Ideas for briefings | Forums

[LGC_frepi]

Anybody has good ideas to make nice briefings. I saw somewhere guys that made their breifngs on Powerpoint with "aerial" photos, time tables with the waypoints, etc...
I would like to make my breifing look more like real OKL or VVS briefings, just for the fun of it. Any suggestions?

[Zeus-cat]

LGC_frepi,

Here is the brief from one of my "Straight and True" campaign missions. I don't know how realistic it is, but covered most of the major info pilots needed for a mission.

Clouds: 1400m
Altitude: 500m

Zveno 1: 4xIL-2T with torpedoes
Zveno 2: 4xIL-2T with torpedoes
Zveno 3: 4xIL-2T with torpedoes
Zveno 4: 4xIL-2 (series 2) with 4xFAB-50 + 8xRS-82
Escorts: None
Total aircraft: 16

Target: Attack Arshintsevo harbor
Recon Photo: Available (file RP17)
Distance to Target: 90km
Target Location: Grid reference: BB/11
AAA: Moderate
Interceptors: Unknown

Orders: Zveno 4 has orders to attack the harbor's flak batteries 5 minutes before you arrive. After that, you must issue the attack order to all of the planes in your squadron.

Freighters carrying Bf-109's and aviation fuel have arrived at Arshintsevo (BB/11) harbor. The Germans plan on setting up at the newly repaired Kerch and Lenino (AW/11) airfields. These 109's will wreak havoc on your operations and could make life impossible for you and your squadron. Destroy the freighters and any 109's that have already been unloaded.

The Intelligence section reports that the lack of fuel should keep the Luftwaffe grounded. Well, let's hope that they got something correct for once as we are going deep into enemy territory and we have no fighter escort.

A flight of IL-2s is 5 minutes ahead of you and will soften up the air defenses before you attack. Order them to attack any off-loaded equipment once the AAA is destroyed. You should also strafe the planes and trucks if you have the opportunity to do so.

Picket ships will be off the coast at AY/13 and BA/8 in case you need to ditch. You must land within 3km of the ship to be rescued.

Finally, the base commander reports that tonight we will have a special dinner. A large quantity of cabbage was brought in last night by the cargo planes from the 31st IAP. Apparently, every available inch of space was used for cabbages. We can all thank Kapitan Smirnoff for this rare opportunity to have a traditional Russian meal of boiled cabbage. Savor it while it lasts comrades, in a month or two it will be gone and we will be back to eating fish and caviar. You make a note to punch out Kapitan Smirnoff when you return from this mission.

Objectives:
Primary: Sink 50% of the freighters
Secondary: Destroy the flak batteries

Zeus-cat

[LGC_frepi]

That is pretty well detailled but do you send this in a pps or do you use the PF breifing system?

[Zeus-cat]

This appears on the briefing screen in the game. The only thing not available are the recon photos I made for about half the missions. You need to look at those outside the game.

Zeus-cat

[|CoB|_Spectre]

I've developed a format I use in all my online co-op missions.

In the first section I start with a narrative which sets the stage for the mission we are about to launch.

The second section gives specific instructions to the flights stating their objectives, fuel and recommended ordnance loadout and possibly enroute altitude and airspeed.

The third section gives weather conditions at the time of launch.

In some missions I script the briefings so aircraft selection is required before the briefing is available so that the Red team doesn't know what the Blue team is doing and vice versa.

I try to be brief with clear, concise information that can easily be remembered and I try to make it fit the briefing frame without the need to scroll down. If I have to scroll down, my briefing probably isn't too brief! Here is an example of my format:

August 4, 1944: Chichi Jima in the Bonin Islands

As part of the strategy to seize Iwo Jima as a landing site for airstrikes returning from Japan, Chichi Jima's seaplane base and central supply point must be neutralized.

USS Intrepid CV-11: Two SBDs (Sqdrn 1, Flt 1) will target the fuel terminal. Two SBDs (Sqdrn 1, Flt 2) will target seaplane base. Loadout: 75% fuel and 3x 500 lb. bombs. Four F6Fs (Sqdrn 2, Flt 1) escort SBDs. Loadout: 75% fuel.

USS Essex CV-9: Four TBMs (Sqdrn 3, Flt 1) will target IJN destroyer anchored in the harbor. Loadout: 75% fuel & torpedo. Four F4Us (Sqdrn 4, Flt 1) escort TBMs. Loadout: 75% fuel.

Weather @ 09:45 Hrs:
Good, visibility>10km, ceiling scattered 1300m

Mission design by Spectre

[KOM.Nausicaa]

Hello,
here is one of my briefings from our currently running Smolensk campaign, which is strictly based on historical facts:

16/ 7/ 1941

Time: 14h00 German Summer Time

MISSION ORDER 14

German forces of Heeesgruppe Mitte have begun the destruction of several Soviet
divisions encircled in the Uman pocket.
Stalin's son, Lt. Jacob Dugashvili,
was taken prisoner near Vitebsk.

On the dawn of the 16th July, the 29th Motorized Division has entered Smolensk.
This was the operational objective of Guderian's 19th's Panzergroup.
Heavy fighting is going on in the center of the town and the northern shore of the Djnepr river.
The russians still hold the airfield in the north.

We have reports that the russian airforce will try to take advantage of the bad weather to fly ammunition,
weapons and other material to the russian 20th Mechanized Corps and 61st Rifle Corps in the pocket of Mogilev.

Your mission is to intercept the transport planes.


BRIEFING


This mission has 2 flights of 4 Bf 109 F 4's.


II/JG101 FLIGHT 1

Take off at Baran.

Patrol over the pocket of Mogilev at 4000m altitude.
Intercept any transport planes. All other targets have less priority.

Land at Baran.


II/JG101 FLIGHT 2

Same as Flight 1


INTELLIGENCE

The weather is still bad. Reports about russian plans for a counterattack in the sector Pochinok and Seltso are getting confirmed.
The russians are about to use a new weapon, the "Katyusha", which seems to be a vehicle-mounted rocket launcher device.

The russian 4th army is regrouping at Krichev, with the possible intention to attack our 14th Panzer Division into the flank.

Our forces are trying to enter Bogushevsk from the north. The area between Bogushevsk and Smolensk is very dangerous.
Trapped russian forces have decided to fight until the least man, be very careful when flying in this sector.

WEATHER

15\u00B0 Degrees Celsius. Cloudheight 900m.
Overcast. High Winds.


Good Luck

Ob.Lt. Herrmann / i.A. Gen. Feldm. Kesselring

[|CoB|_Spectre]

I think most mission builders would welcome the ability to add recon photos to their briefings. Presently, about the only option is to email such graphics ahead of time to people you regularly fly with or post them somewhere on a website for viewing.

[Gosling616]

I fly in the Military and we use a MATE brief.
Meteorology:
-Gensi: eg High Pressure stational over the area.
-Wind: Light and variable
-Cloud: 2/8ths Cumulus at 7,000ft tops 10,000ft
-Rain: Nil
-Vis: Good
Air Traffic Control:
-PIM: Position and Intended Movement = Ships Course, Speed and Routing. Recovery RV
-eg: 25nm SW of Pearl, heading 270 Speed 25knts
Task:
-Objectives:
Execution:
-Squadron Taskings:

I do my briefs like that but I also include a tasking "signal" format as the context.

Date Time:
Class: Secret
From: CINCPAC
To: USS Lexington, CV-81
Subj: Attack on Pearl Harbour Imminent
Gensit: .... (Short General situation)
CdrEval: ... (Commanders Evaluation)
Friendly Forces:
Enemy Forces: If known
Tasking: Read in 4 columns
-Unit / Task / Armament / Fuel //
Int:
Comms: (Teamspeak Channels for each Squadron and Carrier etc)
Msg ends//

The above is often in a sort of tabular form

This gives a real military feel and forces the pilot to study the brief to extract the details.

[LGC_frepi]

Thanks. It would be nice if you could copy a complete example here.

[Chuck_Older]

Originally posted by |CoB|_Spectre:
I think most mission builders would welcome the ability to add recon photos to their briefings. Presently, about the only option is to email such graphics ahead of time to people you regularly fly with or post them somewhere on a website for viewing.

H*ll yes! Breifings are a great tool and really suffer from being so antiseptic in the sim. Sometimes I'll write a breifing desribing the action I'd like the player to see and THEN make the mission

PS
In WWII, at least in the US military, breifs were often highly informal affairs unless anothe Group was involved. For examples, read "An Ace of the Eighth" by Bud Fortier and "Woodbine Red Leader" by George Loving, Jr. Loving in particluar comments on the brevity of the breif, especially for seasoned pilots

However, he also describes more 'classical' detailed group breifings conducted by several different officers when his group was more organised, in Italy. For example, when escorting Heavies, the Squad CO gives an overview of friendlies and approach, etc, and then the Meteorological Officer gives his input. Then the Intelligence officer adds his bit, etc, etc.