Thanks to everyone for the support! We've received your feedback and we have an update based on your responses. This update contains all of the following changes:
Improved the handling of the Ekranoplans especially during the phase before you can turn the WIG effect on.
Added/improved extra effects such as water explosions.
Enhanced the detail of the enemy ship models.
Added more enemies to various missions.
Adjusted turning on the WIG effect.
Fixed UI being cut off at certain screen resolutions.
Improved UI/gauge information to the player.
Press F3 to see markers showing you where the enemy ships are and the delivery points.
Increased the extra fuel a craft can carry.
Fixed fuel being used while the game is paused.
Changed the handling of the Ekranoplans when you turn off the engines at high speed.
Fixed corrupt cockpit view when the Orlyonok is very near the port.
Some joypad/controller support added. Press the input tab on the start screen and you can configure your joypad to be able to steer your Ekranoplan.
Steam Achievements added.
...plus various other minor issues.
Thanks,
Soviet Monsters: Ekranoplans Development Team
Soviet Monsters: Ekranoplans is Out Now!
Comrades, the time has arrived!
Thanks for the comments and support on the Community Hub everyone!
We've already prepared a full official guide to the game here:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=724247030
Please let us know on the Community Hub if you run into any problems or have anything to discuss on the game and we'll try to help you out!
We've also found a great article from the BBC with James May of Top Gear fame! Check it out. He actually pilots an ekranoplan! (No, not on the test track...) :D
Link to the BBC article
Soviet Monsters: Ekranoplans Comes Out 14th July!
Greetings Comrades!
Soviet Monsters: Ekranoplan will be available 14th July!
If you have questions, suggestions, thoughts, general opinions etc etc. Reach out to us on the Community Hub
If it's your first time here. You might be thinking. What is an Ekranoplan anyway? We've got a little history on these magnificent machines right here for you
And yes, these things are real! The USSR worked on them for decades. When the USA surveillance spotted them, they were awe struck and dubbed them Caspian Sea Monsters! :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_symWK4T7n0
Soviet Monsters: Ekranoplans – Five Locations
You'll find five huge regions in Soviet Monsters Ekranoplans to explore and complete missions in. They are:
The Baltic (Eastern Side)
Caspian Sea
Siberia
Krimea
Baikonur/Kazakhstan
Note: All of the following screenshots are from the game's current internal beta build.
The Baltic (Eastern Side) Pilot your fleet of top secret Ekranoplans around the Gulfs of Finland and Riga. Don't stray too north as these waters do not belong to you and you may encounter fierce resistance to your incursion. Standalone missions include the delivery of advanced ballistic missiles, rescuing a stranded nuclear submarine and destroying craft that refuse to respect your borders!
Caspian Sea The largest body of inland water on Earth, the Caspian Sea, provides the perfect location for Ekranoplan operations. It's no wonder that back in the mid 60s this area was chosen to test out the top secret ground effect vehicle the KM. Standalone missions in this area include delivering materials to help build advanced long range radar stations and providing humanitarian relief to earthquake stricken areas.
Siberia Prepare to face one of the most inhospitable regions on Earth – Siberia. We've chosen a snow covered part of the Siberian region to test your piloting skills as you navigate your ground effect vehicle around the waterways before reaching the open sea. Missions include locating and retrieving a crashed meteorite and a race against time to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter.
Krimea You'll have to master piloting your craft around the narrow network of rivers – which will be vital as one of your missions includes delivering key personnel to help with an emergency at a dam! You will also get the opportunity to help with the construction of a top secret radio installation the DUGA 3 by delivering vital supplies and also get to deal with recently discovered old World War II naval mines.
Baikonur Image: Map_BaikonurCropped
In this region you'll find the famous Baikonur space port and get the opportunity to try piloting your Ekranoplan over unforgiving land! You can't afford to be complacent as you travel at high speed just metres over the surface. The individual missions will have you helping the Soviet Space programme by delivering the heavy Energia Rockets and also the Buran Spacecraft itself to the Baikonur Cosmodrome!
Meet the Ekranoplans
As we approach the release of Soviet Monsters: Ekranoplans, we would like to introduce you to all of the ekranoplans that you will be flying/sailing across the Caspian Sea!
So here's a complete listing with a break down of some figures so you can get a feel each of them.
Note: All of the following screenshots are from the game's current internal beta build.
Orlyonok
Year of Production - 1979
Storage Capacity - 28960
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 29000
Dimensions (m) - 16x58x30
Flight Height (m) - 3000
Engines - 3
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 412
Minimum Crew - 6
Maximum Crew - 150
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 70000
Eska
Year of Production - 1960
Storage Capacity - 270
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 317
Dimensions (m) - 3x8x7
Flight Height (m) - 45
Engines - 1
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 137
Minimum Crew - 1
Maximum Crew - 2
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 450
KM
Year of Production - 1964
Storage Capacity - 130720
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 69200
Dimensions (m) - 22x92x38
Flight Height (m) - 14
Engines - 10
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 550
Minimum Crew - 9
Maximum Crew - 300
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 240000
Volga 2
Year of Production - 1985
Storage Capacity - 270
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 1374
Dimensions (m) - 3x11x28
Flight Height (m) - 1
Engines - 2
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 137
Minimum Crew - 2
Maximum Crew - 9
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 1950
Sukhoi S90
Year of Production - 1977
Storage Capacity - 270
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 1184
Dimensions (m) - 4x11x13
Flight Height (m) - 1500
Engines - 2
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 275
Minimum Crew - 2
Maximum Crew - 400
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 1680
Bartini I
Year of Production - 1971
Storage Capacity - 270
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 1269
Dimensions (m) - 6x9x12
Flight Height (m) - 500
Engines - 1
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 165
Minimum Crew - 1
Maximum Crew - 2
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 1800
Bartini II
Year of Production - 1972
Storage Capacity - 8974
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 10381
Dimensions (m) - 7x26x30
Flight Height (m) - 10000
Engines - 2
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 770
Minimum Crew - 3
Maximum Crew - 40
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 23236
Bartini III
Year of Production - 1973
Storage Capacity - 14608
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 15380
Dimensions (m) - 7x25x30
Flight Height (m) - 10000
Engines - 4
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 825
Minimum Crew - 3
Maximum Crew - 40
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 36000
Lun Military
Year of Production - 1983
Storage Capacity - 46368
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 105230
Dimensions (m) - 19x74x44
Flight Height (m) - 2
Engines - 8
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 825
Minimum Crew - 6
Maximum Crew - 200
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 206000
Lun Civil
Year of Production - 1983
Storage Capacity - 46368
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 105230
Dimensions (m) - 19x74x44
Flight Height (m) - 2
Engines - 8
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 825
Minimum Crew - 10
Maximum Crew - 200
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 205000
Pachenkov
Year of Production - 1990
Storage Capacity - 779
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 1037
Dimensions (m) - 4x15x10
Flight Height (m) - 20
Engines - 4
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 330
Minimum Crew - 4
Maximum Crew - 500
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 2180
Raketa
Year of Production - 1968
Storage Capacity - 1312
Fuel Capacity (Litres) - 2020
Dimensions (m) - 8x31x24
Flight Height (m) - 35
Engines - 3
Max Cruise Speed (Km/h) - 165
Minimum Crew - 3
Maximum Crew - 89
Weight (Unloaded) (Kg) - 4000
Ekranoplans - A Brief History
So you may be thinking...Well, what's an Ekranoplan?
We've seen a few people ask: "Could these machines actually work?"
Absolutely!
Ekranoplans were designed and developed during the Soviet era by Rostislav Alexeyev. The concept was revolutionary and very soon found military application which led to further backing and development from the Soviet Union.
Several of these machines were created throughout the ekranoplan research and development lifecycle. Handled with the utmost secrecy, behemoth machines such as the Lun class titan arose in the Caspian sea. With 8 Kuznetsov NK-87 turbofans, each producing 127.4 kN (28,600 lbf) of thrust, it could achieve 340 mph (550 km/h)
A Lun-Class Ekranoplan in action
While these monsters didn't necessarily "fly" They used the force of air beneath them to glide across the water, with an optimal operating elevation of 20m (66ft) The reduced drag created by this cushion of air allow blistering speeds despite their incredible mass.
A Lun-Class Ekranoplan elevated above the sea
US intelligence at the time received images of these machines, and simply due to their monstrous size, they were instantly dubbed "Caspian Sea Monsters"
Following the boom of development during the Soviet era, some smaller ekranoplans were produced for military transport purposes. Thus the A-90 Orlyonok was born.
