Il-2 Sturmovik Strafing Technique

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You can find me easily and connect with new pilots on my Discord here: / discord
This lesson teaches you how to perform ground strafing attacks using the guns and cannons of the IL-2 Sturmovik.
A compare and contrast between the PBP-1 and VV-1 gunsight are shown first, illustrating that this attack technique will work regardless of what IL-2 gunsight you end up using.
Then you will see the guns attack technique to use against ground targets.
Here is the mission I created for this video so you can download it and fly it for yourself to practice: www.dropbox.com/s/i588fyzxrp2...
Comments and feedback are always welcome, so if this video helped you out hit the like button and let me know in the comments below. Cheers!

[@old_guard2431]

One thing I like is that the basic approach to working the target - lining up targets, avoiding Flak, the "lazy 8" for energy retention - would also work for rockets or low-level bombing. I.E. there are specifics for the higher-caliber guns for armor but there is also a lot on general ground attack tactics.

[@jamiegrover3181]

I love the fact of how relaxed you are talking about strafing the enemy targets. On the battlefield with 88mm and AA fire shooting at me and 109's and 190's booming and zooming, this is no easy feat, and i'm certainly never as relaxed as you are, Ha!

[@rderespini]

I've put these tutorials to use in both the Jug and the Sturmovik. These are tremendously helpful; ripper videos!

[@radimklima6848]

havent even bought the game yet, just a stick and throttle and binging these videos to understand the game :D looks great!

[@TheRaptorXX]

Fantastic Req! Thanks as ever. Plenty of food for thought in these Sturmovik tutorials. I shall have at it in due course!! I'm still trying to teach meself engine management as well so my muscle memory is a little confused at the moment. I think I've gotten me head around a couple of planes so far so all's well and getting weller!!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Good to hear Rap, I'll be waiting in MP when you're ready!

[@emperornazuz1205]

Words fall sort for thank you , these tutorials helped me theorise things I used to do instinctively, especial since I'm new to il2, you deserve more subs ♡

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Nazuz, I really appreciate it! I'll just keep on keeping on in this little corner of the internet for you guys :-)

[@RedBravo65]

Most helpful! Always enjoy your work.

[@daveg5857]

These tutorials are gold!

[@Anaximander29A]

All your vids are top tier content! Thank you for the great work.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Glad you like them!

[@cosmic-10r61]

Thanks for these... now that im better at the flight portion i need to understand this stuff.. fortunately being a gun owner i already understand the basic premises of holdovers, ranging and mils.

[@anonymousunrelated5780]

Great video as always man. I really had a hard time attacking ground targets mainly because my entry was always rushed. This video helped me correct those mistakes. BTW, can you do a video showing how to fly under AA fire? That I think would really help most of us(new to flight sim). Thanks and more power to this channel.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Great to hear that :-) It's all about trying to make sustained attacks so not rushing definitely helps with that. I could do a video on AA fire for sure, just won't be for a little while as I'm on holiday atm

[@ezi__]

Ever considered setting up a discord server? It'd be awesome to communicate with your subscribers and yourself. Love your videos; Thank you for all the tutorials you've made before!

[@RequiemsACTL]

I'll see about making a poll for discord and find out if people want one. I couldn't manage it all by myself thoughi.

[@odonovan]

3:20 - Is there a reason you're pulling a standard turn to end your strafing runs? If you want to maintain the same line, strafing back and forth, it would be helpful to do an Immelmann to more exactly reverse direction. If you want to move left or right to set up on the next target, a wingover can get you the horizontal offset either left or right to allow you to come in on the next target while at a compass heading 180 degrees from your previous attack.

[@RequiemsACTL]

No, no particular reason really. It's just how I happened to fly that sequence is all. I like how your description if you're the only one attacking. When multiple airplanes are around it gets a little harder to coordinate though and if you're doing an immelman in an IL-2 you may end up at a lower vulnerable airspeed to enemy AA or airplanes. It's a solid technique though, thanks for sharing it :-)

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

I love how the sight is literally just, slapped onto the windshield. XD

[@herptek]

Rockets, bombs or bomblet casettes might be a better way than guns to engage tanks. The cannon armament works only from certain directions against sufficiently protected tanks. I don't know about how well it is simulated in this program, but in real life carrying guns in wing pods affect the flight performance of the plane negatively more or less and can't be ditched like bombs.

[@MacKaris]

Well you're making it look easy. I'm having serious trouble actually hitting anything, even planes flying in a straight line let alone ground targets which is even more difficult. Not sure where the problem is, I do have a proper joystick and stuff, but I don't have a TrackIR or VR goggles.

[@RequiemsACTL]

If I saw a track of your flying I could probably see whats going on. I won't be able to do that for a little while though. In england atm

[@aviationwithbrayden561]

Great vid. How do you like the G940, would you recommend it?

[@RequiemsACTL]

I like the G940 stick...the pedals I got rid of long ago...and the throttle is barely working...so ..I recommend the stick for force feedback and that's it!

[@jchaplin84]

What wind setting were you using in the mission when you filmed this? I find the hardest part of strafing runs is countering wind drift moving the sight picture. Your series are great and informative, thanks for all your hard work.

[@RequiemsACTL]

I set the winds to be relatively calm down low so it's easier to see the basic principles im trying to show. I want to make a video showing this technique, but the easiest way to practice accounting for drift (out of combat) is to first make a "dry run", with no shooting so you can focus a bit more on the flying, against a target and see how many mils off you are when you correct any wind drift during the approach. Then come around and approach again with that number of mils built into it and do the shooting. Over time you develop a feel for the correction when actually shooting at something. Of course you can avoid the problem by only attacking into the wind to reduce ground speed but target angle may not always allow for that.

[@jchaplin84]

@@RequiemsACTL Interesting, I'll have to try this the next time I do strafing. Thanks for the tip

[@Jay-Niner]

I think I need to tinker with my track-ir settings because I have a hell of a time keeping the vv1 sights lined up. You seem to be glued to the correct position in this video and i guess that’s some kind of dead zone setting i need to find

[@RequiemsACTL]

It took a steady head, but I have a trackIR profile available for download here as well: www.dropbox.com/s/2hj9dl5ckcpmd51/Requiem Jun 2014.zip?dl=0

[@Jay-Niner]

@@RequiemsACTL randomly came back to this video today since it popped up in my recommended feed. I never saw your response, since I have KZbin notifications turned off but many thanks nonetheless for taking the time to share your profile! 🙂

[@nickjonathan4043]

I know I'm late but you can configure a deadzone in Track-IR so that it will snap to center so long as you're close. Of course you can dial in the sensitivity of this to your liking.

[@brucetutton7897]

Are there any cues in the cockpit to help estimate angle of dive?

[@RequiemsACTL]

It's a technique known as TLAR....that looks about right :-)

[@Tity32]

When do you stop firing at a tank and consider it's a kill ? When it's smoking black it's enough ? Or does it have to explode ?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Smoking is usually enough. Over time a smoker can often explode. I rarely keep shooting at tanks after I see them smoking

[@sniper9786]

How to use il2 bombs and rockets against moving tanks??? I need help as I play war thunder realistic battles... Although I am a IL2 sturmovik veteran but now I don't have the high end rig so I play war thunder on laptop.

[@lumierescreatives]

Thank's for your toturials. I tried your files... but it doesn't work. Even in BOSeditor, I can't open the "IL-2 1943 Ground Attack.Mission" file. Any Idea ?

[@RequiemsACTL]

There's a way to resave mission files when a patch makes them not work anymore. Can't remember off the top of my head but it's on the forums somewhere

[@lumierescreatives]

@@RequiemsACTL thank you, I'll search.

[@lumierescreatives]

@@RequiemsACTL It's working now : 1// delete file .msnbin (...\IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\data\Missions) 2//open file .mission with STEditor (...\IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\bin\editor) 3//Re-Save 4// that's all Thank's for your videos

[@RequiemsACTL]

@@lumierescreatives thanks for sharing the fix!

[@mafproductions5005]

How can you keep your aircraft so stable when strafing? I need always to correct the stability while i am descending to strafe, with the emberassing results of missing the target or using slo-mo to hope of hitting something. Can someone help me please?

[@RequiemsACTL]

What hardware are you using for controls?

[@UmutcanOktem-et7ig]

Can you do take off video for il 2 43 ?

[@RequiemsACTL]

I did

[@JKLV33]

The mission gives me problems, to open it in the editor or launch it. The one from Hs129 too :(

[@RequiemsACTL]

The problem is every time there is a patch is breaks the missions, so you need to delete the .msnbin file for the mission then open it and resave it. I can't keep up with fixing them :(

[@JKLV33]

@@RequiemsACTL Okay Okay, I've been wanting to download missions that don't go later, trainings and many things and now I understand why, thank you very much, very kind :D

[@fredf68]

Hi, I'm new to IL2. I wanted to know if you can do a tutorial with the Sturmovik, how to bomb ? I have a scripted mission where I need to bomb and can't release my bombs. I know how to arm/disarm, how to launch them (I think) but I can't see any bomb on my plane. I can't equip them the game says my plane is equiped for the mission. Is it a bug ? Or do this plane have something special I don't know ? Thank you for your help.

[@RequiemsACTL]

The quick way....20-30 degree dive, once the target disappears under your nose during your pullout. Drop the bomb.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Just make sure you select bombs in the hangar before taking off and that your key is bound, should be B by default.

[@fredf68]

@@RequiemsACTL Thank you it works fine like that :) I still have a question, when I turn to bomb or to fire on vehicles, I have a lot of trouble stabilizing the plane. Because of the wind? Or do I miss something (not enough speed?) When I watch your videos, your plane is always straight and not shaking. It's because I play with a hotas and pedals ?

[@fredf68]

@@RequiemsACTL Thank you :) The bombs where selected just didn't appear on the plane, when I launch them. Or I think on this plane they are behind.

[@cassieg4486]

You're like the Bob Ross of aircraft.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Cassie, I may need to figure out how to work in a "happy tree" phrase somewhere haha

[@Cryton12345]

Why isn't these videos part of the Single player IL2 sturmovik single player missions like it would be for the old IL-2 1946 Sturmovik

[@RequiemsACTL]

Simply because I'm not affiliated with the developers of the sim. I make these videos in my spare time

[@mityrka]

how is your aircraft so stable? Mine is wobbling all directions, I can hardly align the gunsight with the target

[@RequiemsACTL]

Sounds like your rudder might have issues. You could need to add a deadzone around the middle or create a curve so it's less sensitive around the center.

[@mityrka]

@@RequiemsACTL thanks a lot, I flew over 300+ hours with broken rudder and I thought it was supposed to be like this.... I just found the issue. Now it is like playing a different game lol

[@mrstorch5068]

Strangely, I heard Lux Aeterna in the background.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Nice musical choice :-)

[@mrstorch5068]

Hello m8