CFS2 add-ons/Theatres/Campaigns questions

[Mahon MacRi]

Hi all,
I've been flying CFS3 ever since it first came out, and I've long since upgraded it with the ETO add-ons for increased fun, extra aircraft and unusual missions, et cetera.

Anyway, I'm about to get started with CFS 2, largely because it has certain aircraft available that simple aren't available for CFS3 (not yet, anyway) and I'd like to know if there are any ETO add-ons and/or campaigns to take advantage of European aircraft.

CFS3 was dead simple to upgrade; just download the various ETO packages, and install them in order. Are there are any large ETO-style theatre or campaign add-ons for CFS2?

Is it as easy to upgrade as CFS 3 was with ETO?

If so, where exactly would I find the necessary add-ons to switch CFS2 over to the European Theatre of Operations?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. "Happy landings," sincerely, "Mac"

[Rami]

Mahon MacRi,

First, welcome to CFS2.

Second, there are extensive campaigns in CFS2 for Europe, in both the early and late theatre of operations. There is also plenty of action in the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean.

However, the world here is not quite as user-friendly, because has been done piecemeal over the years.

The way it works here is that you have to lay down the mesh and land class bases for that theatre, and then everything else goes in on top of it. Most campaigns come with a hyperlinked readme that will direct you to the files you need, but recently, some of have begun to switch back to full auto-installers that provide you with nearly everything required to run that campaign.

In addition, it takes a little bit of time to learn the CFS2 file structure, because it is different than CFS3, and that CFS2 has some limitations which can force you to make multiple installations, because there are 100-plane and ship limits. (Either 100 aircraft or a combination of aircraft and aircraft textures, or "skins") And sometimes, this number also can vary depending on each person's sim. CFS2 can be wacky like that.

Mission Building is MUCH easier in CFS2 than CFS3.

Here is just an example of some of my stuff for the ETO, people like Captain Kurt and Skylane have also done some impressive stuff.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=1543&sort=d

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=694&sort=d

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=3960&sort=d

[Mahon MacRi]

Thanks very much for the helpful info and headspace adjustement, Rami. My interest is mainly in the time pereod between the Fall of France/Battle of Britain to early 1943, as thats when the phenomenal Westland Whirlwind was operational. My fascination with this particular airframe dates all the way back to 1971 when I bought my first 1/72 stale AirFix model of it.

All my research shows that it should easily hold its own against bf109 E3's or E4's, and even against the early F models, provided I keep the combat below 15,000 feet. After all, it had a higher power-to-weight ratio and lower wing loading than any of the Emils or early Franz's, similar power-to-weight ratio and dramatically lower wing-loading than the FW 190A models, and when first introduced, it was both the fastest and the most heavily armed single-seat fighter in the world.

I've recently received word that one of our most skillfull members is currently hard at work developing a version of this vastly underappreciated bird for CFS3, but that probably won't be available until quite some time in the future. In the meantime, I'm going to try to get my "hands-on introduction" and a little experience flying rhubarbs over Calais during the period from Summer, 1940 through to Spring of 1943, courtesy of CFS2.


Given that extremely narrow area of interest, which downloads would you say were "absolute musts" for making my Westland Whirlwind dreams come true?


Thanks for all your help, and "Happy Landings," sincerely, "Mac"

Mahon MacRi,

First, welcome to CFS2.

Second, there are extensive campaigns in CFS2 for Europe, in both the early and late theatre of operations. There is also plenty of action in the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean.

However, the world here is not quite as user-friendly, because has been done piecemeal over the years.

The way it works here is that you have to lay down the mesh and land class bases for that theatre, and then everything else goes in on top of it. Most campaigns come with a hyperlinked readme that will direct you to the files you need, but recently, some of have begun to switch back to full auto-installers that provide you with nearly everything required to run that campaign.

In addition, it takes a little bit of time to learn the CFS2 file structure, because it is different than CFS3, and that CFS2 has some limitations which can force you to make multiple installations, because there are 100-plane and ship limits. (Either 100 aircraft or a combination of aircraft and aircraft textures, or "skins") And sometimes, this number also can vary depending on each person's sim. CFS2 can be wacky like that.

Mission Building is MUCH easier in CFS2 than CFS3.

Here is just an example of some of my stuff for the ETO, people like Captain Kurt and Skylane have also done some impressive stuff.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=1543&sort=d

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=694&sort=d

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=3960&sort=d

[Rami]

Mahon,

Well, I have some good news. We do have a pretty darn-good Whirlwind for CFS2, complete with a nice Peregrine engine sound pack as well. A few months back, some of us were experimenting with her by equipping her with drop tanks and small bombs...allowing her to be a "Whirlibomber."

Aircraft: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=50&id=1197

Sound pack: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=48&id=13663

The issue we were having is extending her range...she seems to have short legs. The only other issue is that we don't have a lot of missions for her; I used her in a couple of missions during the "Chianti Raiders" campaign, but that's about it.

However, I am happy to say that Mission Building in CFS2 is easier than CFS3, and I have done GSL harbors at Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkerque, and there are also several bases in the Pas-de-Calais you can use for target practice!