Baldric

Sounds fine to me.

I like the idea of using the two-seaters to start, although I'm in agreement with Dej that there are a few immersion issues yet (e.g., clambering over the fuselage in midflight to take over the gun as the AI gunner makes way to the cockpit, and then back again to land- given the AI's propensity to 'trade paint' on landing) but I'll be happy to participate anyway. You could always select a couple of two-seater units on both sides as optional, when you select scout units. Personally I'm happy just to fly, so to me which units get picked as ones we select from isn't a big issue. Olham had a good suggestion though that maybe units with a more varied stable of machines over the campaign period might be more appealing. If you are selecting a few units to choose from, maybe an RNAS, a couple of RFC, an Escadrille, and a couple of Jastas? Maybe a poll would be in order to see some numbers in order to fill units then, a long the lines of (as an example only) 'Would you fly for: Escadrille No.3, RFC 19, RFC 56, RNAS 8, Jasta 2, Jasta 12, then just pick the most populated ones, as I'm thinking that the lone chap who chose Jasta 12 would be fine joining his colleagues in Jasta 2...

Dohh, my bad. Just got excited by the idea. Appologies..call my bit a test run- it works and is fun!

I can't believe how much I've come to rely on the TAC. Ok, so here is my first submission (with mission reports to follow up in the Reports from the Front thread) -- I won't submit my first fellow as he died five minutes in. 23 October 1916 Squad- Jasta 6 Forum Nik/Callsign. Baldric DiD Rating Pure DiD Pilot name. Willi Meyer Rank. Unteroffizier A/C. Albatros DI Number of missions flown. 2 Number of hours flown (rounded down to whole number). 1 Number of claims. 1 Number of confirmed kills. 0 Awards given. 0

From what I can tell, it looks like Fall 1916 would be the earliest, as several units in 1915 don't have flyable machines. I like the idea of being able to roll up a new pilot and carry on as a replacement, especially since pure DiD(no tac, warp,labels etc) would mean the competition suggested above would be likely over in a couple of days at most

This sounds fun! Count me in. I'll be in the lead for most avatars used Normally I fly for the Imperial Air Service and would prefer that, however for sake of fun, I'm willing to crash machines from other nations as well.

Good job Stiff, m8 Cheers to the devs!

I'm just glad they are in Lou's hands, someone who does give a damn about them and will have an idea and understanding of their meaning.

Good question. The answer, for me anyway, is complex as its based on visceral and practical. To me, private collections mean that a family somewhere has lost a connection to a family members sacrifice, as they no longer are the caretakers, and its most likely they'll never ever see those in their possession again. How they came disposessed of that part of their family history doesn't really matter, the fact that its gone does (at least to me). Having said that, I'd rather see the medals in the hands of someone who does care about them, and will take the time to at least somewhat understand what went in to earning each. I dislike seeing them sold as cheap trinkets, without provenience, etc in pawnshops, garage sales, web based sales. I also dislike the sales of them for 'costumes'--- If you didn't earn it, don't bloody wear it (and for me that goes as far as regimental cap badges, and other militaria). Best case scenario is that the collection is held by a museum, however, as a friend of mine who is a curator at a military museum once told me, what you see on display is usually only a tiny percentage of what is available to them, the rest is in special storage. I'd rather see, for example, MvR's silver cups sitting well displayed in some accessible museum, than in some private collection where no one gets to see them. Just my two pence worth of blather

I'm not concerned, was just indicating the same thing happens to me (and apparently a few others as well). As to the whereabouts of the 'medals' I had just assumed the were sent off to family/loved ones posthumously. However, maybe some players like to keep bits for posteritys sake, so they can reminisce about the good times they had etc etc, show their mates another cool aspect of the sim (I suppose one could take a screenshot to save for every awarded medal)...kinda along the lines of why people keep photo-albums, trinkets from travels, momentos?

I'd rather smell a pie or a cake

Nicely done, ZZ, definitely one for the books

Nicely done, Olham! I've not had the pleasure of meeting up with one of those yet, but I'll keep that tactic in mind. I've been studying the formations that the RFC/Esc recce machines in 1916 take, and they have each other fairly well covered. I'll often, somewhat cheekily, wave my wingman and another machine in to the attack the higher machine, and while its busy fighting them off I can slip in behind and below my target machine, easily getting close before hammering it with a two or three second burst, without worrying that the higher machine will fire its observers gun on me since he's too busy with my flight members.

I've noticed that as well, but just assumed that Uncle Als explanation above (not the celeron one) was the case, and I'm running Vista 64 on Intel® Core™ i7-920 (2.66GHz, 8MB cache) Memory 6GB Tri-Channel DDR3 at 1066MHZ (3x2GB DIMM) nVidia GeForce GTX280 1024MB.

I think I understand what the OP is getting at-- in the drop down list of aircraft on the kill claim form there are only a few named options to pick from, and only the option of Nieuport 17 and Nieuport 17- Lewis shows up there, along with RAF BE2c, FE2b, and a few others- but no option to pick 'Nieuport 16'. My suggestion to the OP is try selecting 'other single seater' near the list bottom. I'm campaigning in Fall 1916 and have downed (included following the sneaky devils to the ground) a couple of Bristol Scouts which also don't show up on the list, and so I've submitted claims using 'other single-seater'. The claim was approved, but I also wrote at the start (erasing the phrase 'Craft hit') as follows: Hope that helps!

Hi Gromit, TrackIR5 is well worth the dosh. It has transformed the way I fly the sims completely-- I feel more immersed, its easier to look for enemy machines while patrolling, not that hat-lurch or mouse-look isnt easy, just TiR feels more intuitive and smoother. Where TiR makes a huge difference is in the scraps/dogfights and seeing where the sneaky enemy has gotten to. The six degrees of movement allow you easily look around, forward (to see hard to read dials, gunsight etc), back, up, down, and pretty much all around with minimal head movement on your part, e.g., with my set up, if I move my own head a little less than an 8th of a turn right or left I have a view of the fuselage/tail assembly- so can check my rudder etc prior to take off, or check my six inflight. Other than the sims themselves, easily say the investment is solid (as it serves well with other games too, such as most car race sims, Arma and so on). I don't work for Natural Point, Im just one very satisfied customer.

Nice report, Gromit, and know that Hans joins good company.

Very nice indeed, Lou! Looking forwards to seeing the pics as well.

Amazing all the similarities- arts, gaming & model making, historical interests etc. Brilliant stuff, and I'm glad I'm counted in such great company! Flyby, very classy webby m8, and really do admire the work you and your people do- cheers for that (I've marked as a fav so I can pass it along to my m8s in the UK) Mightsrc, there used to be a really good set of pike&shot wargame rules that covered the Civil War period...I'm buggered if I can recall the name, but I'm pretty sure it was put out by Wargames Research Group c.1974. There was a 'mad' group of enthusiasts, at a club I once belonged to, that put on huge miniature battles, based on historical battles, with thousands of minis spread out over really nice terrain and always ended up grabbing a few of us 'heathens' (who were sandboxing medieval battles) to command some of the regiments. Tons of fun and lots of learning.

Flyby, is that some examples of your stoneworking? Looks awsome indeed!

Just want to add to my list that I'm also a big footie (soccer) fan and have been since being exposed to international football at the 1976 Montreal Olympics --- love watching EPL, CCC, Ligue 1, La Liga, Serie A, MLS/USL, international, and non-pro Sunday fun stuff which I like to sideline ref/play. I also enjoy the Football Manager series of sims.

Welcome back, Olham. Lots of posts to read through, better dig in. I'll have the men bring in a desk and reading lamp, just mind the barrels of castor oil in the corner. Schnapps?

Hobbies, hmmm...other than PC gaming Painting wargaming miniatures (any era, incl. WH40k), building/modelling wargame terrain. Reading history (not revisionist tripe), writing (published poet), listening to classical and operatic music (most years the wife and I are season subscribers to Calgary Opera) Boardgaming- from M:TG to my ancient copy of Richtofens War, Advanced Squad Leader (Avalon Hill version) Roleplaying games- used to play a lot of AD&D, not so much now as its too hard to coordinate people =) Gardening, playing at chef As for PC gaming, pretty eclectic, so you'll find me playing some World of Warcrack on the EU servers, Arma, retro Battlefield 1942, and of course a TON of OFF campaigning, a little of RoF, some BoBII campaigning.

Finished the main mission with about seven hundred rounds remaining, no claims, and on the return to homefield three Escadrille 26 Nieuport 17s dive out of the low clouds and start strafing our airfield. Three of us, three of them. I order my wingman and klingon to attack the two Nieuports that were flying together while I dove after the 'lone wolf'. Nice little viscious fight develops, I've hit this guy in the tail, the fuselage. Finally he arcs up right in front of me, about 70 feet away and I manage a good solid two second burst into his engine and cockpit. Smoke and a sideslip away as I turn hard, figuring he's done. But no, he's diving again for the parked machines. I still have E, so I drop the hammer on him, rolling over to follow him down...about ten whole rounds and I hear CLIC CLIC, but the rounds appear to have shredded his right aileron it seems and suddenly he's swanning down. Then I saw where he was headed in his death throes...one of the hangar tents and envisioning the mechanics in there all I could think of was 'Get out!'. Sure enough the N17 crashed in flames right at the mouth of the hangar. Crazy.

If I may add as well, I've noticed over the brilliantly short careers my recce crews have had, if you get paired up with a decent AI pilot you've got it good. I've had a few 'fresh out of flying school' types (noted due to crashing... a lot, or falling out of the sky...a lot) and a couple of really good AI pilots- including one who turned easy, allowed me to line up shots well, and another who thought he was flying a scout because he often chased enemy machines, threw our Roland all over the sky (oh look, I just blew chunks on my boots again). Oh, and don't rely on escorts to be there when the brown stuff smacks straight into the fan. Just my two pennies worth.