Battle of Britain 2 possibly most underrated sim

[+streakeagle 871]

Whenever there is a topic about which sims are the best, the IL-2 series always gets touted as the best WW2 combat flight sim.

For multiplayer, I personally much prefer Aces High, though you have to pay a monthly fee and either play in a wild-n-crazy arena or have to wait for special historical scenarios.

For offline play, I think Battle of Britain 2 is the best.

Aside from not having multiplayer, it has great graphics, is very detailed/realistic, and is amazingly immersive.

The AI is among the best I have ever played against and there is everything from single missions to full-blown strategic campaigns.

Unlike IL-2, I feel like I am in the middle of WW2: there are planes everywhere, the tracers don't look like cartoons or lasers, the radio chatter sounds fairly good, and the carnage resulting from a massive, escorted German bomber raid mixing it up with British interceptors is impressive.

When I take hits, I feel them.

There is smoke and fire everywhere on the ground from bomb attacks and downed aircraft. Only one other game has given me the awesome sight of a sky full of hundreds of planes (Aces High 2).

It is practically a study sim complete with clickable 3d cockpits and engine management, but is at its best in simulating the complete Battle of Britain.

Originally, to play a campaign, you had to act as the overall strategic commander as well as fly any missions that interested you.

The latest patch gives you the ability to simply fly the missions assigned to you.

Of course, the results of your missions still impact the overall campaign dynamics.

 

Despite awesome graphics, the IL-2 series has never really caught my interest.

I every game in the series except the latest 1946, but I hesitate to buy that since I have never spent more than a few hours playing the other versions.

Whatever it is that seems to be missing from IL-2 appears to have been captured by BoB2.

 

My one hope is that some day they finally get around to giving MiG Alley the same treatment.

I love MiG Alley even more than the original BoB, so naturally I expect that I would enjoy MiG Alley 2 more than BoB2.

That's saying alot given that after years of playing combat flight sims, playing BoB2 leaves me feeling shock and awe with every massive air battle.

 

Perhaps some day the Flying Tigers sim based on this engine will be released.

If that day every comes, they have my money.

I don't know if anyone could pry my fingers from my joystick if I could fly P-40Bs over Burma with the same level of detail/immersion/realism as BoB2.

 

If multiplayer support is ever added and well implemented, this could end up being one of the greatest flight sims of all time.

Edited December 21, 2007 by streakeagle

[rtoolooze 2]

Thanks for tweaking my interest. Because of your post I'm finally gonna break down and give this one a look. I mostly play SF-P1 with its many mods, OFF and MAW, (mods for CFS3), and I'll fire up Falcon 4-AF once in a while.

 

I've been close to trying it before, but now I will take the plunge. Thanks brotha!

 

Ya, I sure wish an up to date version of Mig Alley would come down the pipe, I sure did love that sim.

 

Be cool.

 

rtoolooze out.

[+Stary 2,427]

Well put streakeagle.

 

I MISS ROWAN SO MUCH ! :cray:

 

They had their own individual approach to flight sims. And nice engines (Mig Alley).

 

BoB2? Bought it this week

 

And I'm just getting into.

[BUFF 8]

My one hope is that some day they finally get around to giving MiG Alley the same treatment.

I love MiG Alley even more than the original BoB, so naturally I expect that I would enjoy MiG Alley 2 more than BoB2.

I'll go along with that.

[+Jug 99]

Whenever there is a topic about which sims are the best, the IL-2 series always gets touted as the best WW2 combat flight sim.

For multiplayer, I personally much prefer Aces High, though you have to pay a monthly fee and either play in a wild-n-crazy arena or have to wait for special historical scenarios.

For offline play, I think Battle of Britain 2 is the best.

Aside from not having multiplayer, it has great graphics, is very detailed/realistic, and is amazingly immersive.

The AI is among the best I have ever played against and there is everything from single missions to full-blown strategic campaigns.

Unlike IL-2, I feel like I am in the middle of WW2: there are planes everywhere, the tracers don't look like cartoons or lasers, the radio chatter sounds fairly good, and the carnage resulting from a massive, escorted German bomber raid mixing it up with British interceptors is impressive.

When I take hits, I feel them.

There is smoke and fire everywhere on the ground from bomb attacks and downed aircraft. Only one other game has given me the awesome sight of a sky full of hundreds of planes (Aces High 2).

It is practically a study sim complete with clickable 3d cockpits and engine management, but is at its best in simulating the complete Battle of Britain.

Originally, to play a campaign, you had to act as the overall strategic commander as well as fly any missions that interested you.

The latest patch gives you the ability to simply fly the missions assigned to you.

Of course, the results of your missions still impact the overall campaign dynamics.

 

Despite awesome graphics, the IL-2 series has never really caught my interest.

I every game in the series except the latest 1946, but I hesitate to buy that since I have never spent more than a few hours playing the other versions.

Whatever it is that seems to be missing from IL-2 appears to have been captured by BoB2.

 

My one hope is that some day they finally get around to giving MiG Alley the same treatment.

I love MiG Alley even more than the original BoB, so naturally I expect that I would enjoy MiG Alley 2 more than BoB2.

That's saying alot given that after years of playing combat flight sims, playing BoB2 leaves me feeling shock and awe with every massive air battle.

 

Perhaps some day the Flying Tigers sim based on this engine will be released.

If that day every comes, they have my money.

I don't know if anyone could pry my fingers from my joystick if I could fly P-40Bs over Burma with the same level of detail/immersion/realism as BoB2.

 

If multiplayer support is ever added and well implemented, this could end up being one of the greatest flight sims of all time.

 

I got hooked on the BoBI and purchased BoBII some time ago. However, I never could get the doggone thing to work. There are four patches out there and I have tried various combinations of install and patches on Windows XP. I have tried running in Win98 compatible mode and it seems to make no difference. The program starts, select a sortie and aircraft and the program hangs up on a beautiful picture of the channel with faint fleets of German aircraft in the clouds. Anybody got any ideas? (2.8 Gig processor, 500 Gig HD and 2 Gig Ram, PNY GForce Graphics w/512 onboard, AX9c)

[+Brainless 1]

I got hooked on the BoBI and purchased BoBII some time ago. However, I never could get the doggone thing to work. There are four patches out there and I have tried various combinations of install and patches on Windows XP. I have tried running in Win98 compatible mode and it seems to make no difference. The program starts, select a sortie and aircraft and the program hangs up on a beautiful picture of the channel with faint fleets of German aircraft in the clouds. Anybody got any ideas? (2.8 Gig processor, 500 Gig HD and 2 Gig Ram, PNY GForce Graphics w/512 onboard, AX9c)

 

I have this sim BOBII and IMHO it is one of the best if not the best combat sim currently available Thirdwire series excepted. The feeling of 'air over the wings' with a Force Feedback stick is the best I've come across and I've come across a few!

 

When Shockwave first issued the sim it had multiple bugs and it still has a few minor issues but these have been gradually reduced by the guys at Shockwave and I would have no hesitation in recommending it to any 'prophead'.

 

I had the same problems as you when I first installed it on one of my drives but found it works best on the default 'C'. You must disabled any anit-virus protection first as it won't run with any sort of anti-virus programme running in the background. All these issues such as 'hanging and CTD are extensively dealt with at the Shockwave site and it should run just fine on Windows XP.

 

I recommend you head over to the Shockwave site log in and check these issues. If you still can't get it to run e-mail the technical support there and I'm sure they'll sort you out.

 

It's a great sim and well worth the time and effort to get it working.

[+streakeagle 871]

I had an issue with long stutters/pauses after patching from 2.06 to 2.07 and applying multiskin.

I uninstalled, deleted the folder, then reinstalled and applied patch 2.07.

Everything works great, though I haven't applied multiskin yet.

 

Since I already had Rowan's BoB, I waited until this game was well patched before spending any time on it.

I don't remember when I finally purchased/downloaded it, but my download starts with 2.06, so it wasn't too long ago.

I haven't had much time to play with it.

After I realized there was a 2.07 patch, I spent the night (i.e. lost many hours of sleep) playing this sim.

I played a bit last night as well.

No game will ever be perfect, but this one is almost as good as the hardware and technology permit.

 

Jug,

 

I have no idea what is causing your problem, but as suggested above, get over to the Shockwave forums and surely the BDG guys will be able to figure out what's going wrong and help you fix it.

The reward for you efforts will be having the fun of diving in on large hordes of Ju87 Stukas, Ju88s, and He111s amidst swirling dogfights with Bf109s... utterly amazing.

I die a lot ignoring the escorts and taking down as many bombers as I can.

When I want to dogfight, I play the 1v1 mission against a HERO pilot.

It is much easier flying the Spit, the Bf109 requires a lot more skill to exploit its power advantage, but the AI makes it a good fight either way.

Edited December 21, 2007 by streakeagle

[jayo 0]

Ive had BoB2 for a while and it IS underrated,i think what initiated the negative response was the initial release WAS seriously flawed (just take a look on the early BoB2 forum posts!) and the sim has had a hard time reinstating itself since.

 

The patches have pretty much ironed issues out and what we have now IMO is a very good cfs.

I have yet to see another cfs (and ive tried them all) recreate the mayhem and fear that comes with an air battle of 100+ aircraft in the same piece of sky.

Just imagine wheeling into such a large formation of bombers,whilst waiting for the top cover of 109's to come screaming down into the melee!!

 

The game handles the sheer volume of aircraft to a degree unparalleled by other cfs's.

STUNNING......

[tflash 3]

Wel, I exactly had the same idea: BOB2 is truly an underrated sim. When I installed the first version, it was particularly unstable on my system so I did not even play it. Since the latests patches however, I feel the sim is totally transformed. It is simply stunning. It works tremendously good, both on my XP desktop as my widescreen Vista portable, and have very nice weather effects, good visuals and good AI.

 

I still would say IL2 is the more complete game, in my view still the absolute top sim, but I find BOB 2 a true jewel and I'm happy I downloaded and tried the patches.

 

With Lockon, F4:AF, IL2 1946, WOV/WOE and BOB2 I guess the combat sim enthousiast has nothing to complain of these days. I'm having incredible fun, so much is true!

[The_KGB 0]

I wasnt sure wheather to buy this game or not. Im more into the WW1 sims, but i am looking for a good world war 2 sim to get into, would this one be a good starter? Im really wondering about the flight mechanincs, as IL2 seemed a bit to complex for my tastes.

[+Jug 99]

I had an issue with long stutters/pauses after patching from 2.06 to 2.07 and applying multiskin.

I uninstalled, deleted the folder, then reinstalled and applied patch 2.07.

Everything works great, though I haven't applied multiskin yet.

 

Since I already had Rowan's BoB, I waited until this game was well patched before spending any time on it.

I don't remember when I finally purchased/downloaded it, but my download starts with 2.06, so it wasn't too long ago.

I haven't had much time to play with it.

After I realized there was a 2.07 patch, I spent the night (i.e. lost many hours of sleep) playing this sim.

I played a bit last night as well.

No game will ever be perfect, but this one is almost as good as the hardware and technology permit.

 

Jug,

 

I have no idea what is causing your problem, but as suggested above, get over to the Shockwave forums and surely the BDG guys will be able to figure out what's going wrong and help you fix it.

The reward for you efforts will be having the fun of diving in on large hordes of Ju87 Stukas, Ju88s, and He111s amidst swirling dogfights with Bf109s... utterly amazing.

I die a lot ignoring the escorts and taking down as many bombers as I can.

When I want to dogfight, I play the 1v1 mission against a HERO pilot.

It is much easier flying the Spit, the Bf109 requires a lot more skill to exploit its power advantage, but the AI makes it a good fight either way.

 

Brainless, StreakEagle,

 

Thanks. Wilco. Forgot completely about the anti-virus thing. It is really nice to have some fellow gamers like you two around when you're stuck.

 

Happy New Year!

[sparkomatic 7]

I liked both MiG Alley and BoB

[Sixgun 0]

Well, I guess I will have to go out and find this one. I am a big BOB buff.

 

here here on a new Mig Alley.

Edited January 5, 2008 by Sixgun

[Uriah 1]

KGB and all,

 

you might want to try European Air War. Great updates have been made and the small coders group has the s code and will in a month or two present an update. However, it will not touch the update that the VBDG did for BOB. EAW has little management of engine and props and such. If ever BOBII should get multiplayer...

 

The main site for EAW is over at SimHQ.

[GreyCap 0]

I agree BOBII is a great flight sim (I even love the head movement) but what has kinda ruined it for me is the campaign. 

I just wanted to jump in my spit and shoot down some planes, like I do in EAW. Not play military strategist. I know there are some tweaks to play as 'just a pilot' but even that seemed a little compicated to me.

I guess I'm just a little lazy, other then that BOBII get 5 thumbs up!

[mppd 16]

Another vote here. Had an urge to try a WW2 sim again the other day, finally got CFS3 to work but not impressed. I bought BofB2 as a download online from Shockwave about a week ago, and it's the greatest thing since sliced bread! Multi-skin patch is superb. Flight model seemed a little twichy and sensitive for my present (interim) joystick, but the more I fly it, the better it feels. Highly recommended.

 

Mike D.

[+streakeagle 871]

I just got around to installing BoB 2.10 + Battle of France (with new 3d models) on Windows 7. Again I can't praise this game enough. It is clearly one of the best sims you can get if you don't mind focusing on the Battle of Britain. Sometime this year there will be a version 2.11 patch with even more features and before that happens, there will be a Tiger Moth flight training addon.

[jayo 0]

Agreed,immersion is the key and this sim has it in bucket loads.

[zagnut 0]

Just read about how much you guys love this sim and said "screw it". Downloading- time meow

 

On the subject of the BoB, has anyone seen the movie "Dark Blue World"? It came out around the time of the Pearl Harbor Michael Bay movie I think.. None the less, great flick, and very well done combat scenes mostly using the original BoB movie air combat scenes.

Edited July 8, 2010 by zagnut

[+Stary 2,427]

I think "Dark Blue World" came few years later (2004 or 2005)

[+streakeagle 871]

Finally got around to installing BoB2 on my "new" PC.

First time flying the 2.12 update.

Some aspects of the graphics are looking a bit dated, but overall I still love this sim.

Simply taking off using full realism in a Spitfire is pure joy and dogfighting 1v1 is as good or better than SF2.

I don't have IL-2:COD to compare it to, but aside from that one, I haven't ever played a better sim for the massive interceptors/escorts/bombers type of engagement.

Clickable cockpit, great flight modeling, decent if not the best AI.

Just expanding the planeset to encompass the full WW2 experience and I would be very happy.

DCS:P-51 has a bit more control detail and better graphics, but it could use a lesson or two on how to make fun/interesting/challenging dogfight AI.

Of course, DCS has decent multiplayer, making AI obsolete anyway if you can find others you enjoy flying with/against.

I still think this sim is highly underrated.

It is a top notch sim and a fun game to boot.

[JediMaster 451]

Sorry, no matter how good the MP, sometimes it's just easier/better to fly vs AI than look for a group of like-minded people who can all get together at the same time.

 

CloD's AI is not a weak point of it, although it's not a high point either. It's pretty average there...good enough that the other flaws make you not care about the AI's issues.

 

DCS AI was programmed for fast jets, so I'm not sure how much the prop jobs suffer from that. I know I've always found the jet combat good enough anyway.

[+streakeagle 871]

Tooling around in BoB2 Spits and 109s is easily as fun and challenging as DCS:P-51 with a much better environment (i.e. historical setting and opponents).

BoB2 AI is probably the best close-in dogfight AI I have fought with full scalability from dummy to ace.

But even the best AI is never as fun or hard as fighting good people.

 

For me, Aces High is still the best way to enjoy the thrill of multiplayer.

But for several years now, I haven't had the time to get proficient enough to make it worth the monthly fee.

[+streakeagle 871]

Been spending a lot of time doing 1v1 with the enemy set to the highest level, "Hero".

With the Spitfire Mk1A vs the Bf109E-4, I can kill the Bf109 every time, though sometimes needing a lot of patience.

But the I cannot get the Spitfire while flying the 109.

I can't close him, I can't out climb him, and I certainly can't out turn him.

Just to stay with him, I have to slowly bleed my altitude down until he drives me into the sea or he gets a good burst into me.

At any other level: Regular, Veteran, or even Ace, I can smoke the Spitfire.

Just not on "Hero".

i will say this: I hate the German cannons because of their low muzzle velocity/fast drop, making high g shots very difficult.

I also hate the offset gunsight.

In reality, being offset doesn't mess up the sight, it just appears to move around and you have to move so that it is on the glass.

In the game, if you are not centered over the sight, the bullets do not fall on the cross in level flight.

Overall the Spitfire is much easier/more capable aside from the wimpy 8x0.303 guns.

Aces High has performance charts that agree with BoB2.

They show that the Spitfire I actually was superior to the Bf109E-4 in almost every area of the flight envelope.

Given that the Bf109 pilots were low on fuel and ordered to stick close to the bombers rather than boom-n-zoom on fighter sweeps, it is amazing that they didn't do much worse.

 

I also practiced full realism take-offs, which are graded verbally.

It took me a few minutes, but I finally got a perfect takeoff rather than the reminder to be "gentler with my kite."

The Spitfire is also much easier for performing a rapid scramble takeoff.

[JediMaster 451]

No Il-2-style "center to gunsight" option? I fly most of the time in Il-2 that way with the German birds. I'd rather be sitting to the side in the cockpit for T/O and landing and centered on the gun than vice versa.