Campaign Query

[Tanyrhiew 0]

While waiting for my DVD to arrive, I've a few questions regarding the campaign and how well it simulates the air war:

 

Will I see 60+ aircraft dogfights over Ypres in 1917?

Do you see 100 aircraft scraps starting at ground level and going all the way up to 15,000 feet in 1918?

Do the germans stay predominantly over their side of the lines?

Is morale featured at a squadron level ala Rowan's Flying Corps were a demoralised squadron tended to stay well back from the front and show reluctance when engaging?

Is the Allied numerical superioty represented in any meaningful way?

Do you see multi staffel german circus operating together in 1918?

Does the AI try to save itself when outmatched?

Is it possible to stalk the AI flights ala Mannock/MvR et al?

 

If the answer to a lot of these is yes I can forsee many hours with OFF. Although I tried phase 2 when It came out I've been holding off getting phase 3 due to seeing how ROF stacked up, a general weariness when it came to flight sims in general (playing il-2 from the demo days did that) and due to SES's naval games (Bullethead, so this is were you've been hiding!). I finally cracked after leafing through the screenshots thread and ordered. If OFF engages me as much as the first Red Baron did I will be very happy!

[Gromit 0]

While waiting for my DVD to arrive, I've a few questions regarding the campaign and how well it simulates the air war:

 

Will I see 60+ aircraft dogfights over Ypres in 1917?

Do you see 100 aircraft scraps starting at ground level and going all the way up to 15,000 feet in 1918?

Do the germans stay predominantly over their side of the lines?

Is morale featured at a squadron level ala Rowan's Flying Corps were a demoralised squadron tended to stay well back from the front and show reluctance when engaging?

Is the Allied numerical superioty represented in any meaningful way?

Do you see multi staffel german circus operating together in 1918?

Does the AI try to save itself when outmatched?

Is it possible to stalk the AI flights ala Mannock/MvR et al?

 

If the answer to a lot of these is yes I can forsee many hours with OFF. Although I tried phase 2 when It came out I've been holding off getting phase 3 due to seeing how ROF stacked up, a general weariness when it came to flight sims in general (playing il-2 from the demo days did that) and due to SES's naval games (Bullethead, so this is were you've been hiding!). I finally cracked after leafing through the screenshots thread and ordered. If OFF engages me as much as the first Red Baron did I will be very happy!

 

I'm still too new to the sim myself to intellignetly answer your questions, but I can say I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised at the depth of this sim (at least as much as I've found in the few days I've had it. I haven't actually started a campaign yet. I'm saving that for this weekend. :)

Edited October 15, 2009 by Gromit

[Creaghorn 10]

hi tanyrhiew,

 

Will I see 60+ aircraft dogfights over Ypres in 1917? Depends how good your rig is and what overall flight density you set. if your rig can handle so many action, the answer is yes.

Do you see 100 aircraft scraps starting at ground level and going all the way up to 15,000 feet in 1918? not yet, as long as i know. same answer as above

Do the germans stay predominantly over their side of the lines? yes

Is morale featured at a squadron level ala Rowan's Flying Corps were a demoralised squadron tended to stay well back from the front and show reluctance when engaging? yes

Is the Allied numerical superioty represented in any meaningful way?

yes

Do you see multi staffel german circus operating together in 1918? not yet. other jastas can join your fight, but more when coincidentally in same area. similar to rb3d

Does the AI try to save itself when outmatched? regarding AI. the best you'll ever see so far. some people who saw vids complained the devs used multiplayer as commercial vid. so good is the AI some thought it was controled by humans. regarding scouts saving themselves when outmatched it can (and probably will) be improved. mostly the dogfight is over when one side is swept from the sky.

Is it possible to stalk the AI flights ala Mannock/MvR et al? yes. that's what i mostly do

Edited October 15, 2009 by Creaghorn

[Bullethead 12]

Welcome aboard, Tanyrhiew. And yes, you have to buy drinks here, too

 

Will I see 60+ aircraft dogfights over Ypres in 1917?

Do you see 100 aircraft scraps starting at ground level and going all the way up to 15,000 feet in 1918?

 

As the war progresses, the number of planes involved goes way up. It starts growing significantly in late 1917 and by 1918 it's sheer madness. In 1918, what you typically see in the hot sectors are huge melees with 3-5 dozen planes in them all concentrated from the deck up to about 10,000' and spread about 2 miles wide. These melees are continually reinforced by flights of 6-12 more planes arriving at the top and being sucked into the meatgrinder. Above this up to considerably higher altitudes are a bunch of other flights spread out over a wider radius and skirmishing with each other or just passing by unmolested for the time being. And everywhere you look in all directions, there are many planes on both sides. Bear in mind that many of these are 2-seaters, of course.

 

So I guess it depends on what you call a "scrap". Depending on where you draw the line, it will include more or less planes. But late in the war, there are planes everywhere you look and most of them want to kill you. Also, you can set how many planes are in the air at once, in case you've got an old computer. The above is on the highest setting.

 

1. Do the germans stay predominantly over their side of the lines?

2. Is morale featured at a squadron level ala Rowan's Flying Corps were a demoralised squadron tended to stay well back from the front and show reluctance when engaging?

3. Is the Allied numerical superioty represented in any meaningful way?

4. Do you see multi staffel german circus operating together in 1918?

5. Does the AI try to save itself when outmatched?

6. Is it possible to stalk the AI flights ala Mannock/MvR et al?

 

1. If they're on the defensive on the ground, then yes. However, they do cross the lines at times even when on the defensive.

 

2. Bad squadrons have to carry on regardless of their feelings. They just tend to run away at 1st contact and die in droves if they are forced to fight.

 

3 and 4. All the squadrons in the game are historical and are based where there really were at any given time. Thus, in some sectors at some times, the Entente has more planes, but at other places at the same time maybe the Germans do. However, in general the Entente has more planes. This is especially true say by mid-1918, when the Germans are beginning to be swamped everywhere.

 

The various Jastas of JGs are based together as they were in real life, and thus operate in the same area. But AFAIK, they don't combine in the air into massive single formations deliberately. The effect is about the same, though.

 

5. Yup, the AI will try to run away. It's getting better at this than it was before, when it stayed in the fight too long. Now I think it's about right.

 

6. Yes, you can surprise the enemy. Use the sun and clouds.

[Tanyrhiew 0]

Cheers guys, your answers have me licking my lips in anticipation (starts uninstalling Il-2 after checking out the 4.09 patch, yup still soulless off-line). The DVD cannot arrive soon enough! While I wait which book do I re-read McCudden's Flying Fury or Yeates' Winged Victory? Think I'll plump for the latter.

 

PS Bullethead, you won't get a pint out of me until that damned AI is fixed in Jutland, now get back to work (Ex) Marine!

 

PPS The goose meets cattle prod is the funniest thing I've read in yonks. Definately the way you tell 'em :-D

Edited October 15, 2009 by Tanyrhiew