Dear friends,
We have released a new update for Great Battles 6.003 - this time it turned out almost completely about the German side.
First, we have a pleasant surprise: new interesting historical campaign "Hornet's Nest" about the German Western front Schnellbomber crews. This campaign requires both the Battle of Normandy and the Bodenplatte modules because its events span across England, Northern France and Netherlands.
The Messerschmitt 410 A-1 “Hornisse” (“hornet”) was developed as a replacement for the aging Bf 110 twin-engine heavy fighter, night-fighter, and light bomber. You, a new lieutenant, have been assigned to Kampfgeschwader 2 and tasked with delivering one of the first Me 410s to your unit in Normandy in 1943. You will fly night fighter and bomber missions during the “Baby Blitz” of England, serve temporary duty as a test pilot with Erprobungskommando 25 to experiment with new weapons systems during daylight bomber raids over Holland, and eventually try to survive the Allied Invasion of France in 1944.
Similar to the previous campaign created by the author Jay Yarbrough, Gestapo Hunters about the British Mosquito crews, a fully voiced radio operator in the Me 410 rear cockpit will comment on events, provide headings to the next waypoint, and read the checklist during takeoff and landing procedures. He is responsible for communicating with ground stations, operating the latest in radio guidance systems in the aircraft (you will be briefed how to use your cockpit indicator in the first mission) and contolling the rear gun turrets in the event of enemy contact. This experience is as close as you can get to bringing the history of the German heavy night fighter crews to life on your personal computer, especially if you use virtual reality goggles.
The new campaign is already available with a launch discount on our website and on Steam.
We also added the 5th and 6th aircraft of the new Odessa and Leningrad module: Bf 109 E-4 and Ju 87 D-5.
The Bf 109 E-4 variant went into production in the spring of 1940. The aircraft was equipped with the Daimler-Benz DB-601Aa engine, and a variant (modification) of the DB-601N engine running on 100-octane gasoline was also installed. The plane's flaps had a mechanical chain-driven exhaust system, and the landing gear had a hydraulic system. Armament consisted of two 20 mm MG-FF/M drum-fed short-barreled wing cannons and two synchronized 7.92 mm MG-17 machine guns. The aircraft could carry bomb armament on special pylons - one 250 kg bomb or four 50 kg bombs.
The Junkers Ju 87 D-5 "Stuka" was one of the most advanced modifications of the famous aircraft, which went into production in the summer of 1943. The D-5 variant received a wing with increased span and area, which was necessary to reduce wing loading. Two 20 mm MG-151/20 wing cannons with 500 rounds each were installed instead of the normal machine guns. This variant could also be equipped with a Stuvi 5B sight (as a modification). There was a modification with a more powerful Jumo 211P engine. As on the earlier Ju 87 D-3, which had a G-1 modification with 37 mm cannons, on the D-5 there was a G-2 modification with BK 37 cannons. They even added a landing gear jettison system for emergency landings on land and water. Interestingly, as the war progressed, the installation of sirens on Ju 87s of later modifications was abandoned.
Two remaining aircraft, IL-2 mod. 1944 with an arrow shaped wing and late war Soviet fighter La-7, will be added before the release along with the long awaited Leningrad map.
6.003 Changelist
The Bf 109 E-4 fighter is available to all owners of the “Siege and Liberation” module;
The Ju 87 D-5 dive bomber is available to all owners of the “Siege and Liberation” module;
Added a new historical campaign, “Hornet's Nest,” featuring the Me 410 two-seat heavy fighter-bomber.
Odessa map: Leveled the surface under the airfields in the eastern part of the map.
Kuban map: Fixed the position of the bridge in square 1726-6.
Fixed a slight decrease in sound volume caused by the sound libraries in the previous update being exported in stereo format instead of 5.1;
In WWI visual reconnaissance missions, fixed route point looping when approaching the reconnaissance target and issues with opening and closing the target marking interface;
Sopwith Strutter: fixed an issue with engine overcooling at low air temperatures.
I-153: corrected the Finnish paint scheme for accurate placement of tactical code symbols.
Revised standard tactical codes for Finnish aircraft in Quick Mission mode.
Changed files in this update