Scramble!?

[DukeIronHand 8]

Voila.

 

Doesn't that work then only when I am flying for the French?

 

Muwahaha...oh, I kill myself....I got a million of 'em....two shows on Saturday everyone.

[Olham 164]

MvR didn't fly scrambles, he preferred to meet the guys, when he had a better altitude advantage.

But they can be fun, if you are in a light, fast climbing scout.

And of course: select "Manual advance" in "Workshops", to avoid missions you don't find appropriate.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Olham

[DukeIronHand 8]

For those who wish a more seamless experience, i.e., not using the Advance Time feature, modifying the mission files is quite easy...if you just "cut n paste". I recommend replacing instead of deletions as there are extra numbers, at the top of the .txts file for example, that I am unsure how they work or what they do.

 

For the German and British 1917 fighter missions, where I do the bulk of my flying, I just replaced the Scramble mission with another from the list I felt was more "realistic".

 

For the Germans I replaced the Scramble mission with "Patrol Friendly Front Lines" and the British with "Patrol Enemy Front Lines" so essentially they are in the Mission list twice replacing the Scramble.

 

So far it is working fine with no problems. This should be foolproof as the file is not being really being changed just the Scramble mission replaced with another.

 

Actually these files are quite the treasure trove as you can modify your experience (career missions) to whatever you think is realistic for both fighter and the two-seater campaigns for whatever year.

 

For the Devs, if you are still looking in on this post, do all mission types listed have an equal chance of appearing?

[TaillyHo 2]

Hey Wayfarer, how about posting a 'report from the front' every now and then. It would be great to read about early-war life in a B.E2 squad (with or without 'scramble' missions!)

[Wayfarer 5]

Hey Wayfarer, how about posting a 'report from the front' every now and then. It would be great to read about early-war life in a B.E2 squad (with or without 'scramble' missions!)

 

Well, I suppose could give it a go for one of the more 'dramatic' (in 1915 terms ) missions. I think I'll browse the reports a bit to profit by good examples!

Edited February 28, 2011 by Wayfarer

[themightysrc 5]

"Hey Wayfarer, how about posting a 'report from the front' every now and then. It would be great to read about early-war life in a B.E2 squad (with or without 'scramble' missions!) "

 

Hi TH,

 

if you browse through the reports from the front thread - easily the best read on this forum - you'll find that I've posted multiple times concerning being a BE2c pilot in campaign from 1915 to 1917. My pilot is now onto RE8s, which is horrible, but there are a few tips and hints in my earlier posts, should you ever feel the suicidal need to run a career in the BE2c. It's not all doom and gloom, I assure you, and if you do so, you'll learn a lot of worthwhile habits to help you survive in any squadron, and at any period of the war.

 

Cheers,

Si

[Wayfarer 5]

"Hey Wayfarer, how about posting a 'report from the front' every now and then. It would be great to read about early-war life in a B.E2 squad (with or without 'scramble' missions!) "

 

Hi TH,

 

if you browse through the reports from the front thread - easily the best read on this forum - you'll find that I've posted multiple times concerning being a BE2c pilot in campaign from 1915 to 1917. My pilot is now onto RE8s, which is horrible, but there are a few tips and hints in my earlier posts, should you ever feel the suicidal need to run a career in the BE2c. It's not all doom and gloom, I assure you, and if you do so, you'll learn a lot of worthwhile habits to help you survive in any squadron, and at any period of the war.

 

Cheers,

Si

 

Mightysrc, how are you? Would I be right in guesssing that the BE2/RE8 swap is a short while after Bloody April? I have wondered when the change over would occur.

[themightysrc 5]

HI Wayfarer,

 

It's mid/late 1917 for 12 RFC - I can't speak for other units, and it's actually harder to survive! Still, the prospect of Brisfits is a comfort...

 

I'm very well, thank you, and I've been enjoying your posts very much indeed. You have a very keen self-deprecating sense of humour that actually makes me laugh out loud when I'm reading. I trust that you're well and prospering. How's the campaign in the BE getting on? Sweating yet?

 

Cheers,

Si

[TaillyHo 2]

Hello Si,

Pardon me, I didn't mean to ignore your earlier 'letters' from Victor Timm on the subject of survival in a B.E2. I read those a while back, and after your message above, read them again. They are very good - and on second read I think I got more out of them in terms of actually flying the B.E2 (I think the first time I was more interetsted in your character development and wasn't taking so much notice of the tips and strategy stuff).

 

I think Jim Attrill was also an earlier campaigner of some length with the 'Bee', but I don't believe he 'reported from the front'.

 

I am 'feeling the suicidal need' as you put it, Si - and thinking RFC-6 might be a good place to start.

 

Which squad are you with, Wayfarer?

Edited March 1, 2011 by TaillyHo

[Bullethead 12]

Mightysrc, how are you? Would I be right in guesssing that the BE2/RE8 swap is a short while after Bloody April? I have wondered when the change over would occur.

 

57 Squadron and 1 or 2 others had the RE8 during Bloody April.

 

I've done a couple of careers as an RE8 gunner in 57 during Bloody April, and I learned some interesting things. In these careers, I'd take off myself and jump in the back once over the threshold trees, where I'd remain until it was time to land. Then I'd jump in the front on final approach.

 

Anyway, I learned some interesting stuff about AI vs. 2-seaters doing this. For the most part, AI interceptors only make 1 attack when they 1st meet you, after which they follow along harmlessly behind you just out of gun range. If they come at you from behind to start with, they often won't attack at all. But either way, if you survive the 1st rush, you're safe because no other Jastas will bother you at all as long as you've already got a Jasta tagging along behind you. Other Huns will pass by within spitting distance without shooting and you might get lucky and nail one. Problem is, most Jastas have a limited attention span, which means that at some variable time they'll get bored and leave you. When that happens, the next Jasta you meet will swoop you.

 

Therefore, the best-case scenario for a 2-seater is to get hooked up with a Jasta just your side of the lines, so if you get forced down on the 1st rush you can maybe land safely. Then they stay with you untl you get back about 1/2way to your base, when you're safe from meeting another Jasta. If you survive the initial rush (if it happens), then then you're perfectly safe except for bad luck with Archie. OTOH, the worst-case scenario is meeting a bunch of Jastas in series, all with ADD, so you suffer repeated initial attacks. This is almost always fatal on the 2nd or 3rd swoop because by then your formation has been thinned out severely and most of them are aiming at your bus.

 

Almost as bad is getting a Jasta with the patience of an ox, following you all the way home. This is because you're only safe form a tag-along Jasta as long as your flight remains in formation and flies along as if the Huns weren't there. Thus when your flight breaks up for landing approach, you get massacred.

[Hellshade 110]

This is the best reason to have manual campaign time advance. Whenever I get a scramble mission, I just advance time instead of flying it. The mission type is unrealistic and the outcome is never pretty. Any sane pilot would stay in a slit trench until the attack was over.

 

I respectfully disagree gentleman. Scrambles are an excellent opportunity to add to your score without having to waste any of your precious fuel flying around trying to find the little bastards. I like to think of scrambles as like having breakfast in bed. It's always nice when someone brings the meal right to you.

 

Campaign Video part 1 of 2 (10:28) 1080HD - Scramble mission with an entire squadron of huns coming down on us from up high

 

 

Campaign Video part 2 of 2 (10:10) 1080HD - after clearing the skies around the base I go hunt down some more huns. With the last hun, I only had 7 rounds left...

 

Hellshade

Edited March 1, 2011 by Hellshade

[Bullethead 12]

I respectfully disagree gentleman. Scrambles are an excellent opportunity to add to your score without having to waste any of your precious fuel flying around trying to find the little bastards. I like to think of scrambles as like having breakfast in bed. It's always nice when someone brings the meal right to you.

 

With all due respect, this doesn't change the utterly unrealistic nature of the mission. And 2nd, scrambles only have a fair chance of a happy ending if you happen to be flying a rotary scout (other than a DH2 or DH5). That means the Sopwiths, the Nupes, and the Dr.I and E.V. In these, you have a good chance of avoiding the initial swoop, after which the enemy will usually blow his E advantage and it becomes a fair fight or better. In anything else, you're almost certain to die horribly, especially if you're in an inline bird and being swooped by rotaries.

[Hellshade 110]

With all due respect, this doesn't change the utterly unrealistic nature of the mission. And 2nd, scrambles only have a fair chance of a happy ending if you happen to be flying a rotary scout (other than a DH2 or DH5). That means the Sopwiths, the Nupes, and the Dr.I and E.V. In these, you have a good chance of avoiding the initial swoop, after which the enemy will usually blow his E advantage and it becomes a fair fight or better. In anything else, you're almost certain to die horribly, especially if you're in an inline bird and being swooped by rotaries.

 

You are probably quite right. The big at the end means you aren't ment to take a lucky mission too seriously though.

 

Damn it to hell if my TrackIR didn't just die on me tonight though or I'd have to try getting my arse handed to me in an in-line engine just for the fun of it. I hope I can fix it tomorrow. Don't really have $120 spare to replace it with another 4 Pro + clip. Man that's going to suck if it's given up the ghost on me.

 

Hellshade

[Wayfarer 5]

I respectfully disagree gentleman. Scrambles are an excellent opportunity to add to your score without having to waste any of your precious fuel flying around trying to find the little bastards. I like to think of scrambles as like having breakfast in bed. It's always nice when someone brings the meal right to you.

 

Hellshade

 

Ironically, I actually managed to get the old Quirk off the ground and score a few hits on one of the attackers. Whilst taking off, I cunningly kept an eye on the gaggle of unidentified aircraft approaching our airfield. This explains why I didn't see the Eindecker which attacked from the opposite quarter and peppered my fuselage. Even that wasn't what brought me down. I had just registered a few hits on another Eindecker, a very rare event for me, when my engine was hit and I got the 'stones in a tin can' noise. With the throttle at full and the revs at nil (or almost) I thought I had better try and land immediately. Being already over the airfield, however, gave me a glide angle of about 89.5 degrees! Hence the resulting hospitalisation ( I actually managed to level out about 20 feet off the ground - but at a 90 degree starboard roll).

 

Mightysrc, I don't know about sweating yet, but swearing apparently. I often use OFF with earphones so as not to disturb wife and daughters' viewing of NCIS...CIS...ICI... or one of the various perm any three letters from C,S,I,N programmes. The last mission I flew, I got what Bullethead described - the stalking Jasta which follows you all the way home. They held off right until I was approaching landing, just at the point where you have to be low, slow and straight, or the Quirk's undercarriage will come off. Then one of them zoomed in and opened up. Apparently I said, out loud, a rude word, I think it must have been the rude word. It seems that there was a gasp from middle daughter (who, at 19, has been known to mutter the odd curse under her breath herself) but, with all senses isolated in my OFF world, I carried on oblivious.Fortunately this was amusing enough not to earn me too much censure from my wife, although my daughter made the most of being able to be shocked at Dad.

I think the strain must be getting to me after all. Maybe I'm due a couple of nights in Paris. Another testament to the realistic atmosphere of OFF!

 

TaillyHo, I am flying in 2 Squadron RFC. My plan, at the moment, is to carry on through the whole war in this squadron, then I think I'd like to go back and try a German fighter squadron starting with Eindeckers. As computer time is at a premium, I only manage about one OFF session a week. This is why I time advance roughly a week after each mission. I think this gives me a sense of the developing nature of the war, and some hope of getting to 1918 before Phase 11 comes out!

I have grown quite attached to the old BE2s really, there's something about an aircraft with it's own 'chimney stacks' puffing away, but it will be interesting to fly something different when new machines are delivered (some time to go yet).

Incidentally, I came across a history of 2 RFC on the internet quite by chance. It mentioned how the squadron transferred from Merville to Hesdigneul, exactly as you do in OFF! A further example of excellent research by the developers.

[TaillyHo 2]

Hey Wayfarer,

When I said about 'reporting from the front', I didn't mean from your front room!

But I did enjoy your re-counting the picture of domestic bliss, rudely interrupted by the immersive powers of OFF!

 

Thanks to a tip from Olham, I have been reading one of Peter Kilduff's books: Red Baron - The Life and Death of an Ace , and in it there is an interesting observation by MvR when he was part of a raiding party on a Russian airfield in 1916 and saw a plane taking off:

"Did he have in mind to attack us? I believe not. More likely, he sought security in the air, for most certainly that is the most comfortable place to be to avoid personal mortal danger during bombing attacks on an airfield."

This doesn't address the question some have raised as to whether there are too many 'scrambles' in OFF, but it does offer an alternative logic to refusing to fly and jumping in the nearest slit-trench.

 

And on the subject of frequency, my impression is that you've been flying your B.E2 for quite a while now, and over several months of campaign in 1915 - so only recently coming to a 'scramble' for the first time would seem about right in a WW1 sim.

 

In my limited experience, I'd say one's response to a 'scramble' mission depends on both the plane you are in - and the type of craft flying overhead. In my DFW squad (which is my only German plane experience so far), if we are scrambled against incoming B.E2s, I'm with Hellshade - let me at 'em!

But given your weapon of choice (!), I think a rather more conservative attitude (like staying firmly on the ground) would be entirely appropriate.

 

RFC-2 was another option I was considering, but at RFC-6, one would have the tempting prospect of a 'Fee' before the end of 1915. Hhmmm.

 

Good luck there ... and mind your language!