Best altitude for 4 e bombers - say port and airfield attack

[Cavalry Corp]

Has anyone got an opinion as to the best altitude for this kind of attack for four engine bombers. I have no idea. I always thought actually they always flew quite high like 15 to 20,000 feet but is there any good for Port and airfield attacks. The same question I would like to ask about smaller bombers like to engine bombers what is their optimum level for attack?

Thanks for your help.

[Barb]

IRL and IN GAME are two wholly different worlds actually

IRL - Mediums usually flew @10-15k and heavies @15-20k, with B-29s @25-30k with strafers (B-25D1/H/J, A-20G, A-26A, fighter bombers @100ft)

IN GAME - depends... Balloon barrages are up to 6000ft, Jap 25mm AA gun reaches to 7000ft, Allied 40mm Bofors up to 10000ft. You are still using Ground Bombing skill @2000, Low Ground @1000ft and Strafing @100ft.

You want to nuke the place in one go and have time to fix the planes afterwards with plenty in pools? Go at it @100ft/1000ft/2000ft.
Wanna keep your planes in commission for further work ? Go at it @7000-10000ft
Wanna keep losses to minimum? Go at it @15-20k ft. But you probably wont hit that much.
On the other hand using B-17/B-24/B-29s @7000ft will get too many hits on anything.

[BBfanboy]

HBs are especially likely to hit balloons, but the number of balloons depends on base development (AF+Port). Up to level 3 total is not too bad. At level 4 I would not risk my HBs unless the prize was really juicy (like KB in port!).

Single engine aircraft rarely hit balloons and even MBs only get the occasional balloon damage.

[Cavalry Corp]

Thanks for the replies so for a max impact, less flak and baloons around 8000?

[Ian R]

ORIGINAL: Barb

IRL and IN GAME are two wholly different worlds actually

IRL - Mediums usually flew @10-15k and heavies @15-20k, with B-29s @25-30k with strafers (B-25D1/H/J, A-20G, A-26A, fighter bombers @100ft)

I don't doubt what you say was true on average (and European operations were conducted at higher altitudes) but ....

The Japanese raids on Darwin flew in at 8-10k. One was reason was to try to sucker the Spitfires down into turning fights at a level more favourable to the IJ fighters.

After Clive Caldwell (Wing Cmdr 1 Wing) met Joe Foss in Melbourne on leave and discussed "Corsair tactics" with him, The IJ loss rate went north and the Spitfire loss rate went the other direction.

[Cavalry Corp]

ok and thanks

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

HBs are especially likely to hit balloons, but the number of balloons depends on base development (AF+Port). Up to level 3 total is not too bad. At level 4 I would not risk my HBs unless the prize was really juicy (like KB in port!).

Single engine aircraft rarely hit balloons and even MBs only get the occasional balloon damage.

Balloons don't show up until level 6 at least, IIRC. Maybe more.

Also they depend on forts level. Lower forts, fewer balloons.

I still send my bombers in at 2K. Japanese flak is a joke, even if there is a lot of it.

[Cavalry Corp]

Even a B29? seems very un historical - I thought this game is about historical tactics etc.

[Trugrit]

LeMay sent B-29's to bomb Tokyo at 6,000 feet at night.

[Yaab]

ORIGINAL: cavalry

Even a B29? seems very un historical - I thought this game is about historical tactics etc.

No, it isn't. In hexes where land combat takes place, you can carpet bomb enemy ground troops with hundreds of B-29s flying at 2000feet, and not a single bomb will hit your own ground troops.