Anyone flying full DiD Standard ?

[Olham 164]

Just created a new pilot with Jasta 12, Epinoy, 20. Mai 1917; for my first "Full DiD Campaign.

(He even got a brandnew skin).

It was much harder than I had expected.

But our first mission was a "bad start" - we had a scramble. It took me a moment to find the

enemy craft, as we almost looked into the sun. There they where: 10 aircraft - but which type?

 

I started and flew right into the sun, always checking around me. Now I had lost them!

Although I knew, which direction they had been flying, I couldn't see them any more!

I turned in the sun, to fly their direction now. There! One, two specs! Where are the others?

My flight is coming up now, I order "attack", and round they go. Now, there comes a Pup after

one of my wingmen! I zoom after him and can hit him hard; steep bank right, tight turn, can

follow and give him more! He falls down like a feather - crash! Now they are everywhere.

My wingmen are all over the field - must be careful, but can't check everywhere.

A second Pup is attacking my wingmate now, and again I give him a terrible burst from 200 feet.

He is producing dark smoke, turning wide right, descending. I try to get behind him, but he is so

slow, that I must reduce throttle a lot. Now I hit him, engine catching fire - that one's finished.

But I can't recover from a following stall and crash - fatally...

 

I will try it again and hope to start with another mission. Maybe I'll drop 'scrambles' for the real

DiD pilot from now on. But it was exciting, thrilling!

Edited July 7, 2009 by Olham

[Launchbury 1]

I play no TAC, no labels, but I do warp, because with my schedule, and the length of time it takes to just get through one day of the war in OFF, it would take me a year to progress just a month. How I do it, though, is I warp as normal, but when enemies force me out of warp I continue flying my assigned course, and checking the sky as I would do normally. Just because you're dropped from warp doesn't mean you're going to be attacked. Plenty of times I've dropped and then had the unseen enemy pass far enough away from me to enter warp again.

[Dej 17]

I think it's legitimate to give Scrambles a miss if you're playing DiD absolute... i.e. no /anything. It's suicide to go up. Better to roleplay by cowering under your desk and vowing to 'have at the bastards' when you're next aloft.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Dej

[Olham 164]

Yeah, warp should be okay. I often choose "optional Flight", when the first one is too long.

[Olham 164]

Yes, would be pure luck to survive those. And the aces didn't do them.

[Launchbury 1]

I think it's legitimate to give Scrambles a miss if you're playing DiD absolute... i.e. no /anything. It's suicide to go up. Better to roleplay by cowering under your desk and vowing to 'have at the bastards' when you're next aloft.

 

No, you get on the phone and say: "Hello? I'd like to leave a message for the head of the Royal Flying Corps. That's Air Marshall Sir Hugh Massingbird Massingbird DCFC and BAR. Message reads "Where are you, you bastard?"

[Guest British_eh]

Hi there:

 

Flying the DR1, SE5a, and Sop Tripe, with Warp to get my boys together on the way to the mission, no Labels, and I say olde chap, a bit tough wouldn't you say to fly with no TAC Display. I set it to 1 NM, as although it's not pure DiD, the way I SEE it, the AI see you. Additionaly you can't use your periperial vision to full advantage as you could with the naked eye. Even with TIR, I have problems seeing much at all, so.................I am complelled to use the TAC. By the way, even with, and at 100% Realism, the best I've done to date is 4.33 hours :{

 

Cheers,

 

British_eh

[griphos 0]

Sometimes, sometimes not. I think it was Dej who turned me on to the idea of following my other flight. I used to use TAC set at 2 miles and then turn it off, sometimes right away, when I think it's probably enemy, and at any rate as soon as white squares turned red, when I suspect it might be another friendly flight. This seemed to be the only way I could spot any enemy at all most times and definitely the only way to make it to my assigned waypoints/targets. But then someone (Dej? RAF?) suggested that I just follow my other flight. They know where they're going! And often, their behavior clues me in to enemy in the area that I can't see.

 

So, when there's another flight, I fly without TAC and follow them. If I get separated, which happens a fair bit, then TAC comes on so I can navigate until enemy show up, and then off again.

 

This is my favorite way to fly. It's not pure DiD, I guess. And I'll turn labels on briefly to see what Jasta I'm fighting, particularly if there are colorful planes (like to know what aces I'm up against, and I haven't memorized their insignia/skins). But I do enjoy that uncluttered view while flying, and the adreniline that comes from not knowing where the enemy is exactly.

 

But I certainly relate to your description of losing the enemy. Happens to me all the time. I'll fly into a furball and the next thing I know, I'm all by myself as far as I can tell. Head on a swivel (TrackIR) searching all around for where they went and seeing nothing! As often as not, some bullets will whiz by from an unsuspected direction while I'm doing this, and then I spot them again. I've not ever made the 17 hours this way, though. But then, I've not ever made the 17 hours any way.

Edited July 8, 2009 by griphos

[Duce Lewis 3]

I think it's legitimate to give Scrambles a miss if you're playing DiD absolute... i.e. no /anything. It's suicide to go up. Better to roleplay by cowering under your desk and vowing to 'have at the bastards' when you're next aloft.

Scrambles are tough, maybe not the most realistic, but they're still my favorite

On every other mission type I'm pretty strict about staying high (safe ...r) in the scrap

Scrambles test your skill more than any other mission and so are the most thrilling for me

[Launchbury 1]

Funny thing about scrambles. This section of the war in which I find myself is so devoid of germans that during a scramble mission none of them turned up.

[Dej 17]

Sometimes, sometimes not. I think it was Dej who turned me on to the idea of following my other flight...

 

Not me. I think it was probably Creaghorn, who seems to have the mastery of flying without any aids at all. He also suggested that you hit 'A' occasionally if you're flight leader and see whether your wingies break away after something you can't see.

[Creaghorn 10]

no tac, no labels, no external views, no brackets, no targetcone, no visual aids at all.

only aid is my eysight and my constantly moving head, scanning the skies and grounds.

limited peripherical vision doesn't bother me. it's my virtual goggles i am wearing during flight.

warping till it stops the first time and then finishing it to the end.

 

scrambles are the only mission i ever use tac at the beginning to see what kind of enemy is coming.

it's not realistic to have a scramble without knowing before who's up there. usually on scrambles you jump from your coffeetable, puting on your flyingsuit whilst somebody is yelling: "10 FE2b's have been seen coming into our direction blahblah" The enemy formation is anounced by ground units via telephone or latest when you see them. as long you don't see them, there is no sense to scramble. if you see them, then you decide if getting airborne or not. against two seaters i'll go up. against scouts i'll skip it.

[Hasse Wind 46]

I've flown only a couple of missions without using warp at least part of the way. It's very time-consuming, especially if you're flying a slow crate or escorting them, and it can also be quite tedious if nothing happens for a long time. (This is a game after all, and playing it should be fun, not tedious.) But I've never used labels in OFF campaigns, not even when I started playing the sim. They are the biggest immersion killers in any flight sim, in my opinion.

[Speedski 0]

It surprises me to hear people say they don't like scrambles. I see scramble appear at briefing and I smile, have a little squirm in my seat and say , Yeah get me up there. I have tried to set most things on realistic. Last time I looked I think it said %130 , is that possible? I do use warp because I like lots of action. I don't think it makes it any easier, perhaps the opposite. It certainly makes you work to stay alive.

 

Anyway, for me, I love the furballs , and if you are by yourself you work up a nervous sweat. If you survive and send the last one spiralling down, you have a great sense of achievment returning safely back at the home airfield.

 

How about surviving a furball, youre chasing the last enmy on your own and you get jumped by another 5 enmy. Now this sim really knows how to put the pressure on and keep it on. I am sure at times in the real war people faced daunting odds.

 

Just love the sim.

 

Cheers,

Speedski

[Peeppu 207]

I play no TAC, no labels and no warp. I enjoy the flight and fight.

[Creaghorn 10]

I play no TAC, no labels and no warp. I enjoy the flight and fight.

 

very well said and the way to go .

 

i wish i wouldn't need to warp. but then 2 campaign days would last a week in RL because of time issues. one campaign day should be at least one real day, not less.

i am not jack bauer and it's not 24, where one day lasts a complete season

[Olham 164]

Quite understandable, that you don't try full Did, when you have not such a good eyesight as Creaghorn,

British_Eh and UncleAl - you want to have SOME fun.

 

Griphos - that's a good idea (of Creaghorn?), to follow flight1 - will use that!

Labels on for quick identification is understandable for me (I may do so too).

The "lost enemy problem" - you can go very low, to find them against the sky. Helps, but also bring you into disadvantage.

 

Duce - I love scrambles too. But my "Full DiD pilot" shall not do them anymore - too risky.

It will be hard enough for him to survive. For the fun, I have other pilots (I have about 5 pilots right noe).

 

No joke, Launch? No attackers? Calls for the 17 hour mark there!

 

Creaghorn: scrambles are the only mission i ever use tac at the beginning to see what kind of enemy is coming.

Ha! Gottcha! So you use them? I didn't in my first flight with the Full DiD; it was a scramble, and from what I saw high up there, they looked

like Strutters to me, so we went up - but they where Pups! Quite a different story! But if I hadn't lowered throttle in my turn, I might have made it!

What you could do instead of TAC is pressing "pause", and then look up using zoom, until you recognise the type.

 

Speedski, if you like the big action, you should only fly since summer 1917, or in 1918.

Lots of action, dense furballs guaranteed!

 

Peepu - then you are a "Full DiD pilot", I'd say.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Olham

[Creaghorn 10]

Creaghorn: scrambles are the only mission i ever use tac at the beginning to see what kind of enemy is coming.

Ha! Gottcha! So you use them? I didn't in my first flight with the Full DiD; it was a scramble, and from what I saw high up there, they looked

like Strutters to me, so we went up - but they where Pups! Quite a different story! But if I hadn't lowered throttle in my turn, I might have made it!

What you could do instead of TAC is pressing "pause", and then look up using zoom, until you recognise the type.

 

LOL

nice try, but not quite true.

in real when there was a scramble, you mostly knew what is coming BEFORE they were here, because you got a phonecall of ground units or observers telling you there's a bunch of bombers near our sector flying towards facilities or something like this. you knew there will be a formation somewhere near in some minutes while you got dressed and nipped your coffee. since you don't know in BHAH, i simulate it by taking a look on the tac whilst on the ground. if they are two seaters, tac away and start the engine. if they are scouts (wich you also mostly would know in real before they actually appear) i let them go because it's suicidal to go up. i'll rather stay on the ground and look for cover. retaliation tomorrow.

in real even if there was no warning from ground units 15 minutes ago, you would hear the sirene, see the flaming onions, run out the mess and see what they are BEFORE you get airborn. beeing outside and looking for them. if you identify the shape as two seaters beein somewhere near, then GOGOGO to intercept them or catch them. if bombers are looking for your drome, look for cover or get airborne. if you look up and see scouts, look for cover or get airborn. but in any case you will know on a scramble mission what is above you BEFORE you enter your pit. you won't go up without knowing what is going to attack you. that's not realistic. and that i'm simulating with taking a quick glance on tac. only on scrambles for a second while on the ground.

[Mr. Lucky 0]

I never fly with aids. My latest, best pilot was flying Sop 1 1/2 with RNAS 3 and had about 6hours. Just completed a mission where I spotted a flight of Eindekkers and shot down two. Now, I used to play death on die roll but lately have been using dead is dead. Still not happy with that as comming in to land on that last two kill mission, I bounced on landing and crashed. Killed in action. The mission review said I crashed at 13 mph and alt of 9 feet. Not a very serious crash but I guess the game determined that stringer snapped and went through my heart or the ol' connecting rod in the kidneys.

 

I also don't use warp so I fly maybe 3 or 4 times per week, and it does get tedious, but that's part of the experience I want to have. The boredom as well as the thrill. I've fallen asleep several times to be awakened by the sound of machine guns to find I'd squeezed the trigger when I wen to sleep. that wakes you up in a hurry, believe me. Also, flying a long mission and surviving makes the accomplishment seem that much better if you've got the time.

 

I retract my earlier statement. Due to the dearth of features on the briefing map, I sometimes use the TAC for navigation to a ground target, but I set it on ships only so all I see are the blue nav line and distance to the waypoint. As a result of all this, I never see medals, promotions or aircraft upgrades, as I don't live long enough, but se la guerre. I keep trying though.

[themightysrc 5]

"if they are scouts (wich you also mostly would know in real before they actually appear) i let them go because it's suicidal to go up. i'll rather stay on the ground and look for cover. retaliation tomorrow."

 

I'd be interested to know how WWI pilots of the time handled these situations - I'll bet they handled it exactly this way.

 

As for the maximum authenticity thing of no TAC, no warp, etc - no, it's not for me. I have a hard enough time staying alive as it is (as the heap of dead pilots around my desk attests), so I don't mind using game aids. For maximum authenticity, I'm told that sitting naked and being sprayed with freezing water in front of an industrial strength fan, having first gulped down a pint or two of castor oil, greatly enhances the feeling of being there. Even better to have one's partner lurking in the background with a 12-bore for those occasions when you fail to return....

[Speedski 0]

Olham' yes I have been flying in 1918. Nice and busy. I think I saw you there. Didn't I shoot you down a while back ? ( This is where you come back with the comment about the nurse )

 

Cheers,

Speedski

[RAF_Louvert 101]

My current mission is a full-on DiD campaign with no warp. I already fly using no aids of any kind and a realism setting of 120, and I never leave the cockpit view. I have just over 14 hours in the DH2 in the spring of 1916 with 24 Squadron. I am also using my "engine trouble" dice roll method to further add the historic problems that cropped up regularly with these early rotaries. I have had to find a field to land in twice due to my engine conking out, and on the second one the screen suddenly went dark and I was sent back to the Campaign menu. The mission registered as completed and I wasn't dead, so I assumed it was a very hard landing, (even though it did not seem so when I touched down). None the less, I put my pilot in the hospital for a week before releasing him back to active duty.

 

BTW, have I mentioned lately...I love this sim.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Creaghorn 10]

My current mission is a full-on DiD campaign with no warp. I already fly using no aids of any kind and a realism setting of 120, and I never leave the cockpit view. I have just over 14 hours in the DH2 in the spring of 1916 with 24 Squadron. I am also using my "engine trouble" dice roll method to further add the historic problems that cropped up regularly with these early rotaries. I have had to find a field to land in twice due to my engine conking out, and on the second one the screen suddenly went dark and I was sent back to the Campaign menu. The mission registered as completed and I wasn't dead, so I assumed it was a very hard landing, (even though it did not seem so when I touched down). None the less, I put my pilot in the hospital for a week before releasing him back to active duty.

 

BTW, have I mentioned lately...I love this sim.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

cool. you're the man, louvert .

how does your engine trouble diceroll work? i'm sure the devs are going to implement much more unreliable engines in p4 if possible, but for the moment it's a good idea.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

TKS Creaghorn, and I am glad you asked about my "engine trouble" system. I was wondering how many had actually tried it since I posted it back in March. Here again is the outline from my original post:

 

As most of you likely know from your Great War studies, the early planes were bedeviled by intermittent engine problems. Defective parts, dirty fuel, mis-adjustments, and a myriad of other issues all resulted in engines suddenly acting up or conking out altogether. To simulate this when I fly I have developed the following system.

 

You will use four standard dice. After take-off and as you begin your circle of the field to form up you roll the dice, and are then bound by these results.

 

15 = Second dice role after crossing mud.

 

11 = Second dice roll upon reaching assigned target.

 

24 = Engine drops to 50% power, (hit #5 key immediately).

 

21 = Engine drops to 10% power, (hit #1 key immediately).

 

5 = Fuel mixture will not function. This means you can either continue the mission and fly at lower altitudes, or turn back and land.

 

13 = Catastrophic engine failure, you must immediately shut off engine and pray you have somewhere to land.

 

If you must roll the dice a second time I recommend you do it either well before engaging EA, or after a dogfight if you took no damage during the engagement, (and I make that stipulation because with the latest upgrade if you did take damage you will already have your hands full trying to get home anyway). Feel free to use this idea as you wish. It does add yet another realism layer to an already deeply immersive combat experience.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Olham 164]

Haha! Mighty, enjoy it as you like all the way, of course. I don't like freezing, or castor oil, too! Lol!

I'd be interested to know how WWI pilots of the time handled these situations - I'll bet they handled it exactly this way.

Well, they didn't go up for scouts, when they didn't have the time to climb to a good altitude.

 

Speedski, in my 1918 campaign, I didn't get shot down. I ended in a fatal crash with a SPAD XIII (my best pilot so far - sigh!)

But if you flew a SPAD, it might well be, that I shot YOU down. I had 58 claims, most of them SPADs (14 confirmed).

 

Lou and Creaghorn - you two must be the "Top Reality Cracks" here. That dice roll thing is not a bad idea. One day, when I

can do all else in my sleep, I'll bring up more "reality" with that methode.

But so far, I find it hard enough in an Albatros, to make it a while.