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No.401_Wolverine
Apr-22-2014, 13:04
I think there's a bit of confusion about what the No.401 Public Server mission is all about so I'll try and clear things up here.

1. The server is full switch with NO EXTERNALS
We had it for a while with externals turned on for those people who wanted an alternative to get screen shots of their missions, or record tracks that they could use with external views, etc. However, popular opinion seems to feel that this option does not equal a full real simulation, even though it does nothing to impact flight model or engine management settings. Externals are now OFF.

2. The server has real wind conditions to deal with.
Our server will randomly edit the wind settings each time the map resets (thanks Salmo). The random wind is restricted to 'flying conditions' such that you will not see gale force winds, but a range from calm to moderate winds. What this means is that novice pilots who attempt to simply take-off in whatever heading they spawn in at are going to crash unless they are lucky enough to have spawned in at the appropriate heading. or the wind conditions happen to be calm. Take-off and landing into the wind is a part of flying an aircraft, and as a server dedicated to realism that is part of our map.

To assist with this, our server includes the ability to request the current wind conditions from a tower controller who will give you the speed of the wind and the appropriate heading to take-off into (the direction the wind is coming from). When requesting the wind conditions, you will receive a message like this: "Attention: Wind conditions are gentle (4.1m/s) coming from 140 degrees." This means, taxi to the best runway that allows a heading close to 140 degrees and you will have the easiest take-off roll.

3. Our server has complex AI flights.
This is probably the biggest aspect to our server that players are unfamiliar with and wary of. Due to the number of players who play during the later hours of the North American time zone, many servers become fairly empty on maps that have been designed for the much more active European time zones. Many of these players would still rather attempt to play something historical rather than go to a pure dogfight server, however. Our mission design is an attempt at providing these players with a place to go to find dynamic and interesting combat sorties even if there are few players about.

One problem that I have had over the last few years with AI servers is that the AI becomes incredibly predictable. The map builder has created several flights of AI bombers that appear at regular intervals almost as if they have been asked to appear so that they can be shot down without any other reason for being there. Not only that, they appear in the same place every time and take the same route every time such that some pilots started taking off and loitering near the location where these AI flights spawned in in order to get first crack at them. I wanted something different.

Our server impliments AI in a manner that is better described as a Dynamic Battlefield. When the server resets and the mission launches, the first thing that happens it that 3 of many many sub-missions is selected as 'missions in progress'. This means that as soon as you connect to the server when it has reset, there is already something happening. It could be a large bomber raid (25+). It could be a squadron fighter sweep. It could be a troop transport Condor with light escort. It could be Command Staff relocating in a bf108. More often than not it is a combination of several of those things. These targets are ready to be found and engaged right off the get go. Also, over time, AI Spitfire and/or Hurricane flights will patrol the coastline of England and/or France looking for trouble.

Additionally to this, because our mission is based on a post Battle of Britain situation (early 1941), RED pilots who head towards France are going to start triggering AI response to their incursion in two stages. For the first stage, approaching the coastline will generate another AI flight randomly selected from several options in the area you are operating. This could be one of several types of flight as in the above 'missions in progress'. The second stage occurs once you get to France. Approaching certain areas of the map will cause enemy 109/110 squadrons to scramble from their airfields to patrol the areas you are entering, defending their airspace and their aerodromes. These scrambles are also randomized. The defending squadrons may take-off from any number of airfields in the area.

The cumulative effect of all the above randomization and triggering points is that for any one sortie, you can never assume where the enemy AI will be. There is no 'loitering near their spawn point'. If you go back to where you encountered enemy AI scrambling the last time you went to France, you're just as likely to be bounced from 20,000 ft by a flight of 109s that weren't there the last time. Each time the mission runs is a new day in the battle with new events and new results.

One more thing. All of these flights are fully capable of interacting independantly of the players if they cross paths with each other. On one flight I was flying towards France and came across 12 Spitfires diving onto a formation of bombers while being attacked by their 109 escort. At 25,000 ft. This was not a scripted event. This battle was the result of the randomly created flights happening to come into contact with each other. It was a sight to see with the contrails. I got involved in the fight, saved a Spitfire being attacked, took bullets in my wing, and eventually had to retreat with gun failures.

4. Our server is open for multiplayer RED vs BLUE!
I think a lot of people are assuming that our mission is not PvP due to all the AI, or is only for RED pilots due to the majority of the AI being on the BLUE side and the lack of BLUE targets in England for bombers. This is not true!

Both sides have multiple airfields spread out across the map, allowing for the use of nearly all variants of the aircraft available. The aircraft selection (including the E4/N and Spitfire IIa) reflects an attempt to allow for not having 1941 aircraft available in the game (109F, Spitfire Vb, FW 190A). With the performance gap that the 109F and FW 190 introduced over the SpitVb, the E4/N fills the roll adequately.

While it is true that the BLUE side does not receive targets assigned to destroy in England, bomber aircraft are available for those who wish to attack airfields or other industrial areas. We are looking to, in the near future, add damage reports for BLUE pilots who take on attacking targets like these. Also, bear in mind that the RDF radar system is attackable. Locating RDF towers along the coastline and destroying them can put sections of the system out of action. This has a direct impact on the RED players ability to locate and position themselves to attack enemy bomber groups and fighter sweeps.

Something that has always hurt PvP play during late hours is finding your enemy and finding your friends. We have something that will help you with both: RDF and FREYA. Using Kodiak's excellent RDF system as a base, we have upgraded it to include FREYA radar for the BLUE side as well as offering a 'locate friendly contacts' option.

RDF and FREYA will allow players to find enemies over the channel and over their home territory quickly and efficiently. FREYA is more accurate to a certain degree (more precise with altitude) but RDF sector controllers cover a larger area due to their experience from the Battle of Britain and their brilliant filter rooms.

Friendly contact reports will give you accurate aircraft counts in the air, showing you where your friendlies are, what altitude they are at, and in what direction they are heading (similar to the enemy contact report, except the enemy contact reports are more vague about numbers). You should no longer have to constantly ask where your teammates are. Check the contact report, locate them on the map, and plot your intercept. Or tell them where to go. Other players aren't on teamspeak? Doesn't matter. Find them and join them.

The point is that BLUE players are welcome. There is nothing on the server to prevent RED vs BLUE dogfighting over the Dover channel straight just like on any number of other servers out there. The idea is that with all the other stuf available to pilots on our server, the variety of encounters might increase.

This means that our server is not for people wanting 'fast action'. It takes patience and a dedication to realistic sorties and guiding yourself. Our server will not hold your hand and point you at a 109/Spitfire to shoot at. All the tools are there for you to find action every flight you make. It's just up to you to use them.

5. Our server offers realistic bombing targets like no other (CURRENTLY FOR RED ONLY).
Bomber crews over Europe did not drop their bombs and then look to the top of their canopy waiting for a big yellow line of text to tell them if they destroyed their target or not. Airfields did not broadcast to the enemy what percentage of their field was out of action. Altitude bombing was not precise and often not effective. Bomber command did not call up the Luftwaffe to let them know which targets they had been assigned for the day.

The targets available to RED are different each time the map runs. The targets do not give an instant 'DESTROYED!' notification if they are hit. The targets are also not known to the BLUE side. How can BLUE defend targets it doesn't know of? By using FREYA to locate enemy raids and intercepting them the way they actually did it.

And what of the damage? How does RED know that they've hit a target unless they can see it? There are two answers to this. One, you can fly over the target again and have a look to see what you hit, if you hit it. Two, you can return to home airspace and get a damage report from the Recon and Damage report.

What does the damage report look like? When you request a Recon and Damage Report, the sector tower you are connected to will give you a list of the 'Targets for Today' and following that will indicate if they have observed any damage done to the target. This damage report could be "4 merchant cargo ships have been sunk at Le Havre Harbour". Or, in the case of an area target designed to be hit from altitude, "The Beauvais railyard has suffered light damage". Is the target split into a train and several vehicles off-loading from it? Those elements might give you separate damage reports. Destroy the train and the damage report will reflect it. Destroy the support vehicles and that will be added to the report. The report should be specific to the target. In the case of an aerodrome to be attacked, destroying the dispersed aircraft at the field is an important reason for attacking the aerodrome and as such, completing that task will be part of the damage report. Levelling the entire field is also pretty exciting to do, so if you can do that kind of damage, it will ALSO be included in the report.

Pick your targets carefully, though. If you're a lone Blenheim bomber then maybe trying to destroy the Dunkirk port facilities will be a little out of your ability. Remember that little port in Holland that the Allies tried to bomb out of action? But, the Gestapo headquarters in Caen...that's maybe a little more doable.

More targets are being added every week. We are currently at 19 highly detailed targets possible, each complete with the high detail damage report info. At current, I do not know of a limit to the number of targets I can add to the mission. They're not all available at one time, but they all appear over the course of the map's rotation.

SUMMARY
In summary, I want to reiterate that our server is open for business. Please come and check it out. It will not be for everyone. It will be for the people who want to go on a complete mission from engine start to slow-running cut out. It will be for the pilot who wants to see combat with bombers at realistic altitudes but doesn't want to have memorized the AI flights within a week. It will be for the pilots who enjoy the thrill of hunting someone down across the map and then returning home victorious or by the skin of their teeth. It will be for the bomber pilots who want to experience probably the most realistic bomber experience available in Cliffs of Dover's online community right now.

It will not be for players who have 10 minutes and want to take-off, shoot at something/get shot at, and then leave. It will not be for players who want to look at leaderboards to see where they rank against all the other online dogfighters. It will not be for players who need/want instant notification of whether or not they've damaged a target.

I hope that clears up some ideas about what our server is and who it is for. Our mission requires time, but I'm a big proponent of quality over quantity. If you feel the same, give it a shot. Try Biggin Hill, it's pretty this time of year.

Kling
Apr-22-2014, 13:23
Sounds great!!! May I suggest not using too many AI fighters as the currently offer no challenge and honestly cant hit a barn door. I would personally concentrate on more bombers to compensate.
On top of that AI fighters spend all the ammo in a few secs(seldom hitting) and then set course home no matter of they are being shot at or not.

For the rest it sounds great!!!
Looking forward to trying it out!

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-22-2014, 13:26
Sounds great!!! May I suggest not using too many AI fighters as the currently offer no challenge and honestly cant hit a barn door. I would personally concentrate on more bombers to compensate.
On top of that AI fighters spend all the ammo in a few secs(seldom hitting) and then set course home no matter of they are being shot at or not.

For the rest it sounds great!!!
Looking forward to trying it out!

Oh, I don't know about that. Might I suggest you go on a Rhubarb over to St. Omer on our server and see if you can get home alive. ;)

Kling
Apr-22-2014, 13:28
hehe sounds good! will try!

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-22-2014, 13:39
And after you've tried that, try going to Dieppe or Le Havre since at that range you'll lose contact to the control tower. It can be a little scary when you can no longer get RDF report updates.

Kling
Apr-22-2014, 13:43
is the server open 24/7?

Kling
Apr-22-2014, 13:49
And may I ask why the decision to make it a 1941 scenario? If I understand correctly, there wont be german bomber formations attacking in England but british bomber formations attcking in France?
Just curious for the reason as we have a perfect 1940s planetset but not an ideal 1941 planeset ;)

Yet... ;)

Kling
Apr-22-2014, 13:55
Oh dear, I just realised that it sounds like im ungrateful! Not my intention at all! The server sounds like great fun! Im very happy to see this thread, just have so many questions still!

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-22-2014, 14:14
Oh dear, I just realised that it sounds like im ungrateful! Not my intention at all! The server sounds like great fun! Im very happy to see this thread, just have so many questions still!

It's okay Kling. I'm aware that my mission requires people to step outside of their comfort zone. I expected questions like these.

1. Is the server open 24/7?

Yes! The server is generally online 24/7 unless there is an outtage of Steam or the CloD Commander (thank you Bliss/Colander) somehow fails to restart the server when the map is over.

2. Why bombers heading to England?

I'm aware that there weren't daylight raids on England during this period of the war. These bomber flights are basically a concession to the idea that some players do like that part of the game - attacking large formations. Over the 6 hour period that the map runs, there are only a couple of possible bomber raids that will attack England. They are generally the exception to the rule. They are there, though, in case people want to go after them.

They are also a left over of when I was designing the mission from a RED Co-op mission perspective. I think after the point you've raised, though, that it makes complete sense for me to swap these raids for RAF bomber raids on France. I will make this change and let everyone know when it's done. These raids will have a possibility of attacking real targets.

3. Why 1941 and not 1940?

Two reasons for this. One is that No.401 has completed its large Battle of Britain co-op campaign and the mission was intended to kickstart the next phase of our campaign. Since the map works for this stage (or at least part of it) it seemed like a natural progression of our campaign series.

The second reason is simply that we've been doing the same thing for nearly two years now. Over and over and over. I felt it was time for something different. I think I've scrambled from Manston to shoot down enemy bombers feet wet off of Dover about a zillion times by now, and I'm sure others feel the same. Hopefully we are offering something different enough that it can give you that exciting feel again.

I hope that answers your questions!

darkside3/4
Apr-22-2014, 14:18
Top notch server Wolverine!:thumbsup: I know several other servers are looking to emulate many of your features!

Kling
Apr-22-2014, 14:19
Hehe a fair 50/50 % red and blue bomber formations should keep both sides happy! :)

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-22-2014, 14:35
Top notch server Wolverine!:thumbsup: I know several other servers are looking to emulate many of your features!

No need to emulate! Plenty of room on the server right now! I guarantee you'll never come up against not being able to join our server due to player numbers :P

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-22-2014, 14:43
Hehe a fair 50/50 % red and blue bomber formations should keep both sides happy! :)

It might, but the oversight was mine really in terms of not shifting the bombers from BLUE to RED with the date. 1941 bomber missions offer the chance to be more historical in terms of numbers than any BoB style map. The first Circus raid on a fuel depot south of Calais involved just 6 Blenheims total with 36 escort aircraft (24 spits, 12 hurris).

In fact, making the bomber flights RED will allow me to implement something else very interesting, the more that I think about it.

Hint: Any Blenheim pilots ever wanted to be PART of a 20+ raid? ;)

I'll let everyone know once I've done it.

;)

Kling
Apr-22-2014, 15:28
sounds awesome!

darkside3/4
Apr-22-2014, 15:38
Looks like your beginning to build the post BoB Cliffs, God Speed Wolverine, we support you.:salute:

ATAG_Dave
Apr-22-2014, 15:41
Thanks Wolverine for taking the time to outline what your server offers in such clear detail :thumbsup: Ill certainly be giving it a try soon. Im still pretty new to Clod and for new comers its not always clear what the various servers offer that come up in the list in game

Dave

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-22-2014, 16:59
My biggest suggestion to those of you who are interested in trying out the server is to bring a few friends.

This isn't a self-serving type of suggestion. While you can join on your own and play and have a meaningful sortie, going out as a group of 4 aircraft into the unknown where anything can happen is quite exciting. You protect each other. You see something your wingman doesn't. It becomes something...more. If you start crossing the Channel in our map, never assume you're safe. Keep checking RDF as long as you can and plot possible routes of any sweeps you see on it. Once you're out of range of the tower, you can be jumped at any time.

Even just a pair is worth it and even historical! Later on in '41, 'rhubarbs' would be carried out by as few as 2 aircraft flying together into France to beat up ground targets of opportunity.

Just don't forget to check the RDF!

If you're a BLUE player, then maybe try and grab a few RED's to go with you. Then play the cat and mouse detection game across the map as they try to invade France. It's quite rewarding to find them and dispatch them using the FREYA system.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-23-2014, 01:58
Just worked out a little bug with the wind report. Should be dead on now, give or take 10 degrees.

Talisman
Apr-23-2014, 04:14
Great stuff Wolverine. You have obviously put a lot of careful thought and effort into this. I think I can guarantee that 56 Sqn 'Firebirds' will be keen to frequent this 1941 server mission.

Good luck and happy landings.

Talisman

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-23-2014, 11:53
Great stuff Wolverine. You have obviously put a lot of careful thought and effort into this. I think I can guarantee that 56 Sqn 'Firebirds' will be keen to frequent this 1941 server mission.

Good luck and happy landings.

Talisman

Sounds good Talisman. Please let me know if you experience any lag or weird AI warping during play. The mission works well for the number of players No.401 Squadron and |450| put up, but as we open it to larger groups (or rather as larger groups decide to try it out) there's the possibility the numbers will need tweaking.

StiC, Squiz, Jarhead and I tried to take a Blenheim from Ford airfield out to help the French Resistance last night, but were turned away mid channel by a flight of 109s that bounced us from 26,000ft. We fought off the 109s as they were attacking Squiz in his Blenheim, but he was too badly wounded to make it to target. We turned back and escorted him back to Wilmington. He had to fly up the river to get to it because his Blenheim didn't have enough left to get him higher than the cliff face. All aircrew returned safely and us Spitfires got two confirmed kills before the remainder of the 109s broke off and fled home. Quite exciting stuff.

Incog
Apr-23-2014, 14:25
I've been curious as to whether or not it would be possible to have a player be able to lead bomber formations. like, a player picks up a blenheim at a certain airfield and he ends up leading a small flight of blennies who drop their bombs at the exact moment you do. wouldn't work well for small airfield raids like you see on ATAG (since 1 dude could K.O. an airfield by himself)(he also couldn't control the other bombers by telling them not to waste bombs on a nearly destroyed target that only needs two more eggs), but for a map with big objectives this could be neat.

1lokos
Apr-23-2014, 14:50
I log yesterday on this server around 22:00 GMT -3. Are two other people on server.

Since I intend fly a bomber mission and test the Virtual Cockpit, good.

Blenheim at Cantebury, takeoff and the left engine died... Never see this happen before... ??? :stunned:

After "landing", takeoff again an take HDG 180 - at lack of a better idea...

Ask for RDF for the "Target for today", and get order to attack a Luftwaffe command post in Yerville, which is almost on... HDG 180. :D

Some difficult to identify references for the place at ~17.000 feet:

9270

And just when I find the village, disconnected... :stunned:

~1/2 hour hour before had turned on "blessed" CLoD track record ... :-P

Sokol1

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-23-2014, 16:23
@Incog:

I'm working on a function that will allow players to call bomber raids on targets on the map with the bomber groups ranging in size from 12 to 24 aircraft. These raids will only be callable once per 2 hour period, at which point the system will reset and allow another raid.

Information on how to rendezvous with the group will be supplied to any pilots wishing to fly as part of the group. Blenheim pilots will be able to join up with them and bomb from altitude on large targets. Fighters will be able to escort them past the fighter sweeps and scrambles, all of which will be randomly vectored and therefore unpredictable depending on when the raid is called and when the sweeps pass by.

@1lokos:

I'm sorry you weren't able to complete your attack! Was it because the track recorder kicked you or was there a server problem?

Your example also highlights something important to note about the targets. The type of target will dictate the best method of attacking it. Something like a single building or small group of objects lends itself far more to low level attack. Something like a dockyard or fuel depot is a much more appealing target for high altitude attack.

Many of the targets are designed to blend into the scenery so that they look more organic and not like 'THIS IS TARGET YOU MUST HIT' static objects dumped in a field. Try finding the Gestapo HQ in Caen! It's tricky. Even with the dots that pop up as you near the targets. Good recon and map reading is a MUST here. Photorecon from various levels of altitude will help the heavies find the targets even if the objects do not 'draw'. Recruit some good recon pilots!

It's too bad you disconnected! I'd have loved to see the results of your attack.

Roblex
Apr-23-2014, 17:00
56 have just flown this map 20:00 BST to 22:00 BST

Two small issues

1. You have the same bug as the other servers with your wind. GC was telling us the wind was 330 when it was actually blowing from the SE. Smoke and windsock agreed it was from SE. Strangely, when I later asked GC for wind conditions while I was in the air, it told me it was 160 which was about right.

2. Much more importantly, we could not pick the 56 skin even though it told us we could! :D

Love the detail on Hawkinge (we did not fly from other fields) Fire trucks, barracks buildings, mess building, the works!

We could not work out how to find what target to take our Blenheims to.

:thumbsup:

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-23-2014, 17:39
Hi Roblex,

Thanks for playing!

There was (and possibly according to your report still is) an issue with the wind reporting. I was working on it until late last night and I thought I had the bug squished. I'll check it out again tonight. All my tests last night gave the right wind based on the sock (with magnetic variance of 10degrees). It's a very annoying thing! I'm pretty sure I can get it worked out tonight or tomorrow though. Also, bear in mind gusts can make the socks shift. I've seen two socks at different ends of an airfield read completely different directions one minute and then the same direction a few minutes later. But the wind report shouldn't be changing mid mission. I'll get right on it.

Skins are disabled, but selecting squadron codes should work. Skins just don't function well enough right now. Maybe there will be a miracle cure with TF 5.0.

In order to find the targets, you need to:

a) Connect to a CH RDF tower via the TAB-4 menu. You'll need to go through the system until you can select a tower. I believe the exact key presses are TAB,4,1,1,1. Once you've done that, you'll be contacted audibly by a tower controller.

b) Next, if you've left the tab menu up, it should show you all the options now available (otherwise, just open the TAB-4 menu again and navigate back through). Use the '5' option "Recon and Damage Report" and it will give you the currently available target for your sector. Connect to a different sector across the map and get a different target.

Good luck!

1lokos
Apr-23-2014, 18:16
Was it because the track recorder kicked you or was there a server problem?

I think the track record are the culprit. Back on rooster I refresh then some times and the No.401 server
and number of players are show.

About targets, "talking" with RDF I get this answer:

9273

Sokol1

darkside3/4
Apr-23-2014, 19:30
Had 5 people on the server, was stoked, until the mission rotated after getting 5 people together. We were just going feet dry starting to track scrambling blues. Always check the <tl b4 you go big. I'll try again to get it going tonight.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-23-2014, 22:19
The mission does not have the < commands that ATAG has. So <tl wouldn't have worked.

What you should be able to do is check the recon report and it will tell you if missions have been cancelled for the day. That's an indicator that there is between 30min and 0 min left on the server.

It would be nice to have the <tl stuff though.. I'll see if I can do something about it.

Catseye
Apr-24-2014, 10:29
Can't wait to fly this!!

I think that a large niche in simming is being addressed and that adjustments that are continually being put into place will certainly lead to a suspension of disbelief in a big way indeed.

Well done Wolverine!!!

Cats . . .

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-24-2014, 15:04
MISSION DEVELOPMENT UPDATE!

This afternoon I've been coding in the Bomber Command aspect of the mission setting and it all appears to be working. Later tonight I will be uploading a new version of the mission with the following adjustments:

Fixes
.All squadron codes selectable at various airfields
.The '0' "Back" option in the mission menus which was previously bugged should hopefully be resolved. In testing, I couldn't break it so...fingers crossed.

Upgrades
.Bomber Command - The mission menu now has another option: 6. Authorise Bomber Mission In This Sector

Any player may request a bomber mission on a first come first served basis. These missions will then load in along with a description of the bomber mission taking place. The bomber missions will range from small raids to large high altitude affairs of many aircraft. They will not include escort and will require player flown escort to protect them. The mission will be launched at the currently available ground target for the Sector Controller to which you are speaking to, which has been randomly selected when the mission loads.

If a bomber mission is in progress, the menu option will change to: 6. (Bomber Mission Active In Sector: ?" where '?' will be replaced by the currently active mission sector; Luton, Pinetree, or Angel. Selecting this option will still give you the current mission description but will not launch another raid until the time limit has cleared.

The time limit upon launching a raid is 2 hours. After that period of time has elapsed, the menu option will revert to Authorise Bomber Mission In This Sector and another mission can be launched. The same mission can be launched a second time if you feel that you have not yet completely destroyed a target, or a different one.

Should be ready for upload by tonight.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-24-2014, 20:09
Server updated!

There are now 18+ different bomber raids that RED can issue forth at their command depending on which targets are available for that map rotation. Simply select the appropriate command in from the control tower menu and then off you go! Navigate via the bomber flight plan or find them using friendly contact report!

Good luck!

darkside3/4
Apr-24-2014, 20:37
:thumbsup::salute:

Roblex
Apr-25-2014, 03:06
If a bomber mission is in progress, the menu option will change to: 6. (Bomber Mission Active In Sector: ?" where '?' will be replaced by the currently active mission sector; Luton, Pinetree, or Angel. Selecting this option will still give you the current mission description but will not launch another raid until the time limit has cleared.

The time limit upon launching a raid is 2 hours. After that period of time has elapsed, the menu option will revert to Authorise Bomber Mission In This Sector and another mission can be launched. The same mission can be launched a second time if you feel that you have not yet completely destroyed a target, or a different one.

Should be ready for upload by tonight.

I need a little clarification. If a raid attempts to bomb a target but does not do much damage will they return home, land and take-off again to try the same target again for the next two hours or do we just lose the ability to launch another raid for two hours?

If they keep re-launching for two hours how long do they wait before re-launching?

If the option to authorise a new mission resets after two hours then the bomber target is chosen at random so how can you choose to try the same target again?

If they just keep trying the same target for two hours I would suggest there is an option to reset the random target after a certain number of attempts or the enemy will soon learn where the bombers will be and it will just be two hours of carnage.

Kling
Apr-25-2014, 03:18
Will the blues have the same option of calling in 18+ bomber raids?? :)

SoW Reddog
Apr-25-2014, 04:26
Thanks for the chat Wolverine last night. I'll ping you some ideas and possible crossover stuff later. In the meantime I'll probably have a go at doing that Radar upgrade we discussed.

Kling
Apr-25-2014, 05:03
Wolwerine and Reddog working together!! Match made in heaven ;)

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-25-2014, 07:25
@Roblex: Yes, you're misunderstanding. The targets are random with the start of the mission (when the server resets). The bombers attack what you tell them to attack. For example, the target for the fuel depot near Calais is randomly chosen when the map loads. For the duration of the map, the Fuel Depot will remain a target. You can choose to authorise an attack against this target. Once you authorize the attack, it will be approx. 2 hours before you can authorise another bomber attack.

If the attack occurs (the bombers get through and drop their bombs) and the attack is not fully successful for whatever reason, you can authorise (when the 2 hours has passed) the same attack on the target.

The choice of bomber raid is up to the RED players on the map. You choose to launch the bombers for the Luton, Pinetree, or Angel sector. When a bomber raid is active, the option in the menu will not launch another raid, but it WILL repeat the bomber flight plan if you need a refresher.

The bombers do not land and take off again. If they get home, they land and that's it. The next raid is up to you (RED team). The two hour mark kicks off from the point you authorise the raid. That's when the clock starts ticking, not when they land. The map rotates every 6 hours, so you have time to launch 2 to 3 raids over the course of the map.

Just get in there and try it. It'll be pretty obvious after using the system a few times.

@Kling: The BLUES do not have the option to launch daylight bomber raids. Bomber attacks for this period would have been night time attacks.

Roblex
Apr-25-2014, 16:39
OK I think I have it now. Thanks.

The list of *potential* or *possible* targets is chosen randomly at server start but we can choose which of those potential targets to send a raid to.

I am tempted to ask if we could cut down the delay a bit. I can see that once an hour may be too frequent if the full raid lasts 30 minutes but how about every 90 minutes? I can't help thinking that with a two hour gap many people might never get to see a user called raid in action before they log again - on the other hand, who am I kidding when I pretend that *any* of my online sessions lasts less than two hours? :D

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-25-2014, 17:12
OK I think I have it now. Thanks.

The list of *potential* or *possible* targets is chosen randomly at server start but we can choose which of those potential targets to send a raid to.

I am tempted to ask if we could cut down the delay a bit. I can see that once an hour may be too frequent if the full raid lasts 30 minutes but how about every 90 minutes? I can't help thinking that with a two hour gap many people might never get to see a user called raid in action before they log again - on the other hand, who am I kidding when I pretend that *any* of my online sessions lasts less than two hours? :D

Yup! You've got it.

The issue with the raid frequency is that some of these raids are very large. The largest is 24 bombers in formation. Add to that the enemy sweeps, the enemy scrambles, and the friendly sweeps and you've got a lot of AI milling about. I need to be reasonably sure that the previous bomber raid has returned home and despawned before the next bomber raid goes out.

As it's a full real simulation, I do not despawn the bombers mid air. They enter at the edge of the map as if flown into the area, and then they proceed to target and then return home to land. All in all, these bomber flights take roughly an hour and a half full trip!

Like I said before, 401's server isn't meant to be a quick action server. It's the place you go if you get a few friends together and you want to do a REAL sortie, not just scramble and find somebody to shoot at between Calais and Folkestone (or between Manston and Dunkirk, or between X and Y, etc.).

Get a few guys together, authorize a bomber raid, and then see if you can get it there and back. Then check to see if the bombers hit the target. Better still, get a bunch of players to be the bombers and forget about the AI bomber flights.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-26-2014, 01:22
Big thanks to ATAG_Freya, AKA_Recon, |450|Squiz, and 71st_AH_Wuffman for a great mission tonight.

We requested a 16 Wellington bomber raid on the German aerodrome at Plumetot near Caen. We received the bomber's flight plan and took off from Tangmere to rendezvous with them at angels 15 south of the Isle of Wight. Linking up with the group we escorted them through a gauntlet of enemy contacts, luckily avoiding a few large groups and avoiding combat en route. We ran auto lean mixture for the flight to conserve our fuel and after a couple of course changes, the bombers dropped their bombs over Plumetot and we turned our Spitfires towards Le Treport further up the coastline in order to find targets of opportunity at the German rations and materials distribution port located there.

Keeping a close eye on our fuel gauges, we approached Le Treport with concern that we might run out of time. Just as we were getting close to the abort point, four 109s escorting a FW Condor appear off our nose and are climbing to engage us! Throwing our Spitfires back into combat settings, we fight back - but we've only got a few minutes to spare at these settings! I count down the minutes of combat time we have. We send two of the enemy down in flames and one more limps away damaged. But we don't get away clean. One of our number has taken bad cannon hits on the wings, shredding them along with one of his ailerons. Another takes a bad hit to his engine. I count the last minute of combat time and call for us to regroup, extricate ourselves from combat and get home.

Wuffman with the bad engine tells us he's not going to make it and bravely turns to take on anyone following us. It's the last we hear from him. Squiz, his wings in terrible shape, has lost fuel in the engagement and is dangerously low in the reserve. Thanks to Wuffman's diversion, we're able to put our engines back to lean settings as soon as possible and point ourselves at Wilmington. With only 10 miles left to go, Squiz, out of fuel and gliding at this point, can't keep his stricken aircraft aloft any longer and splashes down. Freya watches the ditch and radios the rescue boats with the location. The rest of us make Wilmington. Recon lands first, then me, then Freya, each of us with less than 10 gallons in the reserve.

Sounds like a pre-made co-op campaign mission, but it's just one of any number of organic, dynamic possible outcomes on the server. That could easily have been YOUR mission.

Thanks again, guys. That's the stuff that makes me keep coming back. I'll take one 1.5 hour sortie like that over 10 dogfight flights any day.

Roblex
Apr-26-2014, 03:30
That sounded brilliant. Thanks for putting this map together and for patiently answering my questions; I had not realised the AI mission could last that long. All is clear to me now and I will shut up :D

Kling
Apr-26-2014, 04:36
Big thanks to ATAG_Freya, AKA_Recon, |450|Squiz, and 71st_AH_Wuffman for a great mission tonight.

We requested a 16 Wellington bomber raid on the German aerodrome at Plumetot near Caen. We received the bomber's flight plan and took off from Tangmere to rendezvous with them at angels 15 south of the Isle of Wight. Linking up with the group we escorted them through a gauntlet of enemy contacts, luckily avoiding a few large groups and avoiding combat en route. We ran auto lean mixture for the flight to conserve our fuel and after a couple of course changes, the bombers dropped their bombs over Plumetot and we turned our Spitfires towards Le Treport further up the coastline in order to find targets of opportunity at the German rations and materials distribution port located there.

Keeping a close eye on our fuel gauges, we approached Le Treport with concern that we might run out of time. Just as we were getting close to the abort point, four 109s escorting a FW Condor appear off our nose and are climbing to engage us! Throwing our Spitfires back into combat settings, we fight back - but we've only got a few minutes to spare at these settings! I count down the minutes of combat time we have. We send two of the enemy down in flames and one more limps away damaged. But we don't get away clean. One of our number has taken bad cannon hits on the wings, shredding them along with one of his ailerons. Another takes a bad hit to his engine. I count the last minute of combat time and call for us to regroup, extricate ourselves from combat and get home.

Wuffman with the bad engine tells us he's not going to make it and bravely turns to take on anyone following us. It's the last we hear from him. Squiz, his wings in terrible shape, has lost fuel in the engagement and is dangerously low in the reserve. Thanks to Wuffman's diversion, we're able to put our engines back to lean settings as soon as possible and point ourselves at Wilmington. With only 10 miles left to go, Squiz, out of fuel and gliding at this point, can't keep his stricken aircraft aloft any longer and splashes down. Freya watches the ditch and radios the rescue boats with the location. The rest of us make Wilmington. Recon lands first, then me, then Freya, each of us with less than 10 gallons in the reserve.

Sounds like a pre-made co-op campaign mission, but it's just one of any number of organic, dynamic possible outcomes on the server. That could easily have been YOUR mission.

Thanks again, guys. That's the stuff that makes me keep coming back. I'll take one 1.5 hour sortie like that over 10 dogfight flights any day.

That sounded like great fun!!!!

darkside3/4
Apr-26-2014, 04:45
If im on almost any other server, feel free to poach me to do another one of these.

SoW Reddog
Apr-26-2014, 06:48
That sounds really good Wolverine. Shame we're in completely different timezones. Sounds like the US timezone is getting a good amount of action now lol.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-26-2014, 12:07
That sounds really good Wolverine. Shame we're in completely different timezones. Sounds like the US timezone is getting a good amount of action now lol.

But that's what I'm trying to tell you guys! You don't need to be in the US timezone! Just get a few buddies together and get on our server. Make a plan and execute it! This could have been your report of your mission instead of ours. The only pre-requisite to the mission we did last night was getting 5 people to stay together as a group and agree to a plan of action. The server is up 24/7, and the map runs for 6 hours.

When I joined last night, it was VERY early morning. 6:00am on the map. I could just barely see. I actually managed to get the aircraft into the air and the sky was gorgeous. The sun came up and the mist fell over the land while I was heading down towards the coast (took about 10 to 15 min from 6:00 for light to become better on the ground - that's the earliest the random time will kick off so if it's too dark to see, just warm up your engine on the ground and wait for 'first light'. It's an interesting experience.

All the functions that brought that mission to pass are just waiting for you. So here's my "Pappy Wolverine's Recipe for Good Ole Tasty CloD Missions":

1. Get 2 or 3 friends who fly CloD to join you online
2. All of you join No.401 Server
3. Have someone spawn in at an airfield and get the Recon report for the target there.
4. If the target is small, decide if you want to fly a Blenheim or two with escort. If the target is large, decide whether you want to kick off a bomber raid on it. If you'd rather not go for the target, plan a fighter sweep route over France.
5. Go for it! Use the radar to keep track of your bombers, teammates, enemy contacts, etc.

SoW Reddog
Apr-26-2014, 14:18
I meant shame as I could join your mission, I know I can play it anytime.

I think I have the radar intercept bearing if you're interested.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-26-2014, 14:36
Absolutely. I'll PM you soon.

Roblex
Apr-26-2014, 19:24
Wolverine,

Do the AI defenders ever respawn? I have being flying your server a lot recently and it looks like once you have shot down the AI defenders then that part of the map is undefended until the server restarts. What this means is that anyone taking a group of Blenheims to Northern France without a fighter escort when the map has just started will be wiped out but if you do take an escort and they shoot down the AI 109s then for the next 5 hours solo Blenheims can fly around Northern France without ever seeing a 109. It also means that there is no point anyone flying a Red fighter because there is nobody to shoot at and the bomber raids wont need any escort.

I have not flown for 6 hours to see if the AI ever respawns but it certainly seems that they don't. This morning I made several flights to a target near Calais and only ever saw a 109 briefly on my first flight but it got hit by its own flack and I never saw another despite flying for around 3 hours until the map reset. This evening three of us decided to escort 6 AI Wellingtons on a roundabout route of about an hour, at least half of which was over France, but it was very boring because nobody came up to attack the Wellingtons.

I can see that you don't want to keep spawning AI fighters and giving Red pilots an endless production line of easy targets but perhaps some middle ground would help? You may say 'The *human* Blue pilots should provide the bulk of the defenders' but I have never seen more than one or two Blue pilots in the map and they have always logged out again quite quickly. I wonder whether there is enough for Blue to do in this map to make them want to stay? The 'Radar Intercept' code might help as it will make it easier for the Blue defenders to find the Red bombers.

Please don't take this as a whine. It is because I love what you are doing that I am worried it will fail and be taken down again.

ATAG_Ezzie
Apr-26-2014, 21:55
Wolverine,

Do the AI defenders ever respawn? I have being flying your server a lot recently and it looks like once you have shot down the AI defenders then that part of the map is undefended until the server restarts. What this means is that anyone taking a group of Blenheims to Northern France without a fighter escort when the map has just started will be wiped out but if you do take an escort and they shoot down the AI 109s then for the next 5 hours solo Blenheims can fly around Northern France without ever seeing a 109. It also means that there is no point anyone flying a Red fighter because there is nobody to shoot at and the bomber raids wont need any escort.

I have not flown for 6 hours to see if the AI ever respawns but it certainly seems that they don't. This morning I made several flights to a target near Calais and only ever saw a 109 briefly on my first flight but it got hit by its own flack and I never saw another despite flying for around 3 hours until the map reset. This evening three of us decided to escort 6 AI Wellingtons on a roundabout route of about an hour, at least half of which was over France, but it was very boring because nobody came up to attack the Wellingtons.

I can see that you don't want to keep spawning AI fighters and giving Red pilots an endless production line of easy targets but perhaps some middle ground would help? You may say 'The *human* Blue pilots should provide the bulk of the defenders' but I have never seen more than one or two Blue pilots in the map and they have always logged out again quite quickly. I wonder whether there is enough for Blue to do in this map to make them want to stay? The 'Radar Intercept' code might help as it will make it easier for the Blue defenders to find the Red bombers.

Please don't take this as a whine. It is because I love what you are doing that I am worried it will fail and be taken down again.

I think I'm one of those blue pilots who have logged on briefly but left without flying. I like the sound of this but am not sure what it offers a blue pilot. Perhaps I need to re-read the op and give it go to find out though?

Ezzie

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-27-2014, 01:35
Wolverine,

Do the AI defenders ever respawn? I have being flying your server a lot recently and it looks like once you have shot down the AI defenders then that part of the map is undefended until the server restarts. What this means is that anyone taking a group of Blenheims to Northern France without a fighter escort when the map has just started will be wiped out but if you do take an escort and they shoot down the AI 109s then for the next 5 hours solo Blenheims can fly around Northern France without ever seeing a 109. It also means that there is no point anyone flying a Red fighter because there is nobody to shoot at and the bomber raids wont need any escort.

I have not flown for 6 hours to see if the AI ever respawns but it certainly seems that they don't. This morning I made several flights to a target near Calais and only ever saw a 109 briefly on my first flight but it got hit by its own flack and I never saw another despite flying for around 3 hours until the map reset. This evening three of us decided to escort 6 AI Wellingtons on a roundabout route of about an hour, at least half of which was over France, but it was very boring because nobody came up to attack the Wellingtons.

I can see that you don't want to keep spawning AI fighters and giving Red pilots an endless production line of easy targets but perhaps some middle ground would help? You may say 'The *human* Blue pilots should provide the bulk of the defenders' but I have never seen more than one or two Blue pilots in the map and they have always logged out again quite quickly. I wonder whether there is enough for Blue to do in this map to make them want to stay? The 'Radar Intercept' code might help as it will make it easier for the Blue defenders to find the Red bombers.

Please don't take this as a whine. It is because I love what you are doing that I am worried it will fail and be taken down again.

The AI 109 sweeps and scrambles are on a reset timer of 1.5 hours or so. The flights themselves take roughly that amount of time. I will look into the flights and tweak/add until they're perfect, but you are correct that I am not looking to pump AI aircraft into the map. For one, too many AI will make the server run poorly. For two, the server is not designed to guarantee combat on any and all sorties. Some sorties will result, and are intended to result, in no combat.

Your goals in this simulation of events are not to 'have a dogfight' but instead to A) impose air superiority over France and B) have bomber raids that inflict damage on enemy targets in France. Blue's goal is basically to defend Fortress Europe from any incursion of RAF aircraft.

Blue players will need Red players for the most part. That's just how the mission is designed. It works for a few RED players without BLUE, it doesn't work for BLUE without RED. It works just fine for RED + BLUE.

My advice to anyone who plays blue: come into the 401 server in order to find and engage any red players who are attempting to carry out missions. There's AI to help you, but you'll have a better chance of intercepting the RED players by virtue of having access to the FREYA radar and being able to plan your own route.

ATAG_Ezzie
Apr-27-2014, 03:21
Thanks Wolverine. I flew on your server for about 30 mins this afternoon and logged on just as a bunch of guys were finishing up. So I didn't get to fly on them but tried out the Freya and liked what I saw even though there were no contacts to chase..

Based on your comment re blue needing red I will probably keep an eye on your server and try again if there's a bunch of people using it. I like the overall concept so hopefully I'll get a chance to see it in action soon.

Ezzie

Gix
Apr-27-2014, 04:01
Excellent.
I flew on it yesterday and been catched by a 109 patrol each time I approach coast or target. As a solo player not easy to deal with 5 109:thumbsup:
Tried to bomb and straff a column near St Omer and 109 arrived and attacked my poor Blenny when trying to coming back.
As a revenge I send 12 bombers on the vehicules !! Very efficient, it shows all the flight plan and needed infos
Questions, when i sent bombers it dont asked me on which target I wanted to send them. However there was only a single target in the mission so I guess it is the reason ?
Cant choose the size of bombers formation too ?
No blue bombers showed up. There are sometimes ?

Anyway, you r right, very good place for a flight at 4 or 5 players.
Thx for the good work.

SoW Reddog
Apr-27-2014, 10:38
Had a couple of flights on here today. 1st time I went in a lone Blennie and got nailed by rather nasty flak over Valognes. Then an hour ago 92 Sqn sent over 3 blennies and 3 spits to Plumetot. 6 went out, 1 came back.:recon: Really good mission. Low mist, lovely targets, interceptions, stuff going on around. Brilliant.

Question though, I got back to base but the TAB 4 menu about damage gave no indication we'd hit the target (just gave the same spiel about Plumetot being used for night bombers), when in reality I'd have expected to have done somewhere in the region of 25% damage to the target with two of us hitting it with 4 bombs each. Is there any more feedback available?

Kling
Apr-27-2014, 12:45
Had a couple of flights on here today. 1st time I went in a lone Blennie and got nailed by rather nasty flak over Valognes. Then an hour ago 92 Sqn sent over 3 blennies and 3 spits to Plumetot. 6 went out, 1 came back.:recon: Really good mission. Low mist, lovely targets, interceptions, stuff going on around. Brilliant.

Question though, I got back to base but the TAB 4 menu about damage gave no indication we'd hit the target (just gave the same spiel about Plumetot being used for night bombers), when in reality I'd have expected to have done somewhere in the region of 25% damage to the target with two of us hitting it with 4 bombs each. Is there any more feedback available?

I think its mentioned above that in real life you didnt get a text saying that you damaged a target and therfor you wont get one on the server either! So you probably created the damage you think you did! ;)

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-27-2014, 15:41
Yes, you didn't do the damage you think you did.

We hit Plumetot by strafing the aircraft on the field and came back to a notice of Light damage to the field. We ALMOST cleared out all the He111s (and their support vehicles next to them) in which case a message would have indicated that as well. Same for the Do17s. There's quite a few objects at that field.

Part of it is that I have to tweak the AI bombers as well. Some of them are hitting their targets some aren't some are only partially hitting. I'll be going through those missions and tweaking them so that if a bomber raid gets through unopposed, it'll do significant damage. After that, player flown bombers are responsible for mopping up any outlying buildings or objects at the targets in order to clear it out.

Getting some of the targets to heavy damage is going to be very very difficult and will need to be the result of a combined effort of the AI bomber attacks and player flown Blenheims making a lot of / very accurate bomb runs. The hardest target is probably the Dunkirk Port Facilities in which the offloading cranes are targets as well as any ships in the port, factories, and other buildings nearby. This is the way it was, especially with ports!

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-27-2014, 15:45
Excellent.
I flew on it yesterday and been catched by a 109 patrol each time I approach coast or target. As a solo player not easy to deal with 5 109:thumbsup:
Tried to bomb and straff a column near St Omer and 109 arrived and attacked my poor Blenny when trying to coming back.
As a revenge I send 12 bombers on the vehicules !! Very efficient, it shows all the flight plan and needed infos
Questions, when i sent bombers it dont asked me on which target I wanted to send them. However there was only a single target in the mission so I guess it is the reason ?
Cant choose the size of bombers formation too ?
No blue bombers showed up. There are sometimes ?

Anyway, you r right, very good place for a flight at 4 or 5 players.
Thx for the good work.

Hi Gix, thanks for playing.

The map will have three targets available. One for the LUTON sector, one for PINETREE, and one for ANGEL. These sectors divide France roughly into thirds. LUTON is the Calais and Arras area, PINETREE is the Le Touquet to Le Havre area, and Angel is Le Havre over to Querqueville area. You select the target you want to attack by speaking to that particular sector controller. For example, if the Pinetree Sector controller indicates he has a target of a factory and the Angel sector controller says he has a target of an airfield, if you want to attack the airfield, use the Authorize Bomber Raid option while connected to the Angel controller.

The bomber formation size cannot be selected by the player. That's the decision of Bomber Command (ie. me when I make the missions). The raids are sized based on the target being attacked.

Very few AI Blue bombers will appear on the map due to the time period being simulated. Player flown bombers can appear though, making little raids here and there if they choose to.

92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)
Apr-28-2014, 04:12
Got a helluva surprise in my Blenheim watching a bunch of 109s getting airborne from the field I was about to bomb with Reddog and Moonbird!

The AI response is really nice in this. Make flying in small groups very entertaining, provided you're prepared to cross the channel.

Only complaint; Can you enable all squadron markings at every RAF base. Hawkinge and Manston (at least) seem to have a fixed squadron.

SoW Reddog
Apr-28-2014, 04:43
Cheers Wolverine. It'd be nice if there was just some feedback to say that you'd attacked the right target. Something like
"Welcome home. We'll send a recon flight later to see how you fared".
Let me say I'm wholly in favour of not giving instant gratification to players with a big orange % counter, but it would be nice to know something having taken an hour or so to fly to and from the target that you've not completely wasted your time.

Gix
Apr-28-2014, 04:47
Cheers Wolverine. It'd be nice if there was just some feedback to say that you'd attacked the right target. Something like
"Welcome home. We'll send a recon flight later to see how you fared".
Let me say I'm wholly in favour of not giving instant gratification to players with a big orange % counter, but it would be nice to know something having taken an hour or so to fly to and from the target that you've not completely wasted your time.

+1

always curious to know how we perform even if not very "realistic" (may be spies report !)

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-28-2014, 09:44
Only complaint; Can you enable all squadron markings at every RAF base. Hawkinge and Manston (at least) seem to have a fixed squadron.

I thought I fixed that. I double checked after getting the same comment from some other guys and it's been corrected in the file. It may be that it's defaulting to the last code used at that airfield, so try and change it. I'll check again later tonight.

@Reddog and Gix re. confirmation of target attack:

I'll give it some thought. Some players are finding quite a lot of success with the targets. 56 and 71st bombed the Dunkirk harbour into submission, along with the AI flight of bombers. Managed to bring it to heavily damaged! Coming from the mission designer, that's pretty impressive considering how much damage I know you have to do to get to that point.

Confirmation that you DIDN'T hit a target is a lot harder than confirmation that you did. I could easily put in another trigger or two that have a few more levels of damage report (1% to 3% or so will say "Negligible damage" or something) so that you're more likely to get confirmation that you dropped on the target at all as long as you hit something on it.

SoW Reddog
Apr-28-2014, 10:17
Without knowing the ins and outs of your set up I don't want to cause you more work. It's just a thought.

I shall be trying to arrange a 92 Sqn outing for tomorrow night :)

Btw, if a target is destroyed completely, is another one presented or is it strictly one target per sector per mission load?

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-28-2014, 11:53
Without knowing the ins and outs of your set up I don't want to cause you more work. It's just a thought.

I shall be trying to arrange a 92 Sqn outing for tomorrow night :)

Btw, if a target is destroyed completely, is another one presented or is it strictly one target per sector per mission load?

Currently, if a target is completely destroyed, there are no other targets that appear, though considering the effort required and the distances involved, I doubt anything but a monumental effort by RED pilots would be able to destroy all three targets on the map in the 6 hours provided. There's nothing to prevent me from doing this, though.

SoW Reddog
Apr-28-2014, 11:57
Ah, OK. They're that big. Sorry, I'm too used to other things. :thumbsup:

Gix
Apr-28-2014, 12:08
2 bugs :
- You destroye radar, its down, burning, no more antenna. 3mn after it is back... Guess this one isnt from the mission but the game anyway
- Are your sure for wind TO indication (tab- 7 - 3) ? Today have wind from 060 and runnay 21 !!!!! as far as I see wind was correct but yellow panel and runnay were not.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-28-2014, 12:15
2 bugs :
- You destroye radar, its down, burning, no more antenna. 3mn after it is back... Guess this one isnt from the mission but the game anyway
- Are your sure for wind TO indication (tab- 7 - 3) ? Today have wind from 060 and runnay 21 !!!!! as far as I see wind was correct but yellow panel and runnay were not.

The RADAR towers that are located on the map itself (not placed by me) appear to regenerate after a period of time, yes. It's not something I can do anything about. The towers that are part of the RDF or FREYA system ARE destroyable.

Don't use 7-3. Use the control tower. Tab 4-1-4. Tab 4-1-4 will give you a far more 'readable' indication of the desired heading for take-off. Also, be wary of windsocks. If there is gusting, they can be pointing in different directions to the actual wind. I've seen two windsocks pointing in very different directions at the same airfield. So, use Tab 4-1-4, make note of the heading it gives you, and then use the runway that best fits that heading. You should find that the boards will also be lined up on this runway (unless you're using Biggin Hill, Hawkinge, or Redhill which do not have functional boards on my map due to the custom spawn points, though I could probably put them in.)

The yellow boards at most runways are simply going to be put on the most appropriate runway for the field. This can sometimes be as far off the wind direction at 89 degrees (direct cross wind). In such cases, you are advised to take off from an airfield with a better runway position vs the wind and assume the airfield that you were originally going to use is 'closed for traffic due to wind'.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-28-2014, 12:19
Ah, OK. They're that big. Sorry, I'm too used to other things. :thumbsup:

Your best bet for attacking the targets is to do a reconnaissance flight and identify where your bombs will do the most damage. High density areas are obviously more target critical than the lower more open spaces with only a truck or two.

Unless the target is specific (like a specific building or train), in which case you know exactly what to target.

Gix
Apr-28-2014, 12:30
thx Wolverine !
Had to find out the proper RDF stuff now :))
It happens with the Radar close to Dover on north for info.

Roblex
Apr-28-2014, 13:11
I love your originality. Yesterday I asked what the target was and was told that a ship carrying some new advanced tanks had sunk off Boulougne and one of the tanks was now wedged in a crevice in the cliffs and had not been spotted by the Germans yet so needed to be destroyed before they found it. Quite a task considering it was just below Boulougne airfield and there were AA guns every 100 metres from Boulougne to Le Touquet :D I had to send a spittie in at wave-tops in the end to pinpoint exactly where it was.

92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)
Apr-28-2014, 13:51
I love your originality. Yesterday I asked what the target was and was told that a ship carrying some new advanced tanks had sunk off Boulougne and one of the tanks was now wedged in a crevice in the cliffs and had not been spotted by the Germans yet so needed to be destroyed before they found it. Quite a task considering it was just below Boulougne airfield and there were AA guns every 100 metres from Boulougne to Le Touquet :D I had to send a spittie in at wave-tops in the end to pinpoint exactly where it was.

I had this same brief. Very entertaining. I could not ff the tank though ;( got chewed up by the flak on the cliff edge.

No.401_Wolverine
Apr-28-2014, 14:28
If you fly RIGHT beside the cliffs, they can't get their guns on you. It's a tricky target. You have to hit it just right.

AKA_Recon
Apr-28-2014, 18:10
Was a great flight - and I'm officially hooked on these missions. This is how I like to fly and I really enjoyed the teamwork.

Thanks for putting this together - looking forward to more of these!

S!


Big thanks to ATAG_Freya, AKA_Recon, |450|Squiz, and 71st_AH_Wuffman for a great mission tonight.

We requested a 16 Wellington bomber raid on the German aerodrome at Plumetot near Caen. We received the bomber's flight plan and took off from Tangmere to rendezvous with them at angels 15 south of the Isle of Wight. Linking up with the group we escorted them through a gauntlet of enemy contacts, luckily avoiding a few large groups and avoiding combat en route. We ran auto lean mixture for the flight to conserve our fuel and after a couple of course changes, the bombers dropped their bombs over Plumetot and we turned our Spitfires towards Le Treport further up the coastline in order to find targets of opportunity at the German rations and materials distribution port located there.

Keeping a close eye on our fuel gauges, we approached Le Treport with concern that we might run out of time. Just as we were getting close to the abort point, four 109s escorting a FW Condor appear off our nose and are climbing to engage us! Throwing our Spitfires back into combat settings, we fight back - but we've only got a few minutes to spare at these settings! I count down the minutes of combat time we have. We send two of the enemy down in flames and one more limps away damaged. But we don't get away clean. One of our number has taken bad cannon hits on the wings, shredding them along with one of his ailerons. Another takes a bad hit to his engine. I count the last minute of combat time and call for us to regroup, extricate ourselves from combat and get home.

Wuffman with the bad engine tells us he's not going to make it and bravely turns to take on anyone following us. It's the last we hear from him. Squiz, his wings in terrible shape, has lost fuel in the engagement and is dangerously low in the reserve. Thanks to Wuffman's diversion, we're able to put our engines back to lean settings as soon as possible and point ourselves at Wilmington. With only 10 miles left to go, Squiz, out of fuel and gliding at this point, can't keep his stricken aircraft aloft any longer and splashes down. Freya watches the ditch and radios the rescue boats with the location. The rest of us make Wilmington. Recon lands first, then me, then Freya, each of us with less than 10 gallons in the reserve.

Sounds like a pre-made co-op campaign mission, but it's just one of any number of organic, dynamic possible outcomes on the server. That could easily have been YOUR mission.

Thanks again, guys. That's the stuff that makes me keep coming back. I'll take one 1.5 hour sortie like that over 10 dogfight flights any day.

SoW Reddog
May-08-2014, 18:08
Hi Wolverine,

Just had a really frustrating time on the mission. We were tasked with picking up downed airmen in Normandy. It was extremely frustrating because:

1) You can only get the mission while in range of a tower. We get to france, can't find the objective and want to re-read the brief and can't. This is a real issue IMO. Could you adjust it so you can always request the mission (but not the damage assessment etc).
2) The brief itself is pretty unclear I felt. It comes in several waves of text which are hard to read.
3) It's pretty unclear where the objective actually is. Is it by the town, by the coast, somewhere in between. I get that you don't want to necessarily spoon feed, but if they've got a radio and can send a message to say they've escaped, surely they can give a grid square or something?

No.401_Wolverine
May-10-2014, 20:44
Several pilots have completed this mission successfully, so I don't think it's too vague.

If you want to have notes of what the tower tells you when you exit the range of the tower, then make notes. I have a little black notebook in a pocket next to my seat with a pencil that I whip out and jot stuff down in. I can simulate the radio connection distance for the tower, but I can't simulate the hardcopy pilots notes you'd be given.

I'll see if I can code in something that will allow the pilots to contact you themselves (or you to contact pilots) but it's a pretty goofy mission in the first place and I'm probably not going to put too much work into it.

But I have seen someone complete the task successfully, so keep trying!

Squiz
May-10-2014, 20:56
Hi Wolverine,

Just had a really frustrating time on the mission. We were tasked with picking up downed airmen in Normandy. It was extremely frustrating because:

1) You can only get the mission while in range of a tower. We get to france, can't find the objective and want to re-read the brief and can't. This is a real issue IMO. Could you adjust it so you can always request the mission (but not the damage assessment etc).
2) The brief itself is pretty unclear I felt. It comes in several waves of text which are hard to read.
3) It's pretty unclear where the objective actually is. Is it by the town, by the coast, somewhere in between. I get that you don't want to necessarily spoon feed, but if they've got a radio and can send a message to say they've escaped, surely they can give a grid square or something?

This is a most enjoyable and challenging mission which requires teamwork to find the target. I understand that as the program evolves, Wolverine may add additional pick-up positions one of which will be selected at random as the program rotates. If this eventuates, the appropriate pick up position will need to be found from the air each time the rescue is attempted.

1. You should write the brief down before departure or certainly before losing radio contact - this is for real.
2. I can't comment on this - I found the message clear enough.
3. The objective is on the coastline roughly north of St Lo, with emphasis on roughly to add difficulty. Oh, and their generator had run out of fuel and their radio batteries were flat so they could not contact us in the air.

On our first trip, three of us made an extensive search along the coastline at low level amongst the flak to locate the objective. The first attempt to rescue the airmen resulted in the Blenheim overturning on the beach. A second attempt, landing in the fields behind the objective, resulted in the rescue of the escapees as well as the pilot of our downed Blenheim. It was a bit of a squeeze, but we managed to get everybody aboard, take off and RTB successfully.

We conducted the mission at low level and were not harassed by enemy fighters, but you should take an escort in case. They can also help you locate the objective.

Note that the script for a successful pick-up has not yet been written and the server will show that the rescue pilot has landed in enemy territory and has been captured - ignore!

Squiz

No.401_Wolverine
May-14-2014, 22:23
Thanks to some very helpful work by 92 Sqdn Reddog, we now have a working intercept vector tied to the RDF and Freya systems.

Each radar group reported will also list an up to the minute intercept vector you can take to meet that air group.

Please use it and let us know what you think on our forums at 401squadron.boardforum.ca

Thank you.


Wolverine

No.401_Wolverine
Jun-15-2014, 16:56
A new target selection routine is now uploaded to our server.

When you connect to the server, there are no targets on the map. In order to select a target, you must use the TAB 4 menu. In place of 'Get Recon and Damage Report' there will now be a 'Select Target for this Sector' option. Selecting that option will give you a full list of targets available.

Select the target you want to attack. This will lock that sector to that target for the duration of the mission (6 hours). It will reset upon server restart.

You can only authorize bomber missions in a sector that has had a target selected. You will be told the bombers are on standby if there is no target selected.

Once a target has been selected, the menu for select target will return to the Get Recon and Damage Report option allowing you to get more detailed information about the target location and any damage done to the target.

Currently there are 19 separate and distinct targets to select from, 3 of which can be active at any one time. The list will slowly expand, up to 27 potential targets and beyond.

AG-51 Hoss
Jun-15-2014, 17:30
Hi Wolverine, flew on your server last night and enjoyed it. I'm pretty new and had a question............. when you go to the tower communications and ask for vector to enemy aircraft, is it your bearing to the enemy or the bearing from where the controller is?. It confused the heck out of me and finding stuff was pretty much down to using the Mk1 eyeballs............... I was flying RAF by the way. Are there any read me files on this somewhere, I feel overwhelmed sometimes on the amount of information that there is out there and where to find it. And if it's still relevant.

I used to fly with the old IL2 401Cdn back in 2000............. long time ago....................... had Badger, Couger, Grizz, Gator, Osprey and the a Wolverine who prolly was not you............. and a host of others I can just not remember.

Cheers and thanks for any information you can share on the vector problem...........

Hoss

aka: Old Crow when in server..................

darkside3/4
Jun-15-2014, 17:52
Hi Wolverine, flew on your server last night and enjoyed it. I'm pretty new and had a question............. when you go to the tower communications and ask for vector to enemy aircraft, is it your bearing to the enemy or the bearing from where the controller is?. It confused the heck out of me and finding stuff was pretty much down to using the Mk1 eyeballs............... I was flying RAF by the way. Are there any read me files on this somewhere, I feel overwhelmed sometimes on the amount of information that there is out there and where to find it. And if it's still relevant.

I used to fly with the old IL2 401Cdn back in 2000............. long time ago....................... had Badger, Couger, Grizz, Gator, Osprey and the a Wolverine who prolly was not you............. and a host of others I can just not remember.

Cheers and thanks for any information you can share on the vector problem...........

Hoss

aka: Old Crow when in server..................

You just forgot your reading glasses lets be honest!

No.401_Wolverine
Jun-15-2014, 21:07
Hi Wolverine, flew on your server last night and enjoyed it. I'm pretty new and had a question............. when you go to the tower communications and ask for vector to enemy aircraft, is it your bearing to the enemy or the bearing from where the controller is?. It confused the heck out of me and finding stuff was pretty much down to using the Mk1 eyeballs............... I was flying RAF by the way. Are there any read me files on this somewhere, I feel overwhelmed sometimes on the amount of information that there is out there and where to find it. And if it's still relevant.

I used to fly with the old IL2 401Cdn back in 2000............. long time ago....................... had Badger, Couger, Grizz, Gator, Osprey and the a Wolverine who prolly was not you............. and a host of others I can just not remember.

Cheers and thanks for any information you can share on the vector problem...........

Hoss

aka: Old Crow when in server..................

When you get enemy contacts, the report indicates their general number, location, their altitude, their current heading, and a heading for you to take from where you are to intercept the contacts. So the intercept vector is from your location. All you do is turn to the intercept heading and continue on that heading. The system has recently been adjusted (thanks Reddog) to make the intercept vectors a little more accurate, so please report your experiences.

The same goes for friendly contacts. The only difference is that the number reported is more accurate to the number of aircraft in the group.

I had no idea there was another No.401 Sqdn back then (with another Wolverine no less). I wonder if they're still around somewhere?

I'll see what I can do about putting up some more info about how to use the system on our forum.

AG-51 Hoss
Jun-15-2014, 23:27
Thanks for the reply Wolverine.................. Jarhead and I got together and flew a mission on the server and he told me your answer, we also called out a bomber formation and escorted it to France, unfortunately life interrupted for me and I had to bail on Jarhead, and play the part for Fathers day................. would of liked to finish the mission, don't know how Jarhead fared after I left. Look forward to getting on again.

Yep, 401Cdn was a big group back in the day............ had yaks all painted up like spitfires with YO x for each of the guys in the bunch, and I could not tell you what the heck my designation was.......... it's been that long. Lots of Canadians, some Yanks, and a Token Ozzy hiding out in Ontario........................................... .....

Would love to get on when you guys have one of your campaigns, love to fly with a big gaggle of real breathing pilots.

Cheers

Old Crow

ATAG_Ezzie
Jun-16-2014, 00:11
Hi Wolverine,

ive been travelling for a couple of weeks but am back home now. Is the Saturday/Sunday (oz time) event still up and running? If so I should be on the 401 server this coming Sunday.

Ezzie

No.401_Wolverine
Jun-16-2014, 00:33
Hey Ezzie,

Yep! Every Saturday at 9pm EST it's still on. I'm sure GloriousRuse will be happy to have you back! He's been flying solo (and doing a good job of it I might add) but I'm sure he'll be happy to have some support in the air.

ATAG_Ezzie
Jun-16-2014, 02:26
Ok - thanks Wolverine. See you (and Ruse) this weekend hopefully.

Ezzie

GloriousRuse
Jun-20-2014, 10:48
Thank the God(s) you're back. It was getting to be lean times, lean times indeed, without you.

On which note, other blue pilots, if you want to feel the thrill of bomber intercept all the way from the the ground control job of laying protractor to map to the finishing high speed runs as you slash into them and your heart pounds as you hope you judged the escorts' E correctly on this pass, show up at 9PM EST.

No.401_Wolverine
Jun-20-2014, 12:50
Yes, please any other blue pilots who want to participate, please get in touch with GloriousRuse.

If we start getting good numbers for both teams, we will think about putting together a serious long term online war. I've had some ideas recently, but I can't justify the work without knowing people will play. I've tried the 'if you build it, they will come' model already without much success.

SoW Reddog
Jun-20-2014, 15:09
Is the campaign tonight? Or tomorrow?

No.401_Wolverine
Jun-20-2014, 15:49
Tomorrow.

Lymark
Aug-27-2014, 09:51
Sounds like this is exactly the kind of server I'm looking for :salute:

There's a few questions regarding AI flights and realistic bombing .

'''It could be a troop transport Condor with light escort. It could be Command Staff relocating in a bf108. More often than not it is a combination of several of those things.'''

Lets say If I happen to shoot down these transport flights or Commander's flight. How would it affect the whole battle dynamically??And what do we need to do in order to win the war?

Also, since this thread is about 4 months old, have the realistic bombing for the blue team be implemented yet?

SoW Reddog
Aug-27-2014, 10:47
Lymark,

Unfortunately Wolverine doesn't post here anymore (I think he's banned or was?). I can't answer your questions with any authority as I'm not sure exactly what has and hasn't changed since I last played, but I don't think the success or failure of a mission affects the battle dynamically. At the end of the mission time, everything resets the same as practically every other online mission you'll see on the communities servers. What's different is that there are so many targets available, it doesn't necessarily feel like you're playing the same mission again.

Also, because No.401's campaign is Red driven, I don't think the Blue bombing options got amended, but I might well be wrong with that.

Regardless, that mission and server is a cracking experience. Its got some very innovative features and if you're lucky enough to share the North American/Australian timezone then hopping on with the No.401 and No.450 chaps is great fun and highly recommended.

Lymark
Aug-27-2014, 11:20
Lymark,

Unfortunately Wolverine doesn't post here anymore (I think he's banned or was?). I can't answer your questions with any authority as I'm not sure exactly what has and hasn't changed since I last played, but I don't think the success or failure of a mission affects the battle dynamically. At the end of the mission time, everything resets the same as practically every other online mission you'll see on the communities servers. What's different is that there are so many targets available, it doesn't necessarily feel like you're playing the same mission again.

Also, because No.401's campaign is Red driven, I don't think the Blue bombing options got amended, but I might well be wrong with that.

Regardless, that mission and server is a cracking experience. Its got some very innovative features and if you're lucky enough to share the North American/Australian timezone then hopping on with the No.401 and No.450 chaps is great fun and highly recommended.

Does it mean that there would be nothing going on If I don't pick the red team first?? I just finished a sortie as on the Germany side. I flew into the UK territory,got a few hit by AA's. However, I didn't see any enemy fighters spawning nor friendly at all. I contacted FREYA, asked them about both friendly and enemy location, but there were nothing but me. Also, how do I call out AI's bomber to attack a sector??

92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)
Aug-27-2014, 12:54
Does it mean that there would be nothing going on If I don't pick the red team first?? I just finished a sortie as on the Germany side. I flew into the UK territory,got a few hit by AA's. However, I didn't see any enemy fighters spawning nor friendly at all. I contacted FREYA, asked them about both friendly and enemy location, but there were nothing but me. Also, how do I call out AI's bomber to attack a sector??

I think this is correct. 401 server is designed to provide a post-BoB experience for red pilots mainly it seems. The map responds to red incursions in blue territory.
If you want to get the most action when there are few human players online, spawn into the red team and fly over to France.

Lymark
Aug-28-2014, 07:18
I think this is correct. 401 server is designed to provide a post-BoB experience for red pilots mainly it seems. The map responds to red incursions in blue territory.
If you want to get the most action when there are few human players online, spawn into the red team and fly over to France.

It's very weird. I was in the blue team once again. And this time,I actually triggered a couple enemy squadrons somehow. :doh:

92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)
Aug-28-2014, 11:17
It's very weird. I was in the blue team once again. And this time,I actually triggered a couple enemy squadrons somehow. :doh:

Best place to get info would be to ask on the 401 boards; http://401squadron.boardforum.ca/
Wolverine will be able to answer all your questions.