What are /r/il2sturmovik's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Might be a silly suggestion but have you tried a VPN? Just to get past the initial hump. Had a similar issue with a game years ago, where it always died at the same point. My route to the CDN apparently just timed out or something.

Booting up a VPN to somewhere far away, made it use a different CDN, used a different route, perhaps got around a file consistency check that failed on the server I connected to, not sure but it worked.

After that I was able to download it on my own connection just fine. TunnelBear is free for the first 2GB if you need it.

Gladiator Joystick, Flight Simulator Controller Stick - PC Mac Linux https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G6GT49O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7d-LCbGZM89CZ.

A great stick for the price, no weird centering, good tracking, all in one.

A good place to practice is the Combat Box Training server (it usually has a couple of players on as well as AI planes that you can practice on).

There's discord for Combat Box (both the main server and the training server as well) and there are almost always people flying on there ( https://discord.com/invite/Rcjj33E ).

IL-2: 1946 was never designed for gamepads and I don't think it has any of its own compatibility there. It dates back to 2001 (originally) when the lines weren't quite as blurred as they are now between console and traditional PC.

JoyToKey may be able to help you rig up some sort of approximation? I've never used but I think a few people have managed to make this work. https://joytokey.net/en/

And as much as you may hate it... :) even the cheapest desktop stick is going to be better than a gamepad. There's a reason why everyone says it. IF you ultimately end up going that direction down the road, there are some good and relatively inexpensive stick options that can get you started without having to drop a ton of coin such as the VKB Gladiator or Thrustmaster T.16000M. I have both, have reviewed both, and they are solid options.

Is that this one?

If so, looks like Dell has them for $70 (or $160 with the throttle). I might just have to grab that...

So I bought IR LEDs, a PS3 Eye Camera, a 3D printer, wires, resistors, cut up USB cables, and went through all the motions to develop my own trackIR system and it was ALL rendered useless (though I regret nothing after learning 3D printing) by this app:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.epaga.smoothtrack

It just works. Better than anything I could do. I got it for free technically because I have Android and the Rewards app so I had a spare $10 in credit to just buy it outright and use my smartphone as the camera. It just works now.

It's hard to say without being able to mess around with it, so many potential things it could be. If you suspect your ISP potentially blocking it, TunnelBear has this;

>If you are connecting from a country with strict censorship or from a restricted network (work, school, public WiFi), we recommend to give GhostBear a try. You can locate this feature in your TunnelBear preferences, under the security tab. GhostBear makes it harder for the VPN connection to be detected and blocked. Please be aware, GhostBear should only be enabled in cases of censorship; otherwise we advise to keep this feature off.

Could be worth a shot.

Already a lot of good advice here, and I did see In Pursuit mentioned, so I thought I'd just help point to the source of the good theory.

1. In Pursuit: A Pilot's Guide to Online Air Combat by Johan Kylander. This is a free online publication. Can be bought as a print if you so desire, but the PDF is free.

2. Fighter Combat: Tactics and Maneuvering (the 1985 edition) by Robert Shaw. This is the bible of air combat, covering everything from the basic concept of "energy" and the different weapons available, all the way to group-vs-group and alone-vs-group combat, used as study material even for real pilots. You can't do better than this, and for 485 pages (if I remember right) it's a pretty darn cheap book. It is well written in all senses of the word, and understanding it will make it so much easier to learn from other guides and materials available. Can definitely recommend reading it.

T.Flight Hotas 4

This was my starting joystick all those years ago when I bought 1946 for 5 dollars. It was a budget buy. It is a little limiting on buttons, but has a HAT switch and a twist stick as well as “rudder pedals” if you prefer at the front of the throttle if you prefer.

I can’t think of a better starting stick these days. Gives you a taste of everything and works rather well, and I’m surprised no one has suggested it. It is incredibly difficult to beat it for the price it is. Throttle and stick can also be separated, though not very far.

I think this is your best “bang for buck”

This is the book I started with, and can't recommend enough:

https://www.amazon.com/Fighter-Combat-Maneuvering-Robert-Shaw/dp/0870210599

You'll want Battle of Stalingrad (the base game) and Battle of Bodenplatte (for some American and British assets). Pretty much everything including the collector planes go 75 percent off a few times a year on Steam. So you might be lucky enough to catch a sale.

The upcoming Battle of Normandy is going to be very popular too, I think, once it hits Steam and can be had for a more reasonable price. Right now only the a premium early access version is available directly from the developer for 80 bucks.

If he's got a love for the Eastern front stuff there's also Battle of Moscow and Battle of Kuban.

Shame his gear got thrown away. I think a joystick with a twist function for rudder is an absolute must, at minimum.

I got back into it all not too long ago myself and bought this whole pack off of Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Flight-Pack/dp/B01N2PE8CZ It's high quality stuff at a reasonable price. It's really nice to have rudder pedals for takeoffs and landings if you're playing on realistic settings, and all the extra buttons are basically essential if you're going to play in VR.

I think I need this to make VR more playable. In fact, I think I need the whole pack with the HOTAS and rudder pedals, too. https://www.amazon.com/Windows-PC-10-8-7-Vista/dp/B01N2PE8CZ?th=1

Coming back to flight sims after years away, and playing in VR no less, I'm finding it hard just taxiing in expert mode in a plane like the 190, trying to use the stick twist of my joystick for rudder, I find myself fighting the torque of the engine and losing.

Not really sure what is going on. Maybe I'm leaving a parking brake or wheel brake on or something. It's doubly hard in VR to learn controls when you have to lift your headset to find a key on the keyboard.

No, I was talking about XBOX game controllers. For PC.

Like this (basic 7' wired USB type).

Just as a cheap way to get better / more intuitive control than a keyboard alone.

I have a couple of the wireless ones that I use sometimes to play other PC games with my nephews. Never tried with IL-2 personally, but I used to fly with a guy who used one for years. I couldn't even tell he was using it.

I use this app on Android, it is fantastic, instantly get the full params of any plane:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nehalemx.planecompare&gl=US

Only problem is it is missing some IL-2 specific variants, like there's no P-39E so you'll have to use the P-39D, and I'm not sure what the difference is.

You'll be much, much happier with a joystick. Even the most inexpensive one is 1000X better than trying to get along with mouse & keyboard.

Just for example I bought this one last year when I was remoted & needed one temporarily: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-3D-Pro-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U

It is by no means a great joystick but it is just $30 and literally 1000X better than no joystick. Maybe 100,000X.

(FYI I thought the spring on that stick was way, way too stiff and finally did some surgery on it to calm it down a lot. That was my main complaint with it.)

Join by dropping us a request on our discord channel.

https://discord.com/channels/711312556714754092/711315257481625622

We fly on Combat Box, Wings of Liberty and TAW. We fly both sides and you can usually find us on the side with the fewer numbers. We believe in team work, respect and most of all FUN!

Since I also fly in VR with the same joystick I have some tips: Bind POV hat forward to ' Quick Zoom 100%' in Pilot head control settings. Download VR Neck Saver and keep it running while you play IL-2. In VRNS, bind POV hat left and right to nudge your VR view left and right. I have mine set to 60 degrees of nudge, but you can set it higher or lower depending on your preference. This way, you can instantly zoom in to identify targets, and easily check your six without taking your hand off the stick. Oh, and you can bind POV hat down for the wheel brakes in british and russian aircraft!

You may also want a 3 axis throttle quadrant like this one since especially for allied aircraft you will need to manage your throttle, mixture, and prop RPM

Sorry about the quality but you can zoom in. I came across a jackpot of a bunch of aviation manuals, references and Squadron books at a open market. Every book was either $5 or $10 and many are out of print.

This is from 'Graphic War: The Secret Aviation Drawings and Illustrations of World War II' By: Donald Nijboerr

This is an amazing book and if you are into this game, you'd love this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Graphic-War-Aviation-Drawings-Illustrations/dp/155407892X

Just to provide another opinion, I'm using a logitech extreme 3D pro that I've had for probably close to 10 years. Using that with JoyToKey has given me more than enough key binding options for everything I need in VR, including essentials like complex engine management and "nice-to-haves" like cockpit/landing lights and some camera settings.

Honestly I've been looking to upgrade mine just because it's old enough that two buttons are starting to get sticky and I can afford something nicer now, but I'm happy enough with it that I may just get another one. For how well it's worked for me, $35 is hard to beat.

RAlt+L is the default mapping for formation lights, which I believe are only used on the P-38, P-47, and P-51. Anyway that should only do anything when you're actually flying. Does it make a beep if you press those buttons outside the game? Maybe it's some other windows program monitoring for that key shortcut...? Here's a neat keyboard shortcut database I just found. For instance, AMD Radeon video card software may be using it.

There is a single X-52 Pro in stock at Amazon right now. I'd jump on that. Prices have been insane since FS2020 came out, and I believe that's about the normal price for one at $196 for stick and throttle. Lots of buttons, two stage trigger - not a bad rig. I've used the non-pro one for years, though I have a pre Mad Catz unit from around 2003.

You need to drop twice as much to get into noticeably better setups.

The T16000 is pretty nice, but the lack of 2 stage trigger and not enough buttons on the stick doesn't win me over. Not a big fan of the throttle shape either, though it does have lots of controls. Biggest win with T16k is the stick and throttle can be used without the other - X-52 requires the throttle to be plugged in to use the joystick. X52s units link by a PS2 cable.

Just get a cheap hotas set or the throttle from one. Thrustmaster sells a decent throttle alone, it can work with any joystick: T16000M Throttle

There are far more buttons (and a paddle rocker you can use for rudder much better than a rotation axis) in better locations. Remember, HOTAS means “Hands On Throttle And Stick” and is designed to reduce movement and searching for functions.

The link is brand new but you can find cheaper used ones on Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, etc.

You can also use any throttle from any manufacturer as long as it’s USB.

I tried TunnelBear last night but having an issue with it directly. It connects and disconnects constantly. While TunnelBear is on, I don't have any internet.

Not sure if my ISP is blocking VPN somehow or something?

I hope you didn’t pay too much for that. You might want to have done more research, most new gaming laptops come with a RTX 2060 or better and 9th or 10th gen processors.

Also you’re not going to have a good time on IL2 without a decently sized external monitor.

I looked at your post history. You’d get better performance at a cheaper price with this:

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-i7-9750H-MaxxAudio-Keyboard-AN515-54-728C/dp/B08777BH1B

I am using the Trustmaster flight pack. https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Flight-Pack/dp/B01N2PE8CZ

Additionally I am using some form of headtracking. Nowadays I fly in VR, before I was using TrackIR

As the other guy said, the T.16000M is great for the price. As you saw, it can be hard to find right now.

If you want to spend a bit more, the t.16000M HOTAS or the t.16000M Flight Pack are also good deals. The HOTAS is the stick and HOTAS, the Flight Pack is the stick, HOTAS, and pedals.

After doing a quick check online: CHEESE AND CRACKERS! $400-$500!? A month ago I bought the Flight pack for $250! I would have gotten a Warthog or Viper for that price! WITH HOTAS!

Ok, so Saitek brand joysticks are usualy 20-35$ and at least decent...NOPE! $60-$80!

So...yeah. Looks like MFS 2020 has officially left you screwed. Sorry my dude.

For what it's worth, if you have the cash the Warthog is actually priced better than usual right now. It's an AMAZING joystick, but usually over $300, and is $250 right now.

I mean, that's a lot of cash. I can just say for me that I would rather spend $250 to get a $300 joystick than spend $60 to get a $25 joystick. But I wouldn't expect everyone to feel that way.

Anyways, if you can FIND them anywhere, and if they aren't being sold at crazy prices by scalpers, the T.16000M is a good joystick for the price, and the Saitek joysticks are ok joysticks at a good price.

Update: Did one more check! Amazon has the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS at normal prices. It's an excellent setup for the cost. You probably want to jump on it.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-4-playstation/dp/B07DLKVKD5/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Thrustmaster+T.Flight&qid=1597942638&sr=8-2

This one: https://www.amazon.com.au/Big-Show-Classic-Account-Aerial/dp/1909269859/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=the+big+show&dchild=1&keywords=the+big+show&pd_rd_i=1909269859&pd_rd_r=78215db3-a1ef-477e-a4f4-6d17a11c3cf2&pd_rd_w=xik66&pd_rd_wg=FVzmd&pf_rd_p=e2c3970b-ecc4-4ed0-8f81-06b6da10f9b0&pf_rd_r=5KFW78GXXXXVNRX8NQGB&psc=1&qid=1597877877&sr=1-1-64a1580b-5c24-46ff-994a-3909d80346ca

​

Don't know why Amazon makes the link so damn long :)

Great book, some freaky stories like 8 Tempests went on an airbase attack into a storm of flak and only 2 returned. Their Typhoons were meant to attack the flak first but didn't turn up, they went in anyway knowing they'd probably die.

The Thrustmaster 16000 stick or HOTAS (stick & throttle) seems to be a crowd favorite for a good value & performance. https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-HOTAS-Controller-2960778/dp/B01KCHPRXA