Learning Curve

[dogancan]

thinking on a purchase but I am suspicious if the game offers enough beginner campaigns, tool-tips etc. to teach me how to do the trick; or should I google it to learn how to design a successful air-raid?

For instance, I have no idea what happens when BF109s fly at 20,000 feet rather than 10,000 if fighters should fly higher than the bombers, or how many bombers can ruin a small port. Will the game offer me some help to learn these?

[soeren01]

You have to learn this for yourself. The best source of information should be this board and the AAR's.

[Speedysteve]

Gunaydin dogancan,
 
There are several smaller 'scenarios' included in the game such as week long Battle of Britain scenarios in 1940 and 1941. I would recommend going for these straight off since the sale of these is much reduced compared to a BTR scenario and with it being week long it will allow you to learn 'on the job'.
 
Learning on the job really is the best way to go. You can experiment with bomber altitudes, fighter escorts, raid sizes etc.

[Adam Parker]

In a way, you learn as you go with this game much as both sides did during the war.

This game is about thinking and planning. There are enormous assets to plot, husband and consider. Just go at it an see how you fare.

If I recall correctly, the manual does speak about the benefits of various cover - but yes, the force ratios to bring about a successful raid are up to you to develop.

If you're the type of person who has patience and likes tweaking minutia - but not on the scale of War in the Pacific (thank goodness), you'll like this game. Patience in planning, patience in clicking and patience in sitting back and watchng a long AI reaction turn unfold [;)] To some, this waiting is in fact, very Zen.

[Hard Sarge]

I really wouldn't worry too much about what is best Alt and stuff like that, right off the bat

the hassle is, there is so much else going on, that even if you do everything right, something may not happen as you plan

and for rating, or saying this plane is good at low levels, or at high levels, it may still be a dog, it is just a better dog at the right alt

a HF Spitfire, is still going to be a pretty good plane, down on the deck, as well at med level, but it gets better at higher alts, but, if bounced, it is still has a chance to get shot down

(now, just throwing numbers out, say plane A has a base MVR of 28, and is a very good low level plane, so it may get a bonus of +2, at High alt it may get a - 2, but Plane B, may have a base MVR of 34, and be a poor Low level plane, so it may get a -3, be +1 at Med alt and -3 at high, Plane B is going to be better then Plane A, at any level, even at it's worse, it is still a better plane, now, count in, if it got a bounce off, or if it is a plain attack, who is flying it, how long has it flown, does it have full fuel tanks, or is it close to bingo, has it taken any damage from combat, or damage from just flying, how many missions has it flown already, so really, everything can be right, or everything can be wrong, you can't control all of it)

the only real Alt to worry about, is FB/DB wants to be at least 12 K, for the divebombing bonus to kick in

[DBS]

The learning curve is a lot lower than something like WitP. This is because it is a very detailed representation of one aspect of the war (the European air war) rather than all aspects of a theatre. For example, you are never going to have a unit starve to death because you forgot to send a convoy. Nor is an assault going to be handicapped because you chose the wrong type of cargo ship to load up.

Frankly, a good application of common sense will get you a very long way, especially as the attacking player. If you try to send your B-17s to Berlin (or Regensburg/Schweinfurt...[8|]) in 1943, before long-range escorts are available, guess what - it is going to hurt.

Try to plot a route that does not go over too many factories or towns before reaching the target, unless you enjoy getting hit by flak. Look at the database for the ceiling of light flak, and try to keep your light and medium bombers above that, unless you feel you really have to go in low, eg to try and catch enemy aircraft on the ground, or are damned sure there is no flak present.

For recce missions, the lower you go the better target data you get, but the risk from flak obviously rises. If you are an Allied player trying to see just how many light flak infest an airfield, a lowish level sortie at, say, 5k, may be worth the risk. (If the recce then does not come back, that may be a clue.) If you just want to see how well Bomber Command burnt Essen last night, send a Spit over at 30-40k.

For level bombers, greater altitude almost always offers greater safety from flak, but you may not kill the target to your satisfaction on the first raid because your accuracy drops off even with the Norden.

Perhaps the best way I can put it: I love strategy wargames. I love detail. I love micro-management. But the reason why, in more than twenty-five years of gaming, I have never played any game so much, and kept playing the game repeatedly for more than ten years now in the case of BoB and BTR, is probably because it allows me to micromanage yet at the same time stay very focused on one distinct part of the historical conflict. This is not a game where you will suddenly feel that you have to abandon it and start again because you forgot to do something 30 turns ago. Assuming that you save before each turn's action phase starts against the AI, even in the early days of your experience, rarely will something go so badly that you feel moved to do more than go back to that save and see if you can do a bit better on the second attempt.

[AttuWatcher]

Nice explaination of the game DBS.
 
I have spent some time with it now and fully agree that it's not as complex as something like WITP because only one aspect is simulated in detail. Still it has lots of nice details within that one aspect that make it great for the serious wargamers.

[dogancan]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Gunaydin dogancan,

Sana da gunaydin Speedy! [:)]

and thanks to all, I purchased the game. I see it as an opportunity to learn something more about BoB. And well, apparently I am addicted to Matrix... [8|] [:D]

[Speedysteve]

Hope you enjoy dogancan[8D]

[vonRocko]

Very helpful posts. Thanks guys!