Strat Bombing Worth It?

[ThunderLizard11]

Has anyone done the numbers on strat bombing? Is their a decent MPP return from the investment in tech/bombers/escorts/etc. ?

[Pocus]

You must think of Strategic Bombing as the allies thought of it, at least post-war. Meaning its interest is as much in the resources the Reich must spend in protecting itself, than in the destructions caused.

Also consider that the damages have a lasting effect. Reducing from 10 to 7 a mine producing nominally 30 MPP means it produces 21, then 24, 27, 30. So the total is not 9 but 18. This is even worse if you manage to lower it further.

Clearly, it will compete with other budgets ... Now lets hear what the PBEM veterans have to say about it [:)]

[Dorky8]

Strat bombers/research are great but expensive.

I use start bombers to reduce my attacking/retreating opponents supply not to reduce MPPs (fringe benefit).

Reduce a port/city no reinforcements.

Especially in lower supply areas or amphib attacks.

[calcwerc]

American / UK bombers will be a threat to the German economy from 42 onwards. Before that it is all about getting experience for the wings/HQs. More importantly, they will make it almost impossible for Germany to defend France and Western Europe efficiently from 43 onwards, since they take out all German supply within range.
They can additionally be used with success in other theatres for the same purpose.
For the other powers, bombers might come in handy, but they mostly cant afford it or have to give other unit types priority.

[eightroomofelixir]

Most effective for USA and UK. Concentrate all the Strategic Bombers on British Isles and bomb the industrial cities around Rhine/Ruhr, would seriously reduce German MPP income from 42-43, as well as prevent Germany from reinforcing the Western Front. It is a viable strategy.

[Xsillione]

Yes and no. The early bombers will struggle to make 2 damage to a resource, which only do 9 mpp loss in total, but the later ones will easily do 5 per attack (two attacks, so from full to nothing for one resource), that means 150+ mpp on a an oil field, so it will pay for the entire bomber in two turn.

But the greater cost is the aircombat, the enemy airforce will be activated and damaged (by your escort and the bomber), easily doing 50-100 mpp damage (for similar cost), so in total, you can do lot of damage by forcing the enemy to protect, and they might spend on AA for the resources, and those are clean extra cost, that could have been panzer against you.

[HamburgerMeat]

Good advice in this thread. Just want to add that, for the western Allies, strategic bombers are the most powerful unit in the game, bar none. Even if the Wallies end up losing more MPP repairing compared to german losses, it is likely still worth inflicting the economic damage. Anything you can do to slow down Germany's advance into the USSR should be done. Once the germans are stalled, it is likely game over. Learning to use strategic bombers effectively makes winning as the Allies much much easier