I literally take off with 109F4 and the Gustavs by just… pressing throttle forward. Gently.
On Finnish Pilots, so no auto engine controls there.
109s are just easy mode. Fw190s even more so for flying/engine (dogfighting is another deal)
Same deal with Yak-1 and Yak-7. Or even spitfire Mk Vb or P-39.
It’s not hard or complex.
Edited to add:
Demonstrating just how "incredibly" difficult IL2 take off is in the Bf 109 F4 while also showing the difficulty settings for Combat Box and Finnish Pilots (actual flight is in quick start because I prefer to land in pattern while combat box's training server encourages straight-in approaches. Also, I am way out of practice for IL2!). Includes minor joyride (self-induced accelerated stall & recovery, soft stall, landing, taxi)
I don’t completely agree with that perspective, because I personally love high-level simulation and I started playing SIM specifically for modern aircraft. However, Simulator Mode suffers from the same fundamental problem: the maps and game modes are completely inadequate for the types of vehicles used and the playstyle that modern-era simulation should offer. I can guarantee you that even at high tiers, it requires significant skill and knowledge to master your missile systems and to know exactly how to evade incoming threats and counterattack.
What many people miss in discussions about SIM is that true simulation isn’t just about replicating flight controls or ‘sitting’ on top of a tank. (Actually, tank simulation deserves a separate mention because it is currently poor; it should simulate the commander seeing through his optics like every other crew member. If you are looking from above, it means you are out of the hatch, and machine guns should be able to kill or incapacitate the commander, just like in Enlisted).
Returning to the main point, simulation is, above all, about simulating a real theater of war. There should be an ‘unknown factor’ not knowing exactly where the enemy is coming from which would force players to employ real tactics with their teammates to complete a mission. As it stands, Simulator Mode is essentially just Realistic Mode viewed from the cockpit (or from above the tank), simply without markers and requiring players to distinguish friend from foe. If Gaijin invested time and resources into developing a SIM mode closer to the DCS experience instead of creating a separate game, they would attract an entire demographic of simulation enthusiasts who want to play with the eras and vehicles they love most.
There’s many sub-categories of simulation. For me, the focus is on the feel of operation and use. Re-enactment is a far lesser concern. One of my favourite simulators is Sailwind for a reason - it has nothing to do with “real life” - it’s a fictionalized system of archipelagos optimized to provide a very thorough, complex experience of historical seamanship. The simulation emphasizes rigging, wind-sail, wind-hull, water-hull interactions, ballast/cargo balancing, supply consumption and navigation using 17th century tools.
KSP is another example of a simulator that cares little for “re-enactment” outside of player mods. The focus is on an accessible (consumer hardware in 2015 - hence patched conics, reproducible and consistent simulation of orbital mechanics and interacting with those.
For Warthunder, I think the focus of simulation ought be quality of the flight physics themselves and accuracy of individual aircraft flight models and providing scenarios where both can be explored to their maximal limits.
Re-enactment is fun, but outside of keeping matchmakers sensible I don’t think it either detracts or contributes to Warthunder’s value as a simulator.
It’s prolly the best idea to clearly define what kind of simulation one wants: Immersion simulation, systems simulation or re-enactment rather than declare their own favoured variant as the ultimate form.
The operational feel and user experience do not compensate for the inability to use vehicles correctly as a result of the game design. We are not discussing historical reenactment here, but rather the implementation of advanced technology into battlefields too small for strategic use. This results in entire classes of vehicles and aircraft being rendered obsolete in WT. Case in point: self-propelled artillery is unsuited for the current gameplay loop, while bombers and strike aircraft are unable to perform their missions particularly at top tiers where they are detected at vast distances. These objective problems persist despite the high fidelity of the models; the satisfaction of realistic handling is consistently undermined by a game design that becomes more restrictive at higher Battle Ratings, particularly in Air Simulator Battles.
That’s pretty laughable - you can go solo as a pilot IRL in about 2 weeks of you put your mind and money into it - get a pilot’s licence in 3 months, and be a C category instructor in a year (basic instructor teaching other people while being supervised by a higher level instructor)
At that point (about 2-300 hrs) you have more time in flight than any WW1 pilot or some WW2 pilots!
An aerobatic rating might be obtained at the same time.
The USAF will train you for 3-4 years before letting you loose on any operational jet - and before then you need to have done ROTC, OTS, Airforce Academy or similar as well!!
People I work with that are ex-various commonwealth airforces often served as mechanics for 2-3 years before being selected for flying training.
I’ll probably buy when it’s discounted for the WW 1 stuff. The WW 1 planes don’t have trim except for the S.E. 5 with an adjustable elevator (like the 109) so there’s nothing for the autotrim to trim. I did like how the WW 1 planes flew in the event.
Edit: Actually it’s so cheap that I might just buy it tonight. But if supersampling+TSR/FSR is not the game won’t look good like WT and I need to have it refunded… Or if anyone has bought it could you confirm the available AA options?
The WW1 feels pretty fun. But the AI you face is just broken, mainly in the SPAD. They instantly loop vertically the second you’re behind them which if you’re in the Dr.1 you have no chance at following.
Also the lack of variety with just the Fokker Dr.I and D.VII and the Sopwith Camel and SPAD S.XIII being available to play.
70 bucks for the full game, okay gaijin.
Literally 0 point of getting this game if u have like more than 40 hours in sim already, other than ig mixed teams
