (PS-84) and A-20 at night be added, please?

 

 

 

[LukeFF]

7 hours ago, Rudini said:

@LukeFF could point 3 be fixed?

 

3. bf 110 g-2 intruder night missions - as you all know 10.(Nachtjagd)/ZG 1 in BoK was used as a night fighter. i wonder if it would be possible to add just one type of mission (from april to oktober 1943): namely that type of intruder night mission of the KG 51 in BoN - searching for Transport aircraft by night: U-2, Li-2, and of corse some bombers, too, like A-20.

 

look at the victories of 10.(Nachtjagd)/ZG 1, especially of Josef Kociok

 http://cieldegloire.fr/zg_001.php

 

Can intercepting U-2, Li-2 (PS-84) and A-20 at night be added, please?

 

I'll ask to see if it's feasible.

[Skycat1969]

Rough edit. The missions are now night missions. Dogfights in the dark are kind of disorienting.

 

If you'd like to try fine-tuning by removing mission types, the governing file is 15Squadrons. The squadron profile is [201101]. The mission types for each period are:

 

[1101] Intercept bombers

[1102] Intercept attackers

[1103] Intercept recon planes

[1104] Intercept transports

[1106] Airborne operations intercept

[1129] Frontline patrol

[1130] Anti bomber patrol

Kuban - BoX Extended v34j (Bf110 night missions).zip

 

Edited November 3 by Skycat1969