88s

[Ramesis]

Spill the beans

Is this illegal or against game rules?
If not, why bother bring it up?

[bustr]

It's not illegal, it's time consuming becasue you have to create an aiming aid overlay more like a graph which takes a lot of time and experimentation. He won't give it to anyone becasue of the time he expended on it.

You need a copy of "TME9-369A_Germ88.pdf" which is available on the Internet if you look around. It has all the tables in the back starting on page 167 for the time fused round. Then you sit offline with a clear overlay taped to your monitor firing the 88 at different ranges marking their detonation points. Using the 100mph principle you create vertical lead lines to gauge how far ahead of your target to aim relative to the m\sec column and average combat speeds. Then you find opportunities to practice in the MA. You are turning an analog computing reticle into a clear overlay on your screen. What do you think the gunsights in your planes are? I suspect doing an overlay with a cross and circle equivalent to 140-240Mil and some practice might be almost as good with practice. One of the 88's weak points is the lack of a reticle which Hitech probably did on purpose to reduce it's lethality inside of 5k. In direct fire mode against tanks a reticle would make hitting tanks between 1000-3000 simple. You can plot that with the help of the target command, a plastic overlay and a sharpie.

It was a very slow late night sitting at a vBase in AH2 hoping the low alt Lanc bomber guy would come back for one more tree top run at us when that old player described his 88 overlay and how he created it. Eurastus even told us how he was able hit bases long distance with the M4 rockets. Once again offline practice while knowing the vBase layout for AH2, and he was willing to spend the time. He never told us how he knew his range to the base. But once you know the height of the radar tower, it's just some Mil math against the main gun reticle.

Have none of you considered while in land mode in the 8inch on the cruiser you can push the map in to full zoom over the map room. Then with a clear overlay and the street layout, target buildings with almost pinpoint accuracy? I thought about it since I make terrains and all I would have to do is paint the boarder of the 1x1 mile town square. Generate a clip board map. Then offline zoom in with a transparency on my monitor and outline the square and the map room. Then blow up the town map and transfer the streets to the transparency. The town can only be oriented N,E,S,W per terrain editor restrictions for square objects. I'm sure you can see where this is going. A whole lot of work I wouldn't feel like giving away or even bothering with since what's the point when practice and experience will make you just about as good.

Because of how much work it takes to make an 88 overlay, I don't blame that old vet for keeping it to himself. I just gave you the instructions to do it your selves.

[Slade]

Thanks all for the responses.  I will use your suggestions to counter the 88 exploit.

>> What plane do you "exploit"?

The P-40 of course! Just kidding.  Not everyone exploits things in AH.

You want to know what I exploit? You ready? I exploit Oswald Boelcke Rules of Air Combat:

*  Make sure you attain a position of advantage when in air combat (speed, altitude, numerical superiority, position), before you attack.
*  Fly from out of the sun.
*  When you start an attack, prosecute it to the end.
*  Fire the machine gun at close range and only when you have your opponent well in your sights.
*  Go after the opponent from where he cannot see you.
*  In any form of attack, it is required to approach the enemy from behind.
*  If you are attacked by an opponent diving on you from above, do not try to dodge the attack, but turn into and toward the attacker.
*  If you find yourself over enemy lines, always keep an eye toward your own direction of retreat.
*  For squadrons: The principle method of attack is to fly in groups of four to six aircraft. When the fight scatters into single battles, make sure that not too many comrades fall upon any single opponent.

Disclaimer: Some players get upset when they encounter someone flying using the above. The cool thing about this game is that it is modeled so close to WWII planes and ACM that most of this works well.  Kudos to HiTech!