LINKS   7-09-2025
Compiled and Edited by MarkEAW

[ GOTO THE EAWHS MAIN PAGE ]


CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

SITES
ACTIVE | GAME NEWS | OLD

ONLINE PLAY

WRAPPER PROGRAMS
BEST | MORE | OTHER | SUPPORT

MENU SCREEN COLOR FIX | EMULATION

JOYSTICK / DEVICE COMBINERS | COMPATIBLE GAMES | REVIEWS / ARTICLES

MISC INFO
RELATED COMPANY | GAME PATCHES | VIDEOS | OTHER

FORUMS
ACTIVE | OLD | READ ONLY


 

INTRODUCTION

This page lists the active and inactive web pages that support the EAW Windows PC Game in some fashion. Includes helpful links to find Wrapper, Controller and OS support programs for use in game compatibility as well as game articles and Official MPS patch downloads. Much of which is mentioned throughout my Help Site.

Have a link?, ask me to post it!

 

SITES

These are sites that are generally maintained in the current EAW Community. A list of inactive, non-updated sites are listed below them.

ACTIVE SITES

  • Flight Sim Mods  - vonOben -
    Add-ons, skins, tools, terrain etc. (since 2002).
     
  • RAF Chattenden  - Moggy -
    Contains complete add-ons across several pages. Editing help as well. (since early 2000's)
     
  • Tally Ho!  - Sandbagger -
    Archive of community pages and files (since 2001). Some files where removed in recent years, some where added. Newly cleaned up and formatted.

  • FXEXE / EAWPRO LaunchPad - VBH - 
    Since early 2000's. An un-official special effects (FXEXE) build of the original EAW game. Discover details about the latest EAWPRO patch by viewing many effect examples in screenshots before you fly. Follow link to find a download. The patch goes over any of the three official EAWv1.xMPS versions.
     
  • UAW v1.60 Latest Release and Download Thread - SimHQ Forums - (at The Gen Forums) -
    Mr. Jelly's and the Code-Group Files; the un-official Universal Air Wars (UAW) game. Built upon the original EAW game, but now with many more planes and theaters of operations newly introduced. Credit for the game data goes back to the very old EAW original community (circa 2003). Some content is new (2015+). It is a standalone archive as it includes the official MicroProse registered and patched CD ETO theater game data files. Also checkout (EAW_Downloads - Mediafire  - MrJelly's Files - for various old un sorted UAW downloads).

  • European Air War Windows PC Game - Mod DB - and (A Custom Italian Patch DL for EAWv1.2) -
    There are several downloads for the standard game; skin packs in automated installers for an example. Also, Modred translated the English EAW into the Italian Language, including movies with voice overs. Includes a few other applied effect modifications to the game. It patches over a English EAWv1.2 game folder.

  • EAW: Aces Over Europe 2022 Edition - Mod DB -
    Modred's WIP , more work is put into the 'original 1943-1945 ETO Campaign' addon that was made for EAW back in '2000-2003 by Emil'. This new and more recent addition (2018-2023) makes for a more complete and polished addon. It works with the newly modded Code-Group unofficial EAW version (v1.28c_Dec2022), included. Has an automated installer. This is actually a standalone game, as it has the official MPS game data, some of it is replaced with custom data, such as terrain and skins. Note: The addon title name and logo used are from an older flight sim game from 1993, made by a different company.
     
  • EAW - GOG -
    Purchase a digital download copy of a re-release (3-27-2021) of EAW. The purchased version is based on the official MicroProse EAWv1.2 patched game, with just the eaw.exe specially modified with some compatibility fixes. DirectX and Glide Wrappers included. Also you get a PDF of the manual and a PDF of the back cover with the basic key reference card on it. The main automated installer for it says it runs on Win7/8/10/11, it may work with WinXP. See the GOG site for more information.

    Read my 'First Use' and 'GOG Patches Help Documents' for further in depth reading about this type of game.

  • EAW - Steam -
    Purchase a digital download. Same as the GOG release, listed above. This one was released on (6-16-2022).

  • Patch and Launcher for owners of the GoG/Steam release of EAW - SimHQ Forums - (at The Gen Forums) -
    This is a EAW OAW package archive, modified, with two separate frontend launchers; Basic and Full. Everything is categorized and swappable. Works with EAWv1.2GOG and EAWv1.28GOG versions, it includes two exe replacement files (one from the CodeGroup, and one 1.2GOG game.exe), make a copy of your GOG game folder and overwrite. There is a bunch of theaters of operation, custom gun sights and other improved game assets. (It may work with the stock EAWv1.2MPS version).

 

GAME NEWS SITES

  • CombatACE -
    They have simulator news and forums.
    Including a full EAW forum section and miscellaneous paid downloads for European Air War!

  • CombatSim -
    They have simulator news and forums.
    They use to have, but no longer do, the old 'EAW 1-6 forum archive' (1998-2002) and then a Standard EAW Forum (up to 2022). However, they still have several EAW specific articles that are readable and helpful still today. Like those listed below in the Articles Links Section.

  • SimHQ -
    They are not an active news site, however they do have (2008 to current) EAW Forums.
    They use to have, but no longer do, the old 'EAW 2000-2008 forum archive'. Note: Most EAW users moved to this forum when combatsim became a paid service briefly back in the year 2000.

 

OLD SITES

 



ONLINE PLAY

Just a few places to play EAW online.
(The game is coded with DirectPlay6 (compatible with DP8); IPX (LAN 8-Players), Serial (Head to Head 2-Players), TCP/IP (INTERNET 4-Players)). Note: GOG EAW only has IPX LAN support.



WRAPPER PROGRAMS

These programs improve compatibility for the EAW game. They include (Glide, DirectX (DX); DirectDraw and Direct3D Wrappers). Some translate the old EAW DirectX6 game to a newer DX version or other graphical API's: like OpenGL or Vulkan.

These are good for correcting the weird colors within the menu screens of EAW found on Win7 machines. They also allow you to avoid the 7217 EAW graphical error message and menu screen tearing. Some wrappers will allow Smacker Movie playback. Some wrappers will restore horizon fog and some may fix the terrain shimmer.

See my 'Troubleshoot Wrappers Help Document' for some Wrappers settings I suggest for EAW, and other guidance.

*indicates a compatibility fix that works with EAW, that is included with the wrapper.


BEST WRAPPERS

  • DxWnd - (ghotik) -
    DirectX Mode. Translates to Direct3D. (Works with Win10 and Vista/Win7/Win8 possibly WinXP).
    *(restores horizon fog) *(slow down mouse selection) *(other visual quality filters) *(movie playback)

  • OpenGLide - (fbarros, glidos, swstiletto) - (There is a OpenGLide Update as part of Glidos) -
    Glide v2.xx Mode. Translates to OpenGL. (Designed for WinXP, works with Win10)
    *(restores horizon fog) *(terrain shimmer fixable)

  • nGlide - (zeus) -
    Glide v2.xx/v3.xx Mode. Translates to D3D or Vulkan. (Designed for XP to 8/10).
    *(restores horizon fog) *(visual quality filters)
    Note: You can install local (in the game folder) or system wide (in the WindowsOS systems folders).

     

MORE WRAPPERS

OTHER WRAPPERS

  • DDrawCompat - (narzoul) -
    DirectDraw and Direct3D 1-7 compatibility, performance and visual enhancements for use with Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 and 11. Uses a locally placed ddraw.dll (like EAW patched by GOG) and it can be configured. I have this link here because GOGs super patched eaw.exe uses a ddraw.dll in the games main folder. This wrapper may have possible uses for GOGs EAW game, for some...?

  • IPXWrapper - (Solemn's site) -
    Tunnels IPX to UDP. (GoG uses this wrapper for EAW too activate its IPX Protocol, for LAN use (Some online services will allow IPX through DirectPlay to be used with EAW).

  • dinputto8 - (elishacloud) -
    A dll module that is designed to improve compatibility in games using DirectInput 1-7 (dinput.dll) by converting all API calls to their equivalent DirectInput 8 (dinput8.dll) ones. This allows older games (like possibly EAW) to be able to use newer controller tools and wrappers written for DirectInput 8.

 

SUPPORT

  • DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer  - (Redist / Full DL) - (Microsoft) -
    Not a wrapper. This is the DirectX 9.0c (June 2010) version (I think there where small updates afterward). Some older legacy Games may require this... Does not overwrite your systems built-in DX. Following this link above will not only provide you the Download, but at this page is a special web site link with extended information, if your interested. Effects the OS behavior with EAW, supposedly. (Note: GoG's EAW installer installs DX9.0c after it installs EAW on your system as it has "side by side" tech for older games, its truly unknown by me if EAW requires it, as I do remember the game running on Win7 and Win10 before I had installed this older version of the DirectX). 
     
  • Windows ADK - (Microsoft) -
    Not a wrapper, however it gives access to the Windows OS custom pre built in compat fixes. The installer includes the ACT tools; Application Compatibility Tool Kit. This link appears to be the page that the latest version for Windows 10 and 11 is available. You don't need this unless you want to test different advanced compat configurations of eaw.exe with the Windows Version your using, such as Win10.

    See my 'Windows ACT Toolkit Help Document' if interested for more information.
     

 


MENU SCREEN COLOR FIX

If you only need to correct the corrupt 256 colored DirectDraw Menu Screens in EAW, then one of these programs will help. Note: These are for Windows Vista and Win7 use ONLY. Win8/10 fix it on their own. Note: If your going to use a wrapper program you do not need this fix.

 

  • DirectDraw Compatibility Tool - (at PCGamingWiki) -
    Creates a reg file based on compatibility specifications of the eaw.exe file you choose (It does not patch the exe directly). You then install that reg file that makes a DDRAW entry that Windows understands as a workaround. It will write directly to the registry or let you review it (open it with notepad) before installing it.
     
  • w7ddpatcher - Updated Source Code (github) -
    This one does what the other one above does, however, it writes directly to the registry only (you can't preview the reg entry with notepad).

 

 


EMULATION

More emulation. Most old EAW tools are designed as DOS or Win98 programs. (Some where eventually made for WinXP).
 

  • DOSBox Emulator -
    Run EAW community made DOS tools on Win2000, WinXP, VISTA, Win7/8.1/10.

  • DOSBox-X -
    Supports accurate Win3.x and Win9x DOS for use on modern computers. Perfect for many EAW tools.

  • AmpShell -
    A DOSBox or DOSBox-X easy front end and launcher. Makes it easy to configure and launch EAW tools quickly.

 

 


JOYSTICK / DEVICE COMBINERS

These programs / drivers allow you to combine more than one controller into one Device ID, by way of a virtual device. Useful for EAW v1.0-v1.2, FXEXE/EAWPRO and when the un-official UAW source coded modifications don't cooperate with your devices. Of course these programs do a lot more on top of just combining your controls.



COMPATIBLE GAMES

Some Elements of these Games are Compatible with EAW, primarily some of the 3DZ models and 'skins', with modification.



REVIEWS / ARTICLES

These are EAW game reviews and articles of the time (most are from around the year 1999).

REVIEWS

ARTICLES



MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Some important links that didn't fit anywhere else.

RELATED COMPANY SITES

  • Atari - The returning (2023) as a digital publisher of EAW.
  • Tommo, Inc. / Retroism - The 2021-2023 digital publishing label for EAW.
  • Third Wire Productions - TK, Game designer and was the lead programmer of EAW. Found a new company in 1999 and produce/made several simulation games.
  • MicroProse - The new (for 2020) MPS company with newly produced games and some of the old MPS Corporation games made available once again with there being improved, updates and patches.

 

GAME PATCHES, DEMO, MANUAL and FAQ

 

VIDEOS


OTHER

 


FORUMS

These are the forum locations for the EAW community.

ACTIVE FORUMS



OLD FORUMS


READ-ONLY FORUMS

 

 

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