Aces High Bulletin Board
Help and Support Forums => Help and Training => Topic started by: eskimo on August 08, 2000, 11:49:00 AM
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Bombing Eskimo Style:
1. Select the right bomb;
100s if you are great and are certain that you are going for ack only (I never use them).
250s if you are good and are certain that you are going for ack only.
500s for most jobs and mixed targets.
1Ks if you are certain that you are only going for hangers or the HQ, or if you just don't need any more bombs, IE V-base.
2. Set salvo to 1 for general bombing, 3 for hangers (1Kers). (Most of my "misses" come from when I have left the salvo at 3 from a previous mission.)
3. Get alt. Ack shoots up to 6300' and 9000', AGL (Above Ground Level)! V-bases have 6300' AGL ack only. All other bases and strategic targets have ack that shoots up to 9K AGL (Or a mix of 6.3K and 9K.), check your GlarsMAPS for your target's alt. ( glarsmaps.warbirds.org ). For saftey, be an extra 500' over the ack max hit alt.
Flack can be found at large fields (the ones at 4K and above) and the HQ *. The higher you are around Flack the safer you are, (I think it may have a low ceiling too, but it's definitely within the range of the other ack). Flack can kill you, however, on your first pass even at 30K! Never fly straight towards a large field or the HQ, zigzag into them! (Unless your wingman is significantly closer) (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
*I have not found any other targets protected by flack.
4. Look at the maps and decide which targets you will kill on your first bomb run (And second run, etc.). Look for a row of targets. As you gain experience, you will even see a Z pattern of targets as a good run. Figure out how to line yourself up for that first run. Also plan how you will set yourself up for your second run, and so on.
5. As you approach your target at a distance, hit the F3 key (external) and center the target under the center of your plane.
6.When you approach your target, hit the F3 key, and then hold down 8 and 0(Ins) keys on the keypad. You are now looking externally down at a 45 degree angle towards your target. Zoom back a bit if you are close up to your plane. If you are climbing, go auto-level ( X ) when you see the target touch the nose of your plane. If you are level and fast, zoom climb to scrub off speed a ways before the nose of your plane touches your target. (Auto Climb Speed 140 works well, but don't engage if you are super fast, or your wings will rip off! ). This is all done so that you do not approach your target too fast. (Some AH bombardiers also engage flaps before going into the Norden.)
7. For the next few minutes, this will be your last chance to check for enemy fighters! Do it!
8. Hit the F6 key, the O (for Open bay doors) key and hold down the 0 (Ins) key * (you are now in the Norden bombsight, and your bomb bay doors are open). Make it a habit to open the bay doors when you get into the Norden, it really sucks when you forget! (Confirm that bay doors are open by reading text.)
*I made a little tripod out of a coat hanger and a bolt for ballast. I place 1 leg on the 0 (Ins) key when I begin a bomb run, it's just an old habit from my WB days that frees up a hand or thumb. A programed key on some joysticks can sometimes interfere with other commands.
9. With the joystick, adjust the vertical cross hair until it lines up on the first target that you want to kill.
10. Ease back on the throttle, by ear, to about 80%.
11. As the target gets closer to the horizontal cross hair, hit the Z (zoom) key. Use the ] key to zoom in even more. If the vertical cross hair wanders, your joystick is probably out of calibration. Bombing can be very tough, or even impossible with a spiky or out of calibration stick.
12. Chop a bit more throttle if you think are approaching your first target fast. Unfortunately, it just takes experience to know what "fast" is.
13. Drop (B key, or secondary fire button) when the horizontal cross hair touches the target. 500#ers and 1Kers allow you to off from an ack target by quite a bit.
Airbase hangers need 3 perfectly centered 1K hits to go down, or 4 slightly sloppy ones. (Airbase hangers require so many bombs, at such high accuracy*, I consider them to be a poor target choice, especially since they only go down for 15 minutes. *(Even the best of bombardiers don't always get them with 3 1K hits.)
A V-base hanger goes down well with 2 1K hits anywhere within the hanger walls.
Other airfield ground targets (fuel, ammo, barracks, etc), and strategic target buildings go down well with non-perfectly centered 500# hits. 1Ks allow you to be off by a pretty wide margin.
The big building at the HQ takes 30,000# (That's 5 fully loaded B-17s with no misses) to be destroyed (I think).
*If you know for sure, the exact bomb-load required to take down specific targets, please add to this post.
14. As soon as you release your first bomb, adjust laterally with the joystick until the vertical cross hair lines up on the second target in your planned "row". Be gentle! Continue to chop throttle*, as needed, to keep your bomb run slow and controlled as you progress down your planned row. Don't chop all of the throttle well before your last target, especially if your last two targets will require a big jog. Get the vertical cross hair lined up as soon as possible after each bomb release, and then let the plane "relax" until your next release.
All of this stuff in #14 is the "art" of bombing, and requires practice.
*Sustained low or 0 throttle while in the Norden can cause a violent stall!
15. After you drop your last bomb, apply full throttle and check your six! Smart fighter pilots often attack bombers when they are on their bombing runs, knowing that they are unaware of their surroundings.
16. If you have time, and have no threats, get into the ball turret (key 2 for B-17), point it straight down and zoom in to watch your bombs hit. If you are pressed for time, adjust your plane so that a 180 degree turn will line you up on your next run. Sometimes this means continuing straight, or turning 30 or 90 degrees, etc. At very high altitudes, it is often faster to immediately do a 360 oval turn and set up from the same direction, than it is to fly past the target, do a 180, and approach it from the opposite direction.
17. As you fly away from your target hit the F3 key, and then hold down 8 and 2 keys on the keypad. You are now looking externally down at a 45 degree angle towards your target as you fly away from it. Adjust your flight path so that you are flying 10 to 20 degrees off of your next run, when you make your next 180 turn, you will close that angle. When the tail of your plane passes the target, you are then ready to swing 180 degrees and begin your next run. Make sure that you make your 180 degree turn in the direction that will line you up for your next run.
18. Repeat steps 7 through 17 (Bay doors are still open though, leave them that way.) as needed.
19. Close bomb bay doors, and go home.
Eskimo
P.S.
I am an AH trainer and would be glad to work with anyone, on this, or any issue/skill.
You can often find me in the MA, TA, or feel free to E-mail me at:
dnjhall@home.com
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You forgot the most important info:
"When an F4U-1C shows up with alt, bend over and kiss your bellybutton good-bye"
Thank you.
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Great stuff, Eskimo. Thanks! (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
popeye
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I'll cc that Rip!
eskimo
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Factory complexs and V52 are protected by 88s
My first encounter with the 88s was the radar factory SSW of A32.
Found the factory complex SE of V52 has 88s also, and V52 is inside/on the edge of the 88s range.
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Nice reading, Eskimo. Everything I know about bombing I learned from you. Everyone else, listen to the man.
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Sabre, a.k.a. Rojo
(S-2, The Buccaneers)
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bump
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Eskimo,
Unless it has changed I thought the HQ went down with 20,000lb of bombs on it, (but they all have to be near dead centre). A flight of 5 B17's will definitely do the job however.
You can also see the progress on HQ destruction by using the STRAT button on the clipboard. Select an airfield of the enemy and note the Enemy radar status. For each 5000lb of bomb damage done to the HQ the radar degrades, (it loses the ability to track cons, then your team, then the red bars dissapear, then they lose radar completely). Hopefully the Lancaster will make life interesting for HQ raids, (it could carry 1x4000lb and 12x500lb). The Tallboy or Grand Slam bombs would be nice too but I can't see them being modelled anytime soon.
Spotcha in the Air
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Eskimo
I'd like to take your briefing here and expand it, including information on the different bomber types and their abilities, as well as info on setting up salvos, using the bombsight etc. Can I have your permission to do so, or would you like to work on it with me?
Mail me at viking11@home.com
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Originally posted by -raxx-:
Eskimo,
You can also see the progress on HQ destruction by using the STRAT button on the clipboard.
What STRAT button? How do I get to it?
thanks
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Viking, please do.
This is an open thread.
The strat button can be used when in flight. Pull up the map and it is on the lower right.
The destruction of the enemy HQ can be tracked by 1/4 increments, not to be confused with radar, which is the destruction of the smaller buildings surrounding the big HQ building, (and other buildings at another facility).
Figuring out the bombage required to kill the HQ can be tricky because it rebuilds the damage done to it after a certain amount of time. If 6K of bombs were to hit it every 10 or 15 minutes, it may never go down. What needs to be figured out for sure is what bomb load in a short amount of time is required to kill it. It may very well be 20k, I am not sure. I do know for sure, however, that 2 P-47's with guns only can destroy it, after it has only had one 1k hit to knock out it's roof ack.
eskimo
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Originally posted by eskimo:
The strat button can be used when in flight. Pull up the map and it is on the lower right.
For a while I thought I must have a different game! Not sure how I missed seeing it.
The destruction of the enemy HQ can be tracked by 1/4 increments. Figuring out the bombage required to kill the HQ can be tricky because it rebuilds the damage done to it after a certain amount of time.
[/b]
What is the advantage of killing it? What can be done when it is down that can't be done when it's still up?
Also, where are the city and factories in relation to HQ? Are they always in teh same sector?
And as I mentioned in my note to you, it seems balst effects are modeled in AH. This leads to two questions:
1. How close to I have to be to ACK to get a kill with a 250? How close with a 500?
2. Obviously my bombs don't always hit. But if they are DEAD ON with the cross hair when I drop them, what probability is there of a kill: at 10,000 feet? at 20,000 feet?
thanks
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The HQ is the big building at the HQ complex, it is the only thing that needs to be bombed.
When you kill the enemy HQ, they lose there Radar.
First they lose enemy (red) dots on the map. (1/4 down)
Then the lose friendly dots (green, 1/2 down).
Then enemy sector bars (red, -an enemy is somwhere in this grid, 3/4 down).
Then friendly sector bars (green, -an friendly is somwhere in this grid, HQ destroyed).
When the HQ is destroyed, they lose Radar for 30 min. If the city has been knocked down to 0%, they lose radar for 2 hours. If the city is partially down, they lose radar for a proportional amount of time.
There are many maps that you can download, Click on "links" on the AH home page to see them all.
I use GlarsMaps
http://geocities.com/glarsmaps/glarsah.htm (http://geocities.com/glarsmaps/glarsah.htm)
You can kill an ack with a 250# bomb at 20K. Click when your crosshair passes over, and it will go down.
Not sure exactly how close Viking, but you can miss a bit with either.
eskimo
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Originally posted by eskimo:
The HQ is the big building at the HQ complex, it is the only thing that needs to be bombed.
Sounds fine. But I notice the map shows a separate radar installation for each country. What if I don't bomb the HQ, but I do bomb the radar directly?
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If you take out the Field Radar, (next to the tower), the enemy loses enemy (red) dots in that area for 30 minutes. It helps confuse the enemy a bit, but they still have sector bars, so they know you are out there somewhere. No way to sneak-capture a field.
eskimo
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OK, I understand about the field radar. But the Aces High Arena map for SFTERR shows, for example, a large radar icon in the same sector (13,10) just NW of the AAA Factory. What does that icon represent and what happens if I take out that installation?
thanks
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I am not sure, but I think the destruction of the radar facility (Not the HQ building that is also located amongst radar factory buildings) will effect the rebuild of enemy field radars. IE, destroy all the radar buildings and then an airfield radar and it (the field radar) will go down for an hour or two, instead of 30 minutes. That's a lot of work compared to destroying the HQ building that knocks out the enemy radar 100%.
eskimo
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OK, but I notice the Arena Map (SFTERR) shows a separate radar installation NW of the AAA factory, for example, at 13,10. What if I bomb this structure instead of worrying about individual field radars?
thanks
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I was talking about bombing that structure and the littler buildings at the HQ complex. Check Strat to see status.
THEN bomb a field radar to keep it down longer.
eskimo
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ah, thanks (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif) How much ordnance does it take to destroy the radar facility?
[This message has been edited by Viking (edited 09-17-2000).]
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I dropped a 1k on each of the radar areas as practice ( if you look close at that base you will see 2 areas of radar dishes)maybe 12 in each. I got confirmation that radar fied was disabled,but I don't know what it did to the enemy or for how long. I never checked because I was just practicing. I hope this helps you. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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Yellojkt
-XO- Night Hawks
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(Updated as of 7-19-01)
Bombing Eskimo Style:
1. Select the right bomb;
100s if you are good and are certain that you are going for ack only.
250s if you are good and are certain that you are going for ack or strat targets only.
500s for most jobs and mixed targets.
1Ks if you are certain that you are only going for hangers or the HQ, or if you just don't need any more bombs, IE V-base.
2Kgers and 4kgers are great for the city and other targets where you may be able to take down a cluster of targets with a single bomb.
2. Set salvo to 1 for general bombing, 3 for hangers (1Kers). (Most of my "misses" come from when I have left the salvo at 3 from a previous mission.)
3. Get alt. Ack shoots up to 6300' and 9000', AGL (Above Ground Level)! V-bases have 6300' AGL ack only. All other bases and strategic targets have ack that shoots up to 9K AGL (Or a mix of 6.3K and 9K.), check your GlarsMAPS for your target's alt. ( glarsmaps.warbirds.org ). For safety, be an extra 500' over the ack max hit alt.
Flack can be found at large fields (the big triangle ones) and the HQ *. The higher you are around Flack the safer you are, (It has a low ceiling of 3K). Flack can kill you, however, on your first pass even at 30K! Never fly straight towards a large field or the HQ, zigzag into them! (Unless your wingman is significantly closer)
*Other targets protected by flack are the Flack Factories, (I think).
4. Look at the maps and decide which targets you will kill on your first bomb run (And second run, etc.). Look for a row of targets. As you gain experience, you will even see a Z pattern of targets as a good run. Figure out how to line yourself up for that first run. Also plan how you will set yourself up for your second run, and so on.
5. As you approach your target at a distance, hit the F3 key (external) and center the target under the center of your plane.
6.When you approach your target, hit the F3 key, and then hold down 8 and 0(Ins) keys on the keypad. You are now looking externally down at a 45 degree angle towards your target. Zoom back a bit if you are close up to your plane. If you are climbing, go auto-level ( X ) when you see the target touch the nose of your plane. If you are level and fast, zoom climb to scrub off speed a ways before the nose of your plane touches your target. (Auto Climb Speed 140 works well on the B-17, but don't engage if you are super fast, or your wings will rip off! ). This is all done so that you do not approach your target too fast. (Some AH bombardiers also engage flaps before going into the Norden.)
7. For the next few minutes, this will be your last chance to check for enemy fighters! Do it!
8. Hit the F6 key, the O (for Open bay doors) key and hold down the 0 (Ins) key * (you are now in the Norden bombsight, and your bomb bay doors are open). Make it a habit to open the bay doors when you get into the Norden, it really sucks when you forget! (Confirm that bay doors are open by reading text in the radio bar.)
*I made a little tripod out of a coat hanger and a big bolt for ballast. I place 1 leg on the 0 (Ins) key when I begin a bomb run, it's just an old habit from my WB days that frees up a hand or thumb. A programed key on some joysticks can sometimes interfere with other commands.
9. With the joystick, adjust the vertical cross hair until it lines up on the first target that you want to kill.
10. Ease back on the throttle, by ear, to about 80%.
11. As the target gets closer to the horizontal cross hair, hit the Z (zoom) key. Use the ] key to zoom in even more. If the vertical cross hair wanders, your joystick is probably out of calibration. Bombing can be very tough, or even impossible with a spiky or out of calibration stick.
12. Chop a bit more throttle if you think are approaching your first target fast. Unfortunately, it just takes experience to know what "fast" is.
13. Drop (B key, or secondary fire button) when the horizontal cross hair touches the target. 500#ers and 1Kers allow you to off from an ack target by quite a bit.
Airbase hangers need 3 fairly well centered 1K hits to go down. (Airbase hangers require so many bombs, at such high accuracy*, I consider them to be a poor target choice for a B-17, especially since they only go down for 15 minutes. A Lancaster can take down 4+ hangers, however.
A V-base hanger can go down with a single 1K hits anywhere within the hanger walls.
Other airfield ground targets (fuel, ammo, barracks, etc), and strategic target buildings go down well with a direct 250# hit, or a non-perfectly centered 500# hit. 1Ks allow you to be off by a pretty wide margin and you can often destroy more than 1 target with a single bomb.
The big building at the HQ takes 20,000# (That's 3+ fully loaded B-17s or 2 Lancasters) to be destroyed (I think).
*If you know for sure, the exact bomb-load required to take down specific targets, please add to this post.
14. As soon as you release your first bomb, adjust laterally with the joystick until the vertical cross hair lines up on the second target in your planned "row". Be gentle! Continue to chop throttle*, as needed, to keep your bomb run slow and controlled as you progress down your planned row. Don't chop all of the throttle well before your last target, especially if your last two targets will require a big jog. Get the vertical cross hair lined up as soon as possible after each bomb release, and then let the plane "relax" until your next release.
All of this stuff in #14 is the "art" of bombing, and requires practice.
*Sustained low or 0 throttle while in the Norden can cause a violent stall! Listen for the stall horn.
15. After you drop your last bomb, apply full throttle and check your six! Smart fighter pilots often attack bombers when they are on their bombing runs, knowing that they are unaware of their surroundings. Watch your targets go down after you are certain that you are safe.
16. If you have time, and have no threats, get into the ball turret (key 2 for B-17), point it straight down and zoom in to watch your bombs hit. If you are pressed for time, adjust your plane so that a 180 degree turn will line you up on your next run. Sometimes this means continuing straight, or turning 30 or 90 degrees, etc. At very high altitudes, it is often faster to immediately do a 360 oval turn and set up from the same direction, than it is to fly past the target, do a 180, and approach it from the opposite direction.
17. As you fly away from your target hit the F3 key, and then hold down 8 and 2 keys on the keypad. You are now looking externally down at a 45 degree angle towards your target as you fly away from it. Adjust your flight path so that you are flying 10 to 20 degrees off of your next run, when you make your next 180 turn, you will close that angle. When the tail of your plane passes the target, you are then ready to swing 180 degrees and begin your next run. Make sure that you make your 180 degree turn in the direction that will line you up for your next run.
18. Repeat steps 7 through 17 (Bay doors are still open though, leave them that way.) as needed.
19. Close bomb bay doors, and go home.
eskimo
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My tips:
1) Take off.
2) Set autoclimb.
3) Do something interesting for the next hour.
4) Fly to target.
5) Now at 35,000 feet, engage GPS and laser targeting system.
6) Open bombay doors.
7) Try to be awake during the oh so challenging aiming part.
8) Drop LGB and/or JDAMs
9) Feel good at what a l337 bomber dood you are.
10) Run away in a 450mph dive like all the Lancasters did...............
Yep veeeeeeery hard to be bomber pilot in AH.
:rolleyes:
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Fantastic job eskimo!
I can't repeat it often enough.
Check your salvo and check the bomb doors.
It is frustrating to hit fh with 1k, cause you forgot to change salvo.
One topic for the defence. If you fly alone, you can evade and shoot at fighters by using the rudder. You can sit in the tail turret, shoot the fighter and turn the bomber to spoil his solution. Your chances are rising to rtb.
tofri
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to down the big building (HQ) 21 1000 bombs is needed but all must hit :) that makes 2 lancasters needed for the job if not shoot down.
airguard
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Simple landings for beginners:
Get yourself roughly lined up woth the runway, around half a sector out and around 10K.
Slow to around 150, drop flaps and gear.
Set .Speed 120, and jump to the nose gun.
You can adjust the rate of descent with the throttle, and steer using rudders, and you'll have a perfect view all the way down.