IL-2 Sturmovik (computer game)

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IL-2 Sturmovik (Ил-2 Штурмовик)

Developer(s)	1C
Publisher(s)	1C, Ubisoft
Release date(s)
Genre(s)	Simulation
Mode(s)
Platform(s)
Media	Compact Disc
Input	Keyboard and mouse Gamepad

IL-2 Sturmovik is a combat flight simulator video game, focused on the air battles of the Eastern Front during World War II. It is named for the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack fighter, which played a prominent role in this theatre. Along with its sequels, it is considered one of the leading WWII flight simulators.

The game was developed by 1C: Maddox Games and published by 1C in Russia and Ubisoft in the rest of the world, for the PC on November 18, 2001. The game has been updated frequently, the latest version that includes all sequels and patches being 4.08m.

The flight simulator IL-2: Sturmovik and the sequels Forgotten Battles, Forgotten Battles Ace expansion pack, Pacific Fighters, Pe-2 add-on, Manchuria and 1946 now contain 300 aircraft, 229 are flyable. The aircraft covers most major aircraft deployed during World War II as well as some which did not leave the prototype stage.

The original version of the game featured 31 playable Russian, German, British, French and American planes and an additional 40 non-flyable planes. After the Il2 1946 release 75 distinct flyable aircraft feature.

1 Multiplayer
2 Sequels
- 2.1 46
- 2.2 Storm of War: Battle of Britain
3 Aircraft
- 3.1 Allies
- 3.2 Axis
4 External links

[edit] Multiplayer

The game includes a very stable multiplayer feature which supports up to 64 players online over the free internet matching service hyperlobby. As of March 2007 the game still attracts over 200 online players at peak times.

[edit] Sequels

A sequel was released in March 2003, titled Forgotten Battles, which greatly expanded the number of simulated planes and battlefields. The game is based around the "forgotten" Russo-Finnish Continuation War of 1941-1944. The Ace Expansion Pack followed in March 2004, which improved the game still further.

In October 2004 Pacific Fighters was released, which can be installed on top of the earlier releases or as a stand-alone game. It expands the action to the Pacific, adding many Japanese and United States planes as well as aircraft carriers and battleships.

Most users of the IL-2 series choose to "merge" together Forgotten Battles, Ace Expansion Pack and Pacific Fighters into one installation. Having this merged version of the game is essential to be able to access the majority of IL-2 servers for online gaming.

The IL-2 Series "Complete edition" has been released, combining Forgotten Battles, The Ace expansion pack, and Pacific fighters into one easy installation.

Recently the PE-2 Add-on has been released in Europe and North America. The PE-2 add-on added 95 Campaign Missions, 5 Single Missions and 5 Multi-Player Cooperative Missions. Two new flyable aircraft, the Pe-2 in 4 versions, and the Pe-3 in two versions. The new PE-2 add-on also added a large number of new ground vehicles and other objects for missions, incluiding several types of Flak weapons and Soviet heavy weapons. As with the other add-ons the PE-2 is installed as a merged installation.

[edit] 46

The latest add-ons are called Sturmoviks over Manchuria and 46. They were released simultaneously on DVD or as a pay-per-download in a single package titled IL-2 46. The complete set brings the games total aircraft count to over 300.

The Il-2 46 (game version 4.07m, now patched up to 4.08m) consists of prototype and completed aircraft from 1946, as well as new Soviet and Japanese aircraft that served during the operation August Storm in 1945. The planes include the Yak-15, MiG-9, Ta-183, MiG-13, Ar-234, N1K2-J, J2M5, Ki-21, A-20C, Il-10, and many others.

Ubisoft released "IL-2 Sturmovik 1946" in December 2006 in Europe and Australia; North American release date is scheduled for Q1 2007. Il-2: 46 raises the total amount of aircraft to over 300 with 32 new flyable aircraft (some which never flew in real life) as well as a few others controlled by the AI . It also features nearly 200 new missions and new maps featuring the Kiev region, new parts of the USSR, China, Korea and Burma.

[edit] Storm of War: Battle of Britain

The next sequel is Storm of War: Battle of Britain, based on the major air battles of the Battle of Britain between the RAF on the one side and the Axis Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica (Italy) on the other. The games utilizes a new engine, and so will not be compatible with the earlier versions.

[edit] Aircraft

The lists includes only flyable aircraft. Due to intellectual property issues, several important US planes - such as the TBF Avenger - could not be included in the game as flyables. [1])