Bombers - the more things change...

[LePaul]

I agree with Pongo....give the single bomber the old sight and if one opts for a formation, make that the newer sight.

I also agree, make some modifications to dissuade the suicide crowd from grabbing buffs...F3 view, etc

But again, the same old argument of "ruining someone elses fun" will come up.  If a bomber hits anything, players will complain.  If a bomber shoots a fighter down, they will complain.  

I miss the old bomber days, flying with guys like Beefcake on long Ar-234 missions or trying to sneak a buff to an enemy's HQ at 25,000 ft.  Back then, people would more than like alt-tab and complain about buff's rather than climb up and intercept you.  El Guapo used to "greet" me with his 109 G-10 and some really great fights would break out.  I'm 'ok' with the new sight but really would like the old one back.  Given all the disadvantages a bomber has, at least knowing the bomb will hit a mark was small comfort for the 50 or so minutes you dedicated to getting somewhere.

Further, I think its interesting so many want to scale back and determine what a bomber can do or have.  How about evening the score...how about fighters having gun jams, or overheated guns?  It just seems to me everything is anti-bombers.  

And if you've had an onslaught of NOE dweebs attack your base, I would agree with that emotion.

But I think what's missed is the role the bombers had.

[AVRO1]

Originally posted by Midnight
How about a bombsight that auto-calibrates but takes 2 minutes of steady level flight to do it. As it calibrated, it would give a percent readout for the bombs striking the target in the crosshairs. The percentage would start at 20% and keep increasing up to 100% (or maybe 98% max so it's not too accurate)

I agree, I think the best solution for bombers would be auto calibration when you are flying steady. Changing direction or speed would simply increase the size of the dispersion cone.
This would also reduce laser bombing from high alt problems since a cone gets larger the longer it gets. So 30K bombers are not going to destroy every hangar with just 3 1K bombs.

[Simaril]

Originally posted by Zanth
Might be the bestest most cool bombsight on the planet, I dunno.  Any way it's not getting used very much so it really doesn't matter much.

I guess I'd have to humbly disagree. I have ALWAYS used the calibration, even after noe ingress with late "pop up" to drop altitude. It is simply the best way to hit targets, and I could never hit anything by eyeballing it. The people I fly with all use the calibration and do altitude bombing -- whether 2k or 20k.

I know the pork and auger crowd are annoying, but I just doit see it happening that much. Last time I got 3 kills without guns happened at 15k when lancs achieved their goal of killing FH's -- and the guy didnt care about the deaths so he bailed 3x.

And for you guys who think single buffs are a viable option, think about the lines of converging rabid fighters when a single buff is sighted. Its guaranteed death to up a singlet unless the base is deserted, and if tyou make that the standard then nobdy will up buffs. Period.

[J_A_B]

I remember bombers at 30K that could drop with pinpoint accuracy and out-dogfight fighters, too.

Suicidal bombers at 500 feet, while annoying, are nowhere near as bad.


J_A_B

[Karnak]

Originally posted by Midnight
How about a bombsight that auto-calibrates but takes 2 minutes of steady level flight to do it. As it calibrated, it would give a percent readout for the bombs striking the target in the crosshairs. The percentage would start at 20% and keep increasing up to 100% (or maybe 98% max so it's not too accurate)

Only if the current bombsight remains as a choice.

The system you describe would be very hard to use with a Ki-67, Boston Mk III, Ar234 or other future fast bombers.  I would much rather be able to control the calibration myself.

I like the current system.

[rod367th]

Originally posted by JB73
i have been playing for over 2.5 years, and know pretty much all there is about this game.

i am no great stick, but if you have a question about how something is set up, how to do it, or whatever i can answer 99% of them.


i can not get bombs to hit within a mile of the target i want, and have read / tried ALL the turtorials posted, and all the "tips"

i have given up on level bombing, only bomber i fly anymore is a JU88 with torps for CV's, those i can sink 90% of the time, unless a good gunner is in a manned 5" then there is no chance.

Can teach you how in 5 mins just ask have taught 100's how to bomb

[Seagoon]

Upping the Ack level (manned 88s, twin Oerlikons, lotsa twin  MG38s and flak towers!) at fields and simply introducing real world physics to the bomb bays of level bombers would end the current nuttiness. Having the bombs destroy the airframe of all the planes in the formation a few times would put paid to most of the silliness.

If they still want to act as sitting duck targets and automatic proxy kills after those changes, I say let 'em. Nothings more fun than "mid-air bomber vulching"

- Seagoon

[Rolex]

I believe Ju-88s could bomb from a glide.
I do think the F6 view should be used exclusively to release for all other heavy bombers.

The current bombsite is not difficult. It is already far easier to hit a target than it was in real life.

You have to simply use a little logic and experiment. I'm not going to divulge all the secrets because that would be cheating.

Think of it as a puzzle and consider what factors influence accuracy and what you can do to reduce inaccuracy. Consider the geometry of calibration. You are allowed to think in this game.

It is not dependent on equipment. All the tools are available to you in the game to become a reasonable bombadier.

My only problem with bombing is the bug that causes your bombs to not detonate if you move to a gunner position for defense before they impact.

[Darkish]

I like the current bombing calibration setup - it requires forward planning and skill.  This results in a warm fuzzy feeling when your salvo pickles the target and the text buffer fills up with "destroyed" messages along with squawks of delight from the rest of the group.

If its hard because you've got a shaky hand or a shoddy stick, then get a better stick.  If you can fly and land a fighter there is no way you shouldn't be able to calibrate.

Top Tip - Hold the calibration for a count of 20. (I use full zoom and pick a defined point on the ground) - make a note of E6B speeds.

Getting it right is bloody rewarding - I don't want that taken away from me with some "easy" mode.

[Grimm]

Originally posted by Darkish
I like the current bombing calibration setup

If its hard because you've got a shaky hand or a shoddy stick, then get a better stick.  

Getting it right is bloody rewarding - I don't want that taken away from me with some "easy" mode.

Darkish,
I can tell you read my suggestion thru,  Thank you.

My suggestion doesnt take away anything from you.   You could still use the sight as it currently is setup.    You would still get the rush of excitment for making a sucessful run.  

It does make bombing easier for some people.  It helps in those cases of poor equipment or an unstead hand.   It might encourage more causal bomber pilots to take a bomber flight.  It might even help make a change in gameplay.   If peopel have better sucess with level bombing, they might shy away from other tatics that are frowned upon.

An Improvement that makes the game more fun for more people would be good for AH,  I believe my suggestion allows that possiblitiy.

[Grimm]

Originally posted by Rolex
I'm not going to divulge all the secrets because that would be cheating.

It is not dependent on equipment. All the tools are available to you in the game to become a reasonable bombadier.

My only problem with bombing is the bug that causes your bombs to not detonate if you move to a gunner position for defense before they impact.

I hope your indicating you didnt want to share any of your tips,  and not suggesting cheats.  you might want to clarify that.

I beg to differ on equipment,  I can see a marked difference in accuracy from a good control system to a poor one in my own personal tests.   (I wonder if you can calibrate well if fly with a mouse?)

I didnt know about that Bug,  I never noticed it,  but thats for sharing it.

[Darkish]

Grimm.. in full zoom when calibrating at 16K with a hand that can bearly keep a plane airborne, if done right will allow you to drop near your target.

The biggest factors that throw off calibration are not doing it for long enough and a speed change once calibration is completed.

Calibration can be made easier by pushing the sights forward for 6 seconds before marking your point.  It is not required but the generated angle allows for less movement of the stick.  Get your cross hairs as steady as possible on a point, then mark it - hold this for 20 seconds, release the mark button then the stick.

Forgive me if this all information you allready know but I've found the biggest calibration mistake is holding it for too short a time, not how steady it has been.

The idea of holding down a button for 2 seconds to accomplish the above although easier by far, detracts from the bombers skill.  Why should everybody be good at this.  A bit of a reach, but to me it's almost anlagous to getting on someone's six in a fighter, then holding down a button for 2 secs to make them blow up.

[Karnak]

The crosshairs can wander all over the place while you calibrate, don't worry about that.  Just make sure that the crosshairs are marking the same terrain feature when you click to start the calibration and when you release at the end.  Nothing in between matters at all.

[peregrin]

Perk the formation -> More low level dive bombing.  Just with single planes.  If it's too hard to hit a target with three bombs using the sight, why would having only one bomb encourage people to fly high?

Ban dive bombing Heavies -> I assume this doesn't apply to B26, ju88's and of course a20's.  So you just get dive bombing heavies with only a couple less bombs.

Ban bombers -> this is the only solution.  Maybe we could have an AI that would take off, climb to 20k, bomb a preselected target, and land.  Each player could launch one AI formation at a time, then fly fighters to escort, or try to knock the enemy bombers down.

Problem is many of us like to fly bombers.
--Peregrine

[Rolex]

Grimm: Of course i mean't that it would be like giving the answers to a quiz.

Karnak just posted an answer to a common misconception.