New Mission Ideas Wishlist

[Pursuivant]

Since we'll soon have flyable cargo aircraft and flying boats in IL2, I'd like to propose some new mission types for IL2. Obviously, this is a wish list. Many of my ideas probably aren't practical.

Cargo Plane Missions

Paratroop Drop - Also represents secret agent/partisan drop missions (Note: bombers such as the B-24 Liberator, SB-2, and DB-3 could have secret agent/partisan cargo loadouts).

Paratroops can only safely be released below certain speeds, above a certain height, and only when the plane is flying more or less straight and level (drop is slowed or stopped if the plane is pulling Gs).

Each paratrooper which makes it to the ground alive, within the landing zone, gives the player points.

Paratroops are dropped all at once, using existing animations. But, paratroops must ready themselves for jumping prior to the jump, which takes a few seconds, so you can't just press the "drop bombs" button to make them jump. This means there will need to be a new command "ready paratroops" (also opens cargo door) and then "drop paratroops".

Cargo Drop - Represents aerial supply/resupply missions. (Note: Bombers such as the B-24, B-17 could be fitted with cargo loadouts to represent Operations Manna & Chowhound, etc.).

Cargo can only safely be released below certain speeds, above a certain height, and only when the plane is flying more or less straight and level (drop is slowed or stopped if the plane is pulling Gs). Drop speed is slowed or stopped if crewmen are killed or injured.

Each cargo unit which makes it to the ground undamaged, within the landing zone, gives the player points. Points are lost if cargo lands within enemy territory.

Each cargo unit is dropped separately, but must be readied prior to drop (representing the crew maneuvering it into position). There is also a delay after the "drop cargo" button is pushed representing the time required for aircrew to kick the cargo out the door (literally!). This means two commands "ready cargo" (also opens cargo door) and "drop cargo" (can be same as drop paratroops/bombs).

Due to time required to ready various cargo units, drop missions can take minutes to complete.

Cargo Pick-Up - This is a variant on Rearm-Repair-Refuel. Airplane must land and stop within a certain distance of a pick-up zone (set in FMB - can be an object or area). Cargo is loaded at a rate of X Kg per minute - loading speed and Kg increments set in FMB. Mass is added to the plane as the cargo is loaded. Player gets points for loading each unit of cargo, and for taking off with a partial or full load.

Realistically, due to time required to load cargo, planes can spend minutes or hours on the ground. Normally very boring, unless you're under fire! To make things more interesting, the FMB can be set to load cargo at an unrealistically quick rate.

Cargo Drop-Off - As above, but in reverse. Unloading time is typically faster than loading since unloaded cargo doesn't need to be balanced and strapped into place. Player gets points for landing, and for each cargo unit unloaded.

Passenger Pick-Up - As for Cargo Pick-Up, but passengers board the plane. This is much faster than loading cargo, but animations might be needed as each passenger is seated. Passenger figures can be killed or wounded, but can't bail out while the plane is in the air.

Med-Evac - As for Passenger Pick-Up but passengers are badly wounded mean on stretchers and take longer to board the plane. They start the game badly wounded, so any further damage will probably kill them. They can't bail out, either on the ground or in the air. Occasionally, one might suffer severe bleeding, or die, while in flight.

Passenger/Med-Evac Drop-Off - As for Cargo Drop-Off, but passengers unload themselves very quickly compared to cargo. Med-Evac passengers take longer.

New Game Objects Needed

Marker panels in different colors - To mark drop zones for cargo planes, as well as target zones for ground attack.

Ground flares in different colors - ditto

Ground launched aerial/parachute flares - ditto, and to mark location of life rafts/lifeboats.

Air launched aerial/parachute flares - To mark target/drop zones for night bombing and cargo drop missions.

Cargo parachutes in different colors and sizes - red, blue, yellow, green, white, natural (cream color), camouflage. 24', 28', 36', and 48' diameter - Selectable as loadout or FMB object - so you can have parachutes in the air when the game starts. (Note: multiple parachute objects also allows aircrew of different nations to have different chute colors - German aircrew during Battle of Germany used yellow or cream color. Allies used white.)

Different cargo drop objects - mostly boxes or palletized cargo.

More paratroop types - Soviet, British, Japanese, Soviet Partisan, OSS/SOE agent.

Wounded Men on Stretchers

German Fallschrimjager weapons pods - dropped along with FJ troops.

[Pursuivant]

Patrol Aircraft Missions

Rescue Patrol - When aircraft spots a specified sea object (set in FMB), the mission triggers a ship or boat to sail (set in FMB) directly to the object's location.

Points are awarded for detecting floating objects, when the rescue ship detects the player's plane (to encourage the player to orbit the object that needs to be rescued), and when the rescue ship reaches the rescue object.

Land to Rescue - Player aircraft must land on water to pick up a floating object. Similar to Passenger Pick-Up Mission described above, but loading time is slower due to time needed to haul survivors out of the water.

Points are awarded when player detects the object to be rescued, when they land, when survivors are "loaded" and when the plane takes off again.

The plane should take on extra mass as survivors are loaded, and there might be limits to the number of survivors a plane can take on board. Each survivor takes some time to load. Rescue object vanishes when all survivors are aboard the plane.

Artillery Spotting - Player aircraft controls gunfire from specified friendly ship or artillery battery (set in FMB). If ship/battery is in range of a target, the player can type in range and direction for guns, then correct fire (left, right, drop, add a certain number of meters) until target is hit.

Player gets points for destroying targets using friendly ship's/battery's guns.

There will be a time interval between when the player calls in artillery, when the battery fires, and when artillery shells hit. Realistically, the player should also be able to specify single gun or battery fire, and shell type (smoke, white phosphorus, high explosive).

This type of mission already exists as a mod, so it should be doable.

ASV Radar Intercept - Player detects surface vessel on radar, then attacks at low level. Would require design and programming of at least one Air to Surface Vessel Radar.

ASV Radar/Leigh Light Intercept - As above, but plane is also equipped with Leigh Light for night missions. Would require design and programming of Leigh Light as optional loadout.

Mine-Dropping - Simulates dropping mines and similar ordinance.

Player gets points for dropping mines in drop zone, and for destroying ships using dropped mines.

Mines can only be dropped below a certain altitude and speed, and only work if dropped into water. Once dropped they are treated like bombs, but with fuses which only trigger when a ship object touches them (contact mines), or gets within a certain distance (acoustic and magnetic mines). Acoustic/Magnetic mines might have a high failure rate, representing countermeasures. Things like water depth would have to be ignored, or determined by mission builder.

Mine objects would need to be created and added as loadouts.

This type of loadout already exists as a mod, so it is doable.

Anti-Submarine Missions - Allows player to drop depth charges. Depth charges are treated similarly to aerial mines, but must be fused to go off at a certain depth (this can be treated like a delay fuse). Their effective "TNT value" increases with depth as well (simulating increased effects on submarine hulls under pressue). Can damage or destroy submerged submarines within the blast radius. Damaged submerged submarines might be forced to surface. Sunk submarines are replaced with oil slick effect.

This type of mission would require lots of animation and coding to give submarines a bit of AI. Damaged subs would need to be programmed to surface. Then, they'd either need to fight back or surrender based on damage (in the latter case - launch life rafts, then the sub sinks as it is scuttled). Subs on the surface would need to dive, being replaced with submerged sub object after a certain number of seconds. Sunk subs on the surface would need a sinking routine, finishing with an oil slick effect. Sunk submerged subs just produce an oil slick.

Submerged sub objects would need to artificially add range (since IL2 doesn't model water depth beyond a certain point) when figuring damage from bombs and depth charges.

New Game Objects Needed

Aircrew floating in water - For all nations, not just US and Japan. Both as bail-out sequence objects and as placeable objects in the FMB. Could probably just use model for US pilot, reskinned for British, German, etc. Could have both single and group object.

Seamen floating in water - identical to aircrew floating in water, but different skin. Could have both single and group object.

Aircrew floating in life rafts - For nations that had life rafts (US, UK, Germany). Both as bail-out sequence objects and as placeable objects in the FMB. Will launch aerial flares when friendly aircraft get within X distance.

Lifeboats with survivors - Will launch aerial flares when friendly aircraft get within X distance. This has already been made, but hasn't been included in the game.

Carley float with survivors - For nations that had them (US, UK, possibly others).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carley_float

Otherwise identical to lifeboat.

Rafts/wreckage with survivors - as for lifeboat, but perhaps no flares.

Oil slick/debris from sunken ship/sub - both as post sinking animation, and as placeable object in FMB. This has already been made, but hasn't been included in the game. Useful because it is visible at greater distances than lifeboats/Carley floats.

Oil slick/debris from sunken airplane - both as post crash animation and as placeable object in FMB. Same purpose as oil slick from ship.

MTB/PT/E-boats for nations that had them - US PT boat, British MTB, Italian MAS. These represent sea rescue craft.

Different Artillery Shell Effects - For different sized guns and different rounds. Most important would be smoke/white phosphorus used as marker rounds.

Different aerial mine types - For nations that used them.

Aerial depth charge types - For relevant nations.

New submerged sub objects - 25 m increments down to 300 m.

[Nil]

Great ideas! it makes sense since we have our new babies!

[Jack_Aubrey]

Does the game support now the artilleries over buildings???
If not it would be nice to allow the placement of 88 and others over buildings... that way bunkers that clearly have gun placement on their roof could be used properly.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Jack_Aubrey

Does the game support now the artilleries over buildings???

No. IL2 doesn't allow you to place gun or vehicle objects on top of building objects. But, a recent step towards the creation of proper flak towers was the introduction of multi-turreted tanks.

[Pursuivant]

Continuing the wishlist:

Miscellaneous New Missions

High Altitude Photo Recon - Player must fly straight and level at a specific altitude while taking pictures.

The initial point for the photo recon run, the end point, and the altitude must be set in the FMB.

Player gets points for flying the correct flight path starting from one point on the map to the other. The mission fails if the player's plane is at the wrong altitude or doesn't fly straight and level while taking photos.

No new effects or objects are needed, although new loadouts would be needed for aerial cameras mounted in suitable planes.

The existing screenshot key could be modified to create photo recon pictures (with camera angle pointing straight down from the camera aircraft's belly and a black and white photo filter added).

A new post-mission debriefing option would be needed to that the player could see the photos taken on his mission.

Low Altitude Oblique Photo Recon - Player must circle a specific point on the map, or fly past it at a certain angle and altitude. Cameras are smaller, so resolution isn't as good, requiring the player to get closer to the target.

Similar game mechanics to High Altitude Photo Recon, except that cameras are mounted so that the lens points left or right rather than straight down.

Pathfinder Mission - Simulates operations to drop flares, smoke bombs, or incendiaries, either to mark a target zone for the main bomber stream during night bombing missions, or to mark a drop zone for a paratroop or cargo drop.

The target zone must be set within the FMB, possibly using something like Front Markers.

The player gets points for dropping specified ordinance within the target zone, and possibly points for each friendly plane which subsequently drops bombs, cargo or paratroops in the zone.

High Altitude Area Bombing - Player must drop ordinance within a designated drop zone while flying straight and level.

The target zone must be set within the FMB, as described for Pathfinder missions.

The player gets points for dropping his ordinance within the target zone, possibly with bonus points if he hits exactly in the center of the zone. He might lose points for dropping ordinance outside the zone (simulating hitting friendly troops or non-military targets). The usual points accrue if the player actually destroys objects within the zone.

Incendiary Bombing - The player must drop incendiary bombs within a designated drop zone.

This mission is identical to Area/Carpet Bombing missions, except that it requires special incendiary loadouts for the relevant aircraft. Incendiary bombs would also need new game mechanics/coding in order to work properly.

Low Altitude Area Bombing - Identical to High Altitude Area Bombing, but planes use dive bombing or glide bombing to drop bombs and/or rockets within a zone.

New Objects Needed

Various flares, as described in previous posts.

Smoke bombs - for the nations that used them. Basically, bombs with contact fuses which produce a smoke effect when they exploded. Smoke effect size should depend on bomb size.

Incendiary bombs - for nations that used them. Special bombs which produce a fire effect when they hit the ground (or sometime afterwards if they have a delay fuse). After a set amount of burn time, they set fires in wooden buildings and other flammable objects. Treat this as a destruction effect which only triggers if a certain object overlaps the incendiary's location for a sufficiently long period of time.

"Trigger" boxes - a very simple object with a "panzer rating" and "destruction effect" which can be placed inside a building object in the FMB. When it is destroyed, it triggers some special effect - such as an explosion, fire, or smoke - and possibly gives the player points. These could simulate buildings used as ammo and fuel dumps, as well as strategic targets. "Friendly" trigger boxes make the player lose points if they're destroyed. These represent non-military targets, or targets which must be left intact.

Larger and more varied smoke effects - to simulate effects of smoke bombs, marker shells, fires, and previous bombing. These could be placeable objects within the FMB. Different sizes (huge, large, medium, small, very small) and colors are needed (white, gray, black, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple).

Larger and more varied fire effects - to simulate the effects of incendiaries, napalm, forest fires, firestorms, etc. These could be placeable objects within the FMB.

It might also be possible to create "2-D" smoke and fire effects over cities which are similar to the current forests. That is, they're nothing but textured 2-D "sheets" - possibly with very simple animated textures - until the player aircraft gets quite close, at which point they turn into sprite-producing effects.

[Spudkopf]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

No. IL2 doesn't allow you to place gun or vehicle objects on top of building objects. But, a recent step towards the creation of proper flak towers was the introduction of multi-turreted tanks.

Just an left of field thought here, but vehicles are able to cross bridges, so then would it be possible to create a building object as bridge object and thus allowing a vehicle or gun to be placed on to of it?

[wheelsup_cavu]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Patrol Aircraft Missions

Rescue Patrol - When aircraft spots a specified sea object (set in FMB), the mission triggers a ship or boat to sail (set in FMB) directly to the object's location.

Several cool ideas in your posts.
Of all of them, at the moment, if it were to be incorporated in the "Official version" this one would be achievable with Catsy Trigger mod.

Originally Posted by Jack_Aubrey

Just an left of field thought here, but vehicles are able to cross bridges, so then would it be possible to create a building object as bridge object and thus allowing a vehicle or gun to be placed on to of it?

I would have to check but I don't think that vehicles will stop on a bridge. IIRC the waypoints can only be set on both sides of it and not set to stop in the middle.


Wheels

[Spudkopf]

Originally Posted by wheelsup_cavu

I would have to check but I don't think that vehicles will stop on a bridge. IIRC the waypoints can only be set on both sides of it and not set to stop in the middle.


Wheels

I seem to remember in the early days using QMB and tooling around in the newly added Ju87 and attacking Russian convoys, I recall noting that if a convoy had started to cross a bridge and if I could hit just one end of that bride then the rest of the convoy would stall on the bridge and its approaches, providing me with some easy to re-locate sitting ducks that I could then take out at my leisure, as long as I made the neutralisation of the AA vehicle bringing up the rear as a priority I could then attack the rest of the column unmolested.

Not done that for a long time and so do not know if the behaviour still exists but maybe this could be a trick to stop vehicles mid object?

[Pursuivant]

Even more Mission Ideas

Fighter Missions

Close Escort/Shadow - Player gets points for remaining within X distance of a particular formation of aircraft (distance and formation set in FMB) for either a certain amount of time, or between two or more waypoints. Player also gains points for each friendly aircraft in the escorted formation which remains undamaged/undestroyed during the close escort mission.

Air Superiority - Player gets points for remaining within a specific area of space for a certain period of time (area and time required set in FMB). Player also gets points for each friendly aircraft in his formation which successfully completes the mission. AI aircraft given this mission will "loiter" in the area, flying in circles or a "racetrack" pattern at the specified altitude, without the need to specify waypoints. At the end of their loitering period, they will automatically fly to the next waypoint.

Intercept/Rendezvous - Player gets points for getting within a certain distance of a certain formation of aircraft (friendly or enemy). This mission is a bit different from your standard "fly to a certain waypoint" because the target formation is the "waypoint".

Timed Intercept/Rendezvous - As above, but the player only gets points if he meets the target formation within a certain time period.

Land to Conquer - As for Air Superiority, but player gets points for successfully landing in a certain area and remaining there for a certain period of time. This is an unrealistic mission, but it's a classic for multi-player "capture the airfield."

One Last Patrol Plane Mission

Lifeboat/Life Raft Drop - Player gets points for dropping air-dropped lifeboat or life raft within X distance of a certain object (distance and object set in FMB). Lifeboat/supplies can only be successfully dropped if the aircraft is flying below a certain speed and above a certain altitude for parachute dropped lifeboats, or below a certain speed and altitude for directly-dropped supplies. New loadouts would be needed for appropriate aircraft (notably B-17 and B-24)

New Objects Needed

Empty Liferaft - For appropriate nations.
Uffa Fox Lifeboat
A-1 Lifeboat

http://spacepropeller.com/mirror/.w....borne_lifeboat

One Last Cargo Plane Mission

Glider Tug - Player gets points for releasing towed glider at a certain point and altitude. He gets further points if the glider successfully lands within a specified landing zone. He loses points if the glider is destroyed/lands in water. Glider release altitude and point, and glider landing zone must be set in FMB.

Glider tow line can break and tow plane and glider can be damaged if tow plane exceeds a certain speed or pulls excessive Gs, especially when taking off or landing with a glider in tow.

New keyboard commands - similar to those used for paratroop or cargo drop missions - would be needed for readying glider crew for tow line release, and to release the line.

Recon Plane Missions
Mostly covered by patrol plane missions and existing mission options.

Forward Air Controller - Player gets points for accurately directing fire from other friendly planes, basically a fraction of the points gained for destroying a particular object, or putting ordinance within a target area. Player loses points if friendly planes destroy friendly objects or place ordinance outside target area.

A new mechanism - possibly related to the existing "Padlock Ground Object" function - would be needed to allow player to "paint" or "mark" specific targets or areas.

Recon By Fire - Player gets points for getting close enough to hostile units (specified in FMB) that they shoot at him. Each unit that shoots gives the player some fraction of its value if destroyed.

A new mechanism within the FMB that allows ground units to hold their fire until enemy planes are within a certain distance, and/or only fire at certain targets would make this mission even more challenging.

Generic Missions

Emergency Landing - Aircraft (or aircraft formation) lands at the nearest non-hostile airfield. Not so useful for actual missions, but handy for AI. Can be combined with priority landing. Might trigger dropped flare effect prior to landing to simulate wounded crew/mechanical failure.

Priority Landing - Aircraft (or aircraft formation) lands first (or ahead of non-priority aircraft) at designated airfield, ahead of non-priority landing aircraft. Can be combined with Emergency Landing. Might trigger dropped flare effect prior to landing to simulate wounded crew/mechanical failure. Handy for FMB if you want the player aircraft (or formation) to land first rather than orbiting waiting for AI aircraft to land.

Formate - Aircraft (or aircraft formation) joins one or more other aircraft formations and begins to operate as a single unit. This allows aircraft (or formations) to take off from different airfields and then join up. Could also be a player in-flight command.

The FMB and AI would have to be reworked to allow disparate types of aircraft to join the same formation (e.g., mixed flight of B-239 & Bf-109G, or LaGG-3 and Yak-1, or B-17 and B-24) and to allow different flights to combine into one unit during the game.

Independent Formation - Aircraft (or aircraft formation) breaks formation with other planes in the flight and begins to operate as a separate unit. This allows large formations of aircraft to either break off to land at different airfields, or break into smaller units to attack widely dispersed targets. Could also be a player in-flight command.

The FMB and AI would have to be reworked to allow splitting of formations in the course of the game.

Teamwork Option - Alters victory conditions of any mission so that the player gains a share of points for all enemy units damaged/destroyed by his formation, but also loses points for each friendly aircraft in his formation which is damaged/destroyed. Player also scores points normally for individual kills/achievements. This option rewards leadership and gives players an incentive to keep AI friendly planes alive even during single missions. Can be "overlaid" on any mission.