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The Basics with Bonkers - wiki edition
This page or section is currently under construction. Some things may be missing or out of place.
Chapter 1: About the Game
IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles is the third generation in a series of IL-2 titles from Russian developer 1CGS. It is the successor to the
original IL-2 Sturmovik/IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 and IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover games, and stands alone as a completely new
game on a new engine, featuring DX11 and VR support. The “Great Battles” title includes a series of modules, or expansion packs,
each based on a different time period, plane set, and theatre of WW2. Beginning with the release of “Battle of Stalingrad” in 2013,
1CGS has developed new expansions on a regular basis, and the current list of modules includes:
● IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad (BoS)
● IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Moscow (BoM)
● IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Kuban (BoK)
● IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Bodenplatte (BoBP)
● IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Normandy (BoN)
● IL-2 Sturmovik: Flying Circus (FC)
● IL-2 Sturmovik: Tank Crew
Collectively, these modules are referred to as “IL-2 BoX.” Here’s the fun part—they all exist in the same game world! If you own one module, you get to play on ALL of the maps in multiplayer. You can even enter the gunner positions of other players’ planes—you just cannot fly the planes from a module if you do not own it. We’ll talk about the specific maps and planes included in each module in just a moment, but first...a quick word on different ways to purchase the game.
Purchasing the Game: Steam vs 1CGS Web Store
The game is available on both Steam and the 1CGS Web Store, for roughly the same price, depending on sales. Fortunately, 1CGS
has very wisely built an integrated account system, so if you purchase Battle of Stalingrad on Steam, you can then purchase
additional modules straight from the developer’s website. You simply create an account on their site, purchase your module, and
activate the key in your profile. Anything you activate is automatically available in your IL-2 game, on either Steam or standalone.
The game downloads each new module once it’s released, so there are no additional downloads when you purchase new modules.
Should I Buy from Steam or the Developer?
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 Easy to keep track of your games |
100% of your purchase goes to the game developers
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| Fat Steam pipe for faster download speeds |
More sales, more often
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 Valve takes a 30% cut |
New modules are available before they’re on Steam
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| Standard Editions only |
Premium and Standard Editions available
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| Newest modules not available at release |
If you pre-order, 1CGS lets you have planes as they are finished,so you get to fly before the module is officially released
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| Slower downloads
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I suggest you buy the base game on Steam (IL-2 Battle of Stalingrad) and purchase additional modules from the developer. That
way, you can enjoy the fast download speeds and Steam integration, while still supporting the dev. There is zero difference between
the game applications. If you want to buy any of the modules on Steam, you must own a Steam copy of BoS as the base game first.
Premium vs. Standard Edition: What Is This Pay2Win Bullshit?
Each IL-2 module is available as either a Standard Edition (includes the map and 8 planes) or a Premium Edition (includes an
additional 2 collector planes*). During sales, which happen every few months, the Standard Editions are priced as low as $12.49
and the Premium Editions go for as low as $19.99. The brand new modules are about $60 during sales, so it’s worth starting with
the older modules and waiting a few months. The options in the table below will let you be competitive on most servers.
- “What is a collector plane?” you ask in between bouts of heavy breathing. Well, my sweaty-palmed friend, these gems are sold
separately from the Standard Edition game. If you purchase the Premium Edition, some are included with your base plane pack. Do
you need them? Debatable. Are they worth it? Yes, some of them are. Collector planes go on sale for $9.99, $4.99, or less,
depending on how recent the release was. (All prices in table below are average sale prices)
1CGS knows what they’re doing, so collector planes are often the coolest, funkiest, or most desirable planes of the module time
period. That being said, they are not always the best or most competitive planes of the pack, so it’s not necessarily a pay2win
system. Nobody is buying the U-2VS biplane, MC.202 spaghetti monster, Ju 52 flying garbage truck, or the Hs 129 duck because
they want a leg up on you in combat. They are, however, buying some of the other collector planes to do just that (looking at you
La-5, La-5FN, Fw 190 A-3, Fw 190 D-9, Yak-1b, and P-38). Collector planes are available on Steam, as well as the 1CGS Web Store,
so even if you can’t buy a Premium Edition on Steam, you can still buy the Standard Edition + both collector planes to end up with
the same deal.
Which Modules Should I Buy First?
| Best Bang for Your Buck | Ballin’ on a Budget | Burn, Baby, Burn |
|---|---|---|
| BoS Premium $22 | BoS Premium $22 | BoS Premium $22 |
| BoK Standard $12 | BoK Standard $12 | Everything else |
| Example | BoBP Premium $44 | Even Tank Crew |
| Total: $34 | Total: $78 | Total: Just your dignity |