Night/cloud bombing: Marker bombs

[kfsone]

(Edit: rephrased for the benefit of those looking to pick an argument)

Allow some aircraft to load up marker-bombs which can be dropped in the path-finder style to allow subsequent bombers to drop on dark or cloud-obscured fields.

Obviously you'd want to drop a few more than normal to allow for marking inaccuracy, but it would actually provide a good source of missions to bomb dark or obscured fields - you need a couple of pathfinders, extra bombers and some escorts.


K

[This message has been edited by kfsone (edited 06-03-2001).]

[loser]

?

[DmdNexus]

Why don't we just paint the airfields DayGlow Orange and make them sparkle at night.

LOL..Sheesh put on your X-Ray glasses and you can see through the clouds - just like super man.

Nexus  

[kfsone]

The marker bombs would have to be dropped by someone other than the actual bombers, i.e. pathfinders, and the marker bombs would need to be dropped accurately. The bombers then have to bomb the markers.

This is exactly the sort of thing that squadrons like RAF 617 did during the war.


K

[kfsone]

points of note:

. marker bombs do not illuminate the field, they aren't supposed to provide field-visibility. They just provide a visual cue. You bomb the cue.

. the marker bombs blow nothing up. you can tell when your field has been marked, you know it needs capping.

. most marker aircraft were un- or poorly- armed (the un-gunned mosquito being a typical example)

. marker bombs aren't laser guiding, they are a smoke column which stands out to the bombers eye, but onto which the bomber will have to carpet a bit, therefore a marked field is going to need more bombers than a normal field bombing, ergo this contributes extra factors to those of us who enjoy strat and missions - it's also great event/HA stuff.

[hazed-]

kfstone i think its a great idea if the bombs in AH werent so accurate and we didnt have a gps type map to use.If they were like they were in realife the pathfinder would have a role but im sorry to tell you this is the sort of thing thats frowned upon by those that want a quick fix game.they want to be able to find the target without any effort and bomb every target with the exact amount needed and not waste any bombs on misses.I can understand the reason behind this.After all who wants to spend an hour finding a target only to miss by miles?
I however am in the same boat as you.Id like to see the 'NEED' for pathfinders and put them in but AH isnt heading that way i dont think.There will always be those that dont want this sort of realism and as such i think the differing loadouts of the various bombers are not appreciated properly.
1000lbers would be used a lot less if they were missing targets by a large margin and people would take 500's and drop more in order to score a hit with at least a few more chances.The ju88s would definately become the bombers choice for de-acking with its 50kgs dropped in a large salvos to make sure they hit.Again it would make the game look cooler im sure but there will always be those that claim it will drive the 'majority' (whoever they are! i sure dont know the minds of every pilot) away from AH because they only have a short time online to work with.I really think additions like you suggest would open up new tactical elements and increase enjoyment.I bet you'd see more formations of bombers rather than lone base hitters because that would be the only way it could be done.Large missions are fantastic but they require a lot of effort to get people to fly in them.You have to drag em in screaming the first few times but then they start to ask you to do more!  

<S> kfstone, keep plugging away and with luck they'll try some of the ideas,may even make me resubscribe when they do