IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad Discussion

[Gusington]

I wanna shoot Toonces down!

[Tuna]

SDR and I flew a couple missions tonight as Ruskies.. no sign of Toonces!

[JasonPratt]

I wanna shoot Toonces down!

Well, there are a couple more options, though I don't suppose they're suited for multiplayer. Exactly.

(1) Set up a quick mission in your chosen aircraft, preferably one with a gunners station, and in the difficulty for your mission (use "custom") click the AI button. This starts the mission under total AI control. It will start the engines, taxi, takeoff, fly to the target(s), do its things there, then fly home and land. You can watch from the pilot station as the AI adjusts controls under various circumstances, and help defend the craft if necessary.

(2) Same deal, but instead of AI, turn on all the help aids. Simple physics (the windflow of your props won't affect your rudder etc.), unlimited ammo, no wind, unbreakable, etc. Make sure the AI is still managing the engines and the radiators etc. -- you just tell the throttle what power you want to use, the AI does the rest and will throttle you down if you're threatening to blow the engines too quickly. As you get comfortable, you can do missions with fewer aids.  O:-)

I was taking the Air Force Academy approach. Which considering THERE ARE NO MANUALS REALLY, was more bothersome than it should have been, and I've had to do a lot of trial and error. A report of that shall come next...

[JasonPratt]

Meanwhile, I begin to approach starting to be competent!!  <:-) L:-)

I discovered (through some trial and error and trees) what the longest runway was at my airport, after deciding that if I'm going to learn proper takeoff management then I should go whole hog, or two whole hogs so to speak, with my heaviest possible bombload: two 1800 kg bombs, 100% fuel, and two extra gun mounts.

I discovered that even on the longest possible runway -- i.e., using the runway with smaller taxiways on each end, and using those for my takeoff as well -- I was still in the grass and unable to quite clear obstacles at the end of the taxiways even with an eventual lurchoff.

(This also basically confirmed that other people are taking off with 50% fuel. Or much less. I eventually flew around for an hour in-game and barely touched my fuel supply.)

The problem, I realized, was that the computer was throttling me down at the last moment to avoid blowing the engines, even on the longest runway path available -- also my 20% flaps were causing too much drag, so I had to add them at the last moment when I got to 180 kph. I could adjust for the drag, but what about the downthrottle? If I simply turned that management off, I'd blow the engines taking off at the last moment, instead of throttling down and crashing!

The eventual solution?

Start dead cold.

Ironically, this is what I had been trying to do from the start.

By spending a few (time compressed minutes) warming up, and taking over the radiators manually, I could keep the water and oil at around 40 degrees. That was enough to get me to taxi speed without the autogovernor going 'nope!' And then when it was time to start my full open throttle at the far end of my chosen taxiway, I closed all my radiators first to reduce drag maximally.

Normally that would overheat my engines, but I was rolling as cold as possible for travel functionality!

Result: I hit 180 kph only a little after leaving the far taxiway, and with flaps then to 20% (or 24%) I could 'flap' off the ground, yank my wheels up, and reduce my flaps for more airspeed, while keeping my engine at full power longer. Then when the temps got to be a problem, I just opened my radiators, which increased some drag, but by then I had safe speed (above 200) and altitude. (...sort of. I cleared some 40 meter trees by only a little!)

Eventually on this flight I also discovered that with a maximum load, I needed to quickly transition to 100% down-elevator or up-pitch trim! (Not sure I should start my takeoff with that, though. It might drag my tail too much. Come to think of it, this might have been the point to so much down-pitch trim to start with! -- get that tail off the ground pronto!)

Anyway, once I got enough speed and altitude over the countryside, I turned around, flew to my first waypoint, scoped it out, flew to my second, chose a copse of trees to glide-bomb (using the glidescope cheat to be honest), flew back, landed, took off again, circled around for another slightly less successful landing (in the grass next to the main runway, with some bunny hopping, didn't go full flap soon enough to get down, probably blew one of my tires). Quit for the night, time for bed!  :bd:

[Gusington]

 

[Toonces]

I saw you guys logged on when I started my computer last night, but no gaming yesterday.

I'll be looking for you guys on Friday for sure.

[Tuna]

Going to a party.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

New update out today.  Some "interesting" choices when to comes to where effort was focused.


28. Bodenplatte pilots put on and remove oxygen mask when needed;
29. Bodenplatte and Flying Circus pilots put off their goggles on parking;
32. Gunner folding seat animation corrected on Ju-88;
34. Dead pilot model position corrected on Pfalz D.IIIa;
41. The maximum number of ejected cartridges corrected based on real time instead of a simulated one;

[Tuna]

Tuna and Jason heading to the target.. We were like Keystone Cops today! But good 'learning' experience.

[JasonPratt]

The target had little to fear from me...  :hide:

[Tuna]

Last run last night, JU 88... Coming into the target at 3000 Meters, a lot ouf cloud cover



Release the first present.





Direct hits on the target!!



If I could've seen the AA gun from way up there, I would've dropped a second earlier!



Immediately after I was jumped by an LA 5.. he was a smart one staying out of range of my gunners, to make them burn their ammo (will have to learn the 'fire when they are close' key).





I survived the first guy and was immediately jumped by two more, they were taking their time having their way with me.





I did however make it back to friendly territory before having to ditch, pilot survived!

[Sir Slash]

Damn Tuna, that Junker is a Junk-er now.  ;D

[Tuna]

Yeah. the landing gear wouldn't even go down!!... I used the dive breaks instead!  :pullhair:

[IronX]

Good job!

[Gusington]

Ouchie  :arr: