A short but interesting developer update from 1CGS this week gives us some insight as to how IL-2: Battle of Kuban is wrapping up with a climatic patch coming sometime late this year.

Status of IL-2: Battle of Kuban

Since December of 2016 we’ve been in early access mode for IL-2: Battle of Kuban with near monthly releases of new content and features. Patch 2.012 was by far the biggest adding the Kuban map to the mix and adding the Hs129B-2 Collector Plane coming with IL-2: Battle of Kuban Premium to the mix. Since then we’ve had only a couple of small patches while the developers work hard towards final release.

Here’s where things are at right now:

• Career mode text is finished and being translated for other localizations.
• Co-op mode is in internal testing.
• P-39L-1, A-20B and Yak-7B are in the final stages of flight model work.
• Bf109G-6 and La-5FN Collector Planes have finished exteriors and cockpits in the works.
• New terrain rendering and skyboxes are being finalized.
• New cumulus cloud feature being worked on.

I’m pretty excited to hear more about that last one. Having some tower clouds could potentially change how the sky looks on spring and summer days.

By their nature, cumulus clouds are those towering puffy clouds typically found on spring and summer days where heating causes the clouds to rise – sometimes forming thunderstorms. Even if 1CGS doesn’t go towards having localized thunderstorms, towering clouds will be dramatic visually and more importantly a tactical consideration for bombers and fighters hunting the enemy.

Bf109G-6 looking good

When I took a poll in the IL-2: Battle of Stalingrad Facebook community group, I found that the Bf109G-6 was easily one of the most anticipated aircraft of that group. Its not a dramatically new aircraft but it is an intensely popular one.

It’s looking very good now that its 3D model is in engine.

A direct follow on from the Bf109G-4, the G-6 sports increased firepower from its MG131 heavy machine guns in the nose. The breeches of the MG131 had to be fared over with aerodynamic bulges just fore of the cockpit giving the Bf109G-6 a more muscular look than the sleeker G-4 and G-2 series.

It’s still unconfirmed if the Bf109G-6 will come with an optional MK108 30mm nose gun or if it will retain the typical MG151/20 20mm cannon only. Nonetheless, the addition of two heavy machine guns will certainly beef up the forward firepower available.

Head over to the IL-2 forums developer update thread for some more details and some images of the A-20B’s work in progress interior which appears to be coming along nicely.