Suggestions for future patches

[Hard Sarge]

ahhh, capture program don't capture the mouse pointer, but it was on the waypoint box

only hassle is if a white box is close to a red box, the white box tends to get picked, so you may have to move the white one out of the way, move the red one, then move the white one back into place

but it gets to be 2nd nature, so not really a major hassle

[StkNRdr]

OK, I can now add/cancel bombers/fighters. This will help a lot. Thank you for explaining and the screenshots. Sorry, if I am thick.

I am however still not able to change delay. Even if I delete a fighter group, go back out, come back in to edit and add a fighter group with a delay, when I go to review the mission there is no delay listed.

Also resetting the waypoints only seems to work for me with the buttons (this may be what you were saying), even if I move one line away from the other. This is OK but somewhat cumbersome.

Glad to hear about the decision of TOT mission planning. No rush on new stuff, still plenty to explore.

[Hard Sarge]

no hassle mate, for most of us, everything is 2nd nature, so we think people know what we know, or know what we mean when we say something

okay, for the way points, are you moving the mouse to the way point box on the map ? once the mouse is over that box, you should be able to right click and drag the box to where you want it ??

for delay on the front part of the mission page (you can also set the delay when you add the fighters ?)

but, here is the raid, click on the top button, you now should see a green line on the flight path (ahh didn't do the snaps good, only the last one took)

but, click on the first Gruppen of fighters, a green line shows up, right click along the flight path to where you want that Gruppen to join up

hassle here is the green line goes away, but you will see the delay show up on the Gruppen details

as you see here, I have clicked and changed the delay on each one

[Hard Sarge]

just in case, you can also set the delay, alt of the fighters when you go to add fighters ?

close puts them right with the bombers, High will place them 2000 feet above, you can use the arrows to change that higher

above that is delay, also with arrows, one minute and 10 minute depending on arrow

at the bottom, it will show the Alt the unit is flying and the time of meeting the raid, so here this one is 2000 feet above the bombers and will meet up with the raid 10 minutes after it takes off

[TechSgt]

ORIGINAL: StkNRdr

...

1. During the planning phase I can't find an easy way to assess the aircraft still remaining to be assigned to missions. There is the review missions but not a review of unallocated aircraft. As a result I don't know if I am only sending out 20%, 50% or 75% of my planes.

...

3. Being able to do more directly on the map would be great. For example, I have the system plan the recons. When I review the recon missions, some are going places that are worthless. It would nice to be able to go into Mission Review, Show Paths and click and drag a recon to another area. Same goes with bomber raids. The more planning that could be done graphically the better. This could also apply to waypoints, click and drag, versus having to click through buttons. for way points at least, go ahead and click and drag, that is how I do most of my missions ? you got to be in modify mission though I have not been able to click and drag waypoints in any mode whether waypoints have been previously set or not. I have tried a mouse left click on one of the boxes, also shift left click, control left click as well as the same combinations with the right click. I searched the manual for "waypoint" and it is only listed once with no mention of dragging them. If there is a way to do it could you expand on how to do it? Are you in windowed or non-windowed mode?

4. I tend to plan my raids from a TOT (time over target) standpoint yet all planning is by departing time. As a result I have to go to review missions and sort by TOT to see how the raids will actually hit, then modify them. This is time consuming. Can there be an option in the planning phase to use TOT instead and let the system calculate departure time?

...

I too, am a Bomber dude!

1). I go into show order of battle, then make up a listing of units and just check off which units I'm using for the days missions.
This link is for the Allies '43 long campaign starting units.

tm.asp?m=2260105#

Each scenario would require drawing up a starting OOB.
Remember some units can fly multiple missions during the day.

3). When you set up the command's bombing targets be very selective, ie Recon AFAC only. After a couple of days you will have reconned almost all targets in that classification. Then move onto the next class. With the addition of multiple photos, I've started click-drag the return flight over additional targets.

3a). I don't understand your problem with "graphically" altering waypoints. That is what I do as an SOP.
Select the target, then click-drag waypoint #1 to set the form-up airfield, drag #2 to avoid flak, etc. Then I click-drag the exit route. I then stack my escorts, then on the display mission page I select each fighter unit and click-drag their delay.

4) Interesting! I've plotted with a TOT standpoint for years; and never thought of having the system do it! Duhhh! Excellent idea!

TS

Edit: Posted first, then read the rest of the thread, and saw HS's excellent tutorial!

Read first, then reply. It like talking and listening, eh? [:D]

[mikkey]

can you add function to the Show All Path button during mission planning (in old BtR this button works)? thanks!

[harley]

ORIGINAL: mikkey

can you add function to the Show All Path button during mission planning (in old BtR this button works)? thanks!

fixed. mea culpa. mea maxima culpa.

[StkNRdr]

Wow, thanks for the help.

I can now see how the modify delay and change waypoints work. This is going to make fine tuning a mission so much easier. Just a suggestion, you may want to take all your screenshots and info and sticky it in a thread to assist others like me. Also, this may not be possible but any thought to allowing click and drag of waypoints within mission planning phase?

One thing with implementing TOT planning, if a waypoint is adjusted you will want the TOT to remain the same.

Once again, thanks!

[Nemo121]

I'd like to second the request for inaccurate kill information in the "aircraft losses" screen. I am playing BTR so my comments come from that perspective but can be modified pretty easily for BoB
 
Obviously the Germans should have more accurate info in BTR as many of the enemy bombers and fighters will come down in German territory but it would be nice to not get reports of enemy planes crashing on landing or going into the drink in the channel ( unless, of course, there is a roll to decide whether or not a radio message saying they were going down was intercepted ).
 
Principally though I'd love to see Allied claims prove less reliable... Mis-identifying single-engined fighters, sometimes only identifying the general type ( e.g. 10 bf-109s downed, sub-type unknown, 1 other identified as a bf-109G6 downed ) , twin-engined fighters etc and overclaiming horrendously. It would just help introduce uncertainty to both sides of the operation.
 
Obviously at the end of the campaign correct details could be shown.
 
 
I'd also ask for a daily plane production screen to be accessible ( along with access to the number of engines and parts in the pool awaiting assembly ) as well as the daily number of replacement pilots available and the number used yesterday - which will help players titrate their usage/aggressiveness.

[Oliver Heindorf]

please add that if you play the germany and win play preußens Gloria or something but not the us hymne [8|] makes no sense at all imho.

[mikkey]

ORIGINAL: harley

ORIGINAL: mikkey

can you add function to the Show All Path button during mission planning (in old BtR this button works)? thanks!

fixed. mea culpa. mea maxima culpa.

thanks for fixing Harley!

[TechSgt]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

I'd like to second the request for inaccurate kill information in the "aircraft losses" screen. I am playing BTR so my comments come from that perspective but can be modified pretty easily for BoB

...

Obviously at the end of the campaign correct details could be shown.

...

I'll be a third for the inaccurate kill info.
Always thought it odd -- in TOH -- to have inflated kills in the "After Action report", this show the correct info in the "Turn Summary"

TS

[Hexagon]

Well, i am playing the full Eagle day campaign and find that some extra buttons could be a good idea.

-Show unit profile and Show unit pilots, these 2 buttons could appear when you select units for a raid, i want see the fatigue level of the units when i plan a raid because go to list units, select unit, select pilots, remember the units name return to raid mision (editing it or creating).... ufff. Oooo can add an direct access to plane´s profile.

-Show airfields inf different colour when they are full (when i do a unit movement sometimes forgive it), same for empty airfields.

-Limit strafing, why my cover units leave the scort mission and start to strafe all they see... (and i do attack routes where arent objetives but fighters search then) sometimes y see the attacking unit ALONE and the cover unit killing cows [:@]

-Add destroyed ballons to the list of casualties (and pilot profile).

-Add time information in path points, i want know at what hour the fly is ove the point 2.

-Add Me-110 to sweeps, as light bombers are quite inefective.

-Intruder mission... what intruder is if they dont attack ground and dont attack air units??? at least give me the option to add then to the night bombing mission like in Defending the Reich because they can try kill some Blenheims.

[Hard Sarge]

ORIGINAL: Hexagon

Well, i am playing the full Eagle day campaign and find that some extra buttons could be a good idea.

-Show unit profile and Show unit pilots, these 2 buttons could appear when you select units for a raid, i want see the fatigue level of the units when i plan a raid because go to list units, select unit, select pilots, remember the units name return to raid mision (editing it or creating).... ufff. Oooo can add an direct access to plane´s profile.

-Show airfields inf different colour when they are full (when i do a unit movement sometimes forgive it), same for empty airfields.

-Limit strafing, why my cover units leave the scort mission and start to strafe all they see... (and i do attack routes where arent objetives but fighters search then) sometimes y see the attacking unit ALONE and the cover unit killing cows [:@]

don't put them on close escort, close escort 2ndary missions is to strafe if they can (110's can't so don't)

-Add destroyed ballons to the list of casualties (and pilot profile).
been on my list for a long time

-Add time information in path points, i want know at what hour the fly is ove the point 2.

-Add Me-110 to sweeps, as light bombers are quite inefective.
odd, those are your best pinpoint bombers ? (the unit not the plane) and No, they got too long a end, and they didn't fare too well in the skies of England, if they can't protect themselfs, they can't be sent out on Off raids, 109s did do sweeps and free hunts

-Intruder mission... what intruder is if they dont attack ground and dont attack air units??? at least give me the option to add then to the night bombing mission like in Defending the Reich because they can try kill some Blenheims.

? you have intruders ? and they work like in BTR (same engine)

[Hexagon]

I put units in scort mission, not close cover, and they attack airfields (rail connections to) no as close cover units but istn strange see a unit leaving the scort mission (and i try sweeps of 15000 feets) and i say it because i usually dont use close cover in sweep missions and if i use close cover is only a unit in the mission.

Me-110 for me isnt a fighter (use as fighter in close cover is change loss bombers for Me-110), i want use it in fast and low hit and run attacks to enemy airfields (not as light bomber because i want destroy enemy planes in land not instalations), in my game from Worth to Walton (both include) radars are destroyed and in the first hours of the day i can launch small sweeps with 0 enemy reacction and i want use the Zerstorer with Me-109 cover (with units in supperior cover arriving every... 3-5 minutes i can loss 2-3 Me-110 but enemy casualties could be near 15-20... a good mission). When i launch a sweep i dont usually want start a free hunt, i think that add a button to activate the free hunt option is needed because not allway i want leave planes over the objetive/patrol zone because they retard enemy airplanes and they can arrive to the trap.

Intruders are the night versions of Ju-88 and Do-17, i launch intruders mission but they dont do nothing only circles over the objetive... i´m going to read again the manual and see if i do something wrong...

Oooo a little question, planes destroyed by friendly AA fire where are listed??? in campaign AA casualties i dont see it.


EDIT: i forgive say something... can add the planes casualties button in the planning phase??? and add that i use medium bombers only in night missions (long attacks to engine factories), they only see day light in trap missions for enemy fighters [:D]

[mikkey]

If I create new mission I choose a primary target and in window is estimated Time Over Target. This time does not change depending on the type of aircraft. Is the same for Ju87 and for Bf110. The correct TOT is changed after click on button Done or New Mission and I must open List of Missions for correct TOT. Also does not change Form up AF if I change it.
And if I modify the mission, Modify window do not contains information about Total Range and Form up AF, which contains a window New Mission.

[StkNRdr]

I have a thought about fighter delay, if I understand it correctly.

When you delay fighter escort with a bombing mission, the fighters will leave the departure point X number of minutes behind the bombers. Correct?

Is there a way to instruct escort fighters to leave X number of minutes BEFORE the bombers? A negative delay, if you will.

It seems the only way of trying to do this is to send out a fighter sweep but I don't think it reacts the same.

[kitridge]

Is there a way to stop the camera from jumping around the map?  In BTR, I give control of Italy to the AI and keep LFT 3 and LFT Reich to myself but as raids come into Italy and start getting results, the camera keeps jumping down south to tell me all about it.  I want to keep the camera over Europe so I can try and figure out what direction raids are heading.  I see there's an option to toggle 'follow unit' but I don't seem to be able to make it work.  Adding an option to lock the camera to wherever it's currently placed would be great.

[Weidi72]

I got the game yesterday. First I tried BOB as german player, then I quit and startet BTR as allied. After starting the turn I saw german bombers and fighters attacking europe from the UK. [&:]
I think, the game remembers the grafics of the last player.

Another bug in BTR is, you could see 3/192 Sqd. with 268 planes (planing fighter sweeps). But only sometimes.

[pejsek]

In pilot lists, when sorted by rank, I would prefer having the pilots with the highest rank on top, not sorted by rank alphabetically (i.e. a Squadron Leader after Sergeants).