21.10.2009, 07:36
Making a request is always easy, compared to the hard work of making a map. I myself have only textured for Il-2, so I don't even know the exact process of making one. So, I'll at the very least make a comprehensive request, hoping that at least some of you talented mappers would tackle this! 
[CENTRAL] Balkans Map
![[Image: BALKMapReq.jpg]](http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/Vruk/BALKMapReq.jpg)
NOTE: [central] is in brackets, because the exact borders of the peninsula have always been a matter of dispute; I'm not aiming for a political discussion or a flame war, this is relative!
One of the areas of the European theather we are missing, and one of great importance, is the Balkans. While the airwar over Southeastern Europe never reached the magnitude of that over the Reich or the Eastern Front, the Romanian oil fields at Ploesti were a vital asset for the Axis war effort; and the Balkans always held the threat of another front for the Germans, that would needlessly tie down their forces; just as it happened to the Allies in WWI.
A map of the general area I've posted above can allow us the recreate various importaint (some less known/uknown) scenarios of WWII. Here are some arranged by chronological order:
April 1941:
Full Campaigns (fighter, bomber, reccon etc) for
Germany - Invasion
Yugoslavia - Home Defence
1941-1943
Bulgaria, Romania - Black Sea reccon, convoy escort submarine hunting mini-campaigns
RAF - Special ops/partisan aid mission pack/mini campaign
Germany, Bulgaria - Anti-partisan ops in Serbia mission packs/campaign
1943-late 1944
Full campaigns
Bulgaria, Romania - Home Defence/Bomber Intercept
USAAF - Strategic Bombing/ Long-range Fighter escort
Germany - Bomber Intercept (mini campaign?)
Mini campaigns/mission packs for the RAF (night bombing)
late 1944-early 1945
Full campaigns (fighter, bomber, reccon) for
Bulgaria - Side-switch, anti-Axis operations
Germany - Retreat from the Balkans
Romania - Side-switch, anti-Axis operations
Soviet Union - 3rd Ukranian Front advances into the Balkans
Plus missions, mini campaigns etc. for the RAF and USAAF actions against the Wehrmacht.
Mind you, this is a suggestion list. It only illustrates what can be recreated over this region, I am not claiming it's full.
Furthermore, some of this canpaign suggestion can be expanded into other (adjacent) maps - Hungary, Croatia/Bosnia/Slovenia, MTO, Yasi/Bessarabia etc.
The Romanian AF, the Soviet VVS, the Luftwaffe, the RAF and the USAAF are already fully integrated into Il-2. Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia are a part of the "Forgotten Countries" mod and can easily be added. Also, with patch 4.09 and the excellent mods we have a plethora of planes that were extensively used in these operations - new Avia B.534, IAR-80 modded variants; B-17/B-24, SB-2 (Avia B.71) and FW-189 flyable w/cockpits, WIP D.520, Do-17 and IK-3 ... and much more already flyable ingame.
Finally, when CK many more scenarios from the Balkan Wars and WWI Balkan Fronts can be recreated.
Eh, sorry if I took much out your time! :wink:
[CENTRAL] Balkans Map
NOTE: [central] is in brackets, because the exact borders of the peninsula have always been a matter of dispute; I'm not aiming for a political discussion or a flame war, this is relative!
One of the areas of the European theather we are missing, and one of great importance, is the Balkans. While the airwar over Southeastern Europe never reached the magnitude of that over the Reich or the Eastern Front, the Romanian oil fields at Ploesti were a vital asset for the Axis war effort; and the Balkans always held the threat of another front for the Germans, that would needlessly tie down their forces; just as it happened to the Allies in WWI.
A map of the general area I've posted above can allow us the recreate various importaint (some less known/uknown) scenarios of WWII. Here are some arranged by chronological order:
April 1941:
Full Campaigns (fighter, bomber, reccon etc) for
Germany - Invasion
Yugoslavia - Home Defence
1941-1943
Bulgaria, Romania - Black Sea reccon, convoy escort submarine hunting mini-campaigns
RAF - Special ops/partisan aid mission pack/mini campaign
Germany, Bulgaria - Anti-partisan ops in Serbia mission packs/campaign
1943-late 1944
Full campaigns
Bulgaria, Romania - Home Defence/Bomber Intercept
USAAF - Strategic Bombing/ Long-range Fighter escort
Germany - Bomber Intercept (mini campaign?)
Mini campaigns/mission packs for the RAF (night bombing)
late 1944-early 1945
Full campaigns (fighter, bomber, reccon) for
Bulgaria - Side-switch, anti-Axis operations
Germany - Retreat from the Balkans
Romania - Side-switch, anti-Axis operations
Soviet Union - 3rd Ukranian Front advances into the Balkans
Plus missions, mini campaigns etc. for the RAF and USAAF actions against the Wehrmacht.
Mind you, this is a suggestion list. It only illustrates what can be recreated over this region, I am not claiming it's full.
Furthermore, some of this canpaign suggestion can be expanded into other (adjacent) maps - Hungary, Croatia/Bosnia/Slovenia, MTO, Yasi/Bessarabia etc.
The Romanian AF, the Soviet VVS, the Luftwaffe, the RAF and the USAAF are already fully integrated into Il-2. Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia are a part of the "Forgotten Countries" mod and can easily be added. Also, with patch 4.09 and the excellent mods we have a plethora of planes that were extensively used in these operations - new Avia B.534, IAR-80 modded variants; B-17/B-24, SB-2 (Avia B.71) and FW-189 flyable w/cockpits, WIP D.520, Do-17 and IK-3 ... and much more already flyable ingame.
Finally, when CK many more scenarios from the Balkan Wars and WWI Balkan Fronts can be recreated.
Eh, sorry if I took much out your time! :wink: