gun damage ratio

[Banshee7]

dirt,

Let me introduce you to some friends of mine. Their names are:

, - Comma
. - Period
! - Exclamation Point
? - Question Mark

 

[Serenity]

today i shat probably all my rounds int one set of lancs not even any smoke goes out

[Larry the Cable Guy Voice] Well, THERES yer problem![/Larry the Cable Guy Voice]

[Saxman]

[Larry the Cable Guy Voice] Well, THERES yer problem![/Larry the Cable Guy Voice]

That's from Mythbusters. Get it right!

[frank3]

I'd never go for the rear or head-on attacks on a bomber. Like 9 out of 10 aircraft, the armor is placed exactly for these angles. Better go for the heads-up attacks instead (even gives you a 'larger' target!)

[AKHog]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned convergence. I find that a 1 second burst at the convergence range to almost any meaty part of a buff will do enough damage to take em down (with most gun packages). Once you are inside convergence range you are just waisting ammo.

For buff hunting its best to have your convergence set pretty far out so you can take a burst shot and roll out to avoid return fire.

Like others said, aim for wing roots on most buffs. If I don't have cannons sometimes I'll dive into a H/O shot and aim for the pilot area. Again, set up so you have your gun solution at your convergence range, this is very critical especially when you are aiming for a small area (cockpit). If you are aimed perfectly but not at your convergence, your bullets will not hit the target where they need to. 

Take some buffs up into a dog fight and do some gunning. This will quickly teach you what planes make easy targets and what planes are hard to hit. You'll learn that when attacking buffs, keeping your speed up and slashing sideways through the formation is likely the safest approach.

[VonMessa]

I, personally, just assumed that we were speaking in terms of the proper convergence range.

 

Good point.   

[mtnman]

Dirt911-

I think these guys have hit it on the head.  You're experiencing some basic, common problems.  It isn't the lethality of the rounds.  Those are set at more than adequate strength.  Look at this clip to see what effect the guns have if you do three things right.  Set your convergence correctly (or at least effectively), shoot at convergence range, and actually hit your target in a vulnerable area long enough.  I'm doing those three things in this clip.  The F4U has enough ammo for about 10 bomber kills, and has the same guns as the P47 (except only 6 guns...).  My convergence is set at 275.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/czdvwnnnzyi/Buffs.ahf

I'm sure you think you're hitting the target enough to get quick kills, but I highly doubt you are.  The hit sprites can be misleading.  It doesn't take a lot of hits to light up a target pretty brightly.  The sprites are "huge" when compared to the actual hit, especially when it's something like a .50 round from a P47.  You need to hit one area long enough to do adequate damage.  The .50's just punch holes (they don't explode like cannon rounds do) so it takes a concentrated stream (of long enough duration) to do the job.

The good news is that your "problem" can be fixed.  Proper set-up, practice, and experience will have you knocking those buffs down fairly easily...

Look up a trainer if you'd like some 1 on 1 help.

[Serenity]

That's from Mythbusters. Get it right!

lol. I wouldn't expect this guy to recognize a Jamie or Adam reference. Larry seemed easier to understand.

"I reject your reality, and substitute my own!"

[Steve]

Dirt, here's a 1 minute film of my 51D vs. lancs. It's the whole fight, start to end.  Watch the film and you will see nothing unremarkable or magical, you can do the same thing with practice. Check it out.

Edit: to get the exact same view I have, move your head position so only the bottom half of the sight is visible in the reticle.  leave the dot at the very top.


http://www.mediafire.com/?2ow5tq2wzyz

[stroker71]

I don't change my convergence for buff hunting.  Usually come in High 3/9 position and hit a target area for the bomber I am attacking.  The other day (using a c205) killed 6 lancs and had ammo left over.  Short burst at convergence ususally in tail or wing root and POOF..or atleast set on fire. 

[mtnman]

I don't change my convergence for buff hunting.  Usually come in High 3/9 position and hit a target area for the bomber I am attacking.  The other day (using a c205) killed 6 lancs and had ammo left over.  Short burst at convergence ususally in tail or wing root and POOF..or atleast set on fire. 

I don't change mine for any particular target either.  I've had mine set the same for several years apart from some measuring/testing in the TA.

[SmokinLoon]

I find the .50 cals to be the most accurate guns in the game.  That doesnt mean I hit well with them.      I will use the 8gun jug to pounce on Buffs and it does well.  People swear by the 190A-8, but the 30mm have a trajectory like a slow pitch softball so I try risk my neck every time I go up in one hunting buffs because I have teh conv set to 300.

[Lusche]

People swear by the 190A-8, but the 30mm have a trajectory like a slow pitch softball

When the A8 was my premier buff buster for a time, I decided against taking the 30mm package:  4*20mm + 2*13mm are absolutely sufficient, while having more firing time and most important: no mixed trajectories issue.