New map: Iasi

[NS-IceFire]

Since UK-Dedicated1 always gets to see the new maps last I thought I'd contribute to a new map before the final patch is available.

http://colin.polariscreations.com/images/iasi001.jpg
http://colin.polariscreations.com/images/iasi002.jpg
http://colin.polariscreations.com/images/iasi003.jpg
http://colin.polariscreations.com/images/iasi004.jpg
http://colin.polariscreations.com/images/iasi005.jpg
http://colin.polariscreations.com/images/iasi006.jpg

The map is based on the historical scenario of roughly summer 1944. Its loosely based on the information that ships with the patch in a PDF file.

The map is in no way finished but I thought I'd get some comments before I go any further. The objectives are scattered in a pretty narrow stretch of the frontline. There are four bases (two each side) with the two forward bases being fairly close to each other (about 40km) and the rearward bases give more room to climb to altitude or assemble a bomber formation. Also because I don't know how many spawns these new airfields have...all four of the bases are the new open field type bases on the map.

Planset (modified Jan 1 at 11:46 am ET):

VVS
Yak-9D
Yak-1B
La-5F
P-39Q-1
Pe-2 Series 359
IL-2 Type 3

Luftwaffe & Romania
Bf-109G-2
FW190F-8
Ju-87D-5
Ju-87G-1
Ju-88A-4
He-111H-6
IAR-81C

Changes:
Bf-109G-6 Late removed
IL-2 Type 3 added
A-20C removed
Yak-1B added

So the planeset is a mix of historical with a few extra additions. The 109G-2 I felt was necessary to give Blues something with more dogfighting potential as the distances are low and you need something like the G-2 to compete with the La-5F and P-39Q-1. The G-6 Late is the historical contender and with UK-1's lack of armament restrictions its full on MK108 options mean its a worthy option. The FW190F-8 gives a fast strafer/attack option and the Stuka's and bombers are useful in the ways that we'd normally expect them. The trick will be operating with all of the hills. Historically speaking the IAR-81C was also present...it can be used as a dogfighter or a dive bomber. Ultimately its for the blue pilot who wants to do something completely different so its largely for fun...and why not :)

This new map is really absolutely stunning so while the scenery is going to be enjoyed I thought I should make the distances shorter as the UK-1 crowd tends to enjoy that nearly instant gratification setup. Its not ridiculous but it should prove to be frenetic...too frenetic? Thats the question.

Comments welcome!

[Zorin]

Which is the bomber spawn base?

I'm concerned that it might be to easy with unrestricted loadouts to destroy the targets. The camp on pic five will be destroyed with a single FAB 1000 bomb of the A20C. But maybe the new airfields won't be suitable for heavy bombloads, having runways too short to allow for a save take-off. Tried it?

Otherwise, expectedly nice :)

[JtD]

Thanks for that map, Ice. Targets and landscape look quite nice. :)

From my experience you don't need the rearward bases - 40 km base distance is pretty much the limit for a UKD1 map. I'm sure this is enough already to have some moan... What people often are not aware of: even if base distances are close you have time to climb to any altitude you want - just don't fly straight towards the targets.

Zorin is probably right, the 1000kg bomb of the A-20C will wipe out the camp target with one hit. The Pe-2 is probably more than good enough with 2x500 already. Maybe add an Il-2 instead of the A-20?

Is there a chance you arrange the tanks in a way that one can kill more than one with one bomb? I usually insert a couple of trees and arrange a few tanks around them so a good bomb can kill 2 or 3. People don't bother with killing single tanks. Or maybe arrange them in a straighter line so that a good level bombardement with small (say 70kg) bombs will show a good result?

I wouldn't mind a Yak-1b for red. Adds the rockets option.

Just some food for thought...

[74topper]

Very nice... Cant wait to try it out ;)

[WillEyedOney]

The FAB1000 evens things out a little because the 88 will carry those ridiculous 2000kg monsters (which make maps like Moscow a joke). Leave the A20 in please.
Yak1b would be good too as JTD mentioned.

[JtD]

The Moscow targets aren't all gone after a single hit. Still needs a lot of effort by the blue side to finish all of them.

[WillEyedOney]

The Moscow map targets are very easy for blue to finish off, one run with 5 88s and the things are almost all gone. The Pe-2 and Il2 are no match, especially as the red targets are spread all over the place and the blue ones are tightly grouped together.

[SMURFY1967]

Wills right JtD, if we feel in a belligerant mood we take 88s, 2x 2000 and can do it in 1 to 2 runs. The tanks for red are a completely different matter, well spread and in small groups, very difficult to wipe out quickly.

Unfortunately(because I like flying it) the 2 x 2000 loadout should limit its inclusion, unless targets are reasonably widely spread.

Ice if you put a 108 armed plane against red aircraft, i`ll lay a bet that 70% of blue will be in it. If you leave the set as it is less the G6, we may see the IL2s get to target, and a decent competition. Just my thoughts, having spent hundreds of hours flying red on UK1.

[NS-IceFire]

Hrmmm...maybe I need to rethink some of the soft targets. The red convoy could be split into three within the grid so as it need at least 3 bomb runs there. The Soviet tanks that are dug in are pretty hard to hit from the front...a single hit is pretty necessary but I could line them up to make it easier?

No objections from me for the Yak-1B...seems like a fun addition.

Thing is that in this case the bombers are operating within 8-10km of each other right down the center of the map so fighter opposition will be heavy so you sort of want to be able to get a fair number of targets.

The IL-2 I definitely need to add....those lined up German tanks are ripe for a PTABing :)

Just not sure about the 109G-6 Late....I guess I can keep that and add the Yak-9T or remove it. The P-39 still has its big gun but I want to keep it here for historical reasons and the P-39 is sort of a wacky airplane in which either you do really well or die :)

I think I will be keeping the rear bases as I'm just not sure how many can spawn on the forward bases...these airbases are new and the only way to test is with numbers. Does anyone feel that the rear bases will detract from the map and cause confusion?

[SMURFY1967]

imo Ice you cannot compare the NS37 with the MK108, the NS37 fires at 2 rounds per sec compared to the 108 which fires at 10 rounds per sec, most people can hit a fighter or bomber with the 108, not many can hit anything with the NS37.

Can we have a map where skill wins, and not the biggest gun, throwing the most lead.The P39 is a funny plane, I love it but a lot of people hate it, big gunned G model Stuka ?

Ps thx for your work.

[NS-IceFire]

Ok made some changes...109G-6 Late removed from the planeset. Point well taken about the large cannon comparisons. The G-2 is more than a match for any of the Red fighters and the FW190F-8 and IAR-81C can be used as alternative fighters should the desire/need present itself...still both of those are meant to primarily be ground attackers.

Tweaks continue.

I haven't decided what to do with the bombers yet so no changes there but everyone has made valid points about them.

[slm]

I'd also like to see Ju-87G.

[Zorin]

As for the spawn points, jurinko said on simHQ that there will be screens with marked spawn points in the final readme for the Slovakia map and so I take it that this might be done for the Bessarabia map as well. :)

[NS-IceFire]

I'd also like to see Ju-87G.

Ju-87G-1 is already on the list :)

Zorin: That sounds good about the spawn points. Plus if they used the same airfield template on both maps like it seems then it should be no problem.

[JtD]

Wills right JtD, if we feel in a belligerant mood we take 88s, 2x 2000 and can do it in 1 to 2 runs.

Try running into an Il-2. If blue wins quickly, it's red fault. If one side organizes an attack, the other should need to organize a defense. If they don't, they lose. Anyway, see here (http://www.battle-fields.com/commscentre/showthread.php?t=16700).

Ice if you put a 108 armed plane against red aircraft, i`ll lay a bet that 70% of blue will be in it. If you leave the set as it is less the G6, we may see the IL2s get to target, and a decent competition. Just my thoughts, having spent hundreds of hours flying red on UK1.

Many blue usually fly G-2 instead of G-6. Also the G-6 is easy meat for red fighters, far easier than the G-2. If find it makes an excellent option but does not have much impact on the overall balance. I, personally, find the P-39 a bigger problem than the G-6, since it does everything well - fighter bombing, dogfighting, interception.

It's also that maps with only a small variety of plane choices are more often than not disliked.

[NS-IceFire]

Ok did some testing against the targets. A-20C removed but Pe-2 remains. The Ju-88A-4 will take off from the forward field ok but it takes a good pilot to do it with 2xSC2000 bombs...you need most of the field to do it. Rear bases remain and all bases now have some pretty good flak defense so the folks who like to hang around the enemy base will be greeted appropriately. A successful hit of those bombs on one of the truck convoys will take out the convoy but that leaves two more to take out so either three runs or three bombers with successful hits plus the flak plus enemy fighters so it should not be so easy as to succeed in the first minutes of the battle.

[Gremista]

Looks good! Thank you!

[NS-IceFire]

Word is that some of the maps in the final patch will have some changes/fixes in place so I'm going to hang tight on this map and hope that nothing changes in the area that I used for this map. Fortunately not too many fixes required on this map...the others may change a fair bit. MTO allot apparently.