Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: dr.hal

I have to ask as historical question here, as I've seen the photos of these things about London, etc. Where they really effective in WWII????

They would of course be a danger to any aircraft flying a low level mission, especially at night. However, most missions probably did not fly low enough to make them effective.

I created both static and mobile barrage balloons a couple of years ago. I am quite pleased with their effects.
The static kind gives the mod maker control of where and when they appear, and how many. The mobile kind permits
PLAYERS to control where they go. For example, there were six USMC mobile barrage balloon battalions.

For some reason, the cables for barrage balloons are typically 5029 feet (which seems very odd). But this does mean
the game type altitude of 6000 feet is remarkably close.

My barrage balloons are anti-aircraft guns. US Army and USMC barrage balloon battalions have 45 of these devices.
They also have 3 aircraft observers and 6 machine guns. The mobile kind gets mobile support squads, the static kind
get normal support squads. Static barrage balloon units are usually added to a static base force to save slots.

My first try for values worked well: accuracy = 2, effect = 5,Penetration = 50, Load Cost = 15 for mobile, 9999 for
static. A few should be added every turn as replacement devices - I used 5.

Actually Balloons were also dangerous for friendly aircraft, in fact in England many more friendlies crashed in them then enemies, if to trust http://www.bbrclub.org/Barrage%20Balloo ... 20WWII.htm

According to that site, in UK 310 friendly planes hit the cables compared to 54 hostile and 10 unknowns. That caused 91 friendly crashes and 38 friendly forced landings, while 172 friendlies made it back home to land normally with light damage. Only 25 hostile planes crashed and 1 forced landing, with the rest able to fly afterwards.

However it was a real scare for german pilots to encounter balloons, as cables were not visible. On the other hand, when german planes were not able to find their main target, they looked for balloons, and discharged there - there ought to be something important if they protect it by balloons.

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

This Thread:  http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2206908&mpage=1&key=� has information from one of the programming types about the baloon's appearance.

One of my very early addition to counter low level attacks.

The Balloon effect is determined by maximum value of (a) plus (b) below. The overall maximum of the sum is 9.
(a) Balloons are present in a base if the AF + port > 6. The value is the fort level of the hex.
(b) Balloons can be added to a base/LCU by creating a device of type BALLOON. The value is the number of devices. [not currently in use]

They affect aircraft flying below 6000'.

Twin-engine or higher planes increase the number of balloons by 4.

Balloon level is not reported but is usually the fort level if the combined value of the base is >6.
Pilot experience should help to avoid balloons (except for the bug I just found which is not always using the right pilot!!!)

< Message edited by michaelm -- 4/6/2010 4:09:22 AM >

The generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek needs to know whether he gets the barrage baloons, if he develops the Chungking airfield to level 7. Chungking has no port to develop.