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Can someone enlighten me please, I´ve noticed that my Marauders attack with reduced load (3x500lb bombs) at normal range when doing a low nav attack. I wondered why. Now in one of my last turns, my Mitchells flew a low nav attack at extended range and it looked like this:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Mussau Island at 104,118

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 6


Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Samidare



Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb



one bomb??? [&:] As far as I can see is that when my bombers do low nav attacks at normal range then they fly with their reduced load (50% of normal load) and when they attack at extended range they get their reduced load divided by two again (rounded down), resulting in a 1 bomb load. The bombers in this case were flying from a level 9 airfield and the others from a level 5, in both cases easisly enough for 2E bombers. Is this working as designed? I´ve gone through the manual twice again but couldn´t find anything on it using the search function.

From a gameplay perspective, if a LBA which is not classed as an attack-bomber,and flies a low level mission, they fly with half the usual bomb load.

This was to help stop every LBA from becoming a low-level ship killer.
Only the LBAs classed as attack-bombers get to fly with the 'full' load appropriate to the range.

This change was made in Jan 2008 so it has been part of the base. If it never made it the manual, then it is my fault.

ORIGINAL: michaelm

From a gameplay perspective, if a LBA which is not classed as an attack-bomber,and flies a low level mission, they fly with half the usual bomb load.

This was to help stop every LBA from becoming a low-level ship killer.
Only the LBAs classed as attack-bombers get to fly with the 'full' load appropriate to the range.

This change was made in Jan 2008 so it has been part of the base. If it never made it the manual, then it is my fault.

thanks for the info michaelm. I haven´t gone through each page in the relevant sections one by one, I´ve only used the search function but couldn´t find it. With the support of the forum you don´t have to have everything in the manual anyway if it really isn´t in there. The forum rocks. [:D]

From a gameplay perspective, if a LBA which is not classed as an attack-bomber,and flies a low level mission, they fly with half the usual bomb load.

This was to help stop every LBA from becoming a low-level ship killer.
Only the LBAs classed as attack-bombers get to fly with the 'full' load appropriate to the range.

This change was made in Jan 2008 so it has been part of the base. If it never made it the manual, then it is my fault.

Which apparently means that if one employs any USN land based bomber in the manner in which they were employed historically: masthead bombing, then the bomb load will be halved. That of course simulates the fact that Tokyo Rose reported that the decadent democrat sailors needed to have a full galley with ice cream and cold beer in one of the bomb bays.

ORIGINAL: spence


decadent democrat sailors needed to have a full galley with ice cream and cold beer in one of the bomb bays.

Skip bombing with ice cream and beer......Christ - what a bloody mess that would make

ORIGINAL: Yakface

ORIGINAL: spence


decadent democrat sailors needed to have a full galley with ice cream and cold beer in one of the bomb bays.

Skip bombing with ice cream and beer......Christ - what a bloody mess that would make

Tasty, though.

How do we know which planes qualify as attack bombers?

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

ORIGINAL: Yakface

ORIGINAL: spence


decadent democrat sailors needed to have a full galley with ice cream and cold beer in one of the bomb bays.

Skip bombing with ice cream and beer......Christ - what a bloody mess that would make

Tasty, though.

How do we know which planes qualify as attack bombers?

AB = Attack Bomber. Just like DB = Dive Bomber. (At least that's what it says in the manual; however in the editor I don't see that "Attack Bomber" is a choice when you set the plane type).

Oops ! In the editor it's actually an option flag like designating a group as float capable.

guess most medium bombers won´t be attack bombers. What about the B-25H or G?

Allied attack bombers:
 
A-20G    A-20A1    A-26B
 
B-25D1   B-25G    B-25H    B-25J11
 
PBJ-1H

ORIGINAL: ckammp

Allied attack bombers:

A-20G    A-20A1    A-26B

B-25D1   B-25G    B-25H    B-25J11

PBJ-1H

thanks for the info, glad to see all my 43+ B-25 being attack bombers...

I've got a lot of B-25D1's right now, and they always, every single time, strafe their target no matter what mission or elevation I put them at.  Is there some way to just get them to drop bombs?

Thats great info. Thanks a lot. [:)]

My A-20's will do nothing BUT strafe. That might be ok if they hit something once and a while but aside from a stray .50 cal hit their bombs are useless except to scare the plankton.

Allied attack bombers:

A-20G A-20A1 A-26B

B-25D1 B-25G B-25H B-25J11

PBJ-1H

This list excludes all USN "level" bombers. It was USN doctrine to attack at MASTHEAD height with so called level bombers. One of the naval specifications for the PB4Y-2 Privateer was to remove the ball turret and the superchargers because the a/c was designed from the get-go to operate at low level. The turrets were laid out so that one PB4Y-2 could strafe the target with a 10 x .50 cal broadside while its mate made a bomb run.

ORIGINAL: spence

Allied attack bombers:

A-20G A-20A1 A-26B

B-25D1 B-25G B-25H B-25J11

PBJ-1H

This list excludes all USN "level" bombers. It was USN doctrine to attack at MASTHEAD height with so called level bombers. One of the naval specifications for the PB4Y-2 Privateer was to remove the ball turret and the superchargers because the a/c was designed from the get-go to operate at low level. The turrets were laid out so that one PB4Y-2 could strafe the target with a 10 x .50 cal broadside while its mate made a bomb run.

The list includes all plane types marked as being "Attack Bombers" in AE scenarios 1 and 2.

The PBJ-1H is an USN level bomber.

If you want to designate any other plane type as an attack bomber, simply use the editor.

"The PBJ-1H is an USN level bomber. "

The PBJ (my favorite designation for any navy aircraft!) was the USN version of the B-25. Is the -1H the B-25H?

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

"The PBJ-1H is an USN level bomber. "

The PBJ (my favorite designation for any navy aircraft!) was the USN version of the B-25. Is the -1H the B-25H?

Yes, the PBJ-1H is the Navy version of the B-25H. AFAIK, the types were identical.


Edit. The PBJ-1D is the Navy version of the B-25D1, and the PBJ-1J is the Navy version of the B-25J11.
While both of these Navy plane types are in AE, neither is designated as "Attack Bombers", unlike the Army versions. The Navy modified the -1Ds and -1Js for more of an anti-sub role. If any player wishes to convert these plane types to become "Attack Bombers", it can be done in the editor.

If you want to ...[insert any Allied capability that is not matched or exceeded by the Japanese in this game]... simply use the editor.

Seems like this response is getting pretty routine.

ORIGINAL: michaelm

From a gameplay perspective, if a LBA which is not classed as an attack-bomber,and flies a low level mission, they fly with half the usual bomb load.

This was to help stop every LBA from becoming a low-level ship killer.
Only the LBAs classed as attack-bombers get to fly with the 'full' load appropriate to the range.

This is understandable from the "try to keep it real" point of view..., but WHY was nothing done about the Kate's "laser guided bombing" capability? I can't count the DD's I lost in the open ocean to Kate level bombers flying at 9-10,000 feet. While you were dealing with preventing the absurd, why not tackle both side's absurdities?

The aircraft itself has no bearing on if an air-launched weapon hits and causes damage.

The chances to hit are determined by the pilot skill and the weapon attributes like accuracy.