Tanks In Flames Features (for IL-2 Great Battles)

TIF Features:

TIF has many features that pilots and tankers should be aware of.

Capture Zones (within Dead is Dead):

As explained in the event rules, a player has just one life as a pilot. If killed or captured as a pilot, the player has unlimited lives as an aircraft gunner or as a tanker.

Regarding capture, the blue map shown below is a visual representation of capture zones on a map.  It is just an example and does not correspond specifically to any one phase or campaign.

Because the TIF battlefield is one of advancing and retreating armies, enemy territory is not solid.

There are holes in territorial control near the front where you can bail out or crash land and avoid becoming a prisoner of war (POW).

The light blue areas are places where you will avoid captured.  The dark blue areas are places where you will be captured.

The enemy's backfield area (the rectangular zone near the rear airfields) is completely under enemy control.  They are full capture zones.  You will not escape if you bail out or crash land there.

The dark blue areas around installations are also capture zones.

If you are flying and become damaged, try and get as far away from enemy installations as possible before bailing out or ditching.

If you bail out or ditch in enemy territory, exit to the in-game map screen and check to see if you are captured.  If you are not captured, you may switch to a new aircraft and take off again after checking with your team commander and a 5 minute timeout.

Starting Flare:

The server comes up 15 minutes before the start of session.

The extra 15 minutes is to allow for the server to settle, as well as to give all participants the chance to test their game and settings. While the session does not start until the top of the hour, players are encouraged to spawn at their assigned positions and get their aircraft or vehicle ready and warmed-up.

At the top of the hour a flare will be fired by a car close to the spawn point.

Bridge Repair:

On the in-game map, there will be several blue bridge icons located between tank bases.

These are wooden bridges that start out demolished.

They may be repaired and crossed!

To do this, you'll need a "bridge brigade" tank.

Below is a visual explanation as to how to use this type of tank to cross riverine systems.

Forward Landing Field (Rearm and Refuel and Repair):

There are Forward Landing Fields between the front-line and the actual rear air bases.

No planes are available here.

Rather, these fields allow pilots to to do the "3 R's" (rearm, refuel and repair) without having to fly all the way back to their base of origin.

By rearming, refueling and repairing at these forward landing fields, you avoid the 5 minute refly penalty you would incur by landing and respawning at a rear air base.

Note that the forward landing field can be shut down for 30 minutes if all of the oil tanks nearby are destroyed.

Below is an example map, underlining the forward landing fields in yellow, as well as a visual explanation as to how shut down your enemy's forward landing field.

Heavy Tanks (Ammo Dump / Supply Depot):

Heavy tanks are limited on the map.  There are only two of each type at each tank base.

Additionally, these heavy tanks have a 1 hour respawn time.

Heavy tanks can be temporarily removed from the spawn list of your enemy by damaging the Ammo Dump associated with a specific base.

When an Ammo Dump is damaged, the local Supply Depot will send out a repair convoy to fix it.

The repair convoy will take 30 minutes to arrive at the Ammo Dump. Upon arrival, it repairs the Ammo Dump and heavy tanks are available again.

If the repair convoy does not arrive after 30 minutes, the Supply Depot will send out another repair convoy.

Destroying the Supply Depot prevents the repair convoy from being sent.

The Supply Depot will automatically repair itself in 30 minutes, and will start sending out repair convoys again if it detects that the Ammo Dump is still damaged.

Note that supplies are limited due to battle conditions.  The Supply Depot only has enough stockpiled to make 4 repair convoys.  After that, they will no longer have the ability to repair the Ammo Dump due to infrastructure damage.  Once all repair convoys are stopped or destroyed, the heavy tanks will be removed from the session.

Below is a visual explanation of the Ammo Dump and the Supply Depot.