Any online war thoughts?

[csThor]

I think a large number of things that are absolutely indispensable for a halfway decent representation of the BoB just aren't there, yet.

1.) Warships - no real "Kanalkampf" without at least a british destroyer
2.) So far there is no way to designate static targets and check their state of damage.
3.) Radar is not yet implemented ... at least not in the way MG seems to see it. Just look at the not yet functional radio comms.
4.) Netcode. An online war without AI is just not possible but currently the AI is a serious limiting factor as it slows down the game drastically. Ask SNAFU.

Add some odd FM issues with most aircraft, bugs with some others (Ju 88 and the compass issue) and a general lack of documentation which leads to a lot of trial and error (Blenheim anyone?) don't make the issue any easier.

[Jugdriver]

Originally Posted by csThor

4.) Netcode. An online war without AI is just not possible but currently the AI is a serious limiting factor as it slows down the game drastically. Ask SNAFU.

I fly an online war right now in FB/46 that does not have AI and have done so for years, You just need a dedicated group. The addition of AI allows for more flexibility but certainly does not preclude the ability to run a campaign.

JD
AKA_MattE

[csThor]

In my opinion it does. Looking at the numbers of planes involved you'll never get enough players to fly anything but the ubiquitous fighters and fighter-bombers. AI is needed for those classes of aircraft which rarely get flown - bombers, Stukas, recon planes ... Just trying to simulate the BoB by throwing two fighter teams in various "Last Man Standing" efforts against each other, which unfortunately many online wars I have participated in did, doesn't produce anything even remotely realistic.

[Jugdriver]

I was flying a Zero against B-24 and B-25's flown by humans last night. This is a campaign that I have been flying in twice a week for years. There are squads in this campaign that fly bombers almost exclusively, as I said you need a dedicated group.

It is certainly easier if there are AI but it is not impossible without them (just a smaller scale). I do think that when the AI issues are sorted out what can be done in COD will eclipse what is possible now in IL2 FB/46

One of the other problems right now is that the bulk of the IL2 FB/46 campaigning community is still flying FB/46 campaigns.

JD
AKA_MattE