Possible (cosmetic?) bug with B-17's at 100 ft doing skip bombing...

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

I tried playing with my B-17's (in scenario #19 vs. IJN AI with Japan ship
commitment to 200% - IMHO the only way to have fun/challenge vs. AI) in new UV
v2.30 patch.

I placed them (B-17's) at 100 ft "Naval Attack".


Funny thing is that in "Air to Naval" combat animation screen I saw the
following:

#1
B-17's were showing firing from nose guns and I saw hits of machine guns
against ships.

The B-17's at this time had no suitable forward firing machine guns as far as
I know...

#2
Instead of text in combat animation saying "Skip bombing" the text said just
"strafing".

The bombs were released though and they hit target (my B-17's had experience
at 75+ and good morale).


Anyone else saw this happening?


IMHO this is (cosmetic?) bug and should be fixed. The B-17's and other non
fighter-bomber aircraft should just do the "Skip Bombing" when set to 100 ft
"Naval Attack" and not do the gun strafing.


Leo "Apollo11"

[popejoy1]

Hi!

Assuming you're attacking with B-17Fs, there could be up to five forward-firing 0.50-caliber machine guns:

2 in the top turret, which could point forward and "down" slightly;
1 in the nose position, though the bombardier controlled this gun so it might not be firing if the bombardier was busy; and
2 in the bottom (ball) turret, which could see the target ship since it would be below and forward of the B-17.

According to "Lessons Learned" from a B-17 unit that used these tactics, B-17s on skip bombing missions generally didn't strafe: they tried to attack at night to reduce the effects of antiaircraft fire, and the B-17 drivers felt muzzle flashes from strafing B-17s would only have given the Japanese gunners a better aim point without doing significant damage or supressing the ships AAA battery.

Paul

[mandt]

Yeah, I've seen it. I've seen it with the B-24s too. I think it's just that there is a fixed graphic routine for all low-level bomber attacks.

I just posted in the General forum (probably should have been here) that in addition, the gunfire graphic actually appears to be coming from the cockpit as apposed to the front of straffing bombers. This also is a very minor thing, but I noticed it.