Newbie heavy bomber question

[jonpfl]

All,

I am doing my first playing of this game as Germany and I don't see the benefit of heavy bombers, am I missing something?

I am at war with Russia but I don't see any resource spots to bomb in Russia, N Africa or the UK?

Are they good for anything else?

Thx
jonpfl

[Platoonist]

There is more to go after than just mines or oil wells. Try using them to pound bypassed towns and cities that have a ground unit holding out in them. An isolated city with its resource level knocked down to zero by strategic bombing isn't going to provide its defenders with much in the way of supply or replacements.

[DarkHorse2]

Honestly, I never build the German Strategic Bomber, as I found the other air units much more useful.

(Historically, Germany never really built Strategic Bombers (i.e. HE-177) to the level needed for them to be an effective fighting unit) (see - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_177_Greif)

Additionally, if I am looking for strategic bombing, I go for the German Rocket units, as these are impossible to counter and IMO, more cost-effective.

At Rocket Level 1, you can bomb Malta from Sicily.
At Rocket Level 2, you can bomb London from Calais.
(I have also used them against Sevastopol as well...)

In order for Strat Bombers to be a productive use of MPPs, I feel you need to have some levels in Heavy Bombing research, which again tends to preclude Germany as there are other techs that have a greater impact on their war-making efforts.

[Platoonist]

Honestly, I never build the German Strategic Bomber, as I found the other air units much more useful.

Same here. As Germany I usually don't invest in heavy bombers until the game becomes a lop-sided rout and I'm running out of things to buy or research.

However, one other obscure task a heavy bomber unit can perform is convoy raiding. They're not as good at it as maritime bombers or U-boats but I believe if you were to post a German HB in western France it might have the range to chew on that convoy line that comes up from Capetown to Plymouth. It'll knock a few MPPs off it every turn and gain experience in the process. I do with the same against the Norwegian convoys with the Bomber Command unit when I play the Allies while waiting for it to get teched up.

Just remember to set it to "raid" where you see the blue dot on the unit.

[DarkHorse2]

Once you are winning, by all means feel free to be extravagant with MPPs.

Still, at 350 MPPs per Strat Bomber (for Germany), that would take a good number of turns for them to pay for themselves in terms of losses inflicted.

What happens when an Allied CV is patrolling the convoy, do they intercept?

[Platoonist]

What happens when an Allied CV is patrolling the convoy, do they intercept?

You get a message stating that the route is protected by fighters with no MPP loss. No harm to the bomber either. An abort basically.

Since the OP has paid for his heavy bomber already I'm just trying to think of what uses it could be put to. Plus a carrier tied down protecting an Atlantic convoy line is one less in the North Sea or Med and is possibly revealing its general whereabouts. At which point maybe I'd send the HB to Norway to pick on the Murmansk line.

However, at the end the day, maritime bombers are the better suited tool for this sort of warfare. Cheaper and more effective.

[DarkHorse2]

I am a big fan of maritime bombers. They are awesome!

[jonpfl]

I am a big fan of maritime bombers. They are awesome!

If I research "heavy bombers", does that help maritime bombers?

Thx
jonpfl

[Platoonist]

If I research "heavy bombers", does that help maritime bombers?

No. The research traits you want for a maritime bomber are naval weaponry, ASW and long-range (which is good for all aircraft types). Heavy bomber research just increases a strategic bomber unit's ability to destroy resources from the air.

[Duedman]

Heavy Bombers are kick ass for the Axis.

Once you are deeper into Russia there are several cities that can cripple the defense when bombed below 5.

For example, the town north on Moscow, where the all railroads from Leningrad, Murmansk and Archangel pass through.
Bring that one to below 5 and there are no more convoys plus Leningrad drops from 12 supply to 5 making it easy pickings.

Once you got Stalingrad and Saratov is heavily defended - bring the town east of Saratov below 5 and keep it that way.
Saratov then will drop to 5 as well and the units can no longer flee by rail.

Once you got Grozny and cut the rail from the north but are stuck there - levelbomb Baku or one of the towns in between and watch Russian supply plummet. Units suddenly can no longer be fully repaired and die easily.

You can also use this to cut off retreat routes for large troop concentrations who would otherwise flee (Saratov is only an example)
On top that they are very good scouts

As stated before they are also just useful for leveling bypassed cities. If you keep 2 units next to the bombed city it will stay at zero supply and the defender will be MUCH easier to kill compared even to 1 supply.
This frees up your blockading units quicker

I went over to building the Italien Heavy bomber as well.
If an Allied opponent does not doublechit AA research all the time he will have no chance. And even if it is very hard to defend against 2 of them.

[El_Condoro]

I buy the German SB to take out Volkov. With it reduced below 5 strength and Novgorod in German hands, Leningrad cannot be reinforced by operational movement.

[Platoonist]

Wow. Maybe I'll have to rethink my no HB strategy for Germany.

[DarkHorse2]

baa...

Have a hard time believing you could not do the same thing with Medium Bombers and/or Rockets.

The problem with Strat Bombers for Germany / Italy is they only get 1 each and they only receive improvements from Heavy Bombing and Long-Range AC research. There are no events that just give free Strat Bombers to the Axis, like there are for the Allies.

Where as Germany has 5 Tac + 4 Medium Bombers, both of which receive upgrade improvements from Ground Attack Weapons.

Who wants to put any research into 'Heavy Bombing' for just 1 unit when the same MPPs spent on 'Ground Attack Weapons' will allow upgrades to 9 AC units?

If you find yourself with enough excess MPPs to spend on Strat Bombers as the Axis, then the game is over and you have already won.

[El_Condoro]

To be useful for the purpose I mentioned, the SB has to be invested in very early. I never bother to upgrade its tech, though, for the reasons you state. It is good enough for Volkov as is and for spotting later.

[Duedman]

baa...

Have a hard time believing you could not do the same thing with Medium Bombers and/or Rockets.

You can not kill enemy supply with Tacs or Mediums if a unit is present. Also their range is a lot lower and they become increasingly expensive to use once Soviets get lvl2 AA upgrades on their units.

I played for a long time seeing them as a gimmick. Then started to see the value of the German one.
And only recently went to even buying the Italian one.

They give you just so many opportunities to screw over enemy troop concentrations by cutting off their superb supply (it is never just about killing the SU units - it is about killing them undersupplied. And faster).

Also, if you can not find a job for them .... it is 2 long range scout missions per Bomber per Turn that do not need to target a ressource (like the naval bomber)

Rockets on the other hand are the thing you build, when you've already won. Right after the aircraft carriers that is