It seems like IL2 would be pretty limited as to what events could be run. Seems like Eastern Front is pretty fleshed out, as well as some 9th AF Western Front action/Channel front action. No heavy bombers, so anything 8th AF or 15th AF is out. It looks like some events could be squeezed in around Italy. No Japanese or Blue planes, so anything Pacific is out.
Obviously I'm not faulting the game makers for that - but these are the types of reasons FSOs or Scenarios can't be ripped out 'as is' and placed in another game. For the way we offer events (wide variety of designs and planesets), AH offers the best and only way to run them currently.
Frankly, if I were to pick a game I'd port the events to War Thunder as the game has the planeset to support how we run the events. It also has the "realistic" mode which is much better than the arcade mode you see when you join random battles. The only thing missing (and of course, it's a big thing) is the ability to host servers/events like we do. Ability to set alt caps, have realistic maps, enable/disable flight, etc.
IL2 could have ran several of our scenarios over the last few years, possibly more with some fudging of the terrains (just moving physical locations West or East, with no real substitutions). I say that because Aces High terrains lack certain terrain features that really promote realism like IL2 does. IL2 may not have Paris or Berlin cities modeled, but in reality, neither do we. In AH, It's more of a scaled location with a generic game object to represent a city which for AH vets like ourselves suffices, not so much for others.
So in these cases, Yes, I believe IL2 could "rip out" scenarios like Velikye Luki, Battle for Paris, Road to Berlin, Cherkassy Pocket, Win the Winter Sky, etc.
In my opinion, Scenarios that are set in the Mediterranean and Pacific are a complete no-go for IL2, but from the data we have gathered in AH, isn't really a deal breaker, especially when it comes to Pacific. IL2 has the plane set to make a lot of Mediterranean Scenarios, just lacks a terrain(s).
So, I don't disagree that AH offers the variety that IL2 can't, I would argue that IL2 isn't far behind, or even in some cases, well past AH in the metrics that can be measured and compared. I have never played WT, but it does look more and more interesting honestly.
I looked into Il-2 the other day.
There are some teams that run historical events in Il-2. I read their sites, not played in any of it, so not sure of exact details.
I think on Il-2, you need a different game or different pack for each location or plane set. For example, you get IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Kuban for $50 or whatever, and it is the Kuban with 8-10 plane types. You want something else, say Bodenplatte, that's a different one, another $50, another set of planes. Etc.
Even then, you are now doing a few Eastern Front battles, Bodenplatte, and Normandy for their current set of games. If you can get older games, you add a couple Channel Front and a North Africa, it seems. So, about 8 battle locations.
While Il-2 could do scenarios if they work that functionality into their product line, I doubt they are going to do that. Because they haven't done so yet in their 22 years of operation. And their stuff isn't a good fit for scenarios. It's too restricted in what you can set up.
In IL2 you can play in any online server that isn't password protected without having the terrain - You just have to have one of the available aircraft to actually launch. For example, if I have the Fw 190A-5, I can fly in any server that has the Fw 190A-5 enabled, regardless of terrain or game ownership. When you exit the server, you lose access to that terrain offline.
Official Terrain list:
Arras 1918
Western Front 1918
Moscow 41-42 (2 seasons)
Stalingrad 42-43 (3 seasons)
Velikye Luki 43-43
Kuban 43 (2 seasons)
Prokhorovka 43 (this is more of a GV map but aircraft can certainly be used)
Normandy 44 (2 seasons)
Rhienland 44-45 (4 seasons)
Novosokolniki 42-43 (another GV map)
As far as costs go, that can be complex comparing the two. I own every IL2GB game - Moscow, Stalingrad, Kuban, Boddenplatte, Normandy, Tank Crew, and Flying Circus I, II, III as well as several of the individual collector aircraft and vehicles, as well as some of their scripted campaigns. Some I bought early access too, so I saved a little bit on the overall costs, others I bought in their annual sales they hold where stuff is typically 50% off.
I would say I have spent around $600 in total on the IL2GB series since 2016. Compared to Aces High, that's only about 3.5 years of your AH subscription. I will add, I am blessed to have the support of HT and the special events community to be a CM, but I have been here for 23 years. If you have been here longer than 3 and a half years then you will have invested more of your money or volunteer duties than you would have spent on IL2. And if you have only been here for 3.5 years you have seen zero new aircraft, and maybe only one revamped/remodeled existing aircraft.
Let us not forget, HT is not in the business of Scenarios or special events. That falls squarely on the volunteer player base. HT has never written or hosted a scenario like me or you. He only provides the canvas. Sure, he has made improvements and upgrades that make it easier for us and the players, but in the end scenarios don't come with Aces High without people like you and Spikes.
I'm not here to convince anyone that one is better than the others. I haven't flown either Aces High or IL2 in over 3 weeks, DCS even longer. I am at that point in my life that I have seen others, where they have too much going on in life with real life and family. I now know why others take these breaks or step away, I never really understood that until I had a child.
I like Aces High special events because of the community and camaraderie, it is where it's at. But that will change as it's not going to last forever, or even much longer, (sorry) and someone else will pick it up on some other venue.
