Atltitiude and Gun Maximum Effective Game Range

[bustr]

I've never thought to test this in the game because my gunsight and dispersion testing offline is usually below 5k. And max range 600.

If you take your fighter out and auto level, then pull up the target. Eventually, depending on the gun, 30cal, 50cal, 13mm, 20mm and 30mm Mk108. Between 800 and 1200 the rounds will stop registering sprites on the target.

At higher altitudes do these ranges increase in the game? Have any of you leveled at 20k or 30k and tested against the target for max effective range?

The M4-37mm, Ns-37, BK3.7, Mk103 and BK5 have very long max ranges. It's the standard fair most players use in the game I'm asking about.

So has anyone tested max range on auto level 20k and above?

[ozrocker]

Not I






                                                                                                                                                  Oz

[GScholz]

I believe the range is based on flight time. Limited to a couple of seconds for the common guns. That means that range will increase with altitude since the projectiles won't lose velocity as quickly in the thinner air.

[USCH]

Ya they drop less and go farther at 20 and 30k.

[icepac]

Yes....they go quite a bit further at 30,000 feet.

Likewise, the rear gunners also enjoy a gain in range at that altitude.

[bustr]

Takes about 15 minutes using WEP assist for climbs to test this and offline fuel burn set to .01.

Maximum effective range is the last range rounds made IP patterns on the target. I chose 25 yard increments working back until impact patterns happened. You can do the same with a bomber offline and test the guns for max range at strat run alts. Don't know how many hours that would take.....

P51D

Alt----Max Ef Rng---Drop---Disp

SL-------1000-------20ft---20'x20'
10k------1125-------20ft---20'x20'
20k------1225-------15ft---20'x20'
30k------1300-------15ft---20'x20'

Most of this is meaningless to 90% of the players in our game because their combat maximum range is 400 yards below 15k in fighters.

[icepac]

When you can lob 4x20mm mg151s and 2x30mm mk108s onto a plane at d1000, you can beat the bomber defensive gunners to the punch a lot of the time.

They will hit from that distance at 30k but won't at low altitude.

[SmokinLoon]

When you can lob 4x20mm mg151s and 2x30mm mk108s onto a plane at d1000, you can beat the bomber defensive gunners to the punch a lot of the time.

They will hit from that distance at 30k but won't at low altitude.

So people are thinking that HTC has modeled an extended range to the cannons and MG's at 30,000ft?

Though I've not ever actually tested it, my hunch is that the effective range in which damage can be registered is the same regardless of altitude.  I'm not sure if HTC has modeled the trajectory differences, I've not ever tested that either.  I aim the same regardless if I'm at 10k, 20k, or 30k.  Only the flight controls input and handling characteristics of the aircraft change.

[Lusche]

Though I've not ever actually tested it, my hunch is that the effective range in which damage can be registered is the same regardless of altitude.  I'm not sure if HTC has modeled the trajectory differences, I've not ever tested that either.  

So if you never tested it, what makes you doubt those who actually have?  

(By the way, in AH bullets don't have an actualy max range but rather a max time of flight)

[icepac]

So people are thinking that HTC has modeled an extended range to the cannons and MG's at 30,000ft?

Though I've not ever actually tested it, my hunch is that the effective range in which damage can be registered is the same regardless of altitude.  I'm not sure if HTC has modeled the trajectory differences, I've not ever tested that either.  I aim the same regardless if I'm at 10k, 20k, or 30k.  Only the flight controls input and handling characteristics of the aircraft change.

As noted above, it's the flight time that is modeled as well as the density of the air.

They go further before they disappear in less dense air.

[bustr]

It's obvious why you really cannot hit anything much past 600 in the game from a fighter. Time to target and dispersion gets in the way of your aim guessing. Otherwise it would be hold off and drop points on your custom gunsight while sitting back and pushing a button. Too bad Hitech doesn't allow you to set a traffic pattern and altitude for your drones.

Browning AN/M2 .50 cal

Alt----Max Ef Rng---Drop---Disp
SL-------1000-------20ft---20'x20'
10k------1125-------20ft---20'x20'
20k------1225-------15ft---20'x20'
30k------1300-------15ft---20'x20'
----------------------------------------

MG131 13mm

Alt----Max Ef Rng---Drop---Disp
SL---------950--------35'---20'x20'
10k-------1075-------50'---20'x20'
20k-------1200-------40'---20'x20'
30k-------1350-------50'---20'x20'
---------------------------------------

MG151\20

Alt----Max Ef Rng---Drop---Disp
SL---------875--------60'---20'x20'
10k-------1000-------35'---20'x20'
20k-------1175-------60'---40'x30'
30k-------1375-------50'---50'x70'
---------------------------------------

MK108 30mm 500m\sec

Alt----Max Ef Rng---Drop---Disp
SL---------800--------50'---50'x50'
10k-------975-------110'---60'x50'
20k-------1100-------60'---70'x60'
30k-------1250------125'---80'x70'
----------------------------------------

Mk. II Hispano 20mm

Alt----Max Ef Rng---Drop---Disp
SL---------950--------55'---40'x30'
10k-------1075-------50'---70'x60'
20k-------1200-------20'---65'x40'
30k-------1350-------50'---80'x80'

[GScholz]

The large variations in drop is strange. The effects of gravity on the projectiles is a function of time, not distance, so it should be constant regardless of altitude.

[bustr]

I guess none of you ever did this little test then I guess??

Don't shoot the messenger. I'm not the coad gauwd. I don't know the reason for the blip at 20k.

In both cases here, these are the maximum reality effective ranges tested in real life for destroying other aircraft from the Aberdeen Data testing authority. Our wirbel maximum range is 1700 based on when sprites last stop being recorded on the offline target. Look up the 20mm used in the wirbelwind. It's max range is almost twice 1700yds as is the BK3.7 in the ostwind which is limited to 2700yds. You can test the flakers using the azimuth setting with the target command to put the target up at 30 degrees 1700 and 2700. Then set them about 50yds farther. No hit sprites. Imagine trying to capture a field with wirbels firing up to 4000 yards. Dispersion is about 50'x50' with a 3.7 at 2500.

AAF testing of the .50 cal

At 666yds-----drop
SL---------------8.0'
7k---------------7.5'
15k--------------7.4'
30k--------------7.1'
50k--------------6.8'
---------------------------------

AAF testing of the 20mm

At 1300yds-----drop
SL---------------58'
7k---------------48'
15k--------------40'
30k--------------34'
50k--------------30'

[hitech]

The large variations in drop is strange. The effects of gravity on the projectiles is a function of time, not distance, so it should be constant regardless of altitude.

I saw that myself, I am wondering exactly how the drop was measured. If the initial shot is on an upward angle, it may be that it is arcing higher do to the less drag and hence less drop from the sight line at the end.

HiTech

[FLS]

Takes about 15 minutes using WEP assist for climbs to test this and offline fuel burn set to .01.

You can save some time by spawning at a 30k field using the training terrain.