More Tempestish At The End

My journey through the tier VI Hawker Tornado is complete.

Although I waited a very, very long time for the Hawker line, even this short, three plane addition to come to the game, it was worth it for me. Sadly, it has also whetted my appetite for more (Typhoons, Tempests, Sea Furys, Hunters, just to name a few) which I hope will come in future updates (like near future, not years down the road). Although I didn't win every battle I flew in these iconic aircraft, the experience of just flying them, even in the virtual environment of this game and their designed limitations, was rewarding in ways the some folks might have a hard time understanding.

To that end, here is the final flight of my Tornado, until it's needed again....

Combat Wings - Battle of Britain, Bonus 1

For this bonus mission, I fly the Hawker Hurricane to clear the skies of any German attackers and/or stragglers above the English Channel. My reward? The Hawker Tornado!

Map Tour of Albion

The 2.0.4 patch-notes call it Lighthouse, the game client calls it Albion. Here is a tour and some thoughts of that map....

Once More With 2.0.4

Off to a not-so-good-start.

So, I woke up this morning and attempted to update my World of Warplanes client to 2.0.4. Tapping a few keys and walking away should have started a short, automated process, right? Well, the download stalled twice, but a restarted system cured that. It finally unpacked and all the files found where they were supposed to go, replacing old, unnecessary ones and one that shouldn't have been touched, my settings preferences.

Needless to say, I loaded the game up and had to put in my login information, then proceeded to adjust the screen resolution, the sound levels and I haven't even looked at my controls yet!

Grrr.

However, there was one plane I wanted to have a quick look at that I wasn't given the opportunity before hand (not even a screenshot of it with the others on the 2.0.4 preview on the portal). Okay, not really the plane, but a paint scheme labeled "Canada" for the tier V Grumman F4F Wildcat. I suppose it looks okay, if there was ever a RedBull Racing event added to the game?

Silent Support

Although things didn't go according to my original plan, another perspective presented itself.

I just happen to be browsing the World of Warplanes NA forums when I noticed an announcement of a pending Live Stream had been posted. A quick read told me about the player's intent on showcasing the two new premium aircraft that are planned to be introduced in the 2.0.4 Update, later today.

I wasted no time in logging into the Stream and loaded up my game client, with the hopes of facing that player in battle, a possible opportunity to test one of these new planes versus everything I have learned and practiced with one of my personal ingame (and real life) favorites.

However, that didn't come to pass.

Instead, I became a support player for the Star of this Stream, fighting my own battles and reinforcing the futility of a previously made discovery....

Combat Wings - Battle of Britain, Chapter 9

This time around, I jump back into the cockpit of the Hawker Hurricane for some coastal defense duty.

Next Update on World of Warplanes....

It seems another update ( 2.0.4, a big one from what I am hearing/reading) is just around the corner, so to speak. Read those details, found on the EU Portal and posted by MARS_REVENANT here.

Briefly glancing through it myself, I noticed there will be two, high tiered premiums that could be earned, by completing certain tasks (details and estimated time consumption figures are not available to me).

However, here's a bit of a sneak peak for both of those....

....the tier VIII Curtiss XF-15C Fighter...

....and the tier VIII Dornier Do 335 A-1 Pfeil German Heavy Fighter.

More Typhoonish

The following video contains all the elements that would allow me to label it as my "Best Battle of the 2.0 Era."

How so? Well, it has a lot of names I have seen on the forums, both past and present, therefore a much welcome increase to the "human factor," felt very similar to battles of many yesterdays ago. 

Secondly, I think it was an exposition of things I have demonstrated in my own videos, but with the unique opportunity to see others perform them (seriously, it was almost like I was flying some of the enemy aircraft I engaged with).

Finally, I fly against an old forum friend, SkyWolf_WM, it was good to see him in action (then I came along and ruined it for him).

Jamming The Wind

You would think after my misadventures in my tier VIII J7W1 Shinden and premium tier VI Ki-88 I would have put in a more conscious effort in producing a stellar performance from my tier VII J4M Senden. Short of putting up a list of what some what interpret as excuses, I will just post the video instead....

Combat Wings - Battle of Britain, Chapter 8

This time around, the Supermarine Spitfire is unlocked for player use. How much different is it from the Hawker Hurricane?

Combat Wings - Battle of Britain, Chapter 7

My attempt to save a synthetics factory from being destroyed by the Luftwaffe....

The Unfavorable Wind Continues

I am starting to wonder if I had a Maneki Neko or airplane-themed Omamori on my desk, while playing Japanese aircraft, might change my luck?

Combat Wings - Battle of Britain, Chapters 5 & 6

From manning a AA Gun in an attempt to defend an airbase to jumping into a cockpit and chasing down those German raiders, the following video covers both....

Unfavorable Winds

The day started off with a pleasant surprise.

Thanks to a restored ingame chat, I had a great conversation with trikke, a player I have interacted with mostly on the World of Warplanes NA forums (and has left some comments on previously published videos). Then, I received a flight request from him and we proceeded to belt out a few battles together. Although we didn't win every sortie we flew, I do believe we had a pretty good time nevertheless. Thanks trikke.

After that, things went downhill, ending with a battle in my tier VIII J7W1 Shinden that truly tested my threshold for frustration and composure....

Combat Wings - Battle of Britain, Chapter 4 Twice!

One of the upsides of having software and hardware issues is the opportunity to improve things.

I recently had a look at previously published videos I have created from playing Combat Wings - Battle of Britain and noticed the framerate quality was less than ideal. Now, after updates, installs and a bit of fine tuning to a few settings, I think I have captured a smoother experience that is much closer to how it was for me when I played it out....despite finally dying ingame.

Hiya Hien

It's a good thing I write stuff down, sometimes forget when I performed a certain task last, like flying a progressive Japanese aircraft....

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15 December 2017

With the Christmas Season well under way, it's time to collect all of the goodies that one can.

I might be a day late on this one, but there is currently an event underway where by just playing a single battle everyday til just after Christmas could put credits, consumables and possibly a premium plane (I wonder what the plane will be, I am expecting a tier II, III perhaps a IV) in your hangar. 

More details are here on that one.

The premium shop has a huge selection of aircraft, not normally available up for sale. I have given up on any Secret Santa surprising me with a winged wonder in my stocking, so I have an eye on one, even two mid tier planes I might gift to myself this year (one I have been waiting a very long time for, but with the changes in 2.0, I doubt I would do well with it now).

Now that I am done sounding like an underpaid salesman, on to my first reward/gift/whatever of the Season!

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Now, who found the Easter Egg in that video? Well, in case you missed it or pressed for time and were unable to look, here is a hint....

Sputtering System

The original plan was to make things better, but that didn't turn out very well....

Although I explain some of those details in the video, I suppose the written word here could be used too. It all started when I wanted to make today's video, by launching OBS and World of Warplanes.

For whatever reason, the game and capture program weren't talking to each other anymore. After fiddling with settings and becoming quickly frustrated with the lack of positive results, I uninstalled OBS and downloaded a new, all inclusive version (since the one I had was the end product of a few updates and who knows, maybe corruption set it).

With a new, fresh copy, I adjusted the settings again, trying to match the look and layout from before. A few experiments showed the initial problem appeared to have been solved, the game and program were back on speaking terms.

Then I reinstalled the replay mod, with the hopes of having that option available to me again, for great looking screenshots (like at the top of this page) and dramatic UI free action moments.

Turns out that three truly is a crowd....

Combat Wings - Battle of Britian, Chapters 2 & 3

Let me start off by apologizing for how these videos are turning out.

Despite my best efforts to optimize the graphical output of this old game, I am noticing the gameplay captures are picking up a noticeable frameskip in the finished productions. Oddly enough, I don't see them while playing the game as I am recording.

Nevertheless, here is Chapter 2 and 3....

T Is For Tornado

Sorry about speaking in a such a low tone, the family was having a "Sunday Morning Sleep In" and I was very eager to belt out the first battle in my new tier VI Hawker Tornado in World of Warplanes....

Combat Wings - Battle of Britain, Chapter 1

During a recent browse on the internet, I stumbled across an old, intriguing game I had never played before.

Originally, I was looking for information, material and media on British aircraft pre, during and post World War II and this popped up during those searches. The title not only caught my attention, but after checking out a few videos and long ago posted reviews, I decided to get a copy for myself.

Despite being a 12 year old game and showing somewhat dated graphics, I was rather surprised with it's playability factor (easy, jump right into action, shared with only a few modern titles of the same genre). In fact, it helped with the additional "British Plane Fix" I was looking for (outside my usually played title, World of Warplanes).

Here's the first gameplay video....

The Bomb Bus With Wings

His name was SeamusMacMattain.

Way back in the pre-launch days of World of Warplanes, the tier IV LBSh was a regular, tech tree aircraft. During that time, the same tired and long forgotten Sh-Tandem was being tested as the premium offering, later to be removed and the LBSh became the premium itself, replaced by the BSh-2.

When the game rolled into 1.0, I thought I had enough premium Attack Aircraft to suit my needs and plans, but there was this one player who....I don't know....inspired me to seriously consider making a purchase.

He had a real passion for his LBSh, which included using it in ways that broke with how aircraft was "supposed to be" flown. I fought battles with him and of course, against him, watching and learning. Over time, I worked up enough courage to try to emulate the techniques I observed him performing.

It wasn't until 1.4 I finally decided to put an LBSh of my own into my hangar, not that I really needed it at that point. Sadly, the player who originally convinced me that acquiring this plane would be a very good idea and I learned so much from just left the forums shortly after my purchase and hasn't been seen with my eyes in the game ever since.

So, SeamusMacMattain, here's to taking my rusty bird into these post-2.0 skies....

The Fabled Winged Horse

From changing tiers to settling on a final release name, I take out my tier II premium Soviet Attack Aircraft, Pegasus and experience something that could be best described as revised nostalgia, after all these years.

The Hurricane and The Inner Storm

Someone once told me "Life is the longest stress test on the consistency of one's character."

For the most part, the guy you see in my videos is the same guy who walks, talks and exists in the real world too. My outward emotional display is influenced by events, interactions and circumstances that either I can direct and control, participate or merely attend and observe. My inner storm builds when the outward emotions seep in and make a serious attempt to change my core at the time.

Video games seem to have a strong, magnification effect on this, since all of my senses are attuned to what is going on a few feet in front of my face, while attempting to take a semblance of control, or exerting some influence through my fingertips. Not to say I am caught up in the moment, more like being trapped.

Too deep? Watch the video....

Flight of the Fury

After a long wait time in queue, I take a crack at the Wild Blue in my tier IX North American FJ-1 Fury in World of Warplanes.

Random Raider

 The usual plan when I make a video is have a particular aircraft ready to go, talk about it briefly, including upgrades I have done and then queue up for a battle.

But, what about those times I skip a step or two?

Babbling About Bristols

I am willing to wager that most players in World of Warplanes have a daily "go to" plane.

There are a variety of reasons to have one; token missions, childhood favorite, personal experience with a real version, a "just can't lose" plane and so on. For me, it should be somewhat obvious to those who have followed me since returning in 2.0 that one particular aircraft has not only grown on me, but I have made a real concerted effort to improve my skills with it.

In fact, I will just have a quick chat with the lads and take off for a sortie....

Granted, it's not a real brag worthy battle on my part, but I don't really care.

There is something about flying the Bristol Blenheim that I just can't put my finger on. In the real world, I had the privilege to see (and touch) Canadian built examples named Bolingbrokes, one complete, another needing extensive restoration. Ingame, I used the Heavy Fighter Blenheim F (long ago) and the premium bomber IV variant. I have even offered up the suggestion of introducing a premium version of a Bolingbroke, which is a mute point to pursue now.

So, what is it with this plane? It's not what some would consider a "handsome" design, nor was it "state of the art" when the war broke out. It was also rather large, not very maneuverable, poorly armed and wasn't as fast as it's evolving contemporaries. Despite all of that and more, the Blenheim was a highly versatile aircraft, able to perform tasks beyond it's original airframe design, from reconnaissance, bombing, ground attack, anti-shipping (taken over by the ever improving Bristol Beaufort), night-fighter operations (later to be replaced by the Bristol Beaufighter) and so on.

Perhaps, it's this level of flexibility that has made it into the game, from high altitude bombing, to chasing other bombers/fighters/heavy fighters around and shooting them up, to low level attacks that trim the tops of tall trees and turn buildings into rubble, that I find appealing, win, lose or draw.

Do you have have a "go to" plane too?

Hurricane Under Glass

Although the main objective for my visit to the Canadian Museum of Flight, in Langley B.C. was to make a video tour with my own personal commentary, I also took a number of pictures of other exhibits that interested me.

Among all the displays between the small, cramped and crowded outdoor area and the size restrictive indoor Quonset Hut aircraft hangar, I managed to locate another goal of my journey. Despite my best efforts to reduce, or even eliminate the reflections on the glass case that housed it, this would be the best shot of the Hawker Hurricane exhibit I could take. I spent quite a few minutes taking in the effort and results of what was in front of me.

The model of IIC LF686 was well done, but I could tell it was completed a very long time ago.

Interesting tidbit to pass along, there is a real IIC LF686 still around. I am not sure if it's one in the same aircraft as the model depicts, but the real one is now part of the the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum collection.

So, how would brand new Hawker Hurricane IIC perform in World of Warplanes, flown by me?

C-C-C-Cobra!

British Airacobras? For a short time, yes!

In late September 1941, No.601 “City of London” RAF Squadron swapped their Hawker Hurricane IIC's for Bell Airacobra Mk.I's (known Stateside as the P-39F) and became the only operational British unit to fly them. 

However, after experiencing a long list of problems, including compass failures, shortcomings with flying at higher operational altitudes, incompatibility issues with the tricycle undercarriage and grass airstrips, the Airacobra was removed from service after only two fighter sweeps into France.

By March 1942 and after losing five aircraft to accidents, they were replaced with the Supermarine Spitfire V. Some Airacobras would be transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease, others would find their way to the Pacific Campaign, re-designated as P-400's.

Although not a Airacobra the flew in the King's Service, I took to the skies in my premium, tier VI P-39N-1 for a "clean off the rust" flight, after my short, real life break from World of Warplanes....

A Side Adventure

For the latter part of January and the first bit of February, I was away on a work project, unable to play or comment on World of Warplanes (among other recreational activities).

Despite putting in some long, odd hours with even stranger start and finish times, I managed to sneak away one day to check out a local aircraft museum and it's exhibits.

Here's how that turned out (with some editing, or course)....