Matrix Games Forums

I have been a big fan of BOB and especially BTR since they were released and am looking forward to the new matrix versions. JCL was kind enough in 2003 to send me his data mod files v105 release duh_3 for BTR and they made a great game even better.

I have been scanning the forum messages for information about what will and will not be included in the matrix release - has a firm development plan been agreed - if so can you tell us ? I really hope the JCL data mods will be included - the extra amount of historical accuracy makes a big difference. I am fortunate to have access to a large number of us strategic bombing survey reports on microfilm and it really great when I see some obscure german factory correctly included on the modified data target lists.

I have not played the games for a while but I do remember that there were no real showstopper bugs. One thing that did annoy me at times was that extreme effectiveness of much of the german flak. The 37mm flak in the game could engage up to around 12000' or higher - most information I have seen lists around 6000' max effective range. Re heavy flak 88mm and above the book Flak by Westermann gives plenty of stats on overall gun effectiveness. Stats for jun-aug 1944 for eighth airforce show 11000 a/c damaged by flak and 341 destroyed - in other words only 3% of planes hit by flak were destroyed. Another stat indicates that on average over 3000 rounds of heavy aa were required to shoot down one plane. I got the impression that heavy aa in the game was killing far too many bombers - especially due to the number of damaged planes crashing on the way home. Also any us fighters on the way home from a mission would often get destroyed by heavy flak at high altitude -seemed rather unrealistic as a few fighters make very poor heavy flak targets. Are there any plans to look at flak effectiveness in the new matrix version ?

Finally I apologise if this has been asked before but is there a estimated date for when BTR the matrix version will be ready ?

I don't have super extensive play experience using BTR but from what i've seen so far in my PBEM with Speedy, i don't think flak is overpowered. I like that i have to respect it and have been burned a couple of times for not taking it into account. Back in USAAF days, i pretty much ignored flak and bombed at 10000 feet or lower in order to get maximum industrial damage. WitP....heh....well lets just say its worse.


The number of op loss/damage crashes after attacks is another refreshing change at least when compared to WitP. I think this adds a realistic element to the game. Over the target a mission may not suffer major losses but then on the long flight home, that damage starts to take out planes due to damage either from plane attacks for flak or both. I wonder too...if those losses are even included in the "statistics" regarding losses to flak. I've found that such static data always has to be taken in the proper context.