Today's update brings yet another action-packed campaign mission, TIGERS IN THE GORGE, based on the events that took place in China during the Battle of the Salween River in May 1942.
But that's not all, we've also added more skins for the Japanese A6M2 "Zero" and Ki-27 "Nate" fighters, including a fictional Luftwaffe paint-job as well as one from the Thailand Air Force (Thailand was sort of occupied by Japan at the time, JFYI).
As Japan's mysterious elite unit, the 56th armored division of the "Red Dragons", attempted to advance towards China's wartime capital Chungking via the Burma Road and over the Salween river, a flight of bomb-equipped P-40Es led by none else than Tex Hill, managed to force-halt the enemy on the river bank by carrying out highly successful precision bombing (which was not even a concept back then!).
Few historians have noted the significance of the Salween Battle, nor that it was a key-strategic battle that if lost would have altered the outcome of World War 2 in its entirety, so its strategic importance ranks right up there with Stalingrad, El Alamein and Midway.
Update overview:
New campaign mission of great historical importance added: TIGERS IN THE GORGE.
Japanese A6M2 "Zero" and Ki-27 "Nate" fighters have four (new) skins each now!
New map: SALWEEN RIVER!
Adjusted the dogfight chase functionality a little again, and finally removed the "Metal Gear" sound effect since a few of you boys didn't seem to appreciate it that much.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP34RoxPJao
Go get 'em, cowboys!
0.8.7 "MINGALADON" UPDATE
After a short hiatus, we’re more than a little happy to introduce a new, historical campaign mission entitled BACK TO MINGALADON!
Took us a few weeks extra to get this update done and dusted, reason being we decided to enhance our custom-built air-combat action 3D engine technology to allow for explosively EPIC air-battles so get ready to engage 100+ SIMULTANEOUS ENEMY AIRCRAFT!
February 25, 1942. Patrols have been maintained over Mingaladon all week, effectively cancelling any element of surprise the enemy may otherwise have obtained. Today’s reconnoitre sorties have already resulted in a big sweep of Japanese fighters being discouraged by a trio of P-40s and a flight of six Hurricanes.
Revamped the chase-event to make it user-friendlier and more immersive with a new Sepia-effect, also updated the somewhat related spin maneuver (and camera) so players are less likely to lose sight of active enemy targets during dogfights.
Enhanced our custom-built 3D engine to allow for epic air-war with 100+ SIMULTANEOUS AIRCRAFT.
Implemented the 9th campaign mission BACK TO MINGALADON based on historical air-battles that took place on February 25th 1942 in southern Burma.
Added support for ground-based rear-gunner FPS action.
Lots of (minor) bug-fixes.
On a side note, Mingaladon was an important Allied airfield located just outside Rangoon (actually, it’s still there, look up Yangon International Airport on Wikipedia if you’re interested) that was home to both the RAF and the Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group) during the first half of the AVG’s existence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP34RoxPJao
0.8.6 "HIMALAYAS" UPDATE
This update brings you the next campaign mission OVER THE HUMP, set in the snow-clad mountain tops of the Himalayas and based on the infamous airlift that replaced the "Burma road" supply route in the spring of 1942, after Allied resistance in the Far East had nearly collapsed.
American transports have begun carrying military supplies via the Hump; a dangerous supply route starting in Assam, India and ending in Kunming, China. USAAF cargo crews must navigate the difficult mountainous area in harsh weather almost blindly. In northern Burma, Lashio and Myitkyina have fallen into Japanese hands, allowing roving Japanese fighters to patrol the area!
Get ready to fly as the AVG and RAF in a blizzard of dogfighting action that would chill even the whitest of walkers to the bone!
Added the HIMALAYAS map, explore it in the MULTIPLAYER, DOGFIGHT or FREE FLIGHT modes.
Finalised the SNOW weather effect.
Implemented the 8th campaign mission OVER THE HUMP, based on the infamous India-China airlift that went over the Himalayan mountain peaks.
Various (minor) bug-fixes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP34RoxPJao
8.0.5 "LUCKY DAY AKYAB" UPDATE
The story behind Japanese fighter ace Katō and his unlikely nemesis, RAF gunner Sgt. McLuckie, is almost too good to be true! Check it out in new campaign mission LUCKY DAY AKYAB. We've also gone to great lengths to add in LOOP MANEUVERING so aspiring (and experienced) pilots can feel the thrill of 360 degree air-combat action -- fly straight on or upside down, pull back in full on that mouse, flight stick or gamepad and your plane will come around full circle!
Anything else? Yes! The J2M RAIDEN Japanese fighter has been added and can be flown in the MULTIPLAYER, DOGFIGHT and FREE FLIGHT modes, whereas the new coastal map AKYAB hopefully adds a bit of beauty to the selection of scenery.
Experience the unbelievable but true demise of Japanese fighter ace Lt Colonel Tateo Katō who was downed over the Bay of Bengal by lone and unescorted rear-gunner turned crack-shot Sgt "Jock" McLuckie under incredibly unfavourable circumstances. So, the new campaign mission LUCKY DAY AKYAB let's you fly the Blenheim light-bomber over Akyab on the coast of Burma, in the capacity of both squadron leader and rear-gunner, under the markings of recently re-equipped No. 60 RAF Squadron.
On a side note, Katō had considerable propaganda value, and the Japanese sponsored the 1944 war movie Colonel Tateo Katō's Flying Squadron glorifying his life story. Its special effects was created by none other than Godzilla and Ultraman creator Eiji Tsuburaya (just saying!).
Expect plenty of bombing, gunner action, honorable defeat and a bit of a history lesson!
Added the Japanese J2M RAIDEN fighter aircraft. Try it out in MULTIPLAYER or in the FREE FLIGHT or DOGFIGHT modes!
Implemented LOOP MANEUVERING which lets you take your silver bird high up in the sky just to go upside insane on the way down.
Added the 7th campaign mission, LUCKY DAY AKYAB, which takes place in clear day off the coast of Burma on the island of Akyab.
Various (minor) bug-fixes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP34RoxPJao
0.8.4 "MANDALAY" UPDATE
This week's update sees more content added, including the 6th Campaign mission RAILROAD MANDALAY. The British are evacuating in full to regroup in India, the Chinese are preparing to hold a front south of Mandalay, and the Japanese are planning an advance into central Burma.
Expect war trains, vehicle targets, dogfights, landing objectives and more!
Added the RAF Hurricane Mk.II fighter aircraft. Try it out in MULTIPLAYER or in the FREE FLIGHT or DOGFIGHT modes!
Implemented KEYBOARD only input method (for those of you who shun mice, sticks and pads!)
Added the 6th campaign mission, RAILROAD MANDALAY, taking place shortly after the fall of Toungoo.
Adjusted the chase camera, now it's never "stolen" but instead returned automatically after about one second. Don't forget to break out by single- or double-spinning, or by sharp-turning if a fighter has a "lock" on you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP34RoxPJao
Various (minor) bug-fixes as usual.
0.8.3 "GULF OF SIAM" UPDATE
Aside from the usual Flying Tigers' dogfighting action you've all come to expect, this update introduces the following content and additions:
Added the seminal P-40E USAAF/AVG fighter aircraft, featuring no less than three .50 cal Browning guns in each wing (for a total of six, now that's some serious firepower).
A new single player mode: CHALLENGE, offering airborne mini-events such as EYE OF THE TIGER and SAMURAI SHOWDOWN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eFQ59GJ4pc
The RAF Vildebeest Mk. III bi-plane (it's a torpedo-bomber, lets you attempt to sink the Japanese navy, should you be up for the task).
The RAF Blenheim Mk. V light-bomber (introducing the level-bombing play mechanic and camera).
The 5th campaign mission, INVASION OF MALAYA, which re-enacts the Japanese invasion at Kota Bharu, Dec 1941 (that was initiated just 70 minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP34RoxPJao
Two new maps playable in Multiplayer, Dogfight or Free Flight: Indian Ocean and Mandalay Area (that's in Burma!).
Various (minor) bug-fixes.
0.8.2 UPDATE
- Controls: Doubled the sensitivity spectrum to improve Mouse + Keyboard controls. X/Y values reset to STANDARD 40/40 (if you're playing with M&K, after updating, you may want to re-adjust the sensitivity via the SETTINGS/SETUP CONTROLS menu).
- Bombing: Increased the hit detection radius for bombs (so hitting those abandoned trucks in the opening KINDERGARTEN mission should be a little easier now!).
- Camera: Chase cam disabled for DOGFIGHT mode (the screen is no longer "stolen"). That said, chase cam still present in Campaign missions (although "chance" for activation has been slightly decreased).
- Default volume for menu voices has been decreased.
- Various (minor) fixes in preparation for content (mission) update.
PATTON-INSPIRED "LOUISIANA" EXTENDED TEASER RELEASED FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL STEAM-LANDING OF FLYING TIGERS: SHADOWS OVER CHINA
Teaser video inspired by U.S. Army General George S. Patton's infamous speech [that was] given on the day before D-Day and the Allied invasion of France.
Sweden, August 25, 2015 – Ace Maddox, an independent developer of air-combat action games, today released an extended teaser video for FLYING TIGERS: SHADOWS OVER CHINA, a historical aerial-action game currently available on Steam Early Access based on the events of America’s secret volunteer squadrons that flew against Japan in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theatre of World War 2.
Extended Teaser on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oP34RoxPJao
Dubbed "Not Shovelling Sh*t in Louisiana", the extended teaser is narrated and acted to portray Claire Lee Chennault whom by many historians is considered the founder of the American Volunteer Group, aka the Flying Tigers, and who grew up in the Louisianan towns of Gilbert and Waterproof. The script was inspired by General Patton's infamous speech given on the 5th of June, 1944 -- the day before D-Day and the Allied invasion of France.
ABOUT FLYING TIGERS: SHADOWS OVER CHINA
“The sky was a maelstrom of exploding bombers, twisting tracers, flaming parachutes, and Robert’s own burning fighter... then his engine quit!
Get ready to swoop the skies of Southeast Asia as FLYING TIGERS: SHADOWS OVER CHINA re-enacts a diverse set of historical World War 2 air-battles, including the Japanese Christmas-raids on Rangoon in 1941, the Flying Tigers’ first combat over Kunming in China, the Battle of the Salween Gorge, “Hump” escort missions over the Himalayas, the Invasion of Malaya, and the Japanese conquest of Burma, to name a few.
Secretly recruited under President Roosevelt’s authority in 1941, the Flying Tigers were officially known as the "American Volunteer Group”. The clandestine unit was commanded by Claire Lee Chennault, a resigned US military-aviator and an advisor to Chinese Air Force.
KEY FEATURES:
Based on historical events. Recreates the clandestine operations of the American Volunteer Group, aka the Flying Tigers, in fighter, bomber, gunner, reconnaissance, torpedo and night missions.
A fresh variant of WW2 air-combat gaming. Introduces TrazerTime™ slow-motion precision firing while offering a diverse mix of arcade-style combat maneuvers, photo-realistic graphics, a full single-player campaign, action-packed multiplayer modes, eventful weather effects, and much more!
Multiplayer for up to 16 players. Coordinate devastating air-attacks in TEAM DOGFIGHT while providing cover for one another, outdo all enemies in MASTER OF THE SKIES, or go aerial base hunting in CAPTURE THE FLAG.
Pay once and play! Get the full experience, multiplayer included, for a single payment. Free of micro-transactions and F2P-elements.
Memorable third-person aerial action. Soar the skies of southeastern Asia in the CBI (China-Burma-India) Theatre of WW2 in American, British and Japanese aircraft.
Exotic lands of the Far East.. Locations include Burma, the Himalayas, Thailand, China, the Indian Ocean, Malaya, and more!
About Ace Maddox Specializing in air-combat action games, Ace Maddox is an independent game company head-quartered in Sweden. Its distributed development team shares a wild interest in combat aviation and arcade games, and is formed by industry veterans from all over the world with diverse backgrounds in the games, digital media and music industries.
Visit AceMaddox.com for more info.
0.8.1 MINOR UPDATE
- Fixed a bunch of typos
FLYING TIGERS: SHADOWS OVER CHINA NOW ON STEAM
Air-combat action game re-enacts air-battles of American pilots who secretly flew combat for China in the Far East during World War 2, available on Steam Early Access in the immediate.
Sweden, August 19, 2015 – Developer Ace Maddox today announced its air-combat action game FLYING TIGERS: SHADOWS OVER CHINA is available on Steam. The Early Access release offers a polished subset of content and features for both single- and multiplayer modes, and includes a decent number of maps and aircraft (with about a third of the single player campaign already completed).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eFQ59GJ4pc
http://store.steampowered.com/app/365810/
Swoop the skies of Southeast Asia as FLYING TIGERS: SHADOWS OVER CHINA re-creates a diverse set of historical air-battles including the Japanese Christmas-raids on Rangoon, the Flying Tigers’ first combat over Kunming in China, Battle of the Salween Gorge, flying the “Hump” over the Himalayas, Invasion of Malaya and more.
KEY FEATURES:
Based on historical events. Recreates the clandestine operations of the American Volunteer Group, aka the Flying Tigers, in fighter, bomber, gunner, reconnaissance, torpedo and night missions.
A fresh variant of WW2 air-combat gaming. Introduces TrazerTime™ slow-motion precision firing while offering a diverse mix of arcade-style combat maneuvers, photo-realistic graphics, a full single-player campaign, action-packed multiplayer modes, eventful weather effects, and much more!
Multiplayer for up to 16 players! Multiplayer for up to 16 players. Coordinate devastating air-attacks in TEAM DOGFIGHT while providing cover for one another, outdo all enemies in MASTER OF THE SKIES, or go aerial base hunting in CAPTURE THE FLAG.
Pay once and play! Get the full experience, multiplayer included, for a single payment. This game has no micro-transactions, nor any F2P-elements.
Memorable third-person aircraft action. Soar the skies of southeastern Asia in the CBI (China-Burma-India) Theatre of WW2 in American, British and Japanese aircraft.
Exotic lands of the Far East. Locations include Burma, the Himalayas, Thailand, China, the Indian Ocean, Malaya, and more!
About Ace Maddox Specializing in air-combat action games, Ace Maddox is an independent game company head-quartered in Sweden. Its distributed development team shares a strong interest in combat aviation and action games and is formed by industry veterans from all over the world with diverse backgrounds in the games, aviation, and digital media industries.
