RAF_Louvert

. You are too kind rabu. And yes, all of the missions I've posted will work in P3. . Just an update, the link for the Zep video has changed. Here is the new one: .

. Hellshade, it warms me old heart to know how much you're enjoying the skin I did for you. And to respond to your comments on that video of your 6-on-1, it was a great bit of flying to be sure and a helluva' fight, and you handle the Tripehound like a pro, which also goes to my previous point about the bird. She can outfly every other kite in the sim, even when going up against multiple adversaries, and has the added bonus of being VERY forgiving in the process. Despite a single gun, the advantage is still to the Tripehound because it can outclimb and outturn everything else with ease, which allows you the ability to quickly bring your gun to bear and just as quickly avoid the enemey's. Now, the Camel can also outfly every other kite and sports twin guns to boot, but you have no room for error when engaging a group of EA. Unlike the Tripehound, the Camel will stall out and spin in a heartbeat if she is not treated with kid gloves, and you will lose several hundred feet of precious alt in a matter of a few seconds. You have to constantly fly her at the absolute edge of her envelope when fighting multiple foes and you would NEVER follow one down to assure a kill, (a luxury the Tripehound will afford you, even though it is a dangeours habit in terms of survivability). I love the Tripe as it is an absolute joy to fly and fight in, followed closely by the Pup. But for truly testing your finesse, the Camel has it in spades, and for that reason it is not everyone’s cup of tea. But then, I do tend to make things tough on myself. Keep the super videos coming Hellshade, they’re a treat. Cheers! Lou .

. Some of the very best fights I have in BHaH in terms of getting close to what I feel it may have been like in RL are with the Camel against multiple DR1's. Because the hump-backed beast is such a twitchy kite to fly, (as it should be), it really keeps you on the edge in terms of trying to get the most from her without stalling out. Couple that with the fact that the AI seems to fly the DR1 better than most planes in the sim and you have a combination that will truly tax your flying and fighting abilities. Allied craft such as the Tripehound and Pup are just so pleasant to fly because of their even-temperedness that they have no real AI challengers, even when coming at you in waves, (provided you keep your wits about you and don't give up your advantage). Another excellent match-up is the DH2 against Alb DII's. You will have your hands very full if you are the lone DeHavilland against several of the Kaiser's best in Albatri. I will close by saying that I have flown many QC's against six DR1's with my trusty Camel and I have never been able to knock them all down, and I have had to break and run on numerous occassions in order to save my own skin. I can't even recall how many times those Fokkers have shredded my kite and sent me to the mud. My best tally to date is destroying four and driving the other two off, and making it home myself. Give it a try if you would like a white-knuckle experience. Cheers! Lou .

. Thanks Olham, glad you enjoyed the "break". I agree about the AI not giving much of a fight after the first couple of passes. Creaghorn, I have the AI set as "Aggressive" and I've even gone so far as to set their gun accuracy higher as well. It seems like it depends on which plane the enemy is flying. I can often get a very good fight going up against DR1's, Halbs, and EIII's, while the Alb drivers tend to be pretty much cold meat. DVII's can go either way, as can the two-seaters. Depending on how things are progressing, I will sometimes turn away from the attack to see if the AI will respond by trying to pounce again, and that does work now and then. .

. Thanks Hellshade. Yuppers, took the engine right out of that poor old Alb. As to the scenery, you have it too. Head down to the German-Swiss border and there it is. Cheers! Lou .

. Glad you enjoyed it Parky, and thanks for the kudos. Yes, the Brisfit is a beast to pull out of a dive so it's best to either allow a lot of room or keep it shallow. But close calls? Feh...I had at least an inch to spare. And funny you should mention it, I am planning on doing a video shot entirely from the gunner/obs POV in the near future as I think it would be quite neat. I did just put another short movie together to see not only how far I could push my system with the new nVidia drivers, but also to see if I could work some of that Hollywood-style damage on an Alb DIII that Hellshade can. So, I had seven N17's go at it with seven Alb DIII's in the Alps down in southern Germany. Set the sliders at 5-3-3-5-5, cranked up FRAPS, and had very few white jaggies, so I am quite pleased with the whole affair. Enjoy: Cheers! Lou .

. Oooh, double ply, and scented too. Very nice. ...be gentle... .

. It is December of 1915 in Egypt's Western Desert, and a brace of BE2c’s belonging to 14 Squadron’s “Half Flight”, have arrived at Matruh, landing on the beach there and causing quite a stir. As a base of operation is hastily assembled the two craft are immediately put to task with recce flights to determine the wherabouts of Senussi forces, ranging the 4” guns of the HMS Clematis, (which is stationed just off the coast north of Mersa), onto said forces, and harassing the enemy when prudent to do so. On December 11 they begin assisting ground forces in what becomes known as "The Affair at the Wadi Senab", and which proves to be a pivotal battle, ultimately leading to the enemy being pushed back to the Haggag Es Sollum and into Turkish-held Libya, thus securing northern Egypt for His Majesty for the duration. The following photos show ‘A’ Squadron of the 1st Composite Australian Light Horse Regiment and a pair of Royal Navy armoured cars, being closely watched over by Capt. Moore, (pilot) and Major Ross, (observer), as all proceed SW into the desert to engage Senussi troops. I have just begun building a series of missions to emulate the RFC's involvement in the Western Desert camapign of 1915-16, utilizing the MAW expansion pack in combination with OFF. I will post new photos and info as work progresses. This will prove to be an interesting series as it involves such excitement as cavalry charges, naval bombardment, and chasing opposing forces deep into the desert, all whilest battling the elements with very minimal resources. Good times...good times... Cheers! Lou .

. Hi Ya Si, The poppies in full bloom in France, what a moving sight, eh? Enjoy the party, and good luck getting your OFF MAW up and running. BTW, here's a video to whet your appetite. I put this together and posted it yesterday, and it shows a fight I had in an Aussie Brisfit against a pair of DVs in the skies of Egypt. A Desert Encounter Cheers! Lou .

. I hope you know I meant no offense Hellshade, and I detest the use of the term "cheat" in this scenario. The only time someone is using a "cheat", IMHO. is when they are competing against another and are using unfair means to do so. With a sim such as this, and when you are flying against yourself and the machine, it's not a "cheat" when you use modifications to make the sim more pleasurable to you and readily admit how you have things set up so that others can attempt to emulate it if they so choose. I am aware of the lead and attack angles you describe but did not know that the Alb III's are easier to flame and clip wings from. I tend to end up in more battles with DR1s and Alb Vs so I will have to go back to gunnery school and practice on the early Albs to see if I can get that kind of hit accuracy with my old man eyes and reflexes. Thanks for the tips Hellshade, they are much appreciated. I guess ol' Parky didn't like my new video though...only Hellshade's...sniff, sniff...it's OK...I don't mind... .

. hee, hee, hee...the snipe hunt. Good times...good times. In my scout troop we eventually added the twist of having all the tenderfoots cut willow switches to bring along so that they could "defend" themselves from the savage flocks of snipe which were sure to come sneaking up on them, with instructions that the best tactic, when attack was imminent, was to flail about madly in the inky darkness yelling "SNIPE!" in an effort to frighten off the wily, carnivorous, feathered piranha. We senior scouts could then fully appreciate each and every encounter from the high ridge without having to be anywhere near the ensuing madness. " Snipe! SNIPE! SNIPE! Oh my God! Something hit me! SNIPE! SNIPE!...ouch...hey...SNI...what the...you're not a...snipe? Son of a..." Of course, laying the proper groundwork, as BH noted, was essential: .

. Thanks for posting the link Carrick. I am going to grab all those with KeepVid for my own video collection. Cheers! Lou .

. Glad you enjoyed my desert fight Hellshade, it was a flip on Olham's with the lone Brisfit winning the day against the Albatri. I just watched your latest six-v-one and you show some very accurate shooting there. C'est très magnifique. But I do have to ask what you have your gun strength set at and/or which damage model are you using? I'm no slouch myself with certain aircraft, (the Camel in particular), and I can park myself on the six of Albs all day long and focus 75 to 150 rounds from my twin Vickers into their engines and lower wing roots, and seldom do I get flamers or have the pleasure of seeing flying surfaces tear away from my opponents craft. However, you can manage it on nearly ever kill in about 30 to 50 rounds, and with a single shooter no less. So what's your secret Sir? Inquiring minds want to know. Cheers! Lou .

. I see that the outstanding films just keep on coming from our resident artists. Well done Hellshade and Olham. And, I finally have my FRAPS sorted out again so I gave a go at putting together another video vignette of my own. I had a go-round this AM in my Aussie Brisfit with a pair of DVa 200's in the skies above Egypt, and managed to capture the whole affair for posterity. Enjoy. Cheers! Lou .

. Yuppers, that's a good one carrick. Be sure and sift through the entire British Pathe collection as there are quite a few other WWI-related gems there. Cheers! Lou .

. Winston, I'm glad you've had success with that method. I however did not when I tried it about three driver versions ago. The overwrite left lots of bits and pieces behind and I did not get the full advantage from the new drivers until I had gone back and done the uninstall/reinstall method I described earlier. But I'm a big fan of whatever works for the individual, and as we are all quite aware, no two systems are the same. Cheers! Lou .

. Well, there is this photo of the one I'm building out in my barn... .

. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. Olham, here is the link to Bob's webpage where you can order it: COLOURS & MARKINGS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ERA Cheers! Lou .

. Outstanding pic Olham. And for those who do not have it, Bob Pearson's CD of his complete collection is well worth the money. I have owned it now for several years and refer to it often when researching a certain aircraft's paint. Cheers! Lou .

. Welcome to the BHaH skies Jackstraw. WM has already enlightened you as to the foremost rule around here. Second is to always watch your six. And third is to never, EVER trust a woman more than you trust your kite, as the former can do you in quicker than a Hun in the sun whilest the latter can save your life. BTW, I'll have a black-and-tan and a bag of salt and vinegar crisps, thank you very much. Cheers! Lou .

. Yuppers, I too discovered they gave a noticeable improvement to my set-up. And I use Driver Sweeper as well, along with CCleaner. My routine for installing new drivers, (for those who may be interested), is to first run Driver Sweeper to remove the old video drivers, then reboot in safe mode, then run Driver Sweeper again, and then CCleaner to get rid of all the last, nagging little driver files and folders as well as the old registry entries. After that I reboot normally, run both Driver Sweeper and CCleaner one more time each, and then install the new video drivers, (I've found I'll sometimes catch a file and/or entry or two left behind on that last run of DS and CC: those old video drivers are stubborn buggars). Cheers! Lou .

. jlan5031, Glad you have it sorted out. As to the hangers; no, you won't see them until you have an airbase facility in your MAW OFF set-up that actually uses them. It was on my list because I have been reworking facilities and buildings and such to take advantage of the OFF atmospher. If you wish to see one of the reworked airbases with desert-toned WW1 appropriate hangers, here is a link to a folder download I just put together for you, (and anyone else who would like to use it): OFF MAW Airbase Facility And Hanger Files Just download it and unzip it. Then drop the "dr_airbase_s1afr" file into your OFF MAW "facilities" folder, allowing it to overwrite the old one. Next, go to your OFF MAW "buildings" folder and do the same with the "a_tenthangar1" folder, allowing it to also overwrite the old folder there. Now, go launch your OFF MAW set-up and go to QC, pick Egypt to fly in, and choose any of the following bases to take off from: Mersa Matruh, Burg el Arab, Sidi Barrani, Sollum, Halfaya, or Mischiefa. You should now see a Great War vintage desert aerodrome. Enjoy. Cheers! Lou .

. jlan5031, did you start with a fresh, unmodded CFS3 install to load MAW into? I did not disable the "shared hires Lores cockpit textures" folder, and I left the original "sounds.xm_" file in place. If you did start with a clean CFS3 install and followed all the steps and are having the issue you describe I'm betting it's a glitch in your "aircraft" folder. Try dropping the original MAW "aircraft" folder back in and see if it will work, and if it does add just two of the OFF planes, (one from each side), and paste the OFF "shared" folder items into the MAW "shared" folder, and try flying a QC with the two OFF planes. If it works you will know where the problem is hiding. Olham, I am building a set of missions to generally follow the lines of the Western Desert campaign of 1915-16 in Egypt. If that goes well I may then move on to other campaigns in the MAW theatre. Glad you like the oasis. I did later discover that MAW has a small bedouin tent already in the "buildings" folder so I have swapped in a pair of those now for the oasis and am using the larger one I created in one of the missions to serve as the tent of Sheikh Sidi Ahmed, (the Senussi leader). Cheers! Lou .

. Why yes I can. Here is the outline I recently sent to Si to get him up and running with this: Alrighty then, grap yourself a fresh cuppa' and here we go. Now that you have a fresh CFS3 install with the MAW package that is up and running and the config set where it works best for your rig, make a copy of the entire MAW install, (inside your "Microsoft Games" folder), so you can switch back to it later if you wish. Next, make the following changes in what will become your OFF MAW install: "aircraft" folder: copy and paste all the QC1 and Sqd plane folders in the OFF "aircraft" folder into the matching MAW folder. After this you can delete all the individual MAW plane folders with the exception of DR_MC200_Vosilla, (for whatever reason MAW will not launch properly if you delete this plane folder). "shared" folder inside the "aircraft" folder: copy and paste all the files in the OFF "shared" folder into the matching MAW folder, allowing any files that ask to overwrite. "sounds" folder: copy and paste all the files in OFF "sounds" folder into matching MAW folder, allowing any files that ask to overwrite, and then delete all the .gvp files. Inside the "effects" folder: copy and paste all the files in OFF "flak" folder and "fxtextures" folder into matching MAW folders, allowing any files that ask to overwrite. "pylons" folder: Replace with the OFF folder. "guns" folder: Replace with the OFF folder. "weapons" folder: copy and paste all the files in OFF "weapons" folder into matching MAW folder, allowing any files that ask to overwrite. "buildings" folder: copy and paste a_hangarl1, a_hangarl2, a_hangarl3, a_hangars1, a_hangars2, a_hangars3, g_hangarl1, g_hangarl2, g_hangarl3, g_hangars1, g_hangars2, g_hangars3, in OFF folder into matching MAW folder, allowing the files to overwrite. "vehicles" folder: copy and paste all the files in OFF "vehicles" folder into matching MAW folder, allowing any files that ask to overwrite. In the main CFS3 MAW folder replace the following files with those in the main CFS3 OFF folder: "effects", "gundll" (all 3 files), "gunticket", "sounds", and "weapons". One note to remember, all the OFF aircraft files are tagged for either the United States or Germany so you will only see the plane choices in those countries' plane lists when flying quick combat or quick missions, unless you go in and switch the country tags. I am still swapping in vehicles, buildings, and such as I run across them to try and have more accurate Great War surroundings, and I am also rebuilding a few facilities as well as tweaking the global layer. Cheers! Lou

. Good Morning All, Just a quick pop in to update you on my progress before heading out the door to help me dear old mum with a day's worth of chores. I had to create an "Oasis" facility to use in this campaign as there are none to be found out in the far reaches of the MAW deserts, (and at least two of the missions historically involve an oasis). So, by using items already available in the sim, repainting a set of runway signal tiles, and by creating a new "Bedouin" tent through the tweaking of an existing Allied tent file, I have now got a proper oasis to work with. Almost makes a chap want to run over and take a dip in that cool, inviting sapphire blue water, eh what? Cheers! Lou .