Looking for a little guidance please chaps

[Redmonkey 0]

Hello chaps.

I'm relatively new to this great sim and have only had a couple of brief and ill fated attempts at a career. I'd like to ask for some advice on a good career start date to give a decent difficulty curve for a beginner, with the RFC preferably. I hope to use Lothar of the Hill Peoples OFF base if that makes any difference. I'd appreciate any other advice for a newcomer you fellas can offer, you seem to to have a really friendly and committed community going here and look forward to being part of it

[Olham 164]

Welcome "Over Flanders Fields", Redmonkey!

Flying the Entente is the harder part in OFF, as you have to cross the lines, which the German scouts rarely did.

The advantage of flying on your own side of the lines is the warning you receive by Flak/Archie.

The grey puffs of Archie or the black puffs of Flak would assign enemy aircraft in your area, long before your naked eye could see them.

You loose this big help once you cross the lines.

And not only that - Flak/Archie will now fire at you, and even if they don't shoot too well, the enemy scouts will get pointed out, where you are.

Flying the British side is the toughest in OFF.

You will never be in the rather quiet areas. Your headquarters are mostly planning and fighting offensively.

You will mostly have to cross the lines; day after day; week after week; month for month.

In April 1917, the average life expectancy for new British pilots was 17 hours.

 

That being said, a British campaign for a beginner would better be early on - best before the Albatros fighter appeared.

Scouts like the Bristol Scout or the AIRCO DH-2 can hold their own against Fokker E.III.

But the Albatros brings back all advantage to the German side.

 

Easy to fly early aircraft IMHO are the Bristol Scout, the Nieuport 11, the FE2b, and - excellent scout - the Sopwith Pup.

Then came the Sopwith Triplane, mostly for the boys from RNAS, and it was a dangerous, fast and manoeuverable fighter.

But they are all lacking firepower, cause the Germans had from the Albatros D.I and D.II on twin 08/15 LMG.

Devastating, when your craft gets hit.

 

Personally, I would probably grab me Arthur Gould Lee's wonderful book "No Parachute!", and join his squadron at La Gorgue.

But if you want to last in a campaign, my best advice will probably not be to your likes - it is:

 

Don't go for kills, not for victories piling - save your valuable life first. Always.

 

Fly it as if you could get hurt, as if you could bleed to death, or as if your only choice after having been carefree might be,

wether to fall or to burn to death.

The more humble you act, the more do you honour the real flyers, cause you won't be showing up.

Cause you won't have ten times more victories than they ever had.

You could feel like being one of them.

Make it your first aim to last longer than 17 hours.

 

I'm sure RAF_Louvert, Dej or another British flyer can help you much better with details and good advice about flying in the RFC.

I wish you good luck. If you only enjoy OFF half as much as I still do, you're in for a wonderful time.

 

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Edited May 26, 2012 by Olham

[Olham 164]

PS: ...and let me know your hometown. I'll add your name to our "OFF Forum Pilots Maps" then.

[Hasse Wind 46]

Welcome!

 

For a British career, you can't go wrong with No. 56 or No. 60 Squadron. They are both elite squadrons, which helps a lot with your survivability, and if you start your career in 1917 or 1918, they will be flying the SE.5a, one of the best fighter aircraft of the war. Easy to fly with good visibility, and faster than anything the Germans have. I think 1917 is a better year to start, because in 1918 things can be a bit too hectic and dangerous for a beginner.

 

Oh, and remember to visit the official OFF forum at SimHQ for the latest news from the developers: http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/89/1/Over_Flanders_Fields.html

[Redmonkey 0]

Thanks for for the welcome and reply Olham.

 

I was not aware about the Entente and British having to always cross the lines. This is where one of my pilots careers prematurely ended whilst on a balloon hunt, I had no luck finding the damn thing but became so distracted looking for it I think I wandered to close to the archie and got hit, my engine packed in and I had to ditch behind enemy lines. This was on my first sortie

 

Maybe your right and it would be better to cut my teeth on a German career, I'm also all for immersion and realism Olham I have read some your posts and stories and am keen to try and recreate some of those stories for myself. I am currently trying to get a 2nd monitor set up so I can have a map displayed for real navigation.

 

I am from Stoke on Trent in England, will be proud to be another mark on the map,cheers

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Good to have you with us Redmonkey, and whichever side of the mud you fly on it's going to be a challenge. You did not mention if you are looking to fly scouts or B/R buses, though I assume the former. If you like the late war period Hasse Wind's suggestions are good ones to go with. I'm more of an early war fan myself so I would recommend starting with one of the low-numbered RFC squadrons flying the DH2. But then, I've always been a glutton for punishment which likely explains my penchant for not only the 1915-16 era but the 2-seaters as well.

 

Welcome to camp RM. Now then, since new lads buy the drinks you can set me up with two fingers of a good Irish single malt, thank you very much.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

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[+Lothar of the Hill People 6]

Hi Redmonkey. Another tip if you're using a campaign to learn to fly--both you and your pilot are rookies--is to start in a bomber squadron. There's less glory as it's about avoiding confrontations with the enemy, but you learn squadron flying, navigation, spotting enemies, how best to complete missions, etc.

 

After you've gained a rank or two and the experience to go with it, OFFbase lets you transfer into a fighter squadron. Best of both worlds... should your pilot make it that far. You'll even have learned a thing or two about attacking bombers. Good luck!

[Redmonkey 0]

Thanks Hasse Wind.

 

I will surely note them two squadrons down for a try, I could certainly do with some help from a some capable squadron mates!

 

Thanks also for the heads up on the on the official forum, I'll definitely have a check in there as well.

[Redmonkey 0]

Really appreciate the advice, thanks guys the drinks are on me this evening

 

I shall report back how my first flight went and if I make it back alive hopefully one of you chaps may buy me one in return to help calm the nerves I'll undoubtedly have!

[Dej 17]

Welcome Redmonkey.

 

If you're an immersion-junkie then OFF is the high of choice... there is no more immersive WW1 flight sim available for today's PC.

 

Some immersive bullets to help you choose:

 

RFC pilots were poorly trained in the early war, both B/R and scout. In sim-speak meaning you ought not practice much in Quick Combat to know your machine;

No. 24 Squadron were the first British dedicated scout unit of the early war and are a good unit to join but, they fly the DH2, which a lot of people have trouble with;

No. 56 Squadron, by contrast, were very well experienced in the SE5 before they went to France in early April '17. If you join them prior to that date you'll have some time to work the machine up over Blighty;

Overall, RNAS Squadrons were better trained. The RNAS receives the better machines, and sooner than the RFC. For example, joining Naval 10 in early '17 will gift you the Sopwith Triplane which is a delight to fly and more than a match for your Hun counterparts... plus, just as they start getting the edge again, technology-wise, you'll move up to the Camel and have 'em beat once more - one of my favourite campaigns to fly.

 

Germans scout pilots nearly all cut their teeth in two-seaters first, certainly the majority of the great German aces did;

As an early war German scout pilot the mid part of the Western Front offers better sport. To the North are the RNAS with the Pup and the Tripe, both can outfly if not outgun the Albatros. To the South the wily French with their nimble Nieuports. That's generalising a bit but broadly true;

It does no harm to follow Manfred.

 

Otherwise, the advice from others above is all sound.

 

I'm joining in with Lou, just stick a bottle between us. I'll give him his watch back while we're at it.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Dej

[Hauksbee 103]

I'd like to ask for some advice on a good career start date to give a decent difficulty curve for a beginner, with the RFC preferably.

Welcome aboard mate! If you're learning the ways of OFF, definitely start your campaigns in 1917. The SE-5 on the British side flies very well. As does the Sopwith Pup. Nice, stable flight characteristics, no viscious habits. On the German side, the Albatros (Olham rarely flies anything else), the Pfalz D.III, and the Fokker D.VII (1918). Anything prior (1915-1916) will be horribly underpowered and have lethal flight characteristics. If you've flown WWII Flight Sims, OFF can take some getting used to.

[Redmonkey 0]

Once again thanks for all the help guys.

 

I decided to start a career up with No 46 squadron in May 1917 flying the Sopwith Pup, here's a quick write up of my first sortie.

 

Enter 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Wattle, my first flight was a short patrol in a flight of 5 on lovely sunny late morning, the patrol was delightfully uneventful unfortunately for the poor sods on the ground things were far from uneventful with a relentless artillery barrage churning the ground around them. After spending 20 minutes or so circling that hell below us I couldn't stomach any more and with no sign of any untoward air activity I gave the signal to head for home,secretly I just wanted to get back and have this first flight safely under my belt.

 

It was a quiet flight home spent soaking in the beautiful French countryside, if not for the endless sound of exploding artillery shells one could almost escape the fact that hundreds of men, not too many miles from our flight were senselessly loosing their lives. We all landed safely and I stepped in to see the Adjutant, I didn't have much to report to him apart from my flight had all come back in one piece. He informed me that the first flight to leave that morning had returned a little earlier, claiming one kill but sadly young sgt. Hazard had failed to return and was currently missing. I left his office and made my to the mess where I grabbed a cup of strong tea then stepped outside for a cigarette in the morning sun and pondered what would be up next.

[nbryant 8]

Excellent start redmonkey, enjoy your journey. Everyone has given you some excellent advice. For me I enjoy the challenge of surviving no matter what period. I never play anything less than DiD and have never had a career survive much more then a few months. It brings the reality of the time home for me, the realization that death was always right around the corner and I can really appreciate the courage and determination those men had.

[tranquillo 10]

Hi Redmonkey. I too would recommend 56 squadron in April 1917 as a good start. Those SE5a are great, stable machines.

 

P.S. Sorry I didn't reply sooner but I've been out flying all day.

Edited May 27, 2012 by tranquillo

[Olham 164]

Hi Redmonkey. I too would recommend 56 squadron in April 1917 as a good start.

You guys send him straight into "Bloody April" without hesitation? Killers. Swine!!

[Hasse Wind 46]

Having flown through Bloody April in squadrons equipped with either the Fee, the Quirk or the Harry Tate, I dare say it's not that big of a deal in a fighter squadron. Nothing quite compares to the sheer horror of being under attack by red-nosed Albs in a B.E.2.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Truer words never spoken, Hasse Wind, and being a B/R man myself I've oft times had to resort to one of the more successful tactics in such situations...

 

Brave, brave Sir Louvert,

Brave Sir Louvert ran away.

Bravely ran away, away,

Brave, brave Sir Louvert!

When danger reared its ugly head,

He bravely turned his tail and fled.

Yes, brave Sir Louvert wheeled about

And gallantly he chickened out.

Bravely bringing his plane around

He bravely landed on the ground,

Bravest of the brave, Sir Louvert!

 

 

Well done Redmonkey on your first outing in the Pup and on your wonderful little write-up. I hope there will be many more to come.

 

Lou

 

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[Olham 164]

Lou, you are - ... barmy! Yes, barmy! Mmuahahahahahahahaaaa!!!!!

[Hasse Wind 46]

Discretion is the better part of valour. If you are careful, you will not get into situations that require you to be brave.

[themightysrc 5]

"Nothing quite compares to the sheer horror of being under attack by red-nosed Albs in a B.E.2"

 

It's survivable - just make sure you attack them before trying to escape. Puts them off a treat.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Careful or not HW, I have found myself banging along in my Quirk, alted up as far as the beast will go, when from on high the Hun come bouncing down upon us leaving no other real option. I do my best to watch for them, but with only Eyeball 20-20 and AA puffs to go by there are simply times when you don't see the nasties approaching until it's too late.

 

Si, I've gone on the attack as well, and I agree it does scatter them. However, I've also found it can really get them quite PO'd at you.

 

Barmy you say, Olham? But of course, and well you should be able to recognize it, mein barmy Freund.

 

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Edited May 27, 2012 by RAF_Louvert

[themightysrc 5]

"Si, I've gone on the attack as well, and I agree it does scatter them. However, I've also found it can really get them quite PO'd at you."

 

It's the only way you'll get away with it. I attack them and then run like buggery towards the nearest Entente site, diving as steeply as possible. Do that and you'll save your skin. Stick around for a fight and there's only going to be one outcome, which is why I run away.

 

To be fair to Redmonkey though, it's probably not a great idea to start off in a BE2 unless you wish to have your imagination and ability to think up new pilot names exercised on a weekly basis.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Agreed Si, it does help one build characters.

 

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[themightysrc 5]

"Agreed Si, it does help one build characters."

 

Well, as opposed to having to dispose of so many dead ones, yes.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Exactamente!

 

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