Matrix Games Forums

Why can't the B-17 bomb Rabaul? Heck,they can't even reach Lae? What am I doing wrong?

You'll have to give us enough information to have any clue what you're talking about. If you're the Japanese player, that's the problem. If you're the Allied player and you're B-17s are based at Noumea, that's the problem. If you're the Allied player and your -17s are based at Port Moresby but the pilots have 79 fatigue and a leading officer with an aggression rating of 13 and there were heavy thunderstorms during the turn, that's the problem. If you have 2 B-17s operating from max range against 295 fresh enemy fighters, that's the problem. There could be any number of reasons that a bombing mission doesn't work. You have to give us enough info to figure out what you're doing wrong or what you've overlooked in evaluating the possible issues.

Okay I have fresh units based at Charter Towers and Townsville. D models. They are telling me it is out of range

B17D has extended range of 22 hexes. From Townsville it is 24 hexes to Rabaul. That's out of range.

The "Maximum range" specified for the unit is the range for transfers -- you can transfer the unit from one of your bases to another one of your bases within the maximum range of 63 hexes.

Normal range is the range to which bombing missions can be carried out with full load.
Extended range is the range to which bombing missions can be carried out with reduced load.
Maximum range is the range for transfers.

ORIGINAL: captnchuck67

Okay I have fresh units based at Charter Towers and Townsville. D models. They are telling me it is out of range

Look closer.

It may be telling you the airfield is too small for the B-17.

The B-17 needs an airfield size of 5.

Airfield Size:
Size 0: Seaplanes only - if coastal
Size 1: Fighters / Recon
Size 2: Fighters (full ability), Dive and Torp bombers
Size 4: Level Bombers - all Japanese planes work well from here
Size 5: B-17s
Size 7: B-29s

From the manual (section 7.2.1.7)
Level bombers flying out of a small airfield cannot fly at extended range,
and will be treated as if they are flying at extended range when bombing targets at normal range.
Planes flying a Naval or ASW Search Mission will carry an extended range bomb load.

In order to avoid these penalties, the size of the airbase needs to be equal to:
4 + (Max load of aircraft / 6500), All fractions are rounded down.
Thus, an A-20A requires a minimum size 4 base, a B17-E requires a minimum size 5 base,
and a B29 requires a minimum size 7 base.

Thanks.

Off the top of my head, historically, B-17s had to land and refuel somewhere along the way, to be able to bomb stuff in New Guinea, while being based in Oz. Obviously, you can't do that in WITP AE.

Bookmark and go through this:

Useful Info for Beginners
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2576157

The game does not facilitate staging to a forward base and then flying a mission all in the same turn, so so things that were done historically cannot be recreated in game.

It takes two turns to do this. Stage forward one turn and fly the mission the next.

Yes, it's wrong in the sense of historical accuracy, but it's just the way the game is and we have all accepted it.

As an add on Hans, the game doesn't allow for an extended range launch from an Aircraft Carrier to a target and then land on a closer base after the attack (the Japanese tried this tactic a number of times later in the war).

Does someone need a referral to an Opthalmologist to have their cataracts out? People who "see" mistakes in WitP-AE invariably need their eyes examined.

Now now, we were all "nobs" once.

I remember way back when, I asked "how do you get torpedoes for your torpedo bombers at a base?" Well I now know that a stork flies by once a month and delivers to all bases that have excess cookies and milk. So now I know. Its easy with time. Heck I MUST know, as I've got so many posts to my credit!!!!! No "nob" here.

ORIGINAL: dr.hal
Heck I MUST know, as I've got so many posts to my credit!!!!! No "nob" here.

Pfft...noob. [:'(]

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Does someone need a referral to an Opthalmologist to have their cataracts out? People who "see" mistakes in WitP-AE invariably need their eyes examined.

To be fair, he didn't say *where* he saw the mistake. To thine own self be true.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
If you're the Japanese player, that's the problem.

[:D]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: dr.hal
Heck I MUST know, as I've got so many posts to my credit!!!!! No "nob" here.

Pfft...noob. [:'(]

Ok, ok, it's a relative concept....

ORIGINAL: dr.hal

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: dr.hal
Heck I MUST know, as I've got so many posts to my credit!!!!! No "nob" here.

Pfft...noob. [:'(]

Ok, ok, it's a relative concept....

The more success, the more long lost relatives you never knew you had come out of the woodwork.

ORIGINAL: dr.hal

As an add on Hans, the game doesn't allow for an extended range launch from an Aircraft Carrier to a target and then land on a closer base after the attack (the Japanese tried this tactic a number of times later in the war).

How close do you need to be to a 'staging base' to fly a mission on the same day?

Or does it just not happen?

Other than CAP (with high fatigue following), I can't recall seeing it happen.

ORIGINAL: captnchuck67

Okay I have fresh units based at Charter Towers and Townsville. D models. They are telling me it is out of range

You should be aware that the D model has almost no defensive armament or armour. It is easy pickings for Zekes. Until you can send escorts with them, you might be better using them for bombing the Japanese where there is no air cover.