Hey guys. I wondered if now that we’ve tested out the Iron Front mod, anybody would like to be part of a combined operation which will require cooperation between zie luftwaffe und zie wehrmacht.
two ju87 dive bombers will be flown (2x pilot 2x gunner) and two fw 190 fighters (2x pilot) where they will begin dive bombing bunkers, MG nests, vehicles and other enemy installations in support of wehrmacht infantry in the field armed with k98 rifles, mp40 submachine guns and a deployable mg42(low) team. They will have access to one half track w/ machine gun and a kubelvagon. Radio cooperation between base and the fighters as well as the radiomen of the squads in the field will have to be spot on to prevent friendly fire and I believe it will be a good exercise in both precision coordination using detailed and clear grid references.
Anders + Plane = Bad Time… gotchya. As to the whole going badly wrong thing. I can hold a quick training on how to plane. Things like manouvers when you need to shake off a bandit and shift from being the hunted to the hunter, to recognizing plane silhouettes to prevent friendly fire, to awareness, to how to read a map, to how to dive bomb directly on a target. Pretty much anyone should be able to do it after that. The gunner of a Ju 87 can help navigate the pilot onto the target with the map whilst the pilot is busy flying the plane.
If we’re short on pilots we can always just use 1 dive bomber and 1-2 fighters, and I will fly one. The fight on the ground will be interesting as having a designated radioman giving precise grid references from their fireteam leader over the radio to command who then has to relay it to the pilots is and interesting challenge.
Here’s some charts to help you recognize the planes from afar
This is the junkers ju87 stuka. In this operation it is FRIENDLY. Try to memorize the distinct wings, canopy and the landing gear. This is by far the easiest plane to recognize.
This is the focke wulf fw 190-f8. In this operation it is FRIENDLY. Try to memorize it’s chubby body and distinct wide nose.
This is the american p-47 thunderbolt d. It does not appear in this operation but even so, memorize it’s rounded canopy and fat ass body. It’s wings are much rounder than the focke wulf, something to look out for.
This is the p-39 airacobra. It is used by the soviets as their interceptor. It is distinct because of it’s sleek, stocky design. Note how the nose is seamless with the propellor. It is usually painted forest green, unlike the luftwaffe grey.
And this is the Petlyakov PE-2 which is used by the soviets. It is bigger than the stuka and has two engines so shouldn’t be hard to identify, especially considering none of the twin-engined fighter bombers the luftwaffe have are featured in the mod. It has a round nose with a canopy on top quite far forward. it has a large body and tail fin similar to that of a large bomber. It has gunner positions on the bottom and top canopy too, and the cockpit is high visability with windows below too. Be careful when attacking this from above and below!
opponent ahead of you and going to out-turn you? Displacement roll. Increasing your altitude scrubs your forward momentum, and your turn will be more condensed because it is not horizontal, allowing you to resume persuit behind the enemy because of the angle of your attack. Otherwise you will be stuck in lag persuit, unable to get your nose to cross in front of the defender, which is kinda what you need in order to shoot them. Ideally (and especially when persuing with guns you want your nose to lead your opponent and so this manouver is essential. Overshooting your opponent can be deadly, lagged persuit can result in you getting pissed off, so remember how to not suck by using a displacement roll. In the words of Peppy, "Do A Barrel Roll!" It’s a great way to turn 90 degrees and get behind an opponent who is in lag persuit of you.
To refine this further: Low Yo-Yo. Like a displacement roll but you can get more speed from it. Very useful!
High Yo-Yo. It scrubs your speed so you don’t overshoot. Also very useful!
What if you’re on the defensive and have ran out of airspeed velocity to use to outmanouver your opponent? Point the nose down, and spiral to the ground to gain more. If you’re ballsy you can even make your opponent crash into the ground, or chicken out, or even get behind him durin the dive.
Remember that if you are the one being persued you can exploit your persuer and find an advantage by using momentum scrubbing. In a wide turn for example or flying into the sun to blind your opponent, you can gain altitude and scrub speed, falling behind your opponent and becomming the persuer with simple angle adjustments.
Be careful not to stall your plane though, you could end up a sitting duck.
