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Itching to know more? Let's turn to Roger, the spiritual father of it all, to explain what the concept is about.

COMBATSIM: Tell us about yourself in eleven words.

Roger: Die hard WWII Flight Sim fan, who never, ever, grew up.

Fig. 3. Spit/FW-190 Dogfight

COMBATSIM: While the buzz about the SDOE War is already high in the SDOE community, outside of it not much is known about the event. Could you give a brief explanation for the people who are not yet familiar with SDOE?

Roger: SDOE WAR is like nothing we in SDOE have ever done before. Unlike many tournaments or ladders where the goal is to find out the best pilot or squad, SDOE WAR will pit the Allies against the Axis to try and simulate the War fought in the skies over Europe, Africa, England and hopefully soon the Pacific. The War that this and many other games were intended to represent.

COMBATSIM: Would you tell us more about the structure of the SDOE War, especially about the way and order the events will take place?

Roger: Before the War begins pilots will sign up to fly for either the Axis or the Allies. That allegiance cannot change once the War starts, until the next War. Each side will have Commanders either appointed, nominated, or who volunteer. Those Commanders will be tasked with purchasing assets to fight the war, i.e. Aircraft, Flak Batteries, Ships, Tanks, etc. They will also have to manage their squads and pilots, assign squad leaders, decide targets for up coming missions, manage their resources, make decisions regarding intelligence gathering, determine which assets to use in which missions, where they will attack, where to defend, etc.

In short many of the decisions a real Commander might make during the War. The Commanders will make all purchases with currency called War Dollars. War Dollars will be provided to each side by the War Department. The War Department which is compromised of fellow SDOE flyers, will be in charge of running the War. War Dollars will be allotted in equal amounts to both sides before the War begins. How a Commander manages those War Dollars will have a great impact on his sides level of success in the War.

Both sides are provided secure web sites/forums to communicate with their pilots, plot the up coming battles, discuss strategies, etc. Once the Commanders are in place, and a sufficient amount of pilots have registered (more can register while the War is being fought) the War can begin.

Missions are built, solely on the input from each Commander. The only thing each side will know prior to a mission is what the tactics and objectives of their side is. That may often change once the mission begins and they discover the tactics and goals of the other side.

Fig. 4. On a wheel and a prayer

Once the mission is over the stats from that mission, i.e. kills, targets destroyed, etc. are recorded by a representative from the War Department. Adjustments to the amount of War Dollars remaining and assets lost are made. As well as recording and making any adjustments due to airfields, or other structures which may have changed hands after the battle. All that information is compiled and the next series of missions are built based on that data, and the requisite input from the Commanders.