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IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad News

Version 4.706 is Released! - AR 234 and B-26 Take to the Skies!

Update 4.706

Dear Pilots!

Battle of Normandy is getting closer and closer to that special moment - its release! Testing of the map and game modes will begin soon. New mission types are being created for the Normandy Career. Work is nearing completion on the last aircraft on the project list – the Me 410. All this is happening right now and the work is in full swing. However, at the same time, we try to release those elements of the project that are already ready without delay. So, today, we are producing two aircraft created as part of BON. The first one is the Arado AR 234 B-2. This jet powered single-seat twin-engine reconnaissance bomber is designed to be controlled by the player and has a number of new interesting systems we developed for it. It has a dive-bombing sight, reusable boosters, a drag chute, an automatic aircraft control system ("built-in" autopilot) and many other smaller features that should give you many hours of fun learning about the features of this aircraft.

NOTE: The Arado AR 234 B-2 will become flyable to Steam users as soon as Battle of Normandy is released on Steam later this Summer. For now anyone who has any other Great Battles title will see the AR 234 as an AI opponent or wing-mate. The B-26B-55 is available to all users as an AI only aircraft.



The second plane is the B-26B-55 Marauder AI twin-engine bomber. Although the B-26 is implemented as an AI piloted plane, the quality of this bird is just as good as all the other flyable ones. We made unique crew animations for it and created a new airborne gunner model (which will later be applied to the B-25, A-20 and C-47). We also, implemented a number of design features of this aircraft. In general, accompanying him, or attacking him, should be quite interesting for you.



In addition to the two aircraft, some of the last AI objects planned for the Battle of Normandy are included in this update: a Bedford QL truck and tanker variant and several landing craft - LCA, LCM and LCT. Work on missions where these ships will play their main role has already begun.

In addition, several other changes were made to improve the project, the list of which can be found below:

1. The German twin-engine single-seat jet reconnaissance bomber Arado AR 234 B-2 is now available for control by all players who pre-ordered the Battle of Normandy project;
2. AI controlled bomber B-26B-55 Marauder, created as part of the Battle of Normandy project, has been added to the project;
3. The Bedford QLD AI truck and its version of the Bedford QLC tanker, created as part of the Battle of Normandy project, have been added to the project;
4. Landing craft LCA, LCT, LCM, created as part of the Battle of Normandy project, have been added to the project;
5. Improved impact of small arms recoil on aircraft;
6. Improved physics of aircraft collision with static objects;
7. Restored the work of AI priorities set by the Force Complete command;
8. Improved animation of rocket launcher ammo in aircraft cockpits;
9. Mosquito FB Mk.VI series.2 - an artifact has been removed from the windshield next to the wiper;
10. Mosquito FB Mk.VI series.2 - the appearance of the pad on the standard red dot sight has been fixed: the pad from the Mk.III sight displayed on top of it has been removed;
11. Pilot career Battle of the Rhine, for the new aircraft Ar-234B-2, two squadrons available to the player - II./KG 76 and III./KG 76, and one AI squadron Sonderkommando Sperling / 1.(F)/ 123;
12. Pilot career Battle of the Rhine, AI aircraft B-26B-55 added, as well as the following AI squadrons that the player can meet in the career: 453rd BS, 454th BS, 455th BS, 456th BS, 556th BS, 557th BS, 558th BS, 559th BS, 584th BS, 585th BS, 586th BS, 587th BS, 596th BS, 597th BS, 598th BS, 599th BS (BS = Bomber Squadron);
13. Fixed a problem with shooting missiles by AI planes when taking off from the runway;
14. When flying in formation at night, aircraft will use formation lights (RESIN lights on Mosquito FB Mk.VI series.2, formation lights on A-20 and B-26);
15. Achtung Spitfire! Scripted Campaign has been updated to fix an issue with images.

See you in the skies!

The Sturmovik Team

Developer Diary #320 - Images of Normandy Map Cliffs

DD 320

Dear Pilots,

Today’s DD takes a look at our cliff models for the Normandy Map. Making realistic looking cliff faces in a flight-simulator is always tough. Whenever you make a map with the English Channel this becomes necessary. Many other development teams have had to craft them over the years and we are no exception. We had our first crack at them when we made our Channel Map for Rise of Flight about 10 years ago. We’ve gotten better at making them and below you can see some work-in-progress images of how they currently look in IL-2 Great Battles. Work on the Normandy map continues and it is really starting to take shape. The map will be released later this summer.



However, the next update is already in Beta and it will include the Arado AR-234 jet bomber. What an interesting and challenging aircraft to model. She’s pretty complex. And the AI B-26 will also be I the next update.

Enjoy!

The Sturmovik Team

Update 4.705 is Released! - Mosquito FB Mk.VI Added to Battle of Normandy!

Update 4.705

Dear Friends,

We just released the 4.705 update that contains one of the most awaited aircraft of the Battle of Normandy lineup - the British twin engine fighter/bomber De Havilland Mosquito F.B. Mk.VI series.2. This plane is very interesting - its speedy, and powerful while carrying an entire arsenal of guns, bombs and rockets.She's capable of retaining its speed even with a bomb load thanks to the internal bomb bay making her more streamlined. Moreover, there is a modification called "Tse-Tse" with a 57mm(!) Molins automatic gun that had nearly the same capabilities as the 6 pdr gun installed on Churchill tanks. This big gun was intended for attacking submarines, but in skilled hands it might kill a tank. This aircraft looks remarkable both inside and out and we did our best to show it in our 3D model. Of course, the flight model is as accurate as possible too, representing its handling peculiarities.

NOTE: The Mosquito will become flyable to Steam users as soon as Battle of Normandy is released on Steam later this Summer. For now anyone who has any other Great Battles title will see the Mosquito as an AI opponent or wing-mate



In addition to the new aircraft there are many other changes in 4.705 update:

Main Features

British twin engine fighter/bomber De Havilland Mosquito F.B. Mk.VI series.2 is available to all Battle of Normandy owners;
Balloons now have tethers which you can collide with and ruin a pilot;s day. They can also be towed by ships and vehicles;

Quad and Daimler DR.4 balloon winches added for Flying Circus (for mission designers: a balloon will tether to a truck or ship with a winch that is closer than 50 m on mission start);

Fire effect of collapsed buildings now shows on ground level (it could show in the air before);

Building collapse effect has been improved and better corresponds to it size;

Ships and Vehicles

Ship turrets no longer can damage their own ship;

Firing arcs of the ship turrets located near the superstructure were corrected (widened);

AI SPG gunners will correctly fire at the new indirect coordinates (previously they fired additional round at the previous coordinates);

Mission command Formation - Backwards correctly functions for wheeled vehicles;

Dust effect in non-rainy weather works correctly for detailed vehicles;

The driver of a detailed SPAA won't be erroneously shown as dead in the GUI when other crew members are killed;

Instrument Panel difficulty setting functions correctly for detailed tanks: on Expert or Custom difficulty with the panel switched off only the ammo and damage overlay (invoked by Enter key) will be shown;

Aircraft

AI pilots will cease firing at ground targets faster when pulling up;

AI pilots will correctly acknowledge the emergency bomb jettison (previously they could erroneously begin the attack run even having no bombs anymore);

Rear-upper Handley-Page O/400 turret gunner will engage the targets correctly;

An issue has been fixed in the Gotha G.V and Handley-Page O/400 pilot AI that could result in the plane crash or endless circling when doing a climbing spiral;

A Spitfire Mk.XIV issue that could cause additional wing guns to be shown has been fixed;

Tempest and Typhoon gun sights were corrected (vertical position of the horizontal line projected on the windshield);

Control mapping dialog text has been updated for the main throttle and separate throttle axes for three engines;

Stability Improvements

The sim won't crash when trying to repair a burning aircraft;

The sim won't randomly crash on mission start or end or adjusting responsiveness curves of Microsoft Force Feedback 2 joystick;

Hopefully, the old issue of TrackIR causing stutters when used together with Microsoft Force Feedback 2 joystick should be gone;

Aircraft crew members are correctly rendered after mission restart (previously they could render visibly outside of the aircraft if they were killed in the previous mission run).

We hope you enjoy!

The Sturmovik Team

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Attention ALL Pilots and Tankers!

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Enjoy!

See you in the skies and on the battlefield!

The Sturmovik Team

Developer Diary #319 - Normandy Map Pics, V-1 Launch Site and Beach Landing!

319

Dear Pilots!

In today’s DD we have three new things to show you. First, we have some screenshots of our Normandy Map which is coming together nicely. It’s looking very scenic! Second, we have developed the technology to launch a V-1 “Buzz Bomb” from fixed installations. They will make great targets for mission designers. And finally, we have been working on the technology necessary to portray amphibious landings which is necessary for Normandy.

Normandy Landscape

Below are screens from the new map. As you can see there are some rather large cities and towns as well as a variety of different airfield types. The landscape is also very beautiful. Together it will make a very interesting and fun map to fly over.



V-1 Installations

The dreaded V-1 is operational in our project for the first time. V-1 sites were prized targets by Allied pilots and needed to be silenced. The V-1s raining down on the UK in the summer of 1944 were a real problem and caused so much destruction and casualties. Attacking these sites will make for some excellent missions.



Amphibious Landings

And finally, we can’t have an invasion without landing craft bringing troops and vehicles to the beaches. In the images below we see some testing on one of our non-Normandy maps. We have found a clever way to make infantry objects that appear pretty convincing. These soldiers can advance and shoot at the enemy and of course they can perish. Just don’t ask these little pixel soldiers to make you a sandwich or tea, they aren’t that smart.



Enjoy!

The Sturmovik Team