Ghost79

Thanks Fenrir Yes, i would still like to know if the channel map still has a future as per my original post. Looks like its been abandoned and all WW2 europe stuff is focused on N2.

Yeah i always take the initial patch date with a pinch of salt

No surprise once more "During recent checks QA" - Surely this should have been done before announcing the patch date of 3rd April?

I've played through this campaign sometime last year and always managed to get back to Biggin. I checked my play through of mission 1 and landed at Biggin with just under 10 gals left. Tip: Only use high power (+8 to +10 boost with 3,000 RPM) on take-off and to climb with the AI, and dogfighting of course. All other times use cruise setting of +4 to +6 boost with 2,650 RPM. Or if your really struggling, try and cruise at +2 to +4 boost at 2,400 RPM. If you haven't already, check out Chucks guide on the Spit, it has a good reference table on engine settings and their respective fuel consumption rates.

The Mig15 is by far the worst culprit for unrealistic AI behaviour. Ive mentioned many times before that AI (ground AAA too) needs to be a priority improvement for ED as in my opinion its killing the single player game.

Having had a quick spin in the Viggen last night, overall the upgrades are superb. I really like the new much more readable HUD, however... I have to agree with @VikingSail in that the radar screen is a bit of a downgrade from its previous version. But if thats the accurate colour level on the real aircraft then so be it.

Sadly, I’ve finished this campaign and my P-51 has been put away for some much needed rest. Overall its been a great experience and it’s been amazing to have flown the exact missions these brave pilots flew back in the day. Every time we flew out was another adventure, would the Luftwaffe show at all? Would we find any ground targets? or would it be all quiet? The campaign certainly throws you in at the deep end right from the off, mission 1 is hard and simply getting up and back to base is a challenge. Though I ‘did my bit’ by crashing and illuminating the airfield for the others to be able to see and land (that's my excuse and I’m sticking to it! ) Campaign gradually gets a bit easier as it progresses, though watch out for a nasty surprise in mission 3! The level of detail is once again outstanding from Reflected. I’ve read the ‘Colgate Calling’ report/document and you will find lots of instances of pilots calling in for fixes etc, exactly as described. For any that are interested you can watch my mission by mission play through on youtube here: the majority of the first half of the missions took a few attempts on average. Again, spare a thought for the real pilots back then who had no ‘fly again’ option, another reminder that we really do owe them everything.

I can testify to all of the above. It seems the AI isnt worried about engine management and as stated above, always seems to be at full power. As an allied pilot i find the 109 (with or without MW50) to be a big culprit for this. It seems to be able to perform a lazy turning climb which is almost impossible to keep up with (see also mig15 for a jet example of this). I can take out the 109 on ace skill level, but only with the spitfire in the same inevitable turn fight as described above. here's hoping the new AI flight model makes it into the game soon.

Mosquito ai pilot and navigator - now we're talking!

I would be interested to see what the community suggests on this. Personnally i cannot see anything out of the ordinary in terms of engine gauges. Funnily enough i had a similar incident while flying another campaign. After about an hour of flying my engine suddenly quit. The debrief screen also stated 'engine degraded', but i couldnt work out why. Had plenty of fuel, no tell tale coughing and spluttering etc. I'm experienced in flying warbirds and dont have issues managing the engines normally. Not had time to play your track yet.

What engine settings are you using? don't be afraid to up the power if needed. The aircraft should be more than comfortable at RPM 2850 with manifold pressure up to say 50" to catch up. This setting in level flight should see you fly in excess of 300mph, but keep an eye on engine guages, this isn't a continuous setting.

i can replicate the later, when i upload my attempt at mission 1 that i flew earlier this week, you can see my 'fireball'. But my virtual self did survive though

I did wonder why it was very dark when i eventually returned. The gamma settings on takeoff were enough to clearly see once, especially above the clouds bathed in the moonlight.

My thoughts exactly, i increased gamma, still couldn't see anything and lost my flight after setting course. I never found them again until i crash landed back at base. inbetween i wandered aimlessly around some part of France, never saw a thing. only managed a draw despite getting back, but i'm going on to the next mission, this was too hard, but it is what it was back then...

Fair enough, just wanted to check before i sit and wait 2 hours and look a right idiot!

Can i clarify which are the correct takeoff timings? Actual in-game start time is about 01:15, but stated takeoff time according to the mission briefing is 03:30, is this correct? This means waiting on the ground for 2 hours, which if i try and wait, my wingman taxi's out and departs anyway. I know you said no filters etc, so am i really expected to wait until 0330?

This caught my eye AI Aircraft. AIs will no longer be able to maintain flight with severe damage. I wonder how this will affect WW2 aircraft? Many a time i've hammered an FW190 Anton only for it to still be flying. They also had an ability to glide great distances with no prop spinning. time will tell i guess.

Im sure it was hell in real life, but in DCS, no matter how i fly there is always a high probability im going to get hit. take mission 7 for example, attacking the no ball site. i've tried every conceivable method - jinking, high speed low approaches etc. everytime the AAA hit me, sometimes with thier first salvo. I was only able to make it back after a high speed treetop pass, even then i still got hit! in my experience, if you fly low, the AAA will still see and hit you. im getting to the point where i wont fly ww2 ground attack missions, i have the Epsom and Charnwood campaigns but never go back to them for this reason. There are some missions ahead in V for victory that are not to risky with regards AAA, but i will not be flying the likes of mission 7 again.

The aimbot AI is still ruining ground attack based missions and campaigns. The acuracy of the WW2 AAA is just rediculous and spoils missions. Eagle Dynamics need to sort this out asap. totally not the mission campaign designers fault, appreciate what you have to work with.

Well done on completing the campaign! When flying through cloud focus on your main instruments, I make sure that the Climb/Dive gauge shows a steady climb rate and personally I use the gyro compass to make sure I'm maintaining direction(i don't trust the artificial horizon). Hold your nerve using these instruments until you brake cloud cover.

With more and more of Channel map airfields appearing on the Normandy 2 map, what is the future for the channel map, if any? To me, it looks like the channel map will become redundant, cant see why anyone would develop missions or campaigns for it, better to base them on N2. if the channel map does become redundant, what will this mean for those of us who own the map?

+1 for the mosquito. yet it only appears to be one of the exhausts, not all of them.

Like with some other modules, can we have the option to hide the control stick please? Would make using the P8 compass a lot more pralctical to use for starters

Been trying to play mission 7 of the Wrath of Thunder campaign but it seems to be completely bugged, to the point of it not being 'playable'. For example, about 30 seconds after mission start i get the message "2, good hits!, the bridge is gone!" - we're not even started our planes yet! If I quit just after this message, mission score is 100 i.e. complete. on taking off. the lysbombs are dropped in the wrong place - no enemy, bridge or river in sight. Also there appeared to be what looked like a row of street lights suspended approx. 1,000ft in the air. Anybody else experienced this? I have no mods installed except the A4 Skyhawk and I'm running the current version of open beta. I don't have a track btw.

+1 to this. Conducting night time insertions in and out of enemy territory, landing and taking off from specially prepared 'fields'. Navigating in the dark using WW2 instruments alone would be a challenge. Listening for radio calls when near, dodging the Luftwaffe and land based troops. Altogether presenting a unique challenge and a situation not available in DCS at the moment.