This list of add-ons was first compiled in a topic by JWC in response to a question by Stork. It quickly became a bookmark in most EAW'ers browsers. But systems get upgraded and bookmarks lost, so here---finally---is the list of recommended add-ons in a place that'll be easier to find for all of us.
I kind of agree with you concerning the .50's! I put MeatWater's v2.0 .50's back into 2.5! It's easy to do----all you have to do after installing Soundpack 2.0 is copy the SND files to another folder. This creates a "library" of MeatWater sounds for you to play with. Then install the 2.5 update to your EAW folder. Replace whatever 2.5 sounds you don't like with the 2.0 originals by simply copying and pasting the appropriate soundfile into your EAW folder. The .50 cal sound is SND0026. Cord Hartmann (of Cord's EAW Page fame) has provided a list of what SND00xx file is what (as far as we know right now!), and you can view it at the following EAW Forum thread: List of sounds..
[There are so many excellent sites out there that it is really impossible to name them all! So when I leave anybody out, please don't get upset!] Really, when you stop in at ANY of these sites, I strongly urge you to check the "Links" section of each one for other EAW sites. There are PLENTY of great ones out there in addition to the few that are mentioned here! By no means should you be expected to try out ALL of these, and especially not all of them ALL AT ONCE! There are far too many for that! The best thing to do is probably to pick out a few that seem interesting or useful to you and install those (although I would certainly urge you to install the EAW v1.2 patch regardless of what else you decide to/not install). Then you can gradually add to them as you go along.
For the following Add-Ons, there are two places in general that I would recommend for "one-stop shopping". The first is Airbuddha's: The Hangar. The second is Cord's EAW Page, which contains almost everything that you want EAW-wise!
{For all of the following Add-Ons, the version listed is the latest version and the links given are correct for when this list was compiled and updated. EAW Add-Ons continue to appear at a rapid rate, newer versions of existing ones are constantly being introduced as well, and websites can move! After my first revision to this Add-Ons List was posted, I think the list became seriously outdated in only 2-3 weeks! In all probability, when you read this, the version of add-on listed may have already been superceded by later one. It's just something to keep in mind!}
As far as recommended add-ons, here are what I would recommend to use with EAW:
- EAW v1.2 patch
A must-have for many different reasons! For one thing, why would you NOT want to have the current, up-to-date version of EAW? In addition to that it lets you change resolution from the original 640x480 (ugh!) to whatever your system can handle (I'm currently running 1280x1024 on a PII 200Mhz!--albeit with Ground Object and Terrain Details set to "Low"). Plus it makes changes to the AI.......the friendly AI is much better after this patch. And if you're going to play online, then you must have it, since the earlier versions are no longer supported for online play.
You can get it at the following sites, among others:
- MeatWater Soundpack
This seems to be THE add-on that everybody recommends for EAW. Available in a "full" 17MB version or a "light" 3MB one, you get new in-flight sounds (engines, gunfire, explosions, etc.) with either. These new in-flight sounds are must-haves! The big download replaces the original German career mission briefings also. The original briefings have been described as "wimpy". People who have the "full" soundpack say that with MeatWater's new German briefings, they feel like the Gestapo is going to arrest them if they don't come back with any victories! (note: Version 2.0 is the "standard" MeatWater Soundpack; the newer Version 2.5 is intended to augment 2.0. This means that you must install 2.0 before you install 2.5.)
A good place to get all the MeatWater sounds: MeatWater's own website!
click on "Projects" on the navbar at the left and go to the "European Air War" section!
(note: There are other sounds available, although few replace ALL the sounds like the MeatWater Soundpack for EAW! However, you should feel free to try any sounds you come across for EAW. Only you can tell if you like them or not!
Here are some links to useful Soundpack Sites:
- Cord's EAW Page in the "Utilities"-----"Sound" section---Cord has reworked the volume on some of the MeatWater sounds. Many players like what he has done. Cord has another download containing a new radial engine sound and all-new plane crash sounds. Download the files and try them yourself!
- Bandit's EAW Page-----click on "Sounds"-----many players report that they especially like what Bandit has done with the flak sounds. But he has more great soundfiles than just that!
- Bilko's EAW Headquarters-----click on "Downloads"-----EAW Forum members Donster and Stanley99 have converted MeatWater's SDOE Soundpack (that's right, the one designed for Screamin' Demons Over Europe) to be used by EAW!
- Enemy Coast Ahead v1.4
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Let's you fly all the originally non-flyable aircraft except for the 4-engine types (no V-1, either). It also makes some changes [improvements] to the flight models of existing aircraft. Just as importantly (more?), it makes significant changes to the weapons modeling: "clean" or "regular" EAW has very low muzzle velocities (far lower than in real life), resulting in excessive "bullet drop" at longer ranges and requiring more lead in deflection shots. It also has incorrect rates of fire. ECA uses the "real" velocities and rates of fire.
Where to get it? Just about anywhere! But you can try the following, just to name a few!
Important ECA 1.4 is approximately an 8MB download. There is also an "ECA 1.4 Update" available. This is approximately 141Kb and is intended for people who already have any earlier version of ECA. The "Update" will bring the earlier versions of ECA up to 1.4 standard without the need for an 8MB download. But if you don't have an earlier version, then you will need the big download! Make sure which is which before you download something you don't need!
- Enemy Coast Ahead Control Panel 3.2
Takes ECA 1.4 to the ultimate level.........allows you to fly a myriad of completely different aircraft or subvariants of most! (about 200 in all!) On top of all that, ECA CP 3.2 includes the option of changing all the names of the bases and targets to names found in different theaters. You can now have all the names in EAW reflect the Pacific, North Africa/the Mediterranean, and the Russian Front! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Also includes the "Squadron Editor" which allows you to change many things in offline career mode, such as your virtual pilot's name, the name and important information for every pilot in your unit (including his Morale/Fatigue level, plus his status: Active, KIA, etc.!!!); or change your unit's base or the aircraft you fly! (The "Squadron Editor" is also available as a "stand-alone" program separate from Control Panel 3.2-----this "stand-alone" program is called "EAW Pilot".)
It too is available just about everywhere, I think every site that has ECA 1.4 also has CP 3.2! Still, the ECA Online Downloads Page would be my recommendation for both Control Panel 3.2 or EAW Pilot:
- ECA Online Downloads Page:
- ECA Online
(currently at v1.31)
So you want realism? Try this. Designed by an actual aerospace engineer who is also a pilot, it changes the flight models even further than ECA! Now if you throw the stick around like a madman you stall instantly! Judging by the complaints of Spitfire and Mustang "pilots", the original version may have been TOO realistic for some people's tastes! The latest versions of ECAO (beginning with 1.3) are super-realistic in terms of performance. The flight models were developed, tested, tweaked, tested again, tweaked again, etc., for 4 months by the creator of ECAO and a myriad of beta testers, all in an effort to get the flight models as close to the real-world flight data for these aircraft as possible. The result is (IMHO) the most well-researched, historically accurate, balanced set of flight models yet produced for EAW.
- Available from the ECA Online Downloads Page:
- "Flight Model Converters"
"Scorpion's Flight Model Selector 1.0" or Johannes Schweidler's "eawcm 1.31" are two of the leading examples. (note: "Flight Model Selector" is the new name for the latest version of Scorpion's earlier "Enabler") But these aren't the only ones around! Capitán Manduca has introduced his "Campaign and Flight Model Manager 1.0" and also the "Network Game Configurator 1.0". The "Campaign and Flight Model Manager 1.0" not only allows you to swap Flight Models like the programs listed in #6, but you can also link specific skins to specific Flight Models! On top of all that, the latest version of this fabulous FM converter enables you to switch add-on campaigns! (see #16)!
One of the most interesting developments is the "Network Game Configurator 1.0". This could make online Flight Model compatibility problems a thing of the past! It allows you to exchange (over the Internet) Flight Models with the people your playing with!
Finally, EAW Forum Member Dolfo (Martin Osranek) has put together a set of simple batch files that do the same job of moving ECA and ECAO in and out of the EAW directory like the more complicated programs do, but are VERY simple to install and use! If you're just starting out with add-ons (or even if you're not!) these could be just the thing for you! Dolfo also explains how to use ECA Control Panel both offline and online!
If you're going to use ECA and/or ECAO, then a great way to be able to switch back and forth between "clean" EAW, ECA, and ECAO is with these easy-to-use file managers. If you want to install any of the add-on packs like the ones mentioned, these managers will be a real work-reducer! They allow you to switch back and forth with the click of a mouse button. This is especially useful if you play online. No longer will you be unable to participate in a match because you don't have the same version as the other players! Now you can switch with a couple of clicks!
The "Flight Model Selector/Enabler" is available from:
There are several great pages that serve as instructional pages on how to install Enabler/Flight Model Selector. If you download from Relent's site, just look to the text to the right of where you download the Enabler. There are two links provided: one to the online 56th FG Enabler installation page and the other to an Enabler Installation page by Relent himself.
There is also a page at Major Lee's Aerodrome to help you get Enabler set up properly. I really like this particular page (understandable since I wrote it!).
- Major Lee's Aerodrome: Enter the hangar, stop playing tag(!), and click on "EAW Training" in the navbar at the left.
"eawcm 1.31" can be found at both:
the ECA Online Downloads Page:
and
there is a support page for eawcm 1.21 here: EAWCM Support
The "Campaign and Flight Model Manager 1.0" and "Network Game Configurator" can both be found at Capitán Manduca's EAW Workshop in the "Add-Ons" section.
Dolfo's Batch Files are at Dolfo's EAW Page: Click on "Downloads" in the navbar at the left
- Terrain Add-Ons......(and even new skies!)
There's a lot to choose from now! Terrain Add-Ons are great, especially for a seasonal effect. Flying a mission as a German vs. the Russians? The snowy Winter terrains really add to the immersion effect. You want to take a tour of duty in the Mediterranean? No problem. A swing through the desert? That can be arranged also! You can watch the colors change--the dark Summer terrain is replaced as Autumn rolls around, then snows cover Western Europe in Winter, and finally Spring arrives. (P.S. EAW Forum member JPI, who is from Lyon, France, says that the new "Spring" terrain is perfect when combined with Major Lee's Mediterranean airfield tiles and Geo's red-roofed Med buildings for France in 1940!) And if you're using the Pacific skins, then "Pacific Terrains" are a must. Not only have some terrain and skin makers made new ground, they have turned their attention skyward as well. We now have some new colored skies and different clouds that can added to EAW!
Here's a list of what is out there at the time that I write this:
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Terrain
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Notes
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By
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Jay's Terrain
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Imported
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Jay P.
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"Falcon 4" Terrain
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Imported
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Paul Wilson
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Spring Terrain
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conversion of Jay's Terrain
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C. Lumpkin
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Enhanced EAW Terrain
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darker/richer--good for Summer
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Stone
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Summer
Terrain
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Paul Wilson
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Autumn (EAW) Terrain
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C. Lumpkin
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Autumn Terrain
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conversion of Jay's Terrain
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-E
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Autumn Terrain
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Paul Wilson
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Winter (EAW) Terrain
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C. Lumpkin
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Winter Terrain
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conversion of Jay's Terrain
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-E
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Winter Terrain
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Paul Wilson
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Pacific Terrain
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Imported
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Jay P.
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Tarawa (EAW) Terrain
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C. Lumpkin
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Rabaul Terrain
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Jay's Pacific / Lumpkin Tarawa
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-E
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Pacific Mainland Terrain
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Paul Wilson
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Mediterranean Terrain
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Snake MacGuphie
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Mediterranean Terrain
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hoover2710
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Mediterranean Terrain
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Paul Wilson
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Desert Combined Terrain
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Pretzel & hoover2701
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- Terrain Sites:
(note: the site guide list is not necessarily all-inclusive; you might find these terrains at other sites as well!)
- Sky Add-Ons
From Pretzelworks
http://members.xoom.com/Pretzelworks/
- London Fog: occurs at random; experience light, medium, and unflyably heavy!
- Scattered Clouds: "normal" clouds, but far better looking than the originals
- Stormy Top Cloud Layer: adds a layer of clouds above you that are stormy and greyish
- Overcast Sky: overcast layer above you is fluffier and better-looking than the original
- Horizon Clouds (new): now the clouds are lower and look better from altitude
- Horizon Clouds: adds a cumulus layer in the distance
- Grey Skies: as Pretzel says: "...use with winter or to get that foul weather feeling"
- Fluffier Clouds: good looking--show at random, too
(note: now all of Pretzel's "sky" files are TNT-compatible!)
From Migge
Migge's EAW Skins Page (his "Weather Files"): (click on "Files" in the navbar at the left)
- New Clouds: Incredible-looking fluffy textured clouds!
- Rich Blue Skies: A rich, beautiful blue!
- Winter Sky: Bluish grey!
***WARNINGS***
Many of these "sky" files are NOT compatible with each other. In many cases they are forced to share the same file name and thus the newest one you add will overwrite the older one in the EAW directory. In addition, some of these "sky" files do not work with all video cards. The most common problem is with TNT cards, where some of these files display with ugly black spots all over them (by contrast, they seem to work well with most Voodoo/3Dfx cards). The only real way to tell if your computer can show them properly would be to download them and give them a try! If they work for you, then you are in for quite an enjoyable time playing EAW!
- Ground Object Files
Interestingly, airfields in EAW are actually not part of the terrain---instead they are 3D objects! This is annoying because no matter what terrain you are using (snow, desert, mediterranean, etc.), the airfield will always be in its original default green! Or at least, that used to be the case! But Major Lee (of Major Lee's Aerodrome) discovered that ALL the 3D objects in EAW have skins, not just the airplanes. Now you can have airfields that match any terrain. In fact, thanks to Major Lee's efforts, you can get a lot more than just airfield tiles; a whole host of "object skin" files have appeared!
- Airfield Tiles
Major Lee designed "Airfield.tpc" files for the Winter and Mediterranean terrains, hoover2701 made one for the desert, and -E came up with one for the Pacific which eliminates the runways and hides the buildings (no more odd-looking airbase in the middle of the water!
You can get the Winter (snow) and the Mediterranean airfield tiles at: Major Lee's Aerodrome in the "EAW Paint" section.
The desert files can be found at Hoover's Flugzeugwerke: Click on "Terrain" at the top of the page
All three are available at Dolfo's EAW Page
The "Pacific" airfield tiles can be found at EAW Skins by -E: Click on "Stuff".
- New Trees
BlueyT has made a replacement for the orginal EAW trees! Now you can have palm trees. This looks great in the Pacific or in the desert!
You can get the Palm Trees at both Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section
and
Major Lee's Aerodrome in the "EAW Paint" section.
- New "Mediterranean" Buildings
Geo has made some cool-looking building skins. The dreary grey ones that serve as the default buildings can be replaced with Geo's more colorful ones. These are tan with red rooves. They are perfect for both the desert and especially the Mediterranean terrains (or any other that you'd like to spice up!).
You can get the Mediterranean buildings at the following sites:
Major Lee's Aerodrome in the "EAW Paint" section.
Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section
- new "DDLoco" for the Pacific and "KillWindmillJunk"!
HarryM has helped us out with these two files! First the "DDLoco", which is intended for use with the Pacific terrains and replaces the trains with a convoy of small ships. (As an added benefit, it makes the incongrous inter-island railroads disappear or at least less visible, depending on your video card)
You can get this great addition at Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Files" section and of course, also at Cord's EAW Page: Click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left, then on "Graphics" at the upper right.
Next is the "KillWindmillJunk" files, which eliminate much of the "ground clutter" found in EAW. This allows you to run Desert, Winter, or Mediterranean terrains with a ground object detail setting other than "Low", so you can still have buildings and such. Another benefit is the elimination of the blocky-looking forests---they are replaced by other single trees such as pines.
You can get it here: KillWindmillJunk
- EAW Stab 2.2b
Another neat thing to go along with the terrain add-ons is an automatic terrain-changer! Created by EAW Forum member "matttm" (Matt Thompson-Moltzen), that is what Stab began life as. Since then, it has greatly increased in capability. Stab still does what it has always excelled at: changing terrains. But now you can also include just about any add-on you can think of to be switched when a terrain set is changed! (Stab 2.2b can be configured to include any type of file you have) This includes aircraft skins, speech files, wireframe models for the aircraft, etc. The bottom line: with Stab 2.2b, in a career now you really can watch the colors change (automatically) as the seasons do!
You can get it at the following sites:
or
- Cord's EAW Page: click on "Utilities" on the navbar at the left and then on "Miscellaneous" in the upper right.
Be sure to download matttm's excellent "Skins Management Tutorial" (it's available at the EAW Design Enhancements website)
[There is one caveat, though. If you are a "newbie" to EAW, I would recommend NOT installing Stab right away. I may be wrong, but I think you will find it much easier to understand Stab, and Add-On usage in general, if you don't use Stab at first. Learn how the Add-Ons work and how you change them in and out of EAW yourself. That way, you'll have a much clearer understanding of what is going on when you activate Stab. I had several months to absorb everything, since I got into EAW before the myriad of Add-Ons we have now were developed. Thus I had plenty of time to slowly digest how things worked. I think I'd be baffled if I was viewing this list for the first time! Once you have an understanding of how all this works, then by all means begin using Stab! It really is a fabulous addition to EAW]
- New Radio Messages, Speech Packs, and Barracks Music
(more fantastic immersion-creating stuff!)
Scratchy Radio Messages
Have you ever noticed how your ground controller seems to be sitting next to you in the cockpit? Not any more! (at least, not while flying a British or German mission)
EAW Forum member Migge (Mikko Kosonen ) has done an excellent "scratchy, distant" German controller. And -E's site has the ultimate: an entire set of scratchy radio messages for the British (it includes not only ground controller messages, but also all wingman and squadron messages and messages from bomber units as well), complete with a warbling electronic screech in the background! These are the kinds of things that add up to great immersion! (so far nobody has made a set of scratchy USAAF radio transmissions-----until someone does, I guess we'll have to assume the American pilots just have better radios in EAW ;))
***This just in! Now -E has completed the German pack! Now you can have a complete set of scratchy German messages!
for Migge's German ground controller, go to:
Migge's EAW Skin Page and click on "Files" in the navbar on the left. Click on "Soundpack (New German ground controller sounds+BMW engine for Fw 190)". After you download, you will have a zip file that contains the new German speech files and also new radial engine sounds. Remember that if you unzip directly to the EAW folder, you will not only add the German ground controller, but also replace your current radial engine sounds with the new ones. If you want to add the new German ground controller messages but not the new engine sounds, then you will have to unzip to a different folder and then copy the Ground Controller sounds [only] to the EAW folder. The engine sounds will be labeled similar to this: SND0035.SND.
for the British messages and the rest of the German, go to:
EAW Skins by -E: Click on "Stuff" (the entire British speech pack consists of 6 separate downloads......but it is well worth the effort!)
Japanese Speech Pack
developed by Jamie Richards, this is terrific if you're going to fly the Japanese aircraft in ECA Control Panel 3.0! It replaces the German radio messages with Japanese ones!
You can get the Japanese Speech Pack at the following sites:
"No German" Radio Chatter
If you try to play as an Allied pilot against a "non-German" enemy (whether it's Japan, Italy, or whoever!), it can be an immersion-destroyer to keep hearing radio calls of "German fighters!", "long-nosed 190's!" and other similar things. In addition, you see these words across the bottom of your screen. But now EAW Forum member RRF has developed this patch which replaces these radio calls and text strings with more generic ones like "Enemy fighters" and "Bandits!". It replaces these calls in the both the American and British speech files and text strings. Another fabulous add-on for keeping up the immersion factor!
Available from (where else?):
- Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section
and
- Cord's EAW Page: Click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left, then on "Sound" at the upper right. This file is labeled "Radio fix for the Pacific Theatre of Operations"
.
"Modified" Radio Speech Packs from Cord's EAW Page
These eliminate some of the more annoying radio messages and particularly gets rid of the historically inaccurate British message of "I'm Winchester" (which we believe is a modern jet pilot term which was not used in World War II, and certainly not in the RAF!). I think that the latest version of -E's Scratchy British Radio Pack also eliminates this annoying pronouncement.
For the URLs, see the one above for "Cord's EAW Page" and "EAW Skins by -E".
New Barracks Music
Need a change from the same old radio music in the barracks? Want to get a real "period" feel after a mission? Well, then, these music packs are just the thing!
Available from:
Of course, if you're REALLY into period music (and especially the immersion factor it offers), you can check out the "Radio Free EAW" website maintained by 56th FG_Pharaoh. Here you will find numerous "old" songs that were popular in World War II, all available for download!
Radio Free EAW
If you'd like to use some of these old songs in EAW (as the "barracks music") Pharaoh describes the process in the following EAW Forum thread: How To Do It - EAW Barracks Radio Sound conversions
- EAW Control 2000
(note: this is NOT #4) Alan White's EAW Control 2000 provides an interface to allow you to change resolution and many other things that you would otherwise have to edit the EAW.INI file for. You can also use it to change the color of the text used for friendly and enemy HUD (on-screen) info and even see what the color will look like as you change it! There are many other useful features provided by Control 2000.
It's available at:
- Different Aircraft Skins
A choice so obvious I almost forgot to list it (!), but to really make EAW look great, add-on skins are a MUST. They really spruce up what otherwise can become rather repetitive-looking airplanes! Even better, now Charles Gunst has figured out how to import the wireframe models from the old sim Pacific Air War (a forerunner of EAW) so we can now have some Pacific aircraft that really do have the shape that we are looking for. In fact, not only do these PAW wireframes help us out in the Pacific, many of these aircraft are very close in appearance to aircraft that fought in Europe (the Ki-84 wireframe makes an excellent Russian La-5/7, the Ki-61 can be used for the Italian Macchi C.202/5, etc.) These are very useful if you're using ECA Control Panel 3.2 (mentioned in #4). Now Charles Gunst has even figured out a way to get rid of those annoying "old-style" (and ugly) black lines that are supposed to be the propellors of the PAW aircraft. Charles' add-on files also correct the location of the hardpoints for bombs and/or drop tanks on these aircraft. You can download these "PAW Prop fixes" at Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left and then on "3D Models" at the upper right.
Russian Skins Pack
Most skins are available as single downloads. However there are some that are "packaged" together, specifically for use with a specific terrain or campaign. One example would be the "Russian Skins Pack", which is designed for use with ECA Control Panel's Russian Aircraft. It goes great with the Winter Terrains.
(available at: Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section.)
Also be sure to check out the new "No-Mirror" skins at -E's site (URL listed below)! These are only available for aircraft in the Battle of Britain (the aircraft cannot have any capability to carry external ordnance, so only the BoB aircraft in EAW qualify), but even so, it is really nice to have a skin that doesn't have the lettering reversed on the right side.
There are numerous sites out there that have EAW skins, but here are some of my favorites (yes, most of these have been mentioned somewhere above!):
- Migge's EAW Skin Page: practically has the market cornered on great-looking German aircraft! (plus some fabulous Allied ones as well)
- Airbuddha's: The Hangar: practically has the market cornered on terrific American aircraft skins (plus a lot of other great looking ones as well)! And Airbuddha's "Hermann Graf Me109G" is one of my favorite German aircraft skins! (that's one of the few that Migge doesn't have!)
- COMBATSIM.COM's EAW Index: contains a LOT of skins!
- EAW Skins by -E: has some really great British aircraft!
- Mosi's EAW Page: if you like Messerschmitt 109's this is the place for you---and Mosi has plenty of other terrific skins there, too!
- Fly And Fight.com: AxA's page is a new and really neat site with some impressive skins!
WARNING: Skins do not always work with different video cards. Generally, a skin designed on a 3dfx (Voodoo) video card will work with ALL video cards. This might not be the case, however, for a skin designed on a TNT card. If the skin you wish to download is labeled something like "TNT-only", then it will not display properly on a 3dfx/Voodoo card. A skin with a "3dfx-compatible" skin will work with anything. If your skin doesn't work, don't worry--nothing will happen to your computer. It's just that all the airplanes in EAW that use that skin will now have a "psychedelic" paint scheme! You can easily restore the default skin by simply deleting the add-on one!
Also, keep in mind that the display problems I'm referring to only appear during gameplay. Sometimes an add-on skin will not look right in the pre-game "View Objects" screen but will appear perfectly normal when you actually fly the sim. This is due to the fact that EAW loads all of its color palettes for gameplay, but apparently only one specific palette for the View Objects screen. If your skin uses a color or colors not contained in the View Objects palette, then the airplane in the View Objects screen display will likely not appear properly. So don't worry if the plane doesn't look right in View Objects; it's the gameplay that counts! (Many thanks to EAW Forum member Jamie Richards who is responsible for my understanding of this issue.)
- 'Single Mission Files' for Stuka, Mosquito, Beaufighter
One problem with using ECA is that aircraft such as those mentioned above can only be flown in Campaigns, not in Single Missions. But EAW Forum member RedEyes (a.k.a. Michael Lask) has solved that! He has introduced files which allow these aircraft to take the place of others in ECA so that you can indeed fly these airplanes in Single Missions! You can find his files at Bilko's EAW Headquarters-----click on "Downloads"
- "Skins-n-More 1.1
"
Developed by EAW Forum member Relent, this is the much-anticipated "Automatic Skin Switcher" which looks to be to skins what Stab was to terrains! (note: this version fixes the problem S-n-M 1.0 had operating with International versions of Windows) This is a great solution to the problem of managing the hundreds of skins available for EAW. Not only can you link skins (.tpc files) but also 3D model files (.3dz filename ending). If you're an inveterate skins downloader like I am, then you'll find Skins-n-More is a must-have!
Available at Relent's EAW Skins
- Improved Cockpits
There are several ways to improve the stock cockpit in EAW.
INSTRUMENTS
The cockpit instruments in EAW have never been the clearest, and if you run the higher resolutions you will only have the 3D virtual cockpit (and thus instruments which are not really readable). But there are now many "sharpened" instruments available to add. One of the first sites to have them all is still the best to get new instruments for ALL the aircraft in EAW:
the 666th Red Skulls Skins Page
Scroll down past the middle of the page and you will find a spot to download all of the available instrument panels for all Allied aircraft (on the left) and all German (on the right). If you don't want to download all of these at once, the instrument panels are provided for each separate aircraft just a bit farther down.
COCKPIT COLORS and OTHER REVISIONS
I don't have any problem with the internal cockpit colors of the Allied aircraft, EAW appears accurate in that. But the German aircraft have a seemingly inaccurate (and ugly) shade of blue. There are some add-on cockpits that recolor the German cockpits to a more accurate (and IMHO, better-looking!) grey that approximates RLM 66 (the shade of grey that Luftwaffe cockpits were most commonly painted in). (note: some of the following cockpits also include instruments in the zip file)
--EAW Forum member JPI (Jean Pigeon) has made the first grey cockpit for the Me109E! It can be found at Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left and then on "graphics" at the upper right.
--Cockpits for the Me109G and K, the Me110G, and the FW190D are available from Steve Belanger's the Aces Paint Shop II. They are listed in the navbar on the left.
--Migge has made some great looking cockpits for Allied planes. You can find a terrific-looking one for the P-51D Mustang, and an almost photo-real one for the P-47D Thunderbolt. Get these cockpits here: Migge's EAW Skin Page........click on the "Cockpits" section in the navbar at the left.
But wait, he hasn't finished! Migge's contributions to the EAW community continues with a new "Luftwaffe" collection of brand-new virtual cockpits for German aircraft. These are absolutely stunning! I can heartily recommend downloading them and trying them out. Now he has made gorgeous cockpits for the Typhoon and the Tempest as well.
You can get the "Luftwaffe Cockpit Collection" and the Tempest/Typhoon set at Migge's EAW Skin Page........click on the "Skins2" section in the navbar at the left and then scroll to the bottom of the page. There is a picture of a Bf109 cockpit; click on this picture to begin the download. This pack does not come with the 109G cockpit, however; the new 109G cockpit link is located just above the picture labeled with the words "Includes all new virtual cockpit.also separate download HERE"
Do the same for the Tempest and Typhoon, except that you will find a picture of the Temp/Tiffie cockpits a little higher on the page. Again, click on this picture to begin the download.
GUNSIGHTS
The default EAW gunsight leaves a lot to be desired! Fortunately, there are now other options available.
- "PapaRomeo's Gunsights"------PapaRomeo has developed a series of historically realistic gunsights for EAW. Included are German Revi sights, British gunsights for the Battle of Britain and later, and American and Japanese sights. As an added plus, PR's gunsights will work in the "Gunsight Manager" developed by viper- (see entry "b" below this one). You can get them from PapaRomeo's EAW Page.
- "viper-'s EAW Gunsights"-----If you want a wide range of interchangeable sights, you're in luck! "viper-" has a developed many different sights for use in EAW. If you to switch between different viper- gunsights quickly, he even has a "Gunsight Manager" which will swap them in and out. You should be able to find just about any kind of gunsight you can think of in viper-'s site. (NOTE: viper-'s website is only available in German.....but I don't speak German and could still navigate my way around inside it rather easily, though)
To go to "viper-" 's website, click here:
viper-'s EAW Gunsights-----note: the "Gunsight Manager" requires a .dll file named "scint70.dll". If you don't already have this file, don't worry: viper- includes a link to download it on his site.
-------If you wish to use the Gunsight Manager (but don't speak German and can't make sense out of the comical translation you get with those free translator programs on the Internet!), Cord (of Cord's EAW Page fame!) has posted an English translation of the Read Me file in the following EAW Forum thread: Viper-'s Gunsight Manager. So far, this is the only translation I'm aware of.
- "LLv34 Gunsight"-----If you are flying as a German pilot (or even if you're not!), I would highly recommend using the new gunsight developed by LLv34_BlauKreuz, the CO of the Finnish-based online squadron LLv34. It really does seem to improve my gunnery skills.
To get it, go here:
LLv34 Website-----then click on "Planes" in the navbar on the left. The page that loads has Finnish skins and also every Allied plane in EAW dressed in Russian markings and paint. The gunsight (Revi BK) is at the bottom of the page.
- "no-frost gunsight fix"-----Another great option for the EAW gunsights has been developed by Dan Shaw. This is the "no-frost" gunsight fix. Finally, a clear view through the gunsight! This fix is not really a gunsight per se, but rather improves your view through the gunsight. It is compatible with the add-on gunsights, so there's no worry there.
The "no-frost fix" is available at Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section or from
Cord's EAW Page in the "Utilities"---"Graphics" section
MODIFIED BAR P-47C COCKPIT
If you fly the "Razorback" version of P-47, then you already know that sometimes the large vertical bar in the windscreen can be rather annoying. At least it was there in the real Razorback P-47's. However, if you fly with ECA Control Panel (see # 4 above), then you know that the P-47C cockpit is used for the cockpits of the Wildcat and the Hellcat. Here the appearance of the bar is not only annoying, it is not realistic at all, since these aircraft did not such a bar! There have been "barless" or "thin bar" cockpits developed before, but they did not always work with some video cards or at certain resolutions. But a solution is at hand! Paulo Morais has developed a modified 3dz file (wireframe) for the P-47C that is available in both "no-bar" and "thin-bar" versions. These are independent of video cards and resolution settings---they work with anything!
You can get them both at Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left and then on "graphics" at the upper right.
"Historically Correct" Messerschmitt 109E Canopy Framing
If you are a real stickler for historical authenticitiy, then you already know the canopy frame on EAW's version of the 109E is incorrect. But due to Paulo Morais's determining how to edit the .3dz "wireframe models" in EAW, Capitán Manduca has introduced the first historically accurate canopy frame for the Emil.
It's found at Capitán Manduca's EAW Workshop.
- New Menu Maps, Printable Maps, and new EAW Screens
- Menu Maps
If you use ECA Control Panel (as mentioned in #4 above), then you can change the names of the bases and targets in EAW to reflect the Pacific, North Africa/Mediterranean, or the Russian Front. At -E's site, you can get new briefing maps that -E has made that can be simply dropped into your EAW directory. While the location of all the places on the map won't change (the locations will still be the defaults), the background colors WILL be different. The map background for the Pacific will be all pale blue, while the North Africa map will be tan, with brown ranging across it, and of course the Russian Front map is snowy white!
- Printable Maps
Have you ever looked at the EAW map while flying in the sim and wondered just what that little square really is? Or flown over a town or airbase and not known what its name is? Well, now you can get maps that show all the locations and the names of EVERY target or airbase in EAW! Compiled by me (!), they're designed to be printed on regular 8.5 by 11 inch paper. (note: not yet available for "drop-in" use in the EAW directory)
- Mainscreens and Aircraft Selection Screens
Another neat development by -E is the new EAW screens that replace the original "movie poster" type and liven things up a bit. These screens appear in the background with the EAW main menu superimposed over them. There are ones available for each of the "new" theaters (Pacific, Mediterranean, Russian Front, etc., i.e., for the new terrain sets). You can also get new Aircraft Selection Screens.
You can get all of the above here:
EAW Skins by -E--------click on "Stuff"
---But -E is the only one to give you your choice of Mainscreens and Aircraft Selection Screens! Now Christian Mosimann, Karel Struna, and Capitán Manduca have developed alternative Mainscreens. And Paul Wilson and Jamie Richards have both released some fabulous-looking Aircraft Selection Screens.
Mosi's Mainscreens: If you can't find a Mainscreen to suit your needs at Mosi's EAW Page, then I don't know what you're looking for! I think he's got every possible situation covered, including 4 different "Winter" screens to a "Finnish Front" screen. Mosi's EAW Page-----click on "Add-ons" at the bottom of the page, then on "Screens".
Karel Struna has added his own touch to the Mainscreens with a couple devoted exclusively to the Battle of Britain and another dedicated to the Free French Pierre Clostermann. You can find these screens at Karl's EAW Page-----click on "Files" in the navbar at the left.
Capitán Manduca has designed some Mainscreens which feature pictures taken from footage of World War II airplanes. These mainscreens are available at Capitán Manduca's EAW Workshop in the "Add-Ons" section
Paul Wilson (a.k.a. Shatterer of Worlds) has compiled no less than 19 (!) Aircraft Selection Screens for Single Missions in EAW! You can find yours here: Paul Wilson Flight Simulator Page
Jamie Richards has produced an Aircraft Selection Screen for Japanese aircraft. It is available from Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left and then on "graphics" at the upper right, and look for "Aircraft Selection Screen for the Japanese".
- New GUI Pack
If you're tired of the same old Graphical User Interface, then this new GUI from Steven White will liven things up a bit!
Available from the following:
Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section.
Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left and then on "graphics" at the upper right.
- Campaigns and Campaign Switching Devices
Campaigns that go beyond the defaults add to the immersion of EAW and also allow you to experience different aircraft, both to fly yourself and to fight against.
- Campaigns
- 1942: Turning Point in Europe: Paulo Morais developed "1942: Turning Point in Europe", or TPE42 as it's often called for short. This is still one of the best.
- France 1940: Charles Gunst (yes, the same Charles Gunst who made ECA!) has come out with a campaign for France 1940.
- Mediterranean 1941: Emil has developed a campaign for the Mediterranean theater in 1941.
- Caucasus 1942: Emil does it again! He has produced a new campaign set during the important fighting in the Caucasus of the Russian Front
- Guadalcanal 1942: Emil's not finished! This time he has given us a campaign set on Guadalcanal!
You can get these first five at Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section and Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left, then on "Add-Ons" at the upper right.
- France 1940-Modified: Dominique Legrand has modified Charles Gunst's original work and made several revisions! You can find Dom's modified campaign at Bilko's EAW Headquarters-----click on "Downloads"
- New Guinea 1942: RockHPI has made a campaign for the Allies vs. the Japanese in New Guinea. It's available at Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section.
- Ta152 Career: a fabulous example of a "what if" campaign, Claudio Wilches has compiled a career for you in this German superplane which in reality arrived in service only in the last weeks of the war.
Available at Mosi's EAW Page-----first, enter the site, then click on "Skins" at the bottom of the page, then on "Western Front". The Ta152 career is listed right underneath the Ta152H-0 (the third aircraft from the top listed on that page).
- Campaign Switching Devices
- Batch Files
EAW Forum members Sneaky and musgrove both have developed a set of batch files for the various campaigns (the exception being Paulo's TPE42, which already comes with a set of batch files). These batch files allow easy switching back and forth between your "normal" EAW installation and the campaign installation.
Sneaky's batch files are available at Bilko's EAW Headquarters-----click on "Downloads"
musgrove's batch files are available at Musgrove's EAW Annex-----click on "Downloads", then "Add-Ons"
- Campaign Mover 1.5
EAW Forum member mane_raptor has made a terrific new campaign switching program for the add-on campaigns. Now you can switch between one add-on campaign and another with ease! For a couple of links, see below!
- Frontline Editor 2.5
mane_raptor has created an automatic switcher for DOM's Frontlines (see entry #18). This allows you to switch frontlines rather easily for Single Missions, as well as in campaigns. Make sure you get the updated 2.0 version.
Both of these neat add-ons from mane_raptor are available at the following sites, just to name a couple:
Major Lee's Aerodrome-----first, enter the Hangar, then go to the bottom of the page and look for these files under "Downloads"
Musgrove's EAW Annex-----click on "Downloads", then "Add-Ons"
- New Frontlines
EAW Forum member DOM (Dominique Legrand) has compiled a list of non-default Frontlines. You can pick whichever one you want. These work great in both Single Missions and Campaigns. DOM's new Frontlines have also been incorporated into some of the existing add-on campaigns. You can find these useful add-ons at Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left and then on "Miscellaneous" at the upper right. Look for "EAW Frontlines 1.0".
- OTHER
(not really add-ons per se, but pretty useful!)
- Points List
To get medals as an Allied pilot, you need points! So just how much is something worth when you destroy it? Well, HarryM has made a list of what targets have what value.
You can find it here: Points Chart
- Downloadable Keycard
With EAW now being bundled with some joysticks or sometimes hitting the bargain bin (now that really IS a bargain!), some EAW CD's no longer come with a keycard. Not to worry, though! EAW Forum member 56th FG_Pharaoh has kindly scanned and posted his own keycard for convenient download.
You can get it at Pharaoh's "Radio Free EAW" website: click here Radio Free EAW-----the entries there are in alphabetical order and the keycard is listed as "Eaw-kbrd.jpg" (this is a 2.3MB download--it had to be scanned at a high resolution in order to preserve the clarity, which accounts for the size of the download. 56th FG_Pharaoh points out that you might have to print it in two halves and tape them together, but it should work).
- "Non-Default Pilots Lists and Japanese Ranks"
--One annoyance in an RAF campaign is that your squadronmates almost always have English names, even if the unit you're assigned to is supposed to be a Free Czech, French, Norwegian, etc. squadron. Now, thanks to Karel Struna, you can change this if you are flying in a Czech or French squadron. Karel has developed two lists of pilot names you can use, one with Czech pilot names and the other with some Free French pilots. These are the names of REAL World War II pilots. To make the necessary changes to your squadron's pilot names, you'll need "ECA Control Panel" or "EAW Pilot" (see #4). Then you just use Panel or EAW Pilot to text edit the pilot names.
It's available at Karel's EAW Page website in the "Files" section and also at Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section.
--Now you can go one step further! EAW Forum member Stanley99 has produced several files which allow you to use names from other nationalities. These are drop-in files---you just put them in your EAW directory and you'll have first and last names of pilots from the following countries:
- Finland
- Czechoslovakia
- France
- Canada
- Russia
- Italy
You can find these files at Bilko's EAW Headquarters-----click on "Downloads"
--If you fly a Japanese Campaign, you've probably already noticed that although the names of your AI mates are Japanese, the ranks are still German. But Stanley99 has solved that problem too! He has compiled and released a couple of files that will introduce Japanese ranks into EAW. So no longer will you have a "Hauptmann" in your squadron-----now you will have a "Tai-i"! This has already been incorporated into some downloadable campaigns. But if your Japanese campaign still has German ranks, you can download and install these from Musgrove's EAW Annex-----click on "Downloads", then "Add-Ons".
- EAW Aircraft Edit 1.08
I'm not sure how useful it is to somebody new, but Jeroen van Soest developed the flight model editor that was used to create most of the add-on flight models like ECA, ECA Online, etc. This is a very useful tool if you have any interest in making just about any modification to the aircraft in EAW.
It's available from Jeroen's own website: Jeroen van Soest-----click on "European Air War" in the navbar at the left
- MSKINMOD
Developed by Paulo Morais (whose work on the structure of EAW is responsible for making many of the Add-On advances that are listed on this page possible in the first place!), this utility makes it possible to swap virtually ANY plane in EAW for another. This includes skins, flight data, and everything else. You want an FW190D in two different aircraft slots at the same time? No problem. What? You want them on opposing sides? That can be done too! Like EAW Aircraft Edit, it may be a little too complicated for a new EAW player, but if you're up to it, MSKINMOD opens a whole host of possibilities!
You can get it at:
Cord's EAW Page in the "Utilities"-----Miscellaneous section
and also at
LLv34 Website-----then click on "Mskinmod" in the navbar on the left.
- "Shoot To Kill/EAW"
Just how do you succeed in aerial combat? If you've ever wanted more than a trial-and-error approach, this is for you! Developed by MarkShot, this is an excellent primer on Air-to-Air combat, EAW style. It is intended for online fighting, but the tactics and recommendations that he lists will help you to carve up the AI when flying offline as well!
Available from the following:
COMBATSIM.COM (both HTML and PDF versions available, furthermore this link will likely have the latest version available)
Airbuddha's: The Hangar in the "Main Files" section. (.PDF only)
Cord's EAW Page-----click on "Utilities" in the navbar at the left and then on "Miscellaneous" at the upper right. (.PDF only)
- WinKeyKiller 1.6
If you've ever accidentally bumped the Windows key on your keyboard during gameplay, then you know how frustrating that can be! But thanks to Brad Jackson, you don't have to worry about it anymore. WinKeyKiller 1.6 will disable the WinKey on your Keyboard when you want to play a flight sim (or any other kind). You can get this VERY useful utility at Major Lee's Aerodrome-----first, enter the Hangar. Then click on "EAW Training" in the navbar at the left and go to "European Air War FAQ". WinKeyKiller is listed near the bottom of the page.
- Alphabetical List of Links on this Page:
