ETO Battle of Britain campaign Mark II

[33lima]

As I start to climb, a quick check with the TAC/Controller shows we're in the clear and have nearly thirty miles to go.



I decide to warp to save time and as usual, come out several miles ahead of the interception point, to give myself sufficient time. At this point, we're at about twenty thousand and nine miles out.



I reduce the TAC's range to four miles - the default eight is a bit far, as a visibility aid. Two groups of Bogies appear.



The one close to us happens to be a group of Dornier 17s, who are more or less directly below.



The ones ahead and slightly left will be our targets, though. They are also Dorniers.



Time to get busy! I start ordering the boys to attack, a pair against individual bombers. I hold my height for a while, in case the escort shows up.



But the only action is the chatter on the R/T as the boys report making their first attacks. Now, it's time for me to make mine!

...to be continued!

[33lima]

I bank left and look down at where the raid should be. At this point, I realise there's an airfield down there - Farnborough, no less.



Spiralling quickly down, I can soon make out the Dorniers. They're passing underneath and behind me.



I tighten my downward spiral as tightly as I dare, holding off the encroaching darkness.



I'm going much too fast, though, and my momentum brings me around in a wide sweep which takes me below the bombers.



I throttle back and pull up and into them, but I'm still going too fast. I end up crossing just above and behind the Huns, who take full advantage of the opportunity for a spot of target practice.



Finally, I end up behind one of the Dorniers, tired of being a target in a Hun shooting gallery. Now it's time for the boot to be on the other foot!



...to be continued!

[33lima]

The Dorniers start a left turn and I turn with them. My first burst is a bit wild - poor for line and not enough deflection.



The next effort is a bit better...



...and after the third burst, I can see a tail of fire beginning to unfurl just behind him.



After another burst, his wing tanks are well ablaze and it's time to break off.



That was a bit of a ropey start, but despite catching some hits myself, I now seem to be back in form. Relieved, I look around for another Dornier.

...to be continued!

[33lima]

I'm not long finding another pair if bombers. After pausing briefly to order the boys to resume attacks, I bore in after the nearest one.



The Dornier seems to wilt under my fire and falls off to the left.



I give the Hun a last quick squirt from the Brownings then pull up over him.



The bomber staggers on, wings level but steadily losing height.



His descent takes him over Farnborough, just as bombs burst next to some blast pens on its perimeter track.



Evidently, there are other bombers requiring my attention!

...to be continued!

[33lima]

There are indeed other bombers requiring my attention, and they're not far away!



Once again I order into action any of the boys who are not otherwise occupied, then pitch in myself.



I come under accurate return fire and have to abort my first attack.



Suitably chastened, I pick out a bomber who's a bit further away from the rest of the bunch.



He's starting to burn as I break off the attack.



It's all a bit confused and hectic, but we seem to have the upper hand, and there are no escorts about...I think.

...to be continued!

[33lima]

For all the Hun bombers buzzing around, Farnborough seems to have got away lightly. Whoever bombed those blast pens did a good job, though.



Right, where did that Dornier go, that I just set on fire? There he is! The flames seem to be dying back if anything, though. Time for another crack at him!



My next attack settles the matter in spectacular style.



By now, although it is still flying normally, my own aircraft has plainly taken a bit of a beating.



Time to take stock. The TAC reveals that there's still plenty going on. We're not quite done here yet.



...to be continued!

[33lima]

What the Dorniers are trying to do is hard to tell, but several of them are still trying to do it.



I come in for another go, but my ammo finally runs out!



All I can do is get out of the way and try to get some of the others to tackle these particular Dorniers.



But they're all tied up. So it looks like these fellows will live to fight another day.



For me, this particular battle is over. It's now time to think about getting down, before something important stops working.



...to be continued!

[33lima]

As I descend, I take a quick glance down at the instruments and don't notice anything amiss.



Farnborough looks like as good a place as any to put down.



All goes well - until I try to drop the undercart. No joy! Even the emergency system doesn't work. And the flaps don't want to play, either.



So I come on rather fast, fishtailing gently to slow her down.



I land smoothly enough but the kite goes on fire, leaving me limping away ruefully.



Anyhow I'm credited with two or three Dorniers - I can't remember - and the mission is rated a success. Also a success is my briefing text mod, which uses one of the success messages of my own devising.



Not a bad start to the first mission of the new day!

[Daiwilletti]

Now there's an improvement! Great to see some new briefing messages!

[33lima]

Thanks for the encouragement! It's still a WIP and as I didn't think much of 'You crashed' as an outcome message as seen above, I have now changed these too, with the two equally boring alternatives replaced with (so far) one hopefully less uninteresting one, as follows. They are somewhat RAF-centric but better that than too bland I think. I'm hoping the text strings aren't too long!:

<Outcome Type="PlayerRescued">
<Default>
<Text>You bailed out but luckily, were soon picked up by the army.</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerAtBase">
<Default>
<Text>You made it back to your airfield - miracles will never cease!</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerKilled">
<Default>
<Text>Sadly, your luck has run out and you got the chop.</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerCrashed">
<Default>
<Text>Your aircraft has been written off, but you lived to fight another day!</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerCrashLanded">
<Default>
<Text>You force-landed and your kite is a mess, but you managed to walk away from it.</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerDitched">
<Default>
<Text>You ditched your aircraft and got rather wet, but were picked up by the ASR boys.</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerCaptured">
<Default>
<Text>You came down behind enemy lines and were quickly captured. For you, the war is over!</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerDiedInBailout">
<Default>
<Text>Your parachute failed to open, and you are now pushing up the daisies.</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerAborted">
<Default>
<Text>Mission was cancelled.</Text>
<Text>The mission was scrubbed - a waste of time, petrol and nervous energy, basically.</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerAbortedCampaign">
<Default>
<Text>Your leave has come through! Get a good rest, and we'll see you again soon enough.</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>
<Outcome Type="PlayerBailout">
<Default>
<Text>You bailed out and can now apply for the Caterpillar Club, if you aren't already a member!</Text>
</Default>
</Outcome>

[33lima]

609 Squadron, Hinton-in-the-Hedges, early morning, 19 July 1940

Well, we've moved again, this time to a Bomber Command airfield north-west of London. Things are not looking too rosy. Despite recent successes in the air, the enemy has expanded his bridgehead. The Controller decides to scramble us against a raid to the south.



Well, at least the new briefing mod seems to be working. The new bits are the order to scramble under the title 'Overview' (which latter I could not change) and instead of repeating the order another two times, you get a different one of 'Sailor' Malan's Ten Rules for Air Fighting, each time.



Here I am, ready to start up, with the sun still low on the eastern horizon. Three Spits are lined up behind me; the other four are already airborne, awaiting us.



The first indication that all is not as it should be comes as I'm taking off. There's a whooshing, crashing sound behind me and the R/T comes to life with pilots reporting that are 'taking heavy damage.' This is a considerable understatement. Two Spitfires seem to have collided, their severed tails spinning into the air.



Crikey! That must be a bad moon rising, over there! Or setting, I suppose.



What was all that about? I have no idea. Well, there's no point crying over spilled milk, or smashed Spitfires. I might as well get on with the mission!



...to be continued!

[33lima]

As I come around in a wide, leisurely turn towards the south, I'm suddenly aware that I can hear the rumble of gunfir. We are no-where near the front line - it's the airfield's Ack Ack! I notice the black bursts over to the right, then see a flock of small aircraft, lit by the early morning sun, flash past and tear into the boys forming up behind me. 109s!



I issue a hasty attack order which probably just confuses the situation, as these marauding Huns aren't our targets. I shove forward the throttle and start turning after them.



It's too late to stave off disaster. The first two Spitfires are already going down.



It seems that all I can do is exact some retribution, before they get me, too. There are plenty of Huns to chose from...



...and I waste no time in making my choice. Time to get to work!



...to be continued!

[Daiwilletti]

Well, at least the new briefing mod seems to be working. The new bits are the order to scramble under the title 'Overview' (which latter I could not change) and instead of repeating the order another two times, you get a different one of 'Sailor' Malan's Ten Rules for Air Fighting, each time.

Hi 33 Lima, one place where "overview" might be editable is in one of the Dialogues folder's xmls. If I can get my addled brain to remember I'll have a shuffle around later on the CFS3 computer.

The AI spitfires are horribly twitchy on takeoff. If I touch a brake for any reason in my takeoff process, the AI respond immediately which is highly unrealistic and causes nasty prangs.

[33lima]

Hi 33 Lima, one place where "overview" might be editable is in one of the Dialogues folder's xmls. If I can get my addled brain to remember I'll have a shuffle around later on the CFS3 computer.

The AI spitfires are horribly twitchy on takeoff. If I touch a brake for any reason in my takeoff process, the AI respond immediately which is highly unrealistic and causes nasty prangs.

Thanks for that - especially how to avoid those behind having a pile up if they 'see my brake lights come on'!

I had a look in the dialogues folder and didn't see anything useful, although I was actually looking for the apparently non-editable advice in briefings on waypoints and giving orders, which isn't too bad. I'd prefer to be able to close up the overview/objective with the 'flavour' text which follows but couldn't find that setting anywhere, either.

I don't know if it's a co-incidence, but getting mugged by 109s just after take-off for the first time came right after I installed the version of your campaign you sent me!

[Daiwilletti]

LOL, definitely a coincidence, its down to spawns! I had two different fighter formations mug me within 5 minutes of each other, after takeoff this afternoon. By the time I got to the intercept point I was out of ammo and had to try and distract escorting fighters so that the bomber objective could be damaged. Still failed the mission but five wingmen survived, thanks to my shooting down at least 3 of the "bouncing" fighters after takeoff.

One thing about large formations - I've read that the maximum number of aircraft able to be specified in a spawn formation is 16, and that for many formation types (strangely some are better than others) you can more reliably get only 8. Hence I've been experimenting with three spawn files listed for a single die roll entry in a spawn table. The trouble is, there is a random element to where exactly the formations of 8 planes appear. I can give two bomber formations on the one line of the spawn table, identical spawning parameters and they can be 100s of meters, or separated by 30 seconds, apart.

It is only with missions as opposed to campaign missions that big BoB-type formations can reliably be assembled, it seems.

[33lima]

One thing about large formations - I've read that the maximum number of aircraft able to be specified in a spawn formation is 16, and that for many formation types (strangely some are better than others) you can more reliably get only 8. Hence I've been experimenting with three spawn files listed for a single die roll entry in a spawn table. The trouble is, there is a random element to where exactly the formations of 8 planes appear. I can give two bomber formations on the one line of the spawn table, identical spawning parameters and they can be 100s of meters, or separated by 30 seconds, apart.

It is only with missions as opposed to campaign missions that big BoB-type formations can reliably be assembled, it seems.

Two or even three formations 8 bombers within 100m of each other would be ok if they could stay that way, more or less. It would represent two or three slightly under-strength staffels. A gruppe was the LW's normal operational unit and they might put up two or three staffels for a particular raid. In real life the staffels might have a bit of trouble maintaining close formation with each other, and anyway, the gruppe formation would likely change en route, at least from transit to bomb run, so a rigid 'parade ground' formation of 20 or so bombers all in close formation would not always be what you'd see.

Rince33 managed to get this in the ETO BoB campaign; they were flying a bit low (about seven thousand feet) but it was still quite convincing, for a CFS3 bomber formation:




This is how a gruppe formation can look in BoB2; I think this was on the way home after bombing...



By the time I was making my second attack, the staffeln had closed up with one another again (in BoB2 campaigns, there are ten in a bomber staffel, flying this double-wedge).



The individual staffel formations are much tighter and better kept than I expect CFS3 campaigns (or maybe even missions) will ever be able to do, but if a CFS3 bomber formation can have two or better still three groups of eight operating fairly consistently in even the sort of formation shown in the first BoB2 pic, that would be a huge step forward in realism!

To finish the story, I ran into the bomber I was attacking and tore off most of a wing, but managed to get out. The Dornier is now missing from the right of the formation, for similar reasons

[33lima]

Meanwhile, back at the unexpected air battle over our base...

...I'm soon chasing down my first intended victim. The Spitfires is the supreme dogfighter and in this sort of low-level battle, I have little difficulty with this fellow.



See what I mean?



I'm soon after another. It's hard to keep 'eyes on' when he's turning into the glare of the rising sun...



...but though he twists and turns like a hare, I'm soon on top of him - he's just visible beyond the LH bracket of my reflector sight's glass - which should be round at this stage of the war, yes I know.



Trying to make use of the vertical doesn't do the Hun much good!



Two down! I try to get some of the others into action, but from their responses, it's obvious they already have their hands full. We're apparently heavily outnumbered and the odds need evened up some more - which is where I come in...

...to be continued!

[33lima]

I'm quickly on the case of another Messerschmitt who dives in an effort to get away. He's a bit low to try that, though...



...and I nail him when he pulls up. A hat trick!



I'm not done yet, though. There are 109s everywhere, generally on their own, weaving and dipping in and out of the intermittent umbrella of Ack Ack bursts over our aerodrome. I decide this one will be next.



He knows I'm after him and darts this way and that. I follow his every move, staying above him and gradually gaining ground. I know there are other 109s close by, but I'm relying on the way I'm throwing my own kite about the sky, rather than a good look-out, to stay out of trouble, and concentrate on my target.



The Hun tries to get away by pulling up into a zoom climb, but he hasn't the speed for it. I come in behind and let him have it.



He then tries a steeply-banked right-hander but another good burst settles his hash.



Four down! Maybe now we've got a fighting chance!

...to be continued!

[33lima]

Looking around just in time, I realise there are two 109s behind me. I call for help, but nobody answers. It looks like I'm the only one left - apart from Huns!



Once again the Spit's turning ability saves my neck. Not only that, it soon puts me behind a 109. By this time, I must be nearly out of rounds, though, so it ain't looking good.



I stay with the 109 through every evasive manoeuvre he can pull, which is a lot. With ammo nearly gone, I take no chances, and finally shoot only when I'm close and have a good sight picture. It pays off - the first short burst takes off the 109's tail!



I'll only get the chop if I try to land or run for it. Nothing else for it, but to stay on the offensive. So I head back into the Ack Ack fire, in search of another Messerschmitt.



I find one, too!



But have I any rounds left? I'll find out in a second!

...to be continued!

[33lima]

Once again, there's a merry chase around the sky as the 109 tries to get away.



And once again, a short, well-aimed burst from close range removes the Hun's empennage.



There's at least one more of the beggars out there, though. He seems to be in a bit of a panic, from the way he's throwing his kite around. In the end he goes up like a lift...



...but goes down like a stone, after I've taken off his tail feathers.



And there they are. One Me109 tailplane, in fair used condition.



It had to happen - looking back, I see that one of his friends is clearly planning to return the favour. Beware of the Hun in the sun!



...to be continued!

[33lima]

My poor Spitfire is quickly riddled with more holes than a thing with a lot of holes.



This is the Hun's Eye View of me trying to get out of his line of fire; too late, alas.



Time to get out, while I still can!



My abandoned Spit goes down in a steep corkscrew. At first I think she's headed for our own hangars, which would be somewhat unfortunate. But no, as if by a conscious act, she veers off to the right, aiming for just beyond the perimeter track. The 109 was following her rather low, but manages to pull up in time.



The Hun circles underneath me as my aircraft explodes in a cornfield.



That was a narrow escape! All that remains is to check the results - and the debriefing part of my briefing mod.

...to be continued!

[33lima]

I land rather heavily, but this time, manage to avoid being dragged headlong by my parachute canopy.



Happily, I don't have far to limp to the airfield. Once there, I rest my weary but intact bones on a conveniently-placed stack of crates - a deck chair would have been more comfortable - and discover that my little briefing mod is working as intended. Which is the good news. The bad news is that it's confirmed that the mission's not reckoned a success. The fact we were intercepted well short of the raid we were supposed to intercept will have something to do with that.



I'm credited with nearly a squadron of 109s shot down, single-handed! 'Nearly' - the ones I didn't get, got me. But at least I'm still able to climb onto crates, and soon enough, to fly a Spitfire again.



Given the excessive squadron strength in CFS3 - about forty pilots, nearly twice the establishment an RAF fighter squadron would have had at this period, and with just the over-long squadron roster to go by - I find it next to impossible to work out how the squadron I'm leading fared from the CFS3 debriefing system. Counting who rejoins you after the combat is the only way I can do that, regularly. This time I didn't get the chance. Maybe it's just as well!

[Daiwilletti]

I had a look in the dialogues folder and didn't see anything useful, although I was actually looking for the apparently non-editable advice in briefings on waypoints and giving orders, which isn't too bad. I'd prefer to be able to close up the overview/objective with the 'flavour' text which follows but couldn't find that setting anywhere, either.

Found it!
dlgdboverview.xml
Looks like you can change the label to whatever you want
<Label ID="ctrl3" Caption="Overview:" X="10" Y="17" Width="63" Height="14" FontName="pptypelt"/>

[33lima]

Thanks Dave. That file's just got 'PILOT MEDALS' in my install, which is a bit non-intuitive. dlgpagemis_brief.xml and dlgbebrief.xml have 'OVERVIEW', but I'd concluded from the presence of the other text strings in that file ('ARMAMENT', WAYPOINTS, 'TIMELINE, 'STATS' etc) that they set the labels for the tabs in the briefing and debriefing, which I don't want to lose.

[33lima]

609 Squadron, Hinton-in-the-Hedges, evening, 19 July 1940

The bad news is that the enemy have fought their way into London. There is no good news.



We're scrambled to intercept a raid over the capital's north western suburbs, between the RAF bases at Northolt and Hendon.



Consulting my map, this is how the mission looks. We've nearly fifty miles to go, as the crow or Spitfire flies.



This time, there are no Spits piling up behind me - all of my flight gets away, to join the four already airborne.



At least the weather's pretty good this evening, with just a few scattered clouds.



The boys are swinging around to join up as I turn onto our interception vector, down to the south-east. After last time, I don't take it for granted that they aren't 109s! But the only aircraft around are our own Spitfires.



The enemy occupying London! It's hard to believe! Time to see for ourselves, what's going on down there.

...to be continued!