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.
Follow Us