Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney - P-51D Campaign info

[Reflected]

 

Dear Virtual Pilots,

 

Thank you for your interest in my second DLC Campaign called “Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney”. I put my heart and soul into it, plus as much mission editing skills as I possibly could, with the help of others of course. I really hope it will give you hours of immersion, excitement and fun. I’m so looking forward to hearing your opinions, please use this thread to share any positive feedback,questions, or things that can be improved. However, if you want to point out specific bugs, or have questions/problems about a given mission, please open a new thread to make sure I don’t miss it. I will do my best to fix them as soon as I can. Can’t wait to hear your impressions, I’ve played the campaign a few dozen times, but I always knew what would happen

 

 

GO TO THE WEBSHOP

 

 

The legendary 352nd Fighter Group - also known as the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney" - was one of the most famous USAAF fighter units of the war. The sight of a beautiful, bare aluminum P-51 Mustang with its nose painted blue must be familiar to all aviation enthusiasts. This is no coincidence: Twenty-nine of the USAAF’s aerial aces over Europe were part of this unit. The 352nd can claim more "aces in a day" with five victories on one mission than any other Mustang group in either theater. George Preddy (six Me109's), Don Bryan (five FW190's), Carl J. Luksic (four FW190's, one Me109), and William T. Whisner (five FW190's) led the way. The top two Mustang aces were the 352nd’s Major George E Preddy, Jr. with 23.83 aerial victories in the P-51 and Col. J.C. Meyer with 21 Mustang victories.

 

 

This semi-historical campaign is a small tribute to these brave men, an hommage to what they did over 70 years ago. Semi historical, because Bodney is not really on the map, nor could I reproduce 1000 plane raids on Berlin with long hours of flying time. However, I tried to make as many details historically accurate as possible,working with what we have in game. The campaign starts in May 1944 with your transfer from the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group at Debden to the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group at Bodney (Chailey). You’ll fly your first missions as flight leader, but soon you’ll be given a chance to lead the entire 487th in to battle. The 14 fictional, but realistic missions will take you through the exciting period between mid-May to December 1944, including the fierce ground battles in the days following D-day as well as some icy sorties over the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.

 

 

 

CONTENT

 

These missions come with a lot of extra content to them as immersive as possible. There are over 200 custom radio messages especially recorded for these missions, as well as dozens of historically accurate custom skins. Most of the liveries are generic squadron skins, but if you watch closely, you’ll see historical characters in the virtual skies, such as Lt.Col. John C. Meyer’s “Petie 2nd”. On top of this, there are some hidden Easter eggs, such as original radio broadcasts from 1944, or Lord Haw Haw trolling on your radio frequency.

Each mission has two standard briefing images. One is a briefing room chalkboard with all the details of the mission, the other one is a map with headings and distances. Where applicable, there are further briefing images such as aerial recon photos of the target area, or original maps from World War 2.

 

   

 

This content is also available on your kneeboard: there is a page with the aforementioned map complete with headings and distances and the most important mission details underneath. My recommendation is that you try to use this to find your way rather than peeking at the F10 map that’s full of spoilers. Also on the kneeboard, you will find four pages of checklists and procedures. Try to follow them, and operate your P-51 D Mustang like those young men did back in 1944.

 

     

 

For those with a second monitor or a tablet, a high resolution pdf map of Normandy can be found in the documentations folder.

 

GAMEPLAY

 

These are no “Hollywood” style missions. No need to shoot down x number of enemy planes or destroy pre-defined targets to progress. Just like in real life, it will suffice to survive the mission and live to fight another day. Therefore, there is a timer set for each sortie, and after 10 minutes airborne they will be successfully completed.

 

Some of the missions have a large number of AI units such as big bomber formations, ships or ground units. I included an option to remove some of these units, so that people with less powerful PCs can also enjoy the campaign. Where applicable, there is an item in the F10 radio menu that you can select in the first 5 minutes of the mission. After that, the radio menu item will be removed.

 

 

In the first three missions you will fly as Blue Leader, leading a 4 ship formation, following Red Flight. You won’t need to worry about navigation, you’ll just have to follow the lead flight and follow White Leader’s commands. You will be able to give orders to your own flight via the normal radio menu. Later, however, you will lead the entire squadron into battle with 8 or 12 Mustangs. In these missions you can give commands to the other flight(s) via the F10 radio menu. When leading the squadron, make sure you follow the briefing details and give sufficient time for the other flights to take off and form up. You can of course head towards the target sooner than briefed, but you will risk going into battle with most of your formation lagging behind.

 

Some missions are long enough so that you need to be conscious of fuel management. Climb at 46” MP and 2700 rpm maximum, and reduce performance to 34” MP and 2400 rpm or less when cruising. This will also help your wingmen to keep in formation, especially at higher altitudes.

 

For engine start and takeoff select the left wing tank, because this is where the carburetor overflow line returns. If the left wing tank is full, the excess vaporized fuel will go to waste. Once airborne, switch to your fuselage tank even if you have drop tanks attached to your wings. The P-51 is very tail heavy and hard to handle in combat with fuel in the fuselage tank. Only when it’s empty you should switch to the drop tanks that you can release instantly if you engage in combat. Switch between the left and right wing tanks every 10 minutes to make sure the ship is balanced.

 

 

When attacking ground targets, be careful with commands. “Engage ground targets” will make your wingmen prioritize air defenses and do suicide runs over flak batteries. Be specific and choose “Engage utility” to attack trucks, or, if they have bombs, “Engage armor” to attack tanks. When there is a primary target specified in the briefing, use the “Attack primary” command.

 

Spotting ground targets can be difficult in game, but AI pilots have very good eyesight and you should be using this to your advantage. Your wingmen may call out “Tally utility at 10 o’clock for 4”, which means they see trucks ahead, slightly to the left at a distance of 4 miles. You can either turn in that direction and try to spot the target, or just give your flight the order to attack, and follow them in.

 

Sometimes your wingmen may reply “negative” or “unable”. This means they either can’t see the target, or they don’t have adequate weapons to attack. This can happen when you order them to engage armor and they don’t have bombs. AI Mustangs will never engage tanks with machine guns only.

 

 

Not everything is meant for you. There may be engagements that happen far away, even off the map. There may be several ground targets, but this does not mean you have to take out every one of them. Your job as a commander is to make the right decision, and lead the squadron according to your best judgment to keep everyone alive.

 

Should you be in trouble, switch to channel B on your radio to contact Air/Sea Rescue.

It’s important to note that although the missions are not time sensitive, they work best if you follow the briefing the best you can.

 

 

For those who would like to maximize immersion, I included a blank encounter report in pdf format. Feel free to print 14 of these, sit down after each mission, try to remember all the details and complete your report, like real pilots did back in World War 2.

 

Last, but not least, it's a fictional campaign, so I wrote a few pages of background story of your virtual caracter. I think the campaign is more fun and immersive if you read this first.

 

BACKGROUND STORY

 

 

Again, I wish you hours of pure excitement, immersion, sheer terror, sweat, joy and success. 

 

Reflected

 

 

BNBOB - Background Story.pdf

Edited December 4, 2020 by Reflected

[dogsbody59]

Just purchased and quickly flew the first mission local area flight, having updated dcs today the flight model seems more stable. I enjoyed the first flight wasn't to long or short but nice bit if formation flying. Looking forward to the rest.

[baltic_dragon]

Looks really impressive! A big incentive to finally jump into WWII...

[_Spad_]

Thanks for the Christmas present, Reflected!

[Surrexen]

Sold. Whats the module name for the command line installer?

 

Nevermind, got it: P51D-BLUENOSEDBASTARDS_campaign

Edited December 21, 2018 by Surrexen
Found solution

[Reflected]

Thank you all! Glad you found the command line, as I had no idea what it was. I hope it will give you a lot of fun during the holidays :)

 

Just make sure you remember Christmas is primarily the celebration of love, so don't let this get in the way of letting your loved ones know how you feel for them. Moments that may seem totally ordinary can be, in fact, the most extraordinary ones if we look at them the right way, so make the most of them. I recently learned this the hardest way.

 

PS: Can an admin please sticky this thread?

[Magic Zach]

I hope one day, maps will be big enough, and computers powerful enough to allow MASSIVE numbers of units, and have long distance, and accurate missions.

 

This looks awesome! I'm personally not much of a campaign person, but oh lordy, if I was to choose one, I think it would be this!

[Coxy_99]

I fancied escorting huge amounts of B-17s BTW hope theres lots of flak?

 

Used bonus and picked it up for 7$

[Zoomer]

Anyone try this in VR, a very busy battlespace is an fps killer. Campaign looks quiet good.

[Gerd-Wiem]

Nice Campaign, but i knows only the 1. mision. Very much intensive and impressive and the P-51 flys much better (easyer) with new update, i guess. Thanks for this camapign.

[Sydy]

Hi Reflected,

 

I hope you are doing well! Congratulations on the new campaign. Now I know where you were going with that test! :music_whistling:

 

I just flew the first mission and loved it. I made some records, but as I am going to be in a TDY pretty soon, I will make them all later.

 

Once again, congratulations!

 

All the best,

 

Sydy

[Red Baron]

Hi,

 

I just bought this campaign together with the other 2 P-51D campaigns, but this one just didnt install. I am not on steam, and I use alfa version. Am I missing something?

 

RB

[Sydy]

Hi,

 

I just bought this campaign together with the other 2 P-51D campaigns, but this one just didnt install. I am not on steam, and I use alfa version. Am I missing something?

 

RB

 

Redbaron,

 

The DCS Release version does not support this campaign yet, only the Open Beta. I think the Release version will support it only in two weeks.

 

Good luck,

 

Sydy

[Reflected]

RB: as Sydy said.

 

Sydy: Obrigado my friend. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as The Big Show. Looking forward to some videos :)

 

As for the performance, I've played this campaign in VR, and my FPS took a hit occasionally, but it remained playable even on my not so high-end PC. Also, there's an option to remove some of the AI units during the first 5 minutes of the missions.

[Zoomer]

RB: as Sydy said.

 

Sydy: Obrigado my friend. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as The Big Show. Looking forward to some videos :)

 

As for the performance, I've played this campaign in VR, and my FPS took a hit occasionally, but it remained playable even on my not so high-end PC. Also, there's an option to remove some of the AI units during the first 5 minutes of the missions.

 

I went ahead and bought the campaign yesterday, and played the first mission in VR on a crowded airfield. Everything seemed fine, and ran ok on my 2080 & i7 4790k. From playing the update I think cpu usage has received an optimisation resulting in better gpu utilisation and smoother fps. I look forward to getting stuck into the rest of the missions, thanks again.

[Coxy_99]

@Reflected Id love to see some MP CO-OP style campaign maybe ones already done? Its right there :) Just started the campaign.

[Rudel_chw]

Used bonus and picked it up for 7$

 

I did exactly the same :D .. wanted to play it using the recently improved P51 and didnt feel like waiting months until a sale. Currently reading the briefing materials, which are first rate :)

[Coxy_99]

I did exactly the same :D .. wanted to play it using the recently improved P51 and didnt feel like waiting months until a sale. Currently reading the briefing materials, which are first rate :)

 

Im a complete noob at navigation in such aircraft lol, So reading the brief is important :)

 

i cant wait to get into it properly, I did google some of the battles and i didnt know reflected was putting them into DCS.

[Red Baron]

Redbaron,

 

The DCS Release version does not support this campaign yet, only the Open Beta. I think the Release version will support it only in two weeks.

 

Good luck,

 

Sydy

 

Hi,

 

Ah, that explains it all.

 

Looking forward to flying this campaign. It looks like one I will like.

 

Thank you!

 

RB

[Magic Zach]

@Reflected Id love to see some MP CO-OP style campaign maybe ones already done? Its right there :) Just started the campaign.

A multiplayer capable variant would be wicked awesome

[Sabre-TLA]

Congrats!

 

First rate job and will help bring more WW2 folks to DCS.

 

Well done!

[Sydy]

Sydy: Obrigado my friend. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as The Big Show. Looking forward to some videos :)

 

Hi Reflected,

 

Already flew 3 missions and I am in a break to fly the 4th today.

 

I recorded with shadow play and some videos came out bad. They basically stop mid play. Well, I think The best moments will be only in my memory. So far 4 a-a kills and Avery long dogfight with a 109 ace (shot down by wingman).

 

Updated the driver, but I don’t know why shadow play is bad now.

 

The only fps drop was during bomb drop over Le Havre, but it was much less than previously. Once the bombs explode, all goes back to normal.

 

Hi,

Ah, that explains it all.

Looking forward to flying this campaign. It looks like one I will like.

Thank you!

RB

 

You’re welcome!

 

All the best,

 

Sydy

[Reflected]

Unofficial trailer pasted in the first post.

 

Mods: can you please sticky this thread? Thanks!

[Sydy]

Reflected,

 

I'd like to congratulate you for the campaign!

 

I never thought I'd learn so much about the Pony and that I'd be flying it so well in the end.

 

I already decided to re-fly the campaign eventually because it is so entertaining and fun. It is kind of sad it already ended... LOL But I wanted to fly it before I go abroad in a TDY tomorrow.

 

I will try to make a small movie and upload it before I leave. The results could be better, but I am very satisfied with my progress in the Pony learning curve.

 

I am not going to lie, but the "change" in the scenery to Bastogne got me by surprise and I didn't expected that. The 13th mission was really fun and I even bagged a 190 there.

 

These are the Results.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Final screeen

 

 

 

 

Once again, Congratulations.

 

All the best,

 

Sydy

Edited December 26, 2018 by Sydy

[FrazMann]

2.5.4

 

Hi,

 

I've just bought the campaign, but its not showing up on my available downloads. I see it states i need 2.5.4 but my DCS is 2.5.3.24984. I've just ran the auto update but it says there are no new updates. How did you guys get 2.5.4?

 

Thanks

 

Fraz