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I bought the campaign the other day and had a go at mission 1 yesterday, I had two goes the first one I was shot down :cry:

 

Now before I go any further I just want to point out I am no expert and pretty new to DCS and the spitfire so if what I say sounds nonsense please say.

 

 

Ok back to mission 1: 2nd attempt

 

 

I managed to start up and take off ok and then joined the other spits circling the airfield with my section.

 

 

Fast forward to the climb to altitude which was fine supercharger or whatever it is cut in so ok.

 

 

Just before I reached the coast my engine started losing power so I guessed the belly tank was empty so I released it. I then had probs getting power to my engine, fuel was on etc...anyway after a while I don't know what I did but I got power back, unfortunately the rest of the wing had left me and my section behind. Then enemy fighter were reported FW190's.

 

 

I managed to get into the fight I wasn't hit and didn't shoot anything down which is fine.

 

 

To cut a long story short I managed to get back to England with my section with 20 gallons of fuel left.

 

 

I found it very immersive and interesting, I didn't need to reduce graphics or AI aircraft as I have a powerful computer so no jerky stuff etc.

 

 

I did find the Normandy map was lacking in detail? looked more like a photo type scenery then what I am used to.

 

 

I also lacked a bit of engine noise from my aircraft maybe I was on the limit of my computer power? who knows!

 

 

Also on the debrief it showed that 29 I think FW190's were engaged and 29 were shot down for the loss of 2 spits. I think this may be a bit excessive but maybe we were lucky.

 

 

As a newbie to this kind of thing and my first go I found it be very immersive and it kept me interested and on my toes throughout.

 

 

The flight across the channel and back seemed a bit long but that's how it was so not really complaining.

 

I noticed the enemy fighters spawned in the same place at roughly or at the same time which I suppose for historicalish accuracy is meant to happen but would be nice if they spawned maybe at slightly different times with different strength/altitude etc it would make it more interesting if you played it through again but again its just an observation not a moan.

 

All in all really enjoyed it and looking forward to the next one.

 

:thumbup:

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Hi,

Thank you so much for sharing this, I couldn’t wait to hear the first mission reports :)

 

As for the engine trouble: currently the Spit’s engine is prone to overcooling, It has been reported. If you managed to get it running again, I guess you forgot to turn on the fuel pump.

 

In terms of spawning and locations, I tried to follow the real life events as closely as possible. This means that sometimes you fly over the less detailed area near Calais, but at 25k feet with a dense cloud cover it should be a good compromise.

 

How did you find the briefing? Did you use the kneeboard pages/ checklists? Was it easy to find your position in the wing?

 

Really looking forward to hearing about your next missions :)

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I also have the 1st mission through. It's not easy to lift the Spitfire to over 8000 m and then fight with it.

I kept a close eye on my Merlin displays in the cockpit so it would not go up like often. I had to give a lot of boost to lower the oil pressure to hold as 150-130 psi.

To the 120 psi is ok but only possible with more boost at the height of around 8300 m, than less cause oil and temperatures to much low, a up and down with engine controlls.

Nevertheless, i missed the 1st enemie Dora group before waypoint 2, again far away only contrails.

At waypoint 2, the 1st Wingman had no more fuel and asked for RTB.

The 2nd and 3rd wingman followed at the 3. waypoint, asked too for RTB cause no fuel.

 

But I could not give an RTB order to the wingmans alone than over enemy area, it would be suicide for my flight or at last me.

 

I then saw a group of Doras from west to east circling, the contrails only first. I did not know yet it was Doras.

I took the chase north-east of waypoint 2 with my flight. The Doras did not see us because we were following them straight from the back or 6 from south to west around.

When I saw it from about 5 km in zoom, it was Doras i already knew that a pursuit from position 6 out will be senseless, nothing. The Doras flew over 50 km faster as the Spitfires at the same height.

So back to the waypoint 3. Then we circles, flaks watching the shoots, looking for enemies, etc.

Since the wingmans had previously no fuel, the decision was to waypoint 4 and RTB.

All Wingmans unfortunately crashed into the northsea. I do not know if that should be the case.

I dropped the extra tank and flew back to the base. Then i landed directly, not like in strict order and place rounds in the wind ... and stupidly forgot my landing gear, but landed clean on the stomach.

The rest what I saw then. It was a British disaster, almost all the Spitfire did not survive except the reboosting flight formation when i landed and maybe some other Spits, i forgotten to look. At last i had about 17-18 gallons of fuel at me.

In F2 i saw a lot of Doras circle far away, like City "Rennes". I like the campaign very well, even the Merlin did not makes any problems to me in over 8000m, when all is done well with the machine.


Edited by Gerd-Wiem
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Yes I found the briefings are good and well laid out. I used my kneeboard a lot and printed briefings and check list out prior to mission which I used constantly throughout the flight. It was easy to find the flight and get into position so no probs there.

In answers to the fuel pump...tes I did start it once I got fuel starvation something I should have done earlier.

Great fun.

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Thanks for the answer. I flew the mission again. The briefing now carefully observed. Good that there is an accurate and realistic briefing here, not all campaign has it.

Also the ingenious Kneeboard surprised with the frequencies and key data also to the Spitfire positive, very well done i think.

For some unexplainable reason, i started from a meeting on the homebase, which of course was nonsense. So after the start i was cranking up to 8000 m and wondering where my group stayed

and only heard the fight voices far away. So i flew permanently in around 8000 m.

Now i flew after the rotting and climbed with her to 8000 m. I've never been to DCS with so many planes in such a big air battle,

that was really impressive and exciting. Although i have a 6600K (4,4 GHZ), 32 GB DDR4 and GTX 1080 (Full HD) i had stuttered at the text messages and the guns jammed and just shot on without trigger hold.

That's up to DCS, i sure. The language and sounds make me stutter, even in other big missions from DCS.

I am very positively surprised by the campaign. But i'm just on Mission 1 and i'm curious what's to come on. Very good job missions designer and thanks for the clarification

to read the briefing exactly. What do i have to screw down in DCS that so many text messages gives no stutter result, cause basically everything is running at highest settings for me.

The frames are well in the air battle. Only with voices or sounds stutter comes. But the campaign seems to be awesome, thanks for that.

 

Edit: My Headset is a Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 and DCS runs on a Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500 GB M.2, maybe that is the Problem cause sound stuttering. or has somebody the same Problem.


Edited by Gerd-Wiem
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Gerd-Wiem, I don't really understand what you mean by "started from a meeting on the homebase".

 

In the first mission 2 squadrons of the Biggin Hill Wing take off, each with 3 flights of 4. The 3 flights of the other squadron (Gimlet) are already airborne and are circling the airfield (low squadron), followed by the 341 (Turban). Turban red (Mouchotte) is already following Gimlet slightly higher and behind, all you need to do is to take off, and join the circling formation above the airfield (at around, 2-3000 feet, can't remember). Your flight (Turban blue) has to be on the left wing of Turban Red, that is, you are the left flight of the high squadron, slightly behind the low squadron's 12 Spits. Then just follow them through the mission. I hope this made sense.

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Yes that made sense. I had not understood the whole briefing at my first attempt, but now all is fine.

I am german and all through other languages is not always clear at first, like with the briefing in english always. But thanks, now all is clear for me.... since now at 1. Mission.

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Wow, I had almost exactly the same experience as the OP. I lost all power but managed to get started again after pumping the wobble pump until the light went off again. By the time I got back into the fight, it was practically over and I never got a shot in.

The engine sounds are bugged for definite (only in the player aircraft it seems). It seems to chop in and out from beginning to the end of the mission with or without the canopy open.

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You can't fly high without the fuel pump being on (not the fuel cock in front ,but the pump switch below the throttle). Also, currently it's easy to overcool the engine, it has already been reported.

 

As for the sounds: I noticed that I lose "layers" of my own engine sound if there are too many other planes around and I switch from external to cockpit view. You get it back if you accelerate and deccelerate time. It's always been like this in DCS for me.

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Hi Reflected, thanks for the campaign I can tell that you put in a lot of work into it. I am curious as to what the criteria is as to getting through the first mission? I have flown it three times now and each time the DB tells me that I am a disgrace to the nation etc.... I formed up kept radio silence, engaged the Bosch and have made it back to home base. What more does a pilot have to do?.....

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Hi Reflected, yes I got the campaign failure message each time. Sorry for my shorthand DB=debrief. Thanks for the speedy reply. Each time I've flown to the engagement area and back. I do like the look of what you've put together and can't wait to see what comes next.

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Hmm, I just tested it. I flew for 10-15 minutes then quit mid-flight. I got through to the 2nd mission. It would be great to hear if others have the same issue. very strange indeed.

 

The other criteria is that the player should be alive. Were you hit? In MP I get a "loss" sometimes even without losing a plane - or get hit for that matter. I'm just shooting in the dark here.

 

I'm sorry you can't progress, in the meantime you can play the other missions by opening them one by one from your mods/campaigns folder.

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Actually the last time I tried it my wing got shot up a bit, so it could be that. I'll give it another go and let you know. Failing that I'll open them up as you said as I am curious to see what happens next. Thanks for the interaction it's much appreciated and do stay on it as you've got some good things happening there. The massive dogfights at altitude look fabulous, it's such a pity that the track replay is somewhat broken. It would be such a great advert for DCS if it was working properly because of all the great videos people could post using their directing skills to the full. But that's another story I guess......

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Hi,

 

I just flew the first mission, but I did differently. I got my “Big show” book, read the recommended chapter and then I went fly the mission.

 

Briefing is well done, voice overs were great and I even got the engine sputters because I forgot to turn on the fuel pump. The nice thing is that after first “coughing” the first thing I did was to turn the pump on.

 

I kept close to the wing but my flight lagged behind a bit. The fight over France went well and I got one. On the second, another spit shooting at it got my wing and I had to bail.

 

So, I will gladly fly it again. I will try to read the chapters before each mission just to add immersion.

 

I had no problem whatsoever with stutters or anything, but I good a “beefy” pc and I just installed a 2080. Amazing!

 

I decided this is the campaign to “try the 2080”.

 

Tks a lot for the campaign, because I read “O Grande Circo” in portuguese when i was a teenage. Remember, Clostermann was born in Brazil.

 

Now it is my time to “live” it.

 

All the best,

 

Sydy

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Ola Sydy! Molto Obrigado! I'm really glad you're doing it "the right way", that is, as a reading companion to the book - as recommended in the documentation. It's really one of the best ones about WW2 air combat. I hope this campaign will make his story more accessible to those who haven't heard of him, and he will be remembered by more aviation enthusiasts. Looking forward to reading more of your combat reports! :)

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Ola Sydy! Molto Obrigado! I'm really glad you're doing it "the right way", that is, as a reading companion to the book - as recommended in the documentation. It's really one of the best ones about WW2 air combat. I hope this campaign will make his story more accessible to those who haven't heard of him, and he will be remembered by more aviation enthusiasts. Looking forward to reading more of your combat reports! :)

 

De nada, Reflected!

 

Today I just re-flew the first mission and it was pretty fun! Hell of a dogfight over France, but I didn’t bag any, but managed to avoid many attacks. The mission took a bit more than an hour but it was really fun.

 

I decided to record the main “events” on the first mission and I will make an amateur movie about it. I am having a ball flying the spit with your campaing.

 

Now it is time to read the “First Successes” chapter. ;)

 

All the best,

 

Sydy

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I enjoyed Mission 1 (and lived) and decided to order the book and start again when it arrives at month end or early December.

That is going to be a very nice campaign I feel.

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"Everyone should fly a Spitfire at least once" John S. Blyth

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