Wings Over the Reich Expansion 'The Battle of France'

by

OBD Software

  OBD Software has been around for a long time. They hit the big time with their first game, 'Wings Over Flanders Fields'. Originally, it was really just a mod from the Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3. Wings Over Flanders Fields has garnered many plaudits over the years since it release and is in many of the 'top 20-25 simulations of all time' lists. This is what OBD Software has to say about Wings Over the Reich:

"‘WOTR’ is an immersive WW2 Combat Flight Simulator for PC, that brings you full-on immersion in the greatest air battle that has ever been, the ‘Battle of Britain’, and now with WOTR Expansion, the earlier ‘Battle of France’ too! Immerse yourself via the new dynamic campaign systems, all developed by OBD specially for WOTR uniquely for both for BoB and BoF Be thrilled and absorbed in the frantic dogfighting in early WW2.Choose to fight for Britain, Germany or France (with the BoF expansion), in desperate fights to stop the early German advance!  With stunning immersive WW2 environments, OBD’s unique unmatched single player dynamic campaign system, beautiful lighting and scenery, superb unique weather systems, and the finest WW2 Artificial Intelligence pilot system for thrilling air combat! Now with the incredible “Battle of France" Expansion to take it further WOTR aims to be the definitive BoB and BoF WW2 flight simulator for PC! WOTR is unashamedly designed for single player, because gameplay matters!"

Curtiss H-75A2

 This is their thoughts on the expansion The Battle of France:

"Invasion Begins: Experience the intensity of 1940's blitzkrieg warfare as Germany launches a surprise attack through the Ardennes, catching the Allies off guard. You are at the heart of the action in an unprecedented dynamic campaign crafted by OBD, known for their record-breaking work in combat flight simulators. Dynamic Campaign System; Choose your side - Germany, Britain, or France - and immerse yourself in a rapidly changing battlefield. Our new campaign engine brings to life the swift and tumultuous Battle of France like never before. Witness history as the Germans carve their path along the Somme valley, bisecting French forces and cornering the BEF and French 1st Armies at Dunkirk. Evacuation of Dunkirk; Take on a pivotal role in history, flying Spitfire squadrons from England to assist in the famous Dunkirk evacuation. This is where heroism meets strategy. Seamless Integration: Your journey doesn't end here. Seamlessly transition from the Battle of France to the Battle of Britain, continuing your pilot's career across these iconic campaigns. It's one continuous war story. New Additions:Scenery: Explore new airfields, admire the updated grass textures, and marvel at the detailed Dunkirk area, complete with landmarks like the Mole and the Lighthouse. Flyable Aircraft: Test your skills in the Curtiss Hawk 75-A2, BF109E3, and others. For Battle of Britain enthusiasts, the cannon-armed Spitfire MkIb (Early), Spitfire MkIb, and Spitfire MkIIa await.AI Aircraft: Engage with the Bloch MB152, Morane MS406, Potez 63.11, Fairey Battle MkI, and Blenheim MkIV. Ground Realism: Witness German tanks advancing into France, capturing bridges and airfields. Observe the main armies moving across the battlefield in a real-time simulation of war. More to Explore: Dive deeper into the game's features in the 'News' section. Please ensure you check the 'Requirements' on the Support page before purchasing, to fully prepare for this unparalleled combat flight experience. For WOTR Fans: With numerous enhancements and additions, this is a must-have for any enthusiast of the series. Wings over the Reich: Battle of France offers a unique blend of historical accuracy and immersive gameplay."

 So, as you can see, Wings Over the Reich has a lot of pedigree in its DNA. About the only gripe that flight simmers have had about WOTR is the fact that originally you only had three planes you could fly. The Battle of France expansion adds a lot to the mix, and not only in the plane department. This is a list of the flyable and AI only planes in WOTR with the addition of The Battle of France:

British Flyable

Hurricane MkIa

Spitfire MkIa 

Spitfire MKIb (early)

Spitfire MkIb 

Spitfire MkIIa

British AI only

Fairey Battle MkI 

Bristol Blenheim MkIV

French Flyable

Curtiss H-75A2

French AI only

Potez 63.11

Bloch MB.152 C.1

Morane M.S.406 C.1

German Flyable:

BF 109-E3

BF 109-E4

German AI only:

JU88-A1 

JU87-B1 

Do17-Z2 

He111-H2

Bf 110 C4 

 Now I know that some German plane lovers might be upset about the flyable list. However, OBD Software is all about historical reality in their games. In the air war over the Western Front in 1939 and 1940 the plane list is completely correct for the time. This is for single seat fighters only at the moment. A big caveat to the list is what they have done with, and continue to do, Wings Over Flanders Fields and all of the plane and other additions that have come down the pike. So, I completely believe OBD Software when they say that more goodness is on the way. Please remember, this is not a big PC game studio like Microprose was and might be again. This is really two dedicated flight sim enthusiasts, with some help at times. I must stress that the biggest thing to me in both of their games is the length that they will go to make sure of their historical accuracy. We have had tons of combat flight sims over the years that gave us only eye candy with nothing underneath. OBD Software is really different. Yes, they have beautiful eye candy, but underneath the tip of the iceberg is the real meat and potatoes of the games.

 I have to say that I do drool over flying a FW 190 of any kind in these digital skies. I would also cut off a finger for a flyable BF 110 in WOTR. However, I truly believe that in this case good things will come to those who wait.

 Battle of France, to me, is another step forward for OBD Software to catch up WOTR with its older brother WOFF. The addition of the Battle of France in 1940 gives the flight simmer a new and huge amount of history to immerse themselves into. Now the Curtiss H-75A2 is not in any way shape or form near a Dewoitine D.520 (although Eric Brown did describe the Dewoitine as "It was a nasty little brute. Looked beautiful but didn't fly beautifully."). While flying your Curtiss you are slower and rather weaker than your direct counterparts the BF 109s. However, you do have maneuverability on your side. The 1940 versions of the German bombers are easier to handle than their beefed up later versions. Use your maneuvering capability to evade the BF 109s and get at the German Stukas or other bombers. If you are forced to fight a BF 109, do it on your terms if possible. Your turning rate is much better, and your climbing rate is pretty good. The Curtiss reminds me of a Japanese KI -43 Hayabusa. The Curtiss is really maneuverable, and relatively easy to fly, but it lacks any armor and has a pretty weak punch. In other words, it is very historically accurate. 

 Please take the above advice with a large salt lick. I have been flying computer flight sims since the early 1980s and have all of the bells and whistles that come with the hobby. Name a PC flight combat sim and I have flown in it. Unfortunately, my abilities as a pilot in no way equals my love of the genre and knowledge of the actual history of air combat. I can state that WOFF and WOTR are two of the most immersive flight combat sims ever produced. Just flying around in them is a pure joy.

 Thank you, OBD Software, for allowing me to review this excellent expansion for WOTR. Unfortunately for you, it has really only sharpened my appetite for what else you have in your rabbits' hat.  

 All of the pictures were from WOTR with The Battle of France expansion added.

Robert Peterson

Wings Over the Reich

The Battle of France Expansion

Wings over Flanders Field

These are links to two reviews that we did on Over Flanders Field and its expansion Between Heaven and Hell:

Wings Over Flanders Fields Between Heaven & Hell II by OBD (Old Brown Dog) Software - A Wargamers Needful Things

Wings Over Flanders Fields UE Review - A Wargamers Needful Things

Wings Over Flanders Fields

 Between Heaven & Hell II 

by

OBD Software

 The Fairey Swordfish 'Stringbag' was as far removed from most World War II 400mph aircraft as it was from World War I planes. Yet, compared to planes in 1916 it was a marvel of engineering. What possessed those intrepid flyers to get up in those far from magnificent flying machines? Showing my age on that one. Parachutes that had been invented before the war, and worked just fine, were not allowed in plane cockpits for fear that the pilot would jump out to save his life and thereby lose the machine. So, many pilots kept revolvers handy to shoot themselves if their planes caught on fire. The ever present chance of shooting your own propeller off, or having a wing just decide to no longer be attached to the rest of the plane, was always in their minds. The soldiers in the trenches looked at the pilots as pampered pets who knew nothing of the 'real' war. However, if you look at the faces of the pilots that lasted in combat you will see a marked change. Their faces become lined and take on what looks like the pallor of death. In their eyes you can almost see them say to you "yes, I will be dead soon", almost in a glad sort of way. I believe it was Eddie Rickenbacker who, when taken up in his first flight, was asked if he saw any 'Huns'. He answered "no". The pilot answered their were more than a few in the sky with them. "Beware the Hun in the Sun", became a poster's cry. In reality the pilots had to beware everything, even their own mounts. To become an Ace was truly an act of intense bravery and tremendous luck. The Aces' names during and right after the war were more famous than most sport stars. This is the time and place  that OBD Software has chosen to take us: in the skies of France during the First World war. 

 I am the absolutely last person who should be writing this review. I bought into the original Over Flanders Field right at the start, and I have purchased every add-on or upgrade ever published. If you are a WWI airplane junkie you should already have this game, nothing else needs to be said. Of course, I must respect the usual forms of writing a review, so let us see what the game actually comes with, and why if you have not upgraded to Between Heaven & Hell II, you should immediately. This is a small synopsis of the game as it now stands on their website:

"OBD is proud to bring you our unashamedly single-player WW1 flight simulator : WOFF BH&H II.  What many are now saying is the most immersive flight simulator available for World War One, be absorbed into the WW1 Air War more than ever before.  Superb features.  The videos may look great but there are 100s of fantastic unseen features or improvements over our previous generations of WOFF.   From the visuals in the cockpit to AI, the superb Campaign engine, some of the best looking scenery and more you will discover yourself:  All whilst keeping performance at a similar level or better than previous versions.   Please see the “NEW Features” button just below to read more. Each one of over 80 FLYABLE aircraft now has cockpit vibrations, including vibration affected instrument needles and more, animated pilots intelligently look around for immersive flights and much more. WOFF BH&H II now includes a fresh Albatros D.II model, much improved 3 x S.E.5 series and 3 x Albatros D.III series aircraft, quality improvements to many others including all aircraft from the B.E.2c series, B.E.12 series and the R.E.8 and many more. (HD= home defence) Also includes over 35 main menu music tracks - favourites from previous WOFF’s plus 3 brand new stunning music tracks especially created by the musician Matt Milne for WOFF BH&H II. Immerse yourself in one of over 500 historically accurate fighter and bomber squadrons,  located in the historically correct location with the correct aircraft (over 80 flyable) of the time, anywhere along the Western front during WW1, or defend England from Gotha and Zeppelin raids! Spanning the period from 1915 through to the Armistice in November 1918 with front-lines that move as they did, there is no other combat flight simulator that can bring you the accuracy and feel of being a WW1 pilot, with all of the dangers associated with it!  Staying alive is your number one priority, and that of the AI pilots too."

 So, a few things stick out. First, it is single player only (Shock, gasp, wheeze, and catch your breath). Second, the word immersion. If you can find another simulation that gives you the immersion this does I will eat my flying scarf and goggles. Third, the absence of the name 'Snoopy'. This is a high fidelity simulation. You, however, will not need to start your engines and prime your plane for a half hour before you even take off (although those sims do scratch an itch at times). Even still, this is a simulation. A flightstick and rudders are essential. The goggles and the scarf I wear when playing it are optional. No Mikey, you cannot play the game with a mouse. 

 This is the very long list of the planes that are in Between Heaven & Hell II:

German Aircraft:

Albatros D.I                                 

Albatros D.II

Albatros D.III (early)

Albatros D.III OAW

Albatros D.III

Albatros D.V

Albatros D.V (Later)

Albatros D.Va

Albatros D.Va 200 PS

Aviatik BI

Aviatik BII

Aviatik C.I

Aviatik C.I trainer (x2)

D.F.W. C.V

Fokker D.II

Fokker D.III

Fokker DR.I

Fokker D.VI

Fokker D.VII OAW

Fokker D.VII

Fokker D.VIIF

Fokker E.I

Fokker E.II

Fokker E.III

Fokker E.IV  (Twin gun)

Fokker E.V  (mono-wing)

Gotha G.IV bomber

Halberstadt D.II

Halberstadt D.III (Argus Engine)

Hannover CL.III

Pfalz A.I  2 seater

Pfalz E.III

Pfalz D.IIIa

Roland C.II

Rumpler C.IV

Zeppelin R Type (AI only)

Zeppelin P Type (AI only)

Allied Aircraft:

Breguet 14 A.2

Bristol Scout type D

Bristol Fighter F.2b

Caudron G.4

D.H.2

D.H.2 Early

D.H.4

D.H.5

F.E.2.b

Morane "Parasol" Type L 2 Seater 

Nieuport 10

Nieuport 12

Nieuport 11

Nieuport 16

Nieuport 17 Lewis gun 

Nieuport 17 Vickers gun 

Nieuport 17 Bis  (2 guns)  

Nieuport 23 Vickers gun  

Nieuport 23 Lewis gun  

Nieuport 24 Bis Lewis gun  

Nieuport 24 Bis  

Nieuport 24 Lewis gun  

Nieuport 24 Vickers gun  

Nieuport 27 Lewis gun  

Nieuport 27 Vickers gun  

Nieuport 28  

R.A.F. B.E.12     

R.A.F. B.E.12 HD     

R.A.F. B.E.2c Early     

R.A.F. B.E.2c     

R.A.F. B.E.2c HD     

R.A.F. B.E.2c trainer (x2) 

R.A.F. R.E.8     

R.A.F. S.E.5  (Early,150HP)

R.A.F. S.E.5a    

R.A.F. S.E.5a Viper    

Sopwith Camel

Sopwith Camel - Bentley 

Sopwith Pup 

Sopwith Snipe 

Sopwith Strutter B1 

Sopwith Strutter A2 

Sopwith Tripe 

Sopwith Tripe (RNAS twin vickers)

Spad VII 

Spad XIII

 I would like to post the updates to the game that BH&H II gives you, but I do not have enough room on the page. You will just have to read it for yourself on the link below.

 You can in the game play both Quick Scenarios and Quick Combat, but the heart of the game has always been playing a Campaign. In the Campaign you will see just how hard it was to survive to fight again in the skies over France.

 The simulation is a tinkerer's dream. You have so many decisions you can make in the different Workshops screens.

 So, you have Single Player, and with that comes no need to have an internet connection, or to fly with a group of twelve-year old kids.  Immersion, Immersion, and even more Immersion (okay I stole it from Danton). You have the ability to adjust settings to get the simulation to play just the way you want it to on your older or super new fangled computer. Then you have 'The Planes, The Planes' (once again stolen). One thing that WOFF does not have is experimental or planes that had just come off the drawing board. These birds were all used, and some of them for most of the war. My favorite year to play is 1915. This really taxes your skill to get kills. You have wing-warping instead of actual control surfaces. For the newbie, I would suggest playing in 1918. The planes are effectively how you would fly in WWII, but still rudimentary. Of course, the later years have that many more chances to run into enemies also. If I was to give any advice to a newbie, I would say pick up a book on the WWI Airwar, and commit to memory what the different pilots said. You have no radios, so continually search the skies. Also before you get into a furball learn your plane's idiosyncrasies. Meaning, find out what maneuvers you can and cannot pull off before the wings rip off. If you dive into this game straight from a WWII sim hell bent for leather, all you will end up as is a smoking hole in the ground. 

 The simulation is a labor of love for the OBD Software crew. It is their attempt to give the computer pilot the closest thing they can to being a pilot in the Great War. You can actually see the ground war taking place and the lines move throughout the conflict. The planes are an absolute joy to just fly and take in the sights. I am still in awe with what the OBD Software crew have been able to do, starting with an over twenty-year old program to start working with. Visually the simulation is stunning, incredibly even more so than it was.

Robert

Wings Over Flanders Fields Between Heaven & Hell II:

index (overflandersfields.com)

Features of the game, along with BH&H II updates:

features (overflandersfields.com)