Sky High

Thanks for your help, Quack. I have done as you say, but the problem remains. Strangely, I have often done this before, without problems, but several of these new FM's are just not working out for me. It has also come to my attention that not only have I a black SPAD 7 (220), but it's pilot is also missing.

Unfortunately, the choice of patch level involves various compromises. You gain some things and lose others. Don't worry about causing stirs. The people here are plain and direct speakers, but in my experience it's not their intention to silence anyone.

There's a little quick-mission editor by Nippy available in the download section for FE1 and FE2. It's basic, but allows one to select an opponent.

Snailman, you make a very good point about the attractions of Islam for the weak and poor. It shares this quality with Communism and it displays a similar history-both worldviews ensure a homogenous equality of outcome, rendering almost everyone equally destitute. This fact has been somewhat obscured by modernity, whereby oil-wealth has provided access to Western knowledge and technology. To get an idea of how poverty-inducing Islam actually is, one ought to read the likes of Mark Twain, Winston Churchill and Hilaire Belloc on the subject. These wrote in the early twentieth century when Islamic society had received no oil-boost. Perhaps the most drastic example of the de-civilising effect of Islam is Mesopotamia. This region begat the first known civilisation and became the Fertile Crescent from about 5,000 years BC. This was a land of milk and honey for uninterrupted millllenia but within three centuries of conquest by Muslims it had begun to revert to desert. If they conquer the West, all our scientific and cultural innovations will quickly become dust. Islam detests all culture alien to itself and obliterates all pre-history. It rejects science, music, alcohol, indeed anything that might lift life up above its base tedium.

How are you going to abolish all religion? Hopefully not by the tried and tested atheist method of murdering everybody, as demonstrated by Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot and many of their followers in the twentieth century? When one religion obviously stands out for a murderousness that is founded on its own intrinsic doctrines, how can it be just to indict all others as a consequence? It is human nature that is violent. This may or may not be exacerbated by certain beliefs, whether religious, political or otherwise. Of course any religion, political belief or ideology can be used as an excuse for violence while concealing other motives. Islam is unique as being a religion which a priori encourages violence amongst its followers. Other religions may be cited as an excuse for violence but this is generally a gross misinterpretation of the religion or a cynical exploitation of it. It is unjust to blame a religion for a failure of its followers to live up to it. In the case of Islam, however, it is the terrorists who are the truest and most faithful at living up to what their religion calls upon them to do. I read recently that Islam is the only major religion not to uphold the Golden Rule of 'Do as you would be done by'. Finally, an alternative religion is the only antidote to Islam. The weak brew of secular consumerism will fold very quickly. This is quite obvious among those effete people who light candles and lay flowers and think singing 'Imagine' is an effective response to atrocity. Once the Muslims gain the balance of power, these valueless, futureless people will quickly submit to Islam.

They don't blow people up, at least. Things like excommunication and breaking up of marriages are unpleasant, but hardly crimes. Could you elaborate on their 'forced conversions'? [i have no personal involvement. I'm a Catholic, but never heard of much trouble from them here in Ireland other than it being difficult to get rid of them when they call to the door. I recommend asking them to join in a decade of the Rosary!]. And keep up the good work in Hungary. I hope you can lead Europe back to sanity.

Skyviper, I used the examples I did for purpose of hyperbole, because the notion of it being a Mormon or a Jehovah's witness is ludicrous as both groups are noted for being wholly unaggressive. Which makes the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia all the more appalling. Of course, unlike the Muslims, they have no power and no oil.

This had nothing to do with Islam. We all know it is the religion of peace. This was probably a Mormon or a Jehovah's Witness.

I think that Vera Lynn's song carries the hope that they may yet meet.

That 'We'll meet again Don't know where Don't know when But I know we'll meet again Some sunny day' line I always considered so hopefully powerful in the context of the possible imminent death that so many people of those times faced.

Take account that in the real world the choices of strategy are between nuclear and fourth-generation warfare. Even the most sophisticated aircraft is a white elephant against cloth-heads on a machine-gun-modified Toyota Hilux. Regarding opponents such as China and Russia, the more overwhelming the US superiority in conventional weapons, the more likely will they resort to nukes. Therefore Trump is on the right track when he boasts that the US will always have an advantage in nuclear weapons. It's the old Deterrence stratagem, which was not unsuccessful.

Eagerly awaited.

Anything worthwhile is worth waiting for. Thanks for all your work and for sharing it with us.

Splendid news indeed.

He went down the way he would have wished, I suspect, and with his boots on. RIP.

Sixstrings, we "spoke" over on SAS about IL-2 1946. I couldn't add much to what Geezer and VonS have said, except to say that it's a very enjoyable game when modded up, works very well with any joysticks I've ever used, works well with TrackIR and the AI is quite decent, so will give you a run for your money.

Need Il-2 1946 in order to use mods. Would recommend getting it, going to Il-2 SAS and downloading the 4.12 all-in-one patch and adding the VP Modpack to it.

Same problem here, Stephen.

Achievement is directly proportional to challenge. It is also a lesson for those of us who are in too much of a hurry. Look what can be achieved if one lets things develop in their own good time.

I'm sure all those misfortunates we saw beheaded on you-tube and the countless others who missed their moments of fame appreciated the celebratory content of the background accompaniment. As for the spread, I'll wager you didn't look for bangers and mash.

Not really. It is meant as an expression of domination over an enemy. I know of few Westerners who shout OMG while chopping off heads.

Thank you, that seems a very balanced description of the situation. Perhaps by treating with Iran Obama might be doing the right thing for a change as it may lead to a better balance of power. Of course this region is so unstable we may yet see a nuclear armageddon as a consequence of encouraging Iran.

Iwan, my sympathies to you on the death of your friends and my deepest admiration to the one who is in Syria.