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View Full Version : Idea for RAF Bomber Command / LW NJG Server



Nelson8294
May-20-2019, 10:52
With the (hopefully soon) upcoming release of TF's Vickers Wellington, I had the thought of an idea for pilots who dared to brave the night skies in the RAF's legendary "Wimpy" in a multiplayer server setting.

Taking inspiration from servers such as GhostSkies and other campaign oriented servers, I thought it would be interesting if we could get crews formed for Wellington missions into occupied France, having players fill gunner, bombardier positions to form semi-permanent crews that would fly together on a regular basis, even having custom skins with names and nose art for that specific crew. I also thought it would be interesting to go one step further and have players act as operations officers and plan sorties and create briefings based on recon photos and flights flown by players in a PRU. On the other side, I envision Bf 110 and 109 pilots prowling the skies to combat these sorties, with there also being command roles for intel and the like.

I was able to find a couple RAF Bomber Command squadrons that flew Wellingtons from airfields depicted on the CloD map during the time period, such as 12 and 40 Squadrons out of RAF Eastchurch, 57 and 15 Squadrons out of RAF Wyton (just out of map boundary north of London) and 109 Squadron out of RAF Boscombe Down. There is also the option to create a fictional squadron. I don't believe any NJG's were based out of airfields depicted on the map, so a solution would have to be rectified there.

I am posting this just to gauge interest and collect suggestions/concerns/insight into whether the idea is even possible and/or worth pursuing.

Thanks for your interest and happy flying!

ATAG_Noofy
May-20-2019, 11:21
With the (hopefully soon) upcoming release of TF's Vickers Wellington, I had the thought of an idea for pilots who dared to brave the night skies in the RAF's legendary "Wimpy" in a multiplayer server setting.

Taking inspiration from servers such as GhostSkies and other campaign oriented servers, I thought it would be interesting if we could get crews formed for Wellington missions into occupied France, having players fill gunner, bombardier positions to form semi-permanent crews that would fly together on a regular basis, even having custom skins with names and nose art for that specific crew. I also thought it would be interesting to go one step further and have players act as operations officers and plan sorties and create briefings based on recon photos and flights flown by players in a PRU. On the other side, I envision Bf 110 and 109 pilots prowling the skies to combat these sorties, with there also being command roles for intel and the like.

I was able to find a couple RAF Bomber Command squadrons that flew Wellingtons from airfields depicted on the CloD map during the time period, such as 12 and 40 Squadrons out of RAF Eastchurch, 57 and 15 Squadrons out of RAF Wyton (just out of map boundary north of London) and 109 Squadron out of RAF Boscombe Down. There is also the option to create a fictional squadron. I don't believe any NJG's were based out of airfields depicted on the map, so a solution would have to be rectified there.

I am posting this just to gauge interest and collect suggestions/concerns/insight into whether the idea is even possible and/or worth pursuing.

Thanks for your interest and happy flying!

Great idea.
You can count on me to hunt you (haunt you?) in a 110 :)

Nelson8294
May-20-2019, 11:26
I'll be looking forward to it! Just gotta find us first ;) although I am partial to the 110, I flew it in exclusively for awhile on BoS/BoM in the beginning; such a wonderful aircraft. Never any night flying though!

Have any input for the LW side in regards to the airfields the 110's would operate out of since? Unfortunately the map doesn't extend too far east for more targets and airfields.

ATAG_Noofy
May-20-2019, 13:00
For historical accuracy we’ll have to play the night flights over north Africa in the Tobruk 5.0 edition...

Nelson8294
May-20-2019, 13:20
North Africa would also be a very valid option, I was amazed at the number of Wellington units based in North Africa during early 1941.

ATAG_TCP
May-21-2019, 04:18
That would be pretty great with the new Welly nearly on paper!

Never done much bombing but wouldn't mind a pilot slot! However I can imagine that pilot slots are going to be pretty overwhelmed :-P

(Have had a quick exchange with Lord Wukits about online training events for bomber crews with the Welly, doable with HE111s and also the Bleny's too.)

Nelson8294
May-21-2019, 07:58
Never done much bombing but wouldn't mind a pilot slot! However I can imagine that pilot slots are going to be pretty overwhelmed :-P



That's true, I'm just hoping there are more like myself that would want to fill the bombardier and gunner roles, or even players that want to have a more lax evening chilling in a turret ;)

ATAG_Knuckles
May-21-2019, 10:10
I'm always up for this. Cripes 90% of my clod time is in the Blenheim , Pilot and gunner position

DRock
May-21-2019, 13:32
Not sure if bomber command would become a regular thing, since we have tried that many times.

However, I would be interested in helping with ATAG’s Bomber Campaign again. With a whole new set of aircrafts available, I’m sure we could come up with some big ideas again.

War of the Wellingtons sounds like a good start.:thumbsup:

A limited number of Wellington pilots, all gunner positions filled, and of course, air support.


Having ‘Events’ would be the best chance at some real fun, IMHO.

:salute:


Edit: Night time flights would be problematic for many reasons.

ATAG_TCP
May-21-2019, 17:53
To be honest I would really like for the Welly events to become frequent. Such as a monthly mission perhaps? Even if we only have three bombers manned, that would still work. Before the British heavies most raids were relatively small anyway, or done solo. O_O

Perhaps not night missions but what about evening missions? At least you would have a great sunset for awesome screenshots :-P

On the other hand, do we know if TFS is planning on doing anything with the implimentation of functional nav &/or landing lights?
If 5.0 contains a nav light or two :3 night missions might work alright.

Will just have to see.

But would love to see a monthly mission for them, even if it is just three or four crews. Hop on TS and have full comms.
I am happy to hop on the bombsite if I grab some instruction on using it.
And of course am happy to hop on a gun, my Grandad was a TAG in the Fairey Swordfish in the war so I see no problems in taking a gun ;)

:salute:

Kayo
May-22-2019, 09:32
I think our squad, FG28, would happily participate in Bomber events with some bomber crew-men and some for the fighter cover when it is a red event and intercepting bombers if it is a blue event
Today we mainly do low level raids with the Blennie but with the arrival of the Wellington I am sure we will even practice high altitude bombing.
Manning different positions sounds fun, we normally only do that when shot down but with the Wimpey I guess being bomb aimer or gunner will be much fun.

So, yes to regular Bomber events please! The Boo-events were much fun like the last Blennie bash with a big pack of Blennies pressing on low level strikes despite nasty LW-opposition.

Nelson8294
May-26-2019, 01:29
To be honest I would really like for the Welly events to become frequent. Such as a monthly mission perhaps? Even if we only have three bombers manned, that would still work. Before the British heavies most raids were relatively small anyway, or done solo. O_O

Perhaps not night missions but what about evening missions? At least you would have a great sunset for awesome screenshots :-P

On the other hand, do we know if TFS is planning on doing anything with the implimentation of functional nav &/or landing lights?
If 5.0 contains a nav light or two :3 night missions might work alright.

Will just have to see.

But would love to see a monthly mission for them, even if it is just three or four crews. Hop on TS and have full comms.
I am happy to hop on the bombsite if I grab some instruction on using it.
And of course am happy to hop on a gun, my Grandad was a TAG in the Fairey Swordfish in the war so I see no problems in taking a gun ;)

:salute:

Evening or even daytime missions would probably work better and would probably attract more players who actually want to see what is happening around them ;)

ATAG_TCP
May-26-2019, 01:42
With our first Bomber Command event we will definitely be doing daytime practice/training.
Also with the Blenheim and Wellington I think low-level, daytime raids were quite a thing ;)



Also anyone wanting to attend our first event feel free to post a salute in the bomber command training post.
So far we have Noofy :)

Fuchs
Aug-12-2019, 05:01
Just see this message, you can count me in :)

Melonfish
Aug-14-2019, 11:15
You can count me in! i can likely bring others too, we're mostly mud movers in BOX and they're old school CloD players, I reckon they'd be up for this too.

Retnek
Feb-07-2020, 19:06
+1 as soon as there are Wellingtons - btw: has there been any server-setup trying to re-enact the "Night-Blitz"? Most of the components would be available. :doh:

ATAG_Hawk
Feb-08-2020, 06:06
I would definitely be interested in this. Might prove problematic with all the difficulties involved in trying to find your way around in a blacked out environment. I have tried night missions in Blitz without much success because of the visual problems. Basically having to sit in a darkened room so you can see your blacked-out monitor and using low lighting to see your keyboard poses problems. Perhaps when we have the Wellington and you have extra crew members, gunners, bomb aimer etc might make make life easier for pilots. Maybe worth trying one or two on-line special dusk missions in low light conditions.
Slight change of subject I have a board game called NIGHTFIGHTER RAF Bomber Command night campaign by GMT games which is good. It comes with solitaire rules so you can play solo.

ATAG_Snapper
Feb-08-2020, 11:43
+1 as soon as there are Wellingtons - btw: has there been any server-setup trying to re-enact the "Night-Blitz"? Most of the components would be available. :doh:

That would be cool. :thumbsup:

Years ago we tried a couple of night/predawn missions in our ATAG main “sandbox” server, but it proved to be a dismal failure. Reason: no one could take off! Everyone was colliding with each other or ground objects while taxiing - it was a bit comical TBH. :doh: Obviously, we should’ve had air spawns as an option for both sides.

I’ve tried a few basic homemade night missions using a Beaufighter NF stalking and hunting marauding AI He111’s over London, using the converging spotlight beams to find my quarry. Very intense, and lots of concentration on instrument flying since there’s little to see outside of the cockpit to stay orientated.

For the high skill level and arduous workload required in such an environment, I doubt there would be universal multiplayer appeal, but it’d make a great coop scenario for likeminded players.

:salute:

ATAG_Oskar
Feb-08-2020, 13:39
Right now searchlights do not work in MP.

ATAG_TCP
Feb-08-2020, 18:59
Snapper, mentioning about the collisions, one thing that could solve a lot of that and open up a lot of opportunities could be the implementation of functioning landing and nav lights. For some reason that has always been an interest for me, I just love flicking switches and turning the lights on and off :-P we'll see in future, but for now I think it would be great to be able to start brain storming some more bomber events.
Also would be great to train up some good escorts too ;)

ATAG_Lord Wukits
Feb-14-2020, 10:54
Right now searchlights do not work in MP.

Is it known why they do not work? Something worth us testing and looking into?

Retnek
Feb-28-2020, 19:29
Is it known why they do not work? Something worth us testing and looking into?

Setup has been a bit tricky, an impression is given here:

http://allaircraftsimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=31795

I remember it's been a long and hard way to get the searchlights working somehow in a single player test mission. Later there someone wrote "broken feature in multi-player" and I gave up. But it wasn't broken in general - so maybe? Since the RAF did lots of night-bombing in the Med with the Wellingtons - maybe that feature has been fixed already?

Snapper: "...For the high skill level and arduous workload required in such an environment, I doubt there would be universal multiplayer appeal, ..." - I'm with you. Won't find much enthusiasm investing much time into building such missions at the moment. If the upcoming release is published, I'll check that kind of basic-night-mission-features (runway-lights, search-lights, radio-navigation still working?) asap - let's hope!

ATAG_Oskar
Feb-28-2020, 20:08
Setup has been a bit tricky, an impression is given here:ington

http://allaircraftsimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=31795

I remember it's been a long and hard way to get the searchlights working somehow in a single player test mission. Later there someone wrote "broken feature in multi-player" and I gave up. But it wasn't broken in general - so maybe? Since the RAF did lots of night-bombing in the Med with the Wellingtons - maybe that feature has been fixed already?

Snapper: "...For the high skill level and arduous workload required in such an environment, I doubt there would be universal multiplayer appeal, ..." - I'm with you. Won't find much enthusiasm investing much time into building such missions at the moment. If the upcoming release is published, I'll check that kind of basic-night-mission-features (runway-lights, search-lights, radio-navigation still working?) asap - let's hope!

Searchlights work fine in SP. There are some missions posted on ATAG that have searchlights so mission builders have working examples.

Other lighting, runway lights, beacons, etc. works. Radio navigation works, Wellingtons have an RDF instrument. And Lorenz works, the Wellington has it too.