suggestion for your tutorial when you update for 1946...

[hein-kill]

Hi

Was new to UQMG recently and am still loving it and getting to learn all its possibilities.

The tutorial gives some great step by step lessons in how to use UQMG but though I've been through it in it's entirety I'm still struggling.

I've been trying to use it to build my own series of Battle of Britain based missions. Finally, I can put the numbers of aircraft into the air required to give that real BOB 'against all odds' feeling...

To do this requires the ability to set up simple bombing raids where Heinkels and Stukas are closely escorted by 109s and 110s. It took me a lot of trial and error to work out (I'm still a little unsure) why on some maps/missions my 109s would escort my Heinkels, on other maps/missions they would be miles apart and never get close.

I'm sure an explanation for this is hidden in the tutorial but if so, it is very well hidden!

What would be really great is a simple section, maybe at the very end, which specifically helps the user to set up the most common types of mission: eg how do I set up a:

- ground attack mission on an airfield/city/port/vehicles
- escort mission in a fighter protecting bombers
- intercept mission against a single raid of fighters/bombers
- as above against waves of bombers/escorts ten minutes apart
- standard furball (high/low altitude)
- as above with waves of incoming fighters
- scramble against incoming fighters
- scramble against incoming bombers
- one on one against enemy ace

I know the principles for doing all of these are in the tutorial and fabulous help balloons, but I also know from recent experience that despite much reading, creating and tweaking I would still benefit from a little 'how to' section like this.



Anyway, great work. I'm still amazed at what you've done.

[UberDemon]

Each map template is different. In some cases, each Flight Group is quite far from another... it all depends. I try to have at least two flight groups somewhat close to each other, but sometimes it is not the case. the reason for that is that with cloning, you can set up large groups of aircraft in one group... however, it varies depending on what you want...

If you want a specific type of group in one flight group, you could create a very selected aircraft set in the aircraft database which is in the flight group... it would be a random group... say for the allies you limit aircraft choices to hurricane only, and for axis bf-109E and Ju-87... now close the groups as desired and have them in opposite flight groups... now for the axis group use random cloning, and make sure that you are using your selected plane set. The problem is that the flight could be a huge one but the clones would be a mix of bf 109 and stukas... so that is not exactly what you want... plus the entire group would follow the main rules for the group, that is, CAP, or ground attack, etc.

As a quick mission generator, it UQMG makes it easy to get complex missions generated fast, but it will always be more limited than a customed built mission in the FMB.

The answer to most of your questions takes some creativity and unfortunately some playing with the templates. Each template is custom made by me, so they are all different. I suggest taking a look at the ground attack objectives that are detailed in the help file when you select mission objectives/targets. They are listed ber flight group. So your ground attack options will vary greatly.

- ground attack mission on an airfield/city/port/vehicles
-- based on template and flight group. Some have attacks on ports, some dont

- escort mission in a fighter protecting bombers
-- there is not inherent function for escort in the mission scripts... it would take quite a bit of time to program that feature... that is why it is important to know how to use the radio functions in il-2 to call for help from the ground when available... or tell a flight group to do something

- intercept mission against a single raid of fighters/bombers
-- that is easy... set two groups against each other

- as above against waves of bombers/escorts ten minutes apart
-- that can be done, use the cloning functions in the flight editor to make the clones appear in waves... you can even define the wave intervals.

- standard furball (high/low altitude)
-- that is easy... set two groups against each other... with cloning you could use just two groups of flights with several planes... add cloning in interval and you have a wave effect

- as above with waves of incoming fighters
-- already explained.

- scramble against incoming fighters
-- depends on template, but in some you can have teh enely right over your base, and you can start on the ground... it varies with template... if the battle area is over an airfield, sometimes that is done... take a look at some of my pre made missions... i believe I have some of that type... but again, it may not be in the map you want.

- scramble against incoming bombers
-- same as above

- one on one against enemy ace
-- you can have that... the aces are selectable in the flight editor.