Strategic bombing - Testing

[KenchiSulla]

Upfront message: I'm trying to identify issues within the air system. Do not be surprised there are / are going to be issues.. Please refrain from posting if you are planning to flame the game or the test results.. Flaming does not help:

NOTE: Strategic bombing campaign scenario is used, Allied Human, axis AI on normal, weather is RAIN

I've not used fighters AT ALL.. Not a single one on the allied side. I've used 15th USAAF two weeks and the 8th USAAF one week. These results are ofcourse not representative but I think I'm on to something that needs looking into...

[KenchiSulla]

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[KenchiSulla]

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[KenchiSulla]

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[zakblood]

what's the time and date, then i'll check with real figures for the times?

http://world-war-2.info/facts/

12,000 heavy bombers were shot down in World War 2

2/3 of Allied bomber crews were lost for each plane destroyed

3 or 4 ground men were wounded for each killed

6 bomber crewmen were killed for each one wounded

Over 100,000 Allied bomber crewmen were killed over Europe

if it would help? or i'll site back and watch and stay quite[;)]

[KenchiSulla]

Preliminary conclusions: It is possible to plaster critical sites (Berlin). Flak is not efficient (that might be an altitude thing) and bombing is very accurate, even from high altitudes. I wasn't impressed by fighter response. At best 30-40 fighters intercepted large raids and they inflicted some losses, but nothing critical...

[KenchiSulla]

This is the first two weeks of May

[zakblood]

ah ok ty, will go off and look

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/rafhistor ... ne1944.cfm

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/LLMay44.htm

German its a bit harder

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airc ... murray.htm

a good read is,

Case studies in the achievement of air superiority for complete listings

[KenchiSulla]

ORIGINAL: zakblood

ah ok ty, will go off and look

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/rafhistor ... ne1944.cfm

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/LLMay44.htm

German its a bit harder

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airc ... murray.htm

Hey Zakblood, my point is that I flew into the heart of the Reich using no fighter cover and my bombers took 3.5% losses while doing good bomb damage to the local industry. I fear that if you select a critical industry and focus on pounding it you can fairly easily collapse the German Industry (since losses are light you can keep bombing)..

I'm not claiming that this is the case but was one of my concerns with the game and my first personal experience is hinting in that direction....

[Helpless]

Do you play with FoW on?

[KenchiSulla]

A question for the expert:

At what range will fighters intercept incoming raids? It looks like the band is very narrow. Groups that are within 20 miles (2 hexes) have intercepted the bombers and groups that are within 40 miles have not... This might limit the amount of intercepts?

Note that flak is not hitting much if it is flying above 22000 feet. I'll try a raid at 15000 to see what the effect is....

[KenchiSulla]

ORIGINAL: Helpless

Do you play with FoW on?

I've got both sides on manual now to see if I can increase the intercept count

[KenchiSulla]

Woah, I've lowered the altitude of incoming raids to 15K and placed more fighter groups in the direct lane of the raid...

OUCH

[KenchiSulla]

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[KenchiSulla]

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[Helpless]

At what range will fighters intercept incoming raids? It looks like the band is very narrow. Groups that are within 20 miles (2 hexes) have intercepted the bombers and groups that are within 40 miles have not... This might limit the amount of intercepts?

There is no hardcoded range limit. If air group is in range and raid is properly detected it can be intercepted from the very distant air base. Raid losses can be very heavy when intercepted with no escorts.

Note that flak is not hitting much if it is flying above 22000 feet. I'll try a raid at 15000 to see what the effect is....

Heavy/mid flak should be quite effective at 22k.

I've got both sides on manual now to see if I can increase the intercept count

I'm asking about FoW because when it is on factory damage is an "optimistic" estimate which is much lower than actual damage. Subsequent reconning should increase the accuracy.

[KenchiSulla]

I'll test the FLAK results further but the gap between 15k and 27k is enormous (100:3 destroyed)

[jnpoint]

Nice to know, Cannonfodder, that people like you tests the realistic outcomes of the game, especially because it claims to be very realistic. I don't have the insight or knowledge to test such a game. I haven't bought it yet though, still waiting to see if it is a hit among the players.