Hoy, Small Fry!

The long wait is over! Battle of Stalingrad 1.0 has finally released, and while we are still waiting on community dedicated server tools and official mission builder tools to get some co-op going, there's still plenty of action for us!

Have you longed for those 1946 days, but couldn't stand the sea of terrible, painted trees with no trunks but full collision? Have you missed the sounds of your Yak-1 creaking into that high G turn, but don't want it to look like something your nephew modeled in his afternoon?

Well look no further! Tonight we take to the skies in the beautifully detailed Soviet winter landscape. Perhaps we can fly in a snow storm, won't that be something?

Details: 9PM EST. Likely going to try to utilize the 75 player Syndicate server. This is a Player vs. Player Expert Realism settings server that focuses on missions with objectives for both sides to complete. All planes will be players, but the objectives should have AI objects (artillery positions, trains, convoys, infantry, etc.) for us to do just truly reprehensible things.

Hope to see you folks there!

Purchasing Notes: If you do not currently own Battle of Stalingrad, I'll give you a brief overview of what you're getting into and the costs (in USD) associated with it, as well as your two primarily purchasing locations.

IL-2: Battle of Stalingrad is the latest installment in the IL-2 Sturmovik series of WWII combat flight simulators, and about as much of a colossal leap in quality from Cliffs of Dover as you can imagine. BoS focuses on the very specific period of the Winter of '42. You will be playing as either the German Luftwaffe in their support in the Battle of Stalingrad, or you will play as the Soviet VVS in the defense and eventual counter-offensive. It features a moderately dynamic offline campaign as well as online, multiplayer play.

BoS comes in two flavors, one for $60USD and one for $100USD. The primary difference between these two versions is the inclusion of two additional aircraft for the two present factions, the La-5 for the VVS and the Fw-190 for the Luftwaffe. If you purchase the $60 version, you can still buy the additional planes at a $20 fee each, if you so please.

BoS is much like most modern Flight Sim experiences where additional content (at first planes, but with any luck, eventually entire theaters) for a premium fee. Much like how DCS charges you for individual aircraft, Battle of Stalingrad will do the same. The base game does come with 8 planes, however. 3 fighters and a bomber for each side. VVS gets the LaGG-3, the Yak-1, the IL-2, and the Pe-2. Luftwaffe has access to the Bf-109 G2, the Bf-109 F4, the Ju-87 Stuka, and the He-111. You can expect the same sort of realism as you would from DCS, though I would say the damage modeling is of a much higher caliber.