Heavy Bomber Losses

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Mike Scholl
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Mike Scholl »

ORIGINAL: Charles_22

Well the IJ planes are around 50% better in experience and their morale is probably 100% better. Hold formation or not, but if gunner Joe is wiping his nose half the time due to low morale the porcupine just isn't going to be performing to standards.

CHARLES This is really lame. First, in the examples used, it was clearly stated that the beginning morale of the heavy bombers was excellent...., it was only later after the continued idiotic combat results that the morale fell. Secondly, no matter how unhappy a crewman might be about going up, shooting at people who are trying to kill you is an act of self-preservation, not morale. The porcupine's quills are still sharp and dangerous even if the animal in question is a bit depressed.
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castor troy
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by castor troy »

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

ORIGINAL: Charles_22

Well the IJ planes are around 50% better in experience and their morale is probably 100% better. Hold formation or not, but if gunner Joe is wiping his nose half the time due to low morale the porcupine just isn't going to be performing to standards.

CHARLES This is really lame. First, in the examples used, it was clearly stated that the beginning morale of the heavy bombers was excellent...., it was only later after the continued idiotic combat results that the morale fell. Secondly, no matter how unhappy a crewman might be about going up, shooting at people who are trying to kill you is an act of self-preservation, not morale. The porcupine's quills are still sharp and dangerous even if the animal in question is a bit depressed.

Yes, correct. Morale shouldn´t be the point in defending your life. I think it´s enough to have a check if the bombers fly when morale is low (but what do they do? desert?). When you look at my ac loss list you can see that the B17 is the leader in the A2A losses. I started in 5/42 and I´m now in 9/42, the bomber raids started in 7/42 and now I have shot down 200 !! B17 in A2A, mostly with RUFES. Now folks, after 4 pages of discussion - aren´t there people who can see that there´s something going wrong? Hey, where´s Ron? Is ASW the only discussion he wants to participate? [;)]

Now in 9/42 my Tonies are doing the big part of the job and getting of course better results, because they are armored and take less losses, but I could also "win" this air battle over Gili Gili if I would have more than 2 daitais with each 9 Rufes. I´ll place another 72 Tonies at Gili Gili to get an air balance which is so high the AI stops attacking that airfield. Otherwise it will lose and lose and lose and lose,.... B17.

And as I´ve already said: This result is not because too low exp., altitude or 500 fighters on my side. NO, everything is just normal. But is the result?
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Charles2222
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Charles2222 »

ORIGINAL: freeboy

The fault seems to be in both experience and altitude... I wonder if range to target also plays a factor.. If my plane is hit and takes a feathered engine at max range getting home would be harder in the real world.. I wonder again about Frags statement about altitude and moral... makes me want to see the cambat calculations

Further range adds to operational losses anyway.
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Charles2222
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Charles2222 »

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

ORIGINAL: Charles_22

Well the IJ planes are around 50% better in experience and their morale is probably 100% better. Hold formation or not, but if gunner Joe is wiping his nose half the time due to low morale the porcupine just isn't going to be performing to standards.

CHARLES This is really lame. First, in the examples used, it was clearly stated that the beginning morale of the heavy bombers was excellent...., it was only later after the continued idiotic combat results that the morale fell. Secondly, no matter how unhappy a crewman might be about going up, shooting at people who are trying to kill you is an act of self-preservation, not morale. The porcupine's quills are still sharp and dangerous even if the animal in question is a bit depressed.

All I can tell you is that I have seen the formulas GG used to use for A2A combat and the morale was every bit as important as the experience and other factors. Whether he still uses pretty much the same formula I can only guess. Besides, since there is not an SP ranking for the crews, or at least none that I have seen, and how morale is a key (no matter how insignificant it may cureently be) to the unseen fomula, wouldn't you say that it just might fit into the morale category? If there aren't any crew variables other than exp/mor then obviously the other intangibles fit in one or the other category or are omitted altogether.
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Charles2222
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Charles2222 »

ORIGINAL: castor troy
ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

ORIGINAL: Charles_22

Well the IJ planes are around 50% better in experience and their morale is probably 100% better. Hold formation or not, but if gunner Joe is wiping his nose half the time due to low morale the porcupine just isn't going to be performing to standards.

CHARLES This is really lame. First, in the examples used, it was clearly stated that the beginning morale of the heavy bombers was excellent...., it was only later after the continued idiotic combat results that the morale fell. Secondly, no matter how unhappy a crewman might be about going up, shooting at people who are trying to kill you is an act of self-preservation, not morale. The porcupine's quills are still sharp and dangerous even if the animal in question is a bit depressed.

Yes, correct. Morale shouldn´t be the point in defending your life. I think it´s enough to have a check if the bombers fly when morale is low (but what do they do? desert?). When you look at my ac loss list you can see that the B17 is the leader in the A2A losses. I started in 5/42 and I´m now in 9/42, the bomber raids started in 7/42 and now I have shot down 200 !! B17 in A2A, mostly with RUFES. Now folks, after 4 pages of discussion - aren´t there people who can see that there´s something going wrong? Hey, where´s Ron? Is ASW the only discussion he wants to participate? [;)]

Now in 9/42 my Tonies are doing the big part of the job and getting of course better results, because they are armored and take less losses, but I could also "win" this air battle over Gili Gili if I would have more than 2 daitais with each 9 Rufes. I´ll place another 72 Tonies at Gili Gili to get an air balance which is so high the AI stops attacking that airfield. Otherwise it will lose and lose and lose and lose,.... B17.

And as I´ve already said: This result is not because too low exp., altitude or 500 fighters on my side. NO, everything is just normal. But is the result?

Do you consider defending with Rufe's normal? The Rufe isn't a whole lot worse than a Zero is it? Before you answer that, I don't think their somewhat lessened amount of maneuverability will hurt them when their targets are B17's. It's not in the floatplane category, but the fighter-floatplane category if I recall. Frankly I'm somewhat amused to use Alf's as a small addition to some of my bombing runs in China, but they could do it. 200 losses in 60 days is it? So the mighty Rufe's and compatriots have inflicted 3.03 losses a day? I'd like to have empathy for you, only I've run "extremely" fresh Nells at 15,000ft with no air opposition on Clark before, and they got so damaged that their morale shot down to like 20 (on the "surprise" first turn no less). So that's like 2 weeks out of the war from mere damage with maybe 1 or 2 losses in planes/men. What I'm trying to tell you is that it isn't the B17 which is somehow structurally weak, or that the Rufe is some uber-plane, but only that if you think that is fairly wild I'm not sure you've seen much of the aerial results.

Also note that for all of those screenshots you did not post one of Rufe's taking on B17's by themselves as you seem to think they can do. I see some pretty high losses by Rufe's, but to what? Your two best Rufe pilots, if they're so disproportional, are averaging a kill every other mission, with the worser ones listed with a lower ratio still. No exactly a big deal. You also don't have 200 B17 losses according to your screenshots, but 187, of which only 173 are to aerial opposition.

I just took the time to go over your AAR's located on page one. I counted all the B17's destroyed only (naturally the Rufe's could got some B24's too). NONE of those destructions, much less any damage was done by Rufe's because you didn't have any of those 2 months AAR's that you picked out, with Rufe's in them. I counted 39 B17's destroyed. Subtract that from the 173 B17's lost in the air and the MOST the uber-Rufe's shot down was 134. I'm betting they didn't shoot down half of that.

We could talk about B24 losses too, but as your screenshot was sorted by A2A losses the B24 is so low that it don't show up (obviously below 19).

*Sidenote: My counting of the B17 losses on page one may not be correct due to the fact that I might have accidentally counted Tom Hunter's trial.

It is true that there may be as high as three of the B17's destroyed that were due to flak, but considering how the total B17's lost to flak have totaled 3 it's more a bother than anything, and whether they came from the rufe stronghold is another question.
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castor troy
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by castor troy »

ORIGINAL: Charles_22
ORIGINAL: castor troy
ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl




CHARLES This is really lame. First, in the examples used, it was clearly stated that the beginning morale of the heavy bombers was excellent...., it was only later after the continued idiotic combat results that the morale fell. Secondly, no matter how unhappy a crewman might be about going up, shooting at people who are trying to kill you is an act of self-preservation, not morale. The porcupine's quills are still sharp and dangerous even if the animal in question is a bit depressed.

Yes, correct. Morale shouldn´t be the point in defending your life. I think it´s enough to have a check if the bombers fly when morale is low (but what do they do? desert?). When you look at my ac loss list you can see that the B17 is the leader in the A2A losses. I started in 5/42 and I´m now in 9/42, the bomber raids started in 7/42 and now I have shot down 200 !! B17 in A2A, mostly with RUFES. Now folks, after 4 pages of discussion - aren´t there people who can see that there´s something going wrong? Hey, where´s Ron? Is ASW the only discussion he wants to participate? [;)]

Now in 9/42 my Tonies are doing the big part of the job and getting of course better results, because they are armored and take less losses, but I could also "win" this air battle over Gili Gili if I would have more than 2 daitais with each 9 Rufes. I´ll place another 72 Tonies at Gili Gili to get an air balance which is so high the AI stops attacking that airfield. Otherwise it will lose and lose and lose and lose,.... B17.

And as I´ve already said: This result is not because too low exp., altitude or 500 fighters on my side. NO, everything is just normal. But is the result?

Do you consider defending with Rufe's normal? The Rufe isn't a whole lot worse than a Zero is it? Before you answer that, I don't think their somewhat lessened amount of maneuverability will hurt them when their targets are B17's. It's not in the floatplane category, but the fighter-floatplane category if I recall. Frankly I'm somewhat amused to use Alf's as a small addition to some of my bombing runs in China, but they could do it. 200 losses in 60 days is it? So the mighty Rufe's and compatriots have inflicted 3.03 losses a day? I'd like to have empathy for you, only I've run "extremely" fresh Nells at 15,000ft with no air opposition on Clark before, and they got so damaged that their morale shot down to like 20 (on the "surprise" first turn no less). So that's like 2 weeks out of the war from mere damage with maybe 1 or 2 losses in planes/men. What I'm trying to tell you is that it isn't the B17 which is somehow structurally weak, or that the Rufe is some uber-plane, but only that if you think that is fairly wild I'm not sure you've seen much of the aerial results.

************************
No, I don´t consider defending with Rufes normal. The case was that I stationed them there before I started to build up the airfield. And I didn´t withdraw them as the first B17 raids came in, so they fought long time alone against the B17. And with that uber results. I don´t know the mvr of the Rufe and can´t look it up right now, but what do you think of speed? I think they should have problems even to close in when being on CAP. Perhaps I don´t understand you but what do you mean with "I'm not sure you've seen much of the aerial results"? I´m looking at all combat animations and I think I can really say what results I get. And no FOW with the ac loss list!
************************

Also note that for all of those screenshots you did not post one of Rufe's taking on B17's by themselves as you seem to think they can do. I see some pretty high losses by Rufe's, but to what? Your two best Rufe pilots, if they're so disproportional, are averaging a kill every other mission, with the worser ones listed with a lower ratio still. No exactly a big deal. You also don't have 200 B17 losses according to your screenshots, but 187, of which only 173 are to aerial opposition.

***************************
I just can repeat my self. At the beginning of the attack ONLY Rufes were engaging the heavies. And if you look at my screenshots you can see that 173 were shot down A2A - most of them by RUFES, on their own! Now I´m in 9/42 and I have destroyed FAR MOR than 200 B17 A2A. If you consider that normal, okay, not my problem, I think it´s just weird. And again: I´m playing the Japanese! And I think my fighters (not just the Rufe) is too good in shooting down heavies or the heavies can´t take what they should be able to take.
***************************


I just took the time to go over your AAR's located on page one. I counted all the B17's destroyed only (naturally the Rufe's could got some B24's too). NONE of those destructions, much less any damage was done by Rufe's because you didn't have any of those 2 months AAR's that you picked out, with Rufe's in them. I counted 39 B17's destroyed. Subtract that from the 173 B17's lost in the air and the MOST the uber-Rufe's shot down was 134. I'm betting they didn't shoot down half of that.

****************************
My Rufes never engaged an other plane that the B17, so all kills are accounted for B17. Just think about what you´re saying! Okay let´s say they shot down half of the 134 like you mentioned: 67!!!!! Is that what you think would be possible by 18 Rufes? 18 Rufes in I don´t know, a few weeks, shot down 67 B17! Hey those Daitais would be the heroes of the war! But what do you think could do better planes? George, Jack, SHINDEN?
****************************

We could talk about B24 losses too, but as your screenshot was sorted by A2A losses the B24 is so low that it don't show up (obviously below 19).

*Sidenote: My counting of the B17 losses on page one may not be correct due to the fact that I might have accidentally counted Tom Hunter's trial.

It is true that there may be as high as three of the B17's destroyed that were due to flak, but considering how the total B17's lost to flak have totaled 3 it's more a bother than anything, and whether they came from the rufe stronghold is another question.

****************************
The reason why only a few were destroyed by flak is that my fighters most of the time fight off the attack after they have shot down a couple of bombers and the I think 48 BG breaks off the attack
***************************
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TheElf
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by TheElf »

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson






Speed matters.


Rufe
Performance:
Maximum speed 235 kt at 5,000 m
Cruising speed 160 kt
1 knots = 1.15077945 mph

So 160*1.15077945 = 184 Rufe cruising speed in mph

And 235*1.15077945 = 270 Rufe max speed in mph



B17
Maximum speed 263 mph at 25,000 feet, 300 mph at 30,000 feet (war emergency).
Cruising speed 150 mph at 25,000 feet.


And for comparison


FW190 ( which DID shoot down some B17s )
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 426 mph.
Cruising speed: 280 mph.


Also note that in the game most Japanese fighters Nates, Oscar, Zeros .. can fly at or above 30k.

[/quote]

You are right Jwilkerson, speed does matter. A Fully loaded B-17, maintaining formation, might be make 200 kts if the crew was lucky. Remember the FORMATION has to allow for the SLOWEST aircraft that day.

When will people begin to realize that Airplanes don't go running around at their max speed? AND that performance figures are typically acheived under the most favorable conditions.

Alot has been made of Ahistorical results. These B-17s are being used Ahistorically. Ahistoric use = Ahistoric results.
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Sardaukar »

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

Speed matters.


Rufe
Performance:
Maximum speed 235 kt at 5,000 m
Cruising speed 160 kt
1 knots = 1.15077945 mph

So 160*1.15077945 = 184 Rufe cruising speed in mph

And 235*1.15077945 = 270 Rufe max speed in mph



B17
Maximum speed 263 mph at 25,000 feet, 300 mph at 30,000 feet (war emergency).
Cruising speed 150 mph at 25,000 feet.


Loaded B-17 is flying it's cruise speed and cannot go much faster unless it jettisons it's bombs, so I don't see anything strange that Rufe can catch one. Without bombs B-17 will get away, but jettisoning bombs before reaching target and breaking formation is not what heavies were trained to do. That'd be effective "mission kill".

Cheers,

M.S.
"To meaningless French Idealism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality...we answer with German Realism, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery" -Prince von Bülov, 1870-

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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Sardaukar »

And as others have said before..many times: "Ahistorical use will cause ahistorical results". Fly the heavies above 15 000 ft, preferably in 20-25k and there is remarkable difference.

BTW, that might actually be a good "house rule" in some PBEM games.

Cheers,

M.S.
"To meaningless French Idealism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality...we answer with German Realism, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery" -Prince von Bülov, 1870-

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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Sardaukar »

And one more thing I like to do. Sometimes I fly the B-17Es at their maximum altitude. It's higher than what A6M2 can reach, so they are relatively invulnerable. They won't hit much, but they gain experience. When they get close to 70 exp, I bring them lower..and when they become veterans, I fly them at 15 000 ft. Only time I fly heavies lower is when "Naval Attack" is set, then I use altitude of 10 000 ft since ships are hard to hit.

B-17G cannot get as high as B-17E..and I don't think that B-24s can either, so "overfly" tactic is not valid with them (I don't think there are any B-17G units in game anyway). And with later models of Zero arriving with higher ceiling, then you may get losses.

Bringing in "green" B-17s (under 60 exp) against heavy fighter opposition (as many or more than bombers) and flying low (under 15 000 ft) is recipe for disaster. Flak and fighters can really maul the bombers then.

Cheers,

M.S.
"To meaningless French Idealism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality...we answer with German Realism, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery" -Prince von Bülov, 1870-

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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by TheElf »

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Hi Frag,

I know they are not made of Kryptonite. Aluminium right [;)]

Here are examples from AAR's in AAR section:

Day Air attack on Rabaul , at 61,88

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 38

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 destroyed, 15 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
61 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 11

Aircraft Attacking:
All B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet

--------------------

Day Air attack on Rabaul , at 61,88

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 18

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 10 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 9

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet

---------------------

Day Air attack on Rabaul , at 61,88

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 22

Allied aircraft - this attack was completely turned away!
B-17E Fortress x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 6 damaged
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Day Air attack on Wewak , at 52,81 - again a weak B-17 attack is fended of.
By Tonys this time, the Daitai at Wewak now got 14 kills.

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 18

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged

------------------------

Day Air attack on Rabaul , at 61,88 - the heavies that went to Rabaul were again fended of!

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 19

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 9 destroyed, 11 damaged

------------------

Day Air attack on Rabaul , at 61,88 - then Liberators from Lunga joined in and received a rough handling as well. Rabaul got away all
but unscatched!

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 19

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 39

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 25 destroyed, 19 damaged

Runway hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet

----------------------

Day Air attack on Rabaul , at 61,88 - once again the B-17s are turned away!

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 20

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 5 destroyed, 7 damaged

----------------

The above are taken from PZB's game vs David. I know Freeboy has commented on his B29's getting mauled unescorted during daytime against Zeta.

As say bud its not a moan just I think it may not be accurate. I know they are not invincible hence the 8th and Pac airforces decided to escort them but even when unescorted they were near enough 1:1 losses.

Anything else I can provide?

Regards,

Steven

Has anyone noticed that in most of these "outrageous" AARs the B-17s are actually OUTNUMBERED by fighters? I don't know about you, but I have noticed that numbers tend to matter more in WitP. As they should. In some cases the CAP enjoys greater than a 2:1 advantage. If this were a ground battle they would have odds to force a retreat.

Add to this the poorly chosen altitude of these attacks, the apparently high EXP level of the CAP, the fact that the Tojo and Tony weren't quite as helpless against UNESCORTED bombers totalling in most cases less that a group.

Anyone who attempts to compare these scenarios with anything that occurred in Europe is comapring apples to oranges. Not even remotely similar.

I'm not suprised by these results. There isn't anything wrong with them.

As the allies:

1. I DO NOT send anything less than a group to a target unescorted.

2. They don't go in at less than 20k'

3. If the CAP is 1:1 I expect losses. Greater than 1:1 I expect more losses.

4. When the losses are bad I remind myself how much it sucks to be a B-17 crew by watching twelve'o'clock high. Then I stop sending unescorted forts into hornet nests.

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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by TheElf »

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

And as others have said before..many times: "Ahistorical use will cause ahistorical results". Fly the heavies above 15 000 ft, preferably in 20-25k and there is remarkable difference.

BTW, that might actually be a good "house rule" in some PBEM games.

Cheers,

M.S.

I have my own house rule playing as the allies. I don't base more than one group of B-17s together, nor do I send more than one group to a target. Kind of my own little reality check. After all I ain't Bombing the Reich, I'm Warring in the Pacific.
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Sardaukar »

ORIGINAL: TheElf

4. When the losses are bad I remind myself how much it sucks to be a B-17 crew by watching twelve'o'clock high. Then I stop sending unescorted forts into hornet nests.

Watching "Memphis Belle" tells the story quite well too, even though not so devastatingly as in "12'o'clock high".

Cheers,

M.S.
"To meaningless French Idealism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality...we answer with German Realism, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery" -Prince von Bülov, 1870-

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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Charles2222 »

No, I don´t consider defending with Rufes normal. The case was that I stationed them there before I started to build up the airfield. And I didn´t withdraw them as the first B17 raids came in, so they fought long time alone against the B17. And with that uber results. I don´t know the mvr of the Rufe and can´t look it up right now, but what do you think of speed? I think they should have problems even to close in when being on CAP. Perhaps I don´t understand you but what do you mean with "I'm not sure you've seen much of the aerial results"? I´m looking at all combat animations and I think I can really say what results I get. And no FOW with the ac loss list!

You made this a little difficult for me to respond to, but here goes:

What I'm referring to is not that you haven't seen that much aerial results from this B17 air raid portions, but that I would think that if you had a grander scope of seeing aerial battles in general for this game, then this while seeming inaccuracy wouldn't have quite the reaction. Yes I was wondering about the FoW, but I think even with FoW on, with this version, it will show you the A2A portion accurately (just not the bombing on the ground and so on).
I just can repeat my self. At the beginning of the attack ONLY Rufes were engaging the heavies. And if you look at my screenshots you can see that 173 were shot down A2A - most of them by RUFES, on their own! Now I´m in 9/42 and I have destroyed FAR MOR than 200 B17 A2A. If you consider that normal, okay, not my problem, I think it´s just weird. And again: I´m playing the Japanese! And I think my fighters (not just the Rufe) is too good in shooting down heavies or the heavies can´t take what they should be able to take.

Just so you know, but not a single screenshot has proved that you've downed a single B17 by Rufe. We can take your word for it, as the limited Rufe kills are displayed but not what they shot down. I just find it a bit peculiar that you would make such a strong case against the Rufe and then not have any screen shots with it as a participant. You must've not thought of keeping screenshots while you were using them.
My Rufes never engaged an other plane that the B17, so all kills are accounted for B17. Just think about what you´re saying! Okay let´s say they shot down half of the 134 like you mentioned: 67!!!!! Is that what you think would be possible by 18 Rufes? 18 Rufes in I don´t know, a few weeks, shot down 67 B17! Hey those Daitais would be the heroes of the war! But what do you think could do better planes? George, Jack, SHINDEN?


I know you're just using that as an example, but unfortunately you're just damaging your case. I suppose you always reinforced those 18 planes correct, such that they were always putting 18 up? How many raids do you estimate that they defended? What average were bombing approximately? Let's say 18 Rufe's vs. 40 B17's. If 18 Rufe's annot destroy a couple of B17's there's something wrong, and the ratio I spoke about earlier is at best 3.03 B17's destroyed by ALL planes, so 67 B17's in 2 months is really minor if there's lots of raids (which I think you said there were). I know Zeroes are somewhat better than Rufe's but I've had one pilot knock out 10 planes in general, on his first flight. Too high probably but it gives you some idea of just how minor losing 3 bombers to 18 pretty decent fighters is.
The reason why only a few were destroyed by flak is that my fighters most of the time fight off the attack after they have shot down a couple of bombers and the I think 48 BG breaks off the attack

alright.
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castor troy
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by castor troy »

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

And as others have said before..many times: "Ahistorical use will cause ahistorical results". Fly the heavies above 15 000 ft, preferably in 20-25k and there is remarkable difference.

BTW, that might actually be a good "house rule" in some PBEM games.

Cheers,

M.S.

And how should I teach AI to do that? AI is attacking me not I´m bombing the AI! I know: "Play PBEM"!
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Sardaukar
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Sardaukar »

ORIGINAL: castor troy
ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

And as others have said before..many times: "Ahistorical use will cause ahistorical results". Fly the heavies above 15 000 ft, preferably in 20-25k and there is remarkable difference.

BTW, that might actually be a good "house rule" in some PBEM games.

Cheers,

M.S.

And how should I teach AI to do that? AI is attacking me not I´m bombing the AI! I know: "Play PBEM"!

Well..good point. This will cause more consternation to Mike Wood, I bet [:'(]. But at least AI puts up "resemblance of fight", even when it doesn't always use the units correctly. I've not seen many weird results so far in my games, but then I've only played Allied vs. Japanese AI.

And I've not played PBEM, and mosr likely will never have enough time, so I'd like some "AI enhancements" too.

Cheers,

M.S.
"To meaningless French Idealism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality...we answer with German Realism, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery" -Prince von Bülov, 1870-

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Mike Scholl
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Mike Scholl »

ORIGINAL: castor troy

Yes, correct. Morale shouldn´t be the point in defending your life. I think it´s enough to have a check if the bombers fly when morale is low (but what do they do? desert?). When you look at my ac loss list you can see that the B17 is the leader in the A2A losses. I started in 5/42 and I´m now in 9/42, the bomber raids started in 7/42 and now I have shot down 200 !! B17 in A2A, mostly with RUFES. Now folks, after 4 pages of discussion - aren´t there people who can see that there´s something going wrong? Hey, where´s Ron? Is ASW the only discussion he wants to participate? [;)]

And as I´ve already said: This result is not because too low exp., altitude or 500 fighters on my side. NO, everything is just normal. But is the result?

I've concluded that the only way you could get a lot of vocal support in this forum would have been to show that the losses of Betty's and Nell's were rediculously inflated. Then you would hear some screaming. You have pointed out a legitimate problem and concern in the way the game plays out..., and been greeted with an extrodinary number of lame and silly rationalizations to excuse the foolishness. You are faced with and uphill slog on muddy ground just to get most of the "FanBoys" to admit their MIGHT be a problem with anything in the game that produces pro-Japanese results.
Halsey
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Halsey »

That's why I've pretty much given up posting on this games attributes.[:D]

It's just the way the game is, and so it shall remain.[;)]
Speedysteve
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by Speedysteve »

Hi all,

No one has suggested any other tests or selections so ill use my original criteria. My tests will begin in an hour or so. I'll post the results tomorrow.

Regards,

Steven
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castor troy
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RE: Heavy Bomber Losses

Post by castor troy »

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl



I've concluded that the only way you could get a lot of vocal support in this forum would have been to show that the losses of Betty's and Nell's were rediculously inflated. Then you would hear some screaming. You have pointed out a legitimate problem and concern in the way the game plays out..., and been greeted with an extrodinary number of lame and silly rationalizations to excuse the foolishness. You are faced with and uphill slog on muddy ground just to get most of the "FanBoys" to admit their MIGHT be a problem with anything in the game that produces pro-Japanese results.

Yeah that´s just how I feel right now![;)]
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