In Part II of our interview Oleg Maddox answers more of our questions regarding IL-2 Sturmovik.

[Ed. Note: The following article is based on an email interview and Oleg's responses have been preserved in their original form. Len's questions are in red and Oleg's responses are in the regular, black text.]

What is the LaGG-3?

Western sources often identify, no, correct "La" (Lavochkin) and "LaGG" (Lavochkin, Gudkov and Gorbunov). It was different aircraft. "La" is another branch of "LaGG" development, with other engines (La's had air-cooled engines instead of liquid-cooled engines on LaGG's) So, here I would like to present some short historical info. Initially in 1939 year there was one design office of 3 main designers of the LaGG series - Lavochkin, Gudkov and Gorbunov. The first flight of new I-301 plane did in the middle of 1940 year. After trials the first series of this plane, named LaGG-3, were build in January 1941. From series to series there were lots of modifications.

Here is the list of the most known variants of LaGG - series

• 1. I-301 - trial version N1 (1940)
• 2. I-301 - trial version N2 (1940)
• 3. LaGG-3 with M-105P engine, 1x12,7 mm (BK), 2x12,7 mm (BS), 2x7,62 mm (SHKAS). (1941)
• 4. LaGG-3 with M-105P engine, 1 x 20 mm (VYa), 1x12,7 mm (BS), 2x7,62 mm (SHKAS) (1941)
• 5. LaGG-3 with M-105P engine, 1 x 20 mm (SHVAK), 1x12,7 mm (BS), 2x7,62 mm (SHKAS) (1941)
• 6. LaGG-3 with M-105P engine, 1 x 20 mm (SHVAK), 1x12,7 mm (BS). (1941)
• 7. LaGG-3. Were added leading-edge slots. Other parameters like in item 6. (1941)
• 8. Were designed the new metallic tunnel of water cooler. (1941)
• 9. Removing in air the tail wheel (1941)
• 10. LaGG-3 with M-105PF engine. Weapons like in item 6. The speed increased. (1942)
• 11. LaGG-3 with M-105P engine. 1x37 mm (Sh), 1x12,7 (BS) (1941)
• 12. LaGG-3 with M-105PF engine. 1x37 mm (NS), 1x12,7 (BS) (1942)
• 13. LaGG-3 with M-105PF engine. Light version 1. The maximum speed increased. (1942)
• 14. LaGG-3 with M-105PF engine. Light version 2. The maximum speed increased. (1943)
• 15. LaGG-3 (107) with M(VK)-107 engine. The maximum speed increased. (1943 very small amount were produced, because all VK-107 engines were used for a series of Yak-3 and Yak-9)
• 16. LaGG-3 (105) with M-105PF2 engine. The maximum speed on the high altitude increased.
• 17. LaGG-3 (Gu-82) with air-cooled M-82 engine. (Gudkov.1941. Trial version)
• 18. LaGG-3 with additional jet engine (1941. Trial version)
• 19. LaGG-5 with air-cooled M-82 engine (Gorbunov. 1942. Trial version)
• 20. LaGG-M-82 with air-cooled M-82 engine. (Lavochkin, 1941. Prototype of La-5. Trial version) On another picture you also can see the project of jet LaGG-R, which were in development in 1942 year. This project wasn't released, because the first original Russian jet engine TR-1 wasn't ready and was in long trials. In 1945 year all main Russian designers of the fighters used this scheme for their Yak-15, MiG-9, La-150, and others. Such 'redan' scheme later named in western sources as Russian scheme.

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Tell us about the larger strategic picture. Will Russian units use a different strategy than German units?

Yes, Russian units use different strategy from German units. For example, German AI aces will use a special tactics for fast kills of IL-2's. Aces close on their target from below and behind, trying to hit less armored oil radiator of Il-2 (Erich Hartmann). But really it isn't easy, because IL-2's usual fly on the 25 m altitude. Another example is Stuka's that will dive from a high altitude, while IL-2s some time will attack from ground level. The same on the ground below - German tanks will try to attack from the maximum distance and Russian tanks will travel at high speed and close on target for a clean kill.

Will the player be able to fly as either wing leader or wing? How does a player achieve promotion to command?

Yes, it will be present. If player successfully completes some amount of missions, he will be able to reach Colonel rank (or he shall stay green forever and die in battle). Perhaps we shall also include a feature that will allow player to start from any possible rank. There is only one current problem: to do right program module that will link Russian and German ranks, squadrons, etc. Currently this allows us to do two different program modules in one…

If we fly as leader what command options will be available?

Basically it now looks like in most popular WWII flight sim. Maybe it is too complex for player? This module isn't finished yet. If anyone has suggestions, please write me to here.

You are not planning a fully dynamic campaign. What factors keep the missions from getting repetitious? Does one mission affect the next physically? If I destroy an airfield in mission 1, will it still be unusable in mission 2?

I have already answered similar question in some of my interviews … When I read the features of games with fully dynamic campaigns I think that it is not true. Sorry J. Currently we don't plan to include "dynamic" campaigns and here I will try to repeat and explain again why.

To model a dynamic campaign even on a small battle we, or any other developers, would need to implement a lot of battle units "working" together in real time. We would have to include all types of army troops, NOT ONLY AIR FORCES of each side. We would have to include and fully model different types of the tank groups and armored vehicles, military cars, soldiers with different equipment, aircraft squadrons with all the hundreds of types of planes present. We would have to model each and every fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack plane, close support plane, small, medium and large bomber, transport plane and naval aviation plane and the logistics which went into supporting them and all of the equipment on their airfields. If there are naval operations present, we would have to model all combat and non-combat ships which sailed the seas or rivers anywhere near the battle area. We would have to model and place accurate repair facilities all over the map to allow repair of all battle equipment and model the appearance of new drafts of conscripts. And that isn't even the end of it.

We would have to include economic factors, the ability to produce new units, the placement of fuel and transport abilities to transport it to battlefield units. There are thousand and thousand of parameters involved in the modeling of real war and it is just far too much for us to do a good job of modeling at this stage. Even the sheer number of AIs necessary to run all these units and logistics bases in real time would require a computer no-one has even dreamt of yet J We prefer to concentrate our forces over RIGHT flight models and performance, modern 3D render graphics, complex AI of all units present there, multiplay and historical data. So, we'll leave the 'fully' dynamic campaigns to others…

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