Are there any PC simulations out there that let me fly detailed models of the B-1b, B2 or any relatively modern bomber on an actual combat mission? I know one of the Microsoft flight simulators allows you to FLY one...but I want to operate the plane...alternating between positions..to infiltrate and drop my nuke on someone.
I doubt there is but was hoping for a mod maybe?
If not....isn't it time for one? 2020...war between NATO and Russia escalates to the "tactical nuclear level". B-1b Heads in to drop on forces/airfield/supply hub, etc. I mean, it's not hard to think of a scenario and working the ECM, navigating through Air Defense and targeting would be fun. Not to mention infil/exfil flying at 200 feet above the ground at Mach1.2
Edit: think Silent Hunter (where you can switch between stations) meets DCS. (Or for me, Flaming cliffs 3 since i can't spend 20 minutes starting an airplane)
Sadly, Megafortress is still the best (and only) option...I agree, a modern adaptation is long overdue.
http://www.old-games.com/download/4334/megafortress (http://www.old-games.com/download/4334/megafortress)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_4.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_5.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_6.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_7.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_8.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_10.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_12.gif)
It even comes with a campaign based on Flight of the Old Dog, the novel which inspired the game in the first place. (The B-52 is a tricked out testbed for tech which got put into the B-1B, the new supersonic stealth bomber hotness at the time.)
That being said, while the game is certainly playable (I put in a few hundred hours easily), its functionality is partly broken in places.
Not so much that the missions can't be defeated -- if anything the bomber and the game design is a little overpowered. But the game was too ambitious I guess, and some of the functionality just doesn't work. (This is aside from some of the functionality being mere chrome, like the windshield wiper which is too slow to be useful and which no mission ever needs anyway -- even when crossing Kamchatka. Heck, even when LANDING AND TAKING OFF AGAIN somewhere in Kamchatka.)
Quote from: JasonPratt on August 20, 2018, 12:11:14 PM
It even comes with a campaign based on Flight of the Old Dog, the novel which inspired the game in the first place. (The B-52 is a tricked out testbed for tech which got put into the B-1B, the new supersonic stealth bomber hotness at the time.)
I could never get past the part of the (I think) first mission of the campaign where you are asked for a transponder code. I feel like I am doing everything right but I still get shot down.
It really would be cool to have a B1/B2/B52 modern sim with all the avionics bells and whistles.
Is there a scenario in Command that would work?
For some reason I imagine a modern bomber sim would play like a modern boomer sim. Goal of avoiding all contact until payload can be dropped / launched
That said you position it like a stealth sim (Thief...in the sky or underwater)
Quote from: DoctorQuest on August 20, 2018, 12:23:40 PM
I could never get past the part of the (I think) first mission of the campaign where you are asked for a transponder code. I feel like I am doing everything right but I still get shot down.
It's been too many years since I played the Old Dog campaign, so I can't help with that.
I recall thinking that my main problem in the 1st mission was EVEN LEAVING THE HANGAR, because there's no good way to easily tell when the doors are wide enough to go without ripping my wings off. I think I just eventually waited until I couldn't see the doors anymore, even though that felt like too long.
Also, in either the first or second mission I remember (as in the book) you have to fake your death by fake-crashing off radar.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 19, 2018, 05:59:18 PM
Sadly, Megafortress is still the best (and only) option...I agree, a modern adaptation is long overdue.
http://www.old-games.com/download/4334/megafortress (http://www.old-games.com/download/4334/megafortress)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_4.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_5.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_6.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_7.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_8.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_10.gif)
(https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/m/megafortress-1xe/megafortress_12.gif)
Are these free downloads, or do they cost? I don't have a Paypal account, and am a little leery about using my debit card online.
Free. Link I posted offers the option to make a donation, but you can download the file for free. Its like a 2mb download.
Haven't tried it though.
Quote from: JasonPratt on August 20, 2018, 12:36:49 PM
Also, in either the first or second mission I remember (as in the book) you have to fake your death by fake-crashing off radar.
Yeah. That's the one I just can't seem to figure out.
^I think there is a video on Youtube of a guy doing that mission. I'm not sure if its the one, but he rapidly drops altitude at one point to just a couple hundred feet above sea level.
Great. Now I have the bug to try this again. :)
I'll see if I can find that video. Thanks, JH.
Quote from: DoctorQuest on August 20, 2018, 03:17:45 PM
Great. Now I have the bug to try this again. :)
I'll see if I can find that video. Thanks, JH.
Haven't watched the whole thing, or any of it with sound, but I noticed the altitude drop around 11:30.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 20, 2018, 02:59:32 PM
^I think there is a video on Youtube of a guy doing that mission. I'm not sure if its the one, but he rapidly drops altitude at one point to just a couple hundred feet above sea level.
That's what I recall, too. The rate of descent has to be fast enough, and you have to get low enough quick enough to simulate a crash. You shouldn't turn on the transponder at all for that -- you're stealing a unique test-bed craft, turning on your IFF is a BAD idea!
So which one of you enterprising guys is going to design a new B-1B simulation?
That's pretty detailed. Lots of clicking.
Quote from: jamus34 on August 20, 2018, 12:28:02 PM
For some reason I imagine a modern bomber sim would play like a modern boomer sim. Goal of avoiding all contact until payload can be dropped / launched
That said you position it like a stealth sim (Thief...in the sky or underwater)
I don't know....I think if the game simulated 1980's era conflict it might be fun. The B-1 was designed to fly over the North Pole, drop down to less than a few hundred feet and haul ass to the target. You would have to set up routes based on air and SAM threats, use the defensive electronic station to "mistify, mislead and surprise" (there is a dedicated station for this), setting up weapon approach and dropping.
Dunno...the interesting part wouldn't be the actual bombing or ECM stuff. I would envision a deep and detailed system for planning your route to all of your targets based on known threats and "alleys" opened up in air defense by SLBM missile strikes. Strategy stuff vs tactical
Wouldn't be DCS SU-27 vs F-15c but I think it would be pretty damned entertaining
Quote from: jomni on August 20, 2018, 06:35:43 PM
That's pretty detailed. Lots of clicking.
The DCS fans should love it.
F-117 Stealth Fighter (I know. It's not titled bomber, but it functioned as a bomber.) 2.0 is available on GOG and Steam. It's an old Microprose sim that features a career mode that spans several time periods, global hotspots, and missions flown during cold war, limited war, and total war conditions. The Lockheed model flys realistically for an early 1990's PC flight sim. Mission planning and detection avoidance are important when flying against veteran or elite opposition forces. The Microprose model is more of an arcade game with less stealth and more air to air capabilities. Plus, if you're interested in modern military aviation the PDF manual is worth a read even if you never play the game.
There's an older Tornado sim from Digital Integration/Spectrum Holobyte that allows for a lot of bombing and related air-to-ground ordinance delivery:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado_(1993_video_game)
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/tornado
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobygames.com%2Fimages%2Fshots%2Fl%2F150107-tornado-amiga-screenshot-i-m-going-down-to-activate-the-terrain.png&hash=93add74941566d65a9e3a89918119f28f3f76322)
It has a very detailed mission planner:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Digital_Integration_Tornado_Mission_Planner.png) (https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobygames.com%2Fimages%2Fshots%2Fl%2F150087-tornado-amiga-screenshot-operational-zone-map.png&hash=add972341ab50c71f5f7b454bb582c1bf026a116)
Weapons station:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobygames.com%2Fimages%2Fshots%2Fl%2F273291-tornado-dos-screenshot-co-pilot-s-cockpit.png&hash=29948fb61a36001b98258f11dba86ece8aaf8347)
And there was even a Desert Storm add-on released:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/94/Digital_Integration_Tornado_ODS_MS-DOS_Addon_CD_Cover.jpg)
The Tornado sim is available for download from the same site that Jarhead posted above for the Megafortress download.
I think the Dogs of War site has a lot of modding for Tornado. Yep, here we go: http://dogsofwarvu.com/forum/index.php/board,50.0.html
Wow. Not sure if that is impressive, or sad. lol. So much work put into such a dated game. God bless...
I vaguely remember that Tornado's mission planner was so good that it was used by some country's (canada?) military.
Well I was close. See David Marshall's comments from the game manual near bottom of page.
http://www.moodurian.com/tornado/home.html?http://www.moodurian.com/tornado/tor/MissionPlanner.html&content
Quote from: Millipede on August 26, 2018, 10:07:54 AM
The Tornado sim is available for download from the same site that Jarhead posted above for the Megafortress download.
Good to know. I have no idea where my disks are, or if they are still any good. As I recall, the manual that came with them was full of the typical Spectrum Holobyte goodness.
Quote from: mikeck on August 20, 2018, 06:51:57 PM
Quote from: jamus34 on August 20, 2018, 12:28:02 PM
For some reason I imagine a modern bomber sim would play like a modern boomer sim. Goal of avoiding all contact until payload can be dropped / launched
That said you position it like a stealth sim (Thief...in the sky or underwater)
I don't know....I think if the game simulated 1980's era conflict it might be fun. The B-1 was designed to fly over the North Pole, drop down to less than a few hundred feet and haul ass to the target. You would have to set up routes based on air and SAM threats, use the defensive electronic station to "mistify, mislead and surprise" (there is a dedicated station for this), setting up weapon approach and dropping.
Dunno...the interesting part wouldn't be the actual bombing or ECM stuff. I would envision a deep and detailed system for planning your route to all of your targets based on known threats and "alleys" opened up in air defense by SLBM missile strikes. Strategy stuff vs tactical
Wouldn't be DCS SU-27 vs F-15c but I think it would be pretty damned entertaining
For about a 12 year period, 1978-1990, I was very heavily involved with marrying weather data with weapons sensor data, to provide the attacking craft (and planners) both target acquisition, and target lock-on ranges. There were a tremendous number of variables that went into this data set. Two separate sets of data, target area/weather, and weapon sensor types and capabilities. I love this stuff!