It can be pretty frustrating trying to get to grips with this sim. It's a tough learning curve if you can last long enough to learn anything.
How are you getting shot down?
A) Are you not spotting the enemy early enough?
B) Are you unable to evade them in a dogfight?
If it's 'A' give yourself a chance, fly a two seater early in the war before the Eindeckers arrive. Get used to spotting the aircraft as they're within visual range, knowing that they aren't going to come and blow you out of the sky if you don't see them.
If it's 'B' try picking an aircraft that gives you an advantage. Such as flying the Alb DII in late 1916, Alb DIII in early 1917 or a Nieuport 10 or 11 in late 1915.
Get to know your aircraft by flying in QC, the turn radius, how it climbs, how it dives. At what point does it stall. The aiming point when you fire.
That's the interesting thing that helped grab me when I heard about this sim and first played it.
Cheers
Albert
"A great deal of an aeroplane could be holed without affecting its ability to fly. Wings and fuselage could be—and often were—pierced in 50 places, missing the occupants by inches (blissfully unaware of how close it had come until they returned to base). Then the sailmaker would carefully cover each hole with a square inch of Irish linen frayed at the edges and with a brushful of dope make our aircraft 'serviceable' again within an hour."
Great answers from Albert, also don’t be afraid to flee, it’s about survival I honestly used to jump into any scrap and it more often than not got my arse kicked. It’s tempting to go after the enemy but be sure of a way out if it goes tits up. My survival rate massively improved when I changed to these tactics and keep scanning the skies..best of luck Wolfar
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.
Albert and Adger have very good advice. I would add to Adger's comment by saying that if "fly-n-die" is your style, then you most certainly will do both.
Situational awareness is of the utmost importance in WOFF. Just as most real life pilots noted, it's the guy you don't see who gets you. If you don't have some sort of head-tracker I highly recommend it, as it makes it much easier to keep tabs on what's happening around you. But even that's no guarantee. I had just started a campaign...first flight...no missions planned, just fly around. I was scanning the sky, paying close attention. I heard literally one shot and I was dead.
For me, get into the mindset of 'staying alive'... you don't have to get madly stuck in as soon as you bump into the enemy. Follow your flight down into an attack, don't lead it. Hang back at times and watch for stragglers on the outside of a fight. Keep situational awareness at all times. Keep checking the sky around you frequently, in particular behind you. If you are chasing an enemy aeroplane, don't get 'target fixated' and forget to check behind you... most times when I die it's because I didn't see the enemy pilot that shot me.
Remember, it's vital to get back alive... if you get separated from your flight, get back over the lines and and head for your airfield (or any friendly airfield). Don't go off hunting on your own, chances are you will run into a pack of enemy machines and end up dead. There is always more patrols to come on another day.
Your life is more important than getting kills and medals...
Stay alive first, as the guys point out. Mission and Kills come second. If you are dead, no one is putting your claims in and missions are not going to get completed anyway.
It's very easy to get drawn into a fight, then all bets are off. Even a random bullet can end your campaign.
If you fight, then use Dicta Boelcke.
It should only be in an advantage position if you go to attack (unless you have no choice).
As Trooper says, if you get some good shots in an enemy, don't be tempted to carry on and chase him downwards - let him go. Height is life.
I do not think it is getting "multi-player to work", but all the problems in preventing cheating in multiplayer to work since the FM's can be modified in the game as Pol originally promised when WOFF 1 was released.
CPU = i9 11900K GPU = RTX 3080 Ti Monitor = ASUS ROG Swift PG32UQX 2160p G-sync
I do not think it is getting "multi-player to work", but all the problems in preventing cheating in multiplayer to work since the FM's can be modified in the game as Pol originally promised when WOFF 1 was released.
I did not think about the hacking of the planes that is so easy.
So no multiplayer makes sense now because you know some butthead would hack the codes.
Salute! Wolfar
20 Year US Navy Retired
Former Squadron CO and founder: 1997~2003 JG2, JG26, Strike Masters Simulations: Red Baron mega multiplayer, EAW, SDOE, To many to list.
You may also want to watch some videos to see how the people that are surviving do it. Hellshade (www.youtube.com/user/Hellshade68/videos) does some great ones.
Here's a few tips I can think of: 1. Don't leave your flight. Safety in numbers is a real thing. 2. If you aren't jumped from above, don't feel you need to join the fight immediately. Do a circle or two around to get the feel of things before committing. 3. Don't feel like you need to follow planes that dive away from you. Pause, look around and then recommit if the situation still looks good. In most cases you will be able to easily catch back up with them if you want to. 4. Always know where the lines are. You want to be able to escape when more bad guys show up or things get out of hand. 5. It's better to be captured than killed. With the new bleeding out mechanism, you need to get down quickly unless it is only a scratch. OBD seems to mercifully remember that this is a game above all and the escape chances are pretty reasonable. 6. Stay away from two seaters. 7. For ground attacks, it's one pass, haul a...well, you get it. Do your duty and then go home! They'll send you back if you didn't get it the first time. (They may send you back even if you did!) 8. Check your six more than you think you should and especially when going in a straight line to finish off your enemy. 9. When you are the flight leader, you don't have to stick to the flight altitude if you aren't doing something like escorting recon. Get some height on the enemies! 10. Let it go. Don't be in a hurry. If you fly every sortie the sim throws at you, and you have a day job, it will probably take you more real-life time to finish one career than the actual war took. There will be plenty of time to get kills and promotions!
*edit: keep one finger on the P key when travelling to and from the front under high time compression! **edit again: I also ignore most of these more often than I should, so I am no expert, just thinking of some things I wish I did better.
Last edited by Rick_Rawlings; 07/09/2102:04 AM.
The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...
You may also want to watch some videos to see how the people that are surviving do it. Hellshade (www.youtube.com/user/Hellshade68/videos) does some great ones.
Here's a few tips I can think of: 1. Don't leave your flight. Safety in numbers is a real thing. 2. If you aren't jumped from above, don't feel you need to join the fight immediately. Do a circle or two around to get the feel of things before committing. 3. Don't feel like you need to follow planes that dive away from you. Pause, look around and then recommit if the situation still looks good. In most cases you will be able to easily catch back up with them if you want to. 4. Always know where the lines are. You want to be able to escape when more bad guys show up or things get out of hand. 5. It's better to be captured than killed. With the new bleeding out mechanism, you need to get down quickly unless it is only a scratch. OBD seems to mercifully remember that this is a game above all and the escape chances are pretty reasonable. 6. Stay away from two seaters. 7. For ground attacks, it's one pass, haul a...well, you get it. Do your duty and then go home! They'll send you back if you didn't get it the first time. (They may send you back even if you did!) 8. Check your six more than you think you should and especially when going in a straight line to finish off your enemy. 9. When you are the flight leader, you don't have to stick to the flight altitude if you aren't doing something like escorting recon. Get some height on the enemies! 10. Let it go. Don't be in a hurry. If you fly every sortie the sim throws at you, and you have a day job, it will probably take you more real-life time to finish one career than the actual war took. There will be plenty of time to get kills and promotions!
*edit: keep one finger on the P key when travelling to and from the front under high time compression! **edit again: I also ignore most of these more often than I should, so I am no expert, just thinking of some things I wish I did better.
You know Rick, I seem to remember your handle as well many years ago. Obviously I have been a part of this form for a very long time. I have not posted here in probably 4 years or more. Just got the itch to see what WOFF has grown into. I had 2 other previous versions but both were a ton of downloads that are not around now. So I bit the bullet and for the hell of it bought the old game at almost 64 years old now. Most of the guys I flew with in IL-2 have moved on or just do not get online anymore.
I have to say here that I approach games and sims a lot differently that I did in the past.
I REALLY only half hearted got into this game in the past and missed how much better this was than Red Baron Original and RB 3D.
In saying that moving on.
My OLD REPEAT OLD Track IR I got it to work. Seems at times I have to pause the game and unplug it to reset and it does. But when working it is pretty darn smooth. An OLD IL2 Friend sent it to me about probably 10 years ago now he bought a newer one.
#1 I get that and have for a bit but GREAT call! #2 Starting to get that. #3 Just did that last mission payed off because I would have followed down a dead plane. #4 Try to do that but can be confusing of course. #5 YES 1 of my things I have done since RB1. #6 I know but I have to try it is in my blood. #7 Agree #8 Agree #9 I have not really gotten into that aspect as of yet. #10 Never thought of it that way WOW,,,
In saying #10 I do not think Pilots had a choice to miss / decline a mission in my honest opinion.
Take care SALUTE!
Salute! Wolfar
20 Year US Navy Retired
Former Squadron CO and founder: 1997~2003 JG2, JG26, Strike Masters Simulations: Red Baron mega multiplayer, EAW, SDOE, To many to list.
I usually find I've died because I've taken a risk, rarely I've felt hard done too. One way for quick death is try take out two seaters by flying straight up behind them. Another is to man handle the plane way to aggressively and finally stay in a fight too long desperate for a kill. It's also very difficult if you're flying an out dated bus. I suggest trying a pilot that's flying on a good squadron and is flying the top of the line plane. This will give you a better chance.
Your experience matches reality though. You need not just a great plane and skill but also a good bit of luck. I've been flying since WOFF2 and have rarely managed to break the famous sixteen hours mark.
Just go in hell for leather like a maniac, guns blazing al la Charlie Nungesser (or Bertie Ball if you prefer), never look back, lock on to your target and fill 'em full of lead whilst laughing at death and putting the fear of God into the enemy who watch on aghast.at such insolence. Your life may be short but it will be spectacular. Or wind up in a hospital bed with an accommodating nurse who diligently shines your medals garnered for astonishing bravery. Your squad mates will hate you for your attention seeking narcissism like some kind of pathetic youtube influencer but meh. You're a hero.