Modern UK terrain?

[+Baltika 85]

Thanks for the info and suggestions, everyone.

 

RAF bases at Lossiemouth, Kinloss and Leuchars now operational. Leeuwarden also up and running, and I am working on the rest of the bases in Holland suggested by Kirsten and lazboy - thanks for the lat/long co-ordinates, that is a tremendous help. Placing cities/airbases inland away from obvious coastal features is tricky, and that gives me an extremely useful yardstick to find them on Google earth - even if some bases have been "hexed" on that map. Weird, but the RAF don't seem so concerned about "security." I was extremely depressed to find that all of the useful information about airfields on Iceland has disappeared from Google Earth, and as that was my main research tool, it is a bit of a knock. Like a lot of these things, the info is still available if you want it, it just inconveniences the general (law-abiding) public. Ho-hum. Rant over.

 

I am planning on a beta release to give everyone something to fly over and provide feedback on, so for now I am using stock WoE bases. That will hopefully change in the updated versions.

 

Keep those suggestions coming. If you have a favourite base you want to fly out of, post it up here and it will go in the map.

 

Cheers all,

 

Baltika

[Kirsten 0]

Hey Baltika,

 

For clear pics of the Dutch bases use www.routenet.be , click on the British flag

and use the map. Belgium is avalable only as a map but for some reason Holland

can be seen in aerial pics. Can be magnified considerably for a very clear look at the airfields. As I said, Holland only.....

One litlle suggestion: runway alignment is usually 09-27 or 06-24 or something like it,

because of the prevailing westerly or south-westerly winds.

Except for Gilze Rijen (a secundary N-S runway) you'll find it everywhere.

Would be nice to have a more or less correct alignment. If you need precise info just say so.

Looking very much forward to the terrain (and to Scotland for that matter, because we'll be spending the autumn holidays at good old Loch Tay...........)

 

Aju,

 

Derk

[lazboy 1]

Thanks for the info and suggestions, everyone.

 

Keep those suggestions coming. If you have a favourite base you want to fly out of, post it up here and it will go in the map.

 

Cheers all,

 

Baltika

 

I love how this initial concept has grown and evolved into an exciting concept which will hopefully cover a very important area of operations that has to now been seriously neglected. By including scandinavia and the low countries we will have the oppurtunity to fly some of our favourite aircraft in some different liveries and in their home environments. I am looking forward to flying Finish and Swiss Hornets, Norwegian,Dutch and Polish F-16'S as well as a wide variety of other aircraft in their natural habitats.

 

In order to assist Baltika I have put together a schedule of all the major operational airbases in all the countries covered by the new map giving each ones geographical coordinates.The schedule includes only the major operational bases at which aircraft are actually deployed and does not include helicopter bases, minor air stations or reserve fields but is hopefully fairly comprehensive. As Baltika says if you have any ideas for things to include or that you would like to see then PM Baltika or post your ideas here.

 

Thanks again Baltika for taking the lead on this project and for all your efforts on our behalf.

 

lazboy

[+Baltika 85]

Hi lazboy,

 

Thanks for putting the schedule together, that is a great piece of work in itself and an invaluable resource

 

Like I said, it frees up time I would otherwise have to spend on research to do important stuff like actually siting the bases on the map.

 

Great work,

 

Cheers

[+Baltika 85]

Just thought of another issue, your views would be appreciated:-

 

lazboy mentions flying Polish F-16s, which raises the question of the default alignment for each of the nations featured in the map. In my development build I have the border drawn more or less at its old cold-war limits, with certain Eastern European nations, including Poland, designated as "ENEMY" for game purposes.

 

Where should the border be in the final version? 2008 NATO membership? Cold-war borders and alignments? Or some other combination?

 

As ever, input appreciated :yes:

[Syrinx 13]

I really like the idea of a fully up to date 2008 scenario with NATO being what it is a present. Lots of scope for conflicts in light of recent events.

 

However, saying that...on a personal level I'd love to fly Lightning's out of Binbrook on defensive flights so this sets a cold war 1960's-1980's timeframe and that's already been covered. Oh I dunno, it's the sweetshop scenario for me this !

 

To be perfectly honest I don't really mind, it'll just be cool to fly from the UK. Lots of possibilities either way.

[+Stary 2,427]

Like Lazboy and Nicky I'm for the modern day conflict scenario. A rare opportunity to fly in Polish Air Force as the good guy

[lazboy 1]

I really like the idea of a fully up to date 2008 scenario with NATO being what it is a present. Lots of scope for conflicts in light of recent events.

 

However, saying that...on a personal level I'd love to fly Lightning's out of Binbrook on defensive flights so this sets a cold war 1960's-1980's timeframe and that's already been covered. Oh I dunno, it's the sweetshop scenario for me this !

 

I must admit to being conflicted as well like NFG i have for some while wanted to intercept soviet aircraft over the North Sea with Lightnings and Phantoms but would also like the idea of a fully uptodate map that takes into account the new alignments in Europe and an expanding NATO.

 

We almost need 3 versions of this new map:

 

Version (1) WW2 era that would allow the recreation of famous encounters over northern Europe.

Version(2) Cold War era that would include those bases that were active during that period but which have been subsequently closed, such as those used by the USAFE and the Warsaw Pact.

Version (3) The currently being created modern northern european map that reflects the current orientation of countries such as Poland.

 

Having created the basic modern map I guess that it could then be adapted to fulfil the other two requirements by the addition or deletion of bases and targets. But in the first instance lets get one up and running and then see what could be done.

 

Lazboy

[+Baltika 85]

Yup, I think you've summed it up pretty well, lazboy - 3 versions are required.

 

Although each "time-zone" has its appeal (and I tend to lean towards the WW2 side myself) the broad consensus seems to be towards making a bang-up-to-date modern build. Cold war scenario can be catered for with a relatively straightforward alternative .ini set, changing the frontline and alignments of certain countries/airbases. WW2 era is likely to involve rather more work in terms of operational airfields, their sizes, period-specific ground objects etc, etc so I will leave that on the back-burner for now, as I have a number of other WW2 terrain projects on the go.

 

So the way forward first off will be for modern day. That may require some messing with alignments in the NATIONS.ini, as I am sure the cold war alignments are stock, but that can be optional for the individual user. I can run parallel development of a cold-war .ini set pretty easily. A WW2 version can be put together further down the line.

 

Cheers all,

 

Baltika

[lazboy 1]

This terrain'll be great when it's done.

 

Would be really good to have 208 Buccs out of Lossie hunting for Ivan boats, warp 8 and riding the waves.

Aaaah, that'd be grand

 

Certainly would be interesting to fly some low level strike missions, unfortunately at the moment we are still awaiting the arrival of a Buccanear although I believe there is one in the works.

 

Lazboy

[lazboy 1]

This terrain'll be great when it's done.

 

Would be really good to have 208 Buccs out of Lossie hunting for Ivan boats, warp 8 and riding the waves.

Aaaah, that'd be grand

 

Certainly would be interesting to fly some low level strike missions, unfortunately at the moment we are still awaiting the arrival of a Buccanear although I believe there is one in the works.

 

Lazboy

[BattlerBritain 1]

Yep - I know the Buccaneer is still in the works, but I can dream

 

Did you know that Buccs weren't built? They were carved out of a solid piece of Aluminium.

[+SkippyBing 8]

Aluminium, I thought it was Granite!

[lazboy 1]

I do miss the Fleet Air Arm those were the days.

 

Skippy when the navy gets its new super carriers are the aircraft going to be flown off the deck by naval aviators or the RAF?

 

Lazboy

[kct 5]

Like Lazboy and Nicky I'm for the modern day conflict scenario. A rare opportunity to fly in Polish Air Force as the good guy

 

Even the bad guys wants to fly as the good guys once in a while. Like us (hey, we sent a regiment from the Army to perform Public Duties, overlooking the Buckingham Palace a while back! It was certainly an honour for us).

Edited September 9, 2008 by kct

[lazboy 1]

Well I have been having a delve in the download section and searching the internet and we would appear already to have most of the aircraft and countries represented for use of this forthcoming map, we have Finish & Swiss F-18's, Belguim & Dutch F-16's and plenty of Polish F-16's but I can't for the life of me find any Norwegian aircraft or skins, are there any available or could someone whip up a skin or some decals for some Norwegian F-16's?

 

Lazboy

[+SkippyBing 8]

Skippy when the navy gets its new super carriers are the aircraft going to be flown off the deck by naval aviators or the RAF?

 

The phrase bunfight springs to mind. The current plan is for two RN JSF squadrons and two RAF, all of which would ultimately be able to operate off the carriers, with the RN one's being the specialists and explaining to the Crabs what the pointy end is called. At the moment the RAF seem to be trying to stop the RN generating the required number of fast jet pilots, they required different manning figures than Fleet to stand up a Harrier squadron, as 800/801 are under Strike these days this was a bit of a f**ker hence the Naval Strike Wing which is kind of a mixy blob of all the RN types. The problem is the RAF traditionally don't like going to sea which is fair enough it's not what they signed up for, it does however mean we keep sending carriers to sea without any fixed wing aviation, or borrowing it from someone else which is going to be a bit embarrassing when we get two shiny new carriers at £X billion and no air groups.

Before anyone mentions it I am aware a lot of the lack of fixed wing naval aviation these days is because the jets keep going to Afghanistan, if only because Admirals various keep mentioning that frequently 50% of UK forces there are Navy despite the lack of coastline. I'm just worried that if it gets accepted for too long a period we'll have some really big yachts.

[+allenjb42 4,234]

Well I have been having a delve in the download section and searching the internet and we would appear already to have most of the aircraft and countries represented for use of this forthcoming map, we have Finish & Swiss F-18's, Belguim & Dutch F-16's and plenty of Polish F-16's but I can't for the life of me find any Norwegian aircraft or skins, are there any available or could someone whip up a skin or some decals for some Norwegian F-16's?

 

Lazboy

 

I think some of the very earliest F-16 add on aircraft may have included a Norwegian skin, but I could be wrong and don't have my homecomputer to hand.

[+Baltika 85]

OK, this has taken much longer than expected, but for those who missed it, here is the beta UK terrain:

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=8548

 

The huge Baltic Sea terrain is still a WIP, but certainly is still being worked on. Meantime, you can go sightseeing round most of the UK RAF bases and fight off a Soviet invasion of England, if that tickles your fancy.

 

Feedback most welcome.

 

Slainte!

 

Baltika

[Romflyer 25]

The idea of a Norway scenery and campaign makes me think of my first love in combat flight sims Jetfighter 3, it was a scenario where the evil Russian empire invaded Norway to take over an extremely lucrative oil well industry.....So you were sent in as part of a multinational defence team to fend off the communist aggressor It was all F22 and F18 being flown from carriers and it was great fun. It was actually very similar to TW games in a "sim lite" kind of way.

[shinobi2204 1]

ive just installed this, and i wanted to double check, it is just the UK mapped? only all the enemies seem to be based in the UK

[+Baltika 85]

ive just installed this, and i wanted to double check, it is just the UK mapped? only all the enemies seem to be based in the UK

 

Hi shinobi,

 

As I say a couple of posts above, the huge Baltic Sea terrain is still a WIP. There is a long way to go with that one - we are talking months.

 

So, just the UK for now.

 

Have fun

 

Cheers,

 

Baltika

[+Baltika 85]

I have had a PM about a problem someone is having with their planes exploding on the runway whilst running UK terrain beta 0.4. I have been unable to re-create this issue on my set up, which is WoE patched to Oct 08 standard.

 

Is anyone else who has d/l this terrain having this problem?

 

Thanks for the feedback,

 

Cheers,

 

Baltika

[snakeman 1]

Hi

 

I have only flown out of Biggin Hill and Leuchars so far and both worked ok.

Biggin had a few houses on the end of the runway but had no problem with planes exploding.

 

Hope that helps !

[scouserlad13 0]

Hi

 

I have only flown out of Biggin Hill and Leuchars so far and both worked ok.

Biggin had a few houses on the end of the runway but had no problem with planes exploding.

 

Hope that helps !

 

Do you have collision on?