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General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: whels on August 28, 2008, 10:35:33 AM

Title: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: whels on August 28, 2008, 10:35:33 AM
to Airfields 1 on each end of runway.  make them 88mm dual purpose, like 5" guns, u can back space
an select AA proxy shells or AP Anti-Tank rounds. have it have a reload time like a DS 5", alittle time
wait on reload.

might also put 1 or 2 in field towns :)
(http://www.wartoyz.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/TC99338-88Flak-450.jpg)
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: SD67 on August 28, 2008, 10:39:18 AM
:aok
I like it.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: waystin2 on August 28, 2008, 11:19:01 AM
:aok
I like it.

:aok
I double like it.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: RMrider on August 28, 2008, 11:20:46 AM
 :aok
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: JunkyII on August 28, 2008, 11:30:09 AM
It would be nice to have another way to ruin the stupid bish horde missions :rock
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: whels on August 28, 2008, 12:08:54 PM
from what ive read, Rate of Fire for these guns was between 15 n 20 rounds a min. so not a over powering ROF. Would be good for T34 n Tiger kills on fields they are camping, and the AA for vulchers
and higher Buffs.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Hornet33 on August 28, 2008, 12:15:15 PM
Would be better as a perked ord option for the German Half Track if they could code it so it can't fire on the move. Make it gun position number 3 so when you stop and select it, you in essence jump out of the track and onto the gun platform.

That way you can take it with you instead of sitting in a static position waiting to be killed.

Regardless though I would love to have the multi role 88 :aok
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Cthulhu on August 28, 2008, 12:52:15 PM
from what ive read, Rate of Fire for these guns was between 15 n 20 rounds a min. so not a over powering ROF. Would be good for T34 n Tiger kills on fields they are camping, and the AA for vulchers
and higher Buffs.
whels is right again. Also, the German 88 was not proximity-fused. It was time-fused. Great when used as an anti-tank weapon, but actually mediocre as an AA weapon.

That's because the American 5" guns were proximity fused. To my knowledge, the Germans never developed proximity fuses. The 88 was time-fused using a Kommandogerat optical predictor to determine the azimuth, slant range, elevation and time setting. In fact General der Flakartillerie a. D. von Renz estimated that in actuality it required 4,000 88mm shells to down one bomber. A USAAF study (trying to find it) indicated that were the Germans  to use proximity fuses, 8th AF flak losses would triple and the B-24 would be knocked out of the European war entirely.
In contrast, the American 90mm AA gun, and I believe the British 3.7in AA gun, did have proximity fuses, as well as greater range, and were much more effective. The downside being that the Allied weapons were heavier, less mobile, and produced in far fewer numbers than the Flak 88.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: RipChord929 on August 28, 2008, 12:57:49 PM
 :aok wow, never heard that idea before  :lol ;)

RC
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: RTHolmes on August 28, 2008, 01:04:53 PM
 :aok
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: thndregg on August 28, 2008, 01:27:04 PM
It would be nice to have another way to ruin the stupid bish horde missions :rock

I'm sorry. :(
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Denholm on August 28, 2008, 01:44:51 PM
I would enjoy this.

It would've helped greatly when making my Malta terrain. Oh well, I made up with it through the guns of doom. :D
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: LLogann on August 28, 2008, 02:58:20 PM
Lies, all lies I tell you!
It would be nice to have another way to ruin the stupid bish horde missions :rock
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Redlegs on August 28, 2008, 02:59:24 PM
I would enjoy this.

It would've helped greatly when making my Malta terrain. Oh well, I made up with it through the guns of doom. :D

Those AAA batteries were killer.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Noir on August 28, 2008, 03:38:31 PM
another way to kill fighters without taking any risks....
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: whels on August 28, 2008, 03:52:43 PM
another way to kill fighters without taking any risks....

awww meaning u couldnt kill other fighters taking off without risk to vulchers poor baby
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Selino631 on August 28, 2008, 06:23:38 PM
 :aok and mabye put a few manbles at strats and HQ?
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Yossarian on August 28, 2008, 06:33:30 PM
I like it  :aok

<S>

Yossarian
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: 1sum41 on August 28, 2008, 09:03:04 PM
i like it HItech theres a lot of people who want it u kno what to do ... add it :salute
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: mike254 on August 28, 2008, 10:36:50 PM
No...no.. and no. If you wan't to kill something, grab a plane ya noob.  :aok The 5 inchers on the CV are bad enough. I can't tell you how many times Iv'e been killed going 600 in a 262 and get hit by a 5 incher from a CV about 10K away. But we do need those to stop the Lancstucas from bombing the CV. We dont need 5 inchers on a field, terrible idea.

awww meaning u couldnt kill other fighters taking off without risk to vulchers poor baby

 It wouldn't effect vulching at all. Just like manned guns are destroyed, they would be destroyed if the attackers wanted to vulch. If you want to stop vulching you would be better off taking an osty or whirb.

Imagine you were in your favorite fighter having a great sortie. Your in the furball having a blast with 8 kills. All of a sudden... BOOM! 75648975 shot you down.
I don't see how this would be good at all....


Like I said before, If you want to kill something, grab a plane and learn to fight. There are always people in the TA willing to help ya out.  :aok
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Chalenge on August 28, 2008, 11:19:34 PM
It would be nice to have another way to ruin the stupid bish horde missions :rock

Lately its been more knight missions then anything bish have done. Knights generally speaking have four full sectors of dar near our front line fields. I have never seen bish do that but I also switch games when ENY climbs above 20 (usually mid-afternoon when the kids are out of school and are in blue arena).
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Noir on August 29, 2008, 04:31:29 AM
awww meaning u couldnt kill other fighters taking off without risk to vulchers poor baby

Like I said before, If you want to kill something, grab a plane and learn to fight. There are always people in the TA willing to help ya out.  :aok


My point really...this is aces high, not Puff Ack Online.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: JHerne on August 29, 2008, 09:15:25 AM
I see people whine because we don't have He-111s, because they were historically important...then I hear people complain that they don't want something that was just as 'historically important'.

88mm Flak 18 and 36s were always around Luftwaffe airfields, in fact, the Luftwaffe manned them, not the Army. The allies always used medium-caliber AA weapons around air bases.

We either want historical realism or we don't...we can't have some of this, some of that, to make our individual lives easier or more fun.

Having medium-range ack on fields, or movable towards towns, will simply prevent furballs from breaking out over the fields where the Wirbels and Osties can pick them off.

Flak was something that all pilots had to deal with. If you're mindset is purely plane vs. plane, move away from the airfields.

J

Oh...I'm in support of 88s...and towed artillery in general...setting up 105mm howitzers, or perked 155mm, to down towns or bases from range, shell CVs off the coast, etc. The trade off is that they're easy targets for strafers unless protected by a CAP or AA tank.

Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: SmokinLoon on August 29, 2008, 09:24:56 AM
I'm in support for more manned AA at airfields AND vehicle bases.  I think there should be a way to reach up to 10k+ with a CV 5in-like AA cannon, but I am not in agreement that it should be as effective as the current 5in model.  It has been said many times over that a deaf man can tell a blind man with no hands (or something to that effect) how to aim the 5in AA and get kills.  Reduce the effectiveness of the 5in AA and either add them into the airfields in some manner, or devise the 88mm in a way so it is not dominating.         
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Cthulhu on August 29, 2008, 10:24:59 AM
I'm in support for more manned AA at airfields AND vehicle bases.  I think there should be a way to reach up to 10k+ with a CV 5in-like AA cannon, but I am not in agreement that it should be as effective as the current 5in model.  It has been said many times over that a deaf man can tell a blind man with no hands (or something to that effect) how to aim the 5in AA and get kills.  Reduce the effectiveness of the 5in AA and either add them into the airfields in some manner, or devise the 88mm in a way so it is not dominating.        
I'll say it again. The 88 would not be dominating because of it's slower rate of fire and the fact that it's not proximity-fused. Yes add a couple to bases, but require the gunner to specify detonation range (or time). That would put it on par with it's real wartime effectiveness. (see my earlier post)

Oh and  :salute to you JHerne. You definitely know your history.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: BnZ on August 29, 2008, 10:58:46 AM
No...no.. and no. If you wan't to kill something, grab a plane ya noob.  :aok The 5 inchers on the CV are bad enough. I can't tell you how many times Iv'e been killed going 600 in a 262 and get hit by a 5 incher from a CV about 10K away. But we do need those to stop the Lancstucas from bombing the CV. We dont need 5 inchers on a field, terrible idea.

The auto-guns on the CVs are what are so terrible at killing you at unrealistic distances, behind hills, and what have you. I agree this needs to be fixed. The manned 5 inch guns rarely get you unless you "ask for it".

And it is important to stop "lancstukas" from bombing your CV, but unimportant to protect land-based fields?

It wouldn't effect vulching at all. Just like manned guns are destroyed, they would be destroyed if the attackers wanted to vulch. If you want to stop vulching you would be better off taking an osty or whirb.

Off-topic, but manned guns need to be stronger. This going out when you drop a sandwich on them is ridiculous. Either that, or we need a pair of VHs on airfields.

The flak guns would constitute a viable defense against high bombers, which fields, especially V-bases don't have. Don't speak to me of high-caps-most players simply aren't going to do it, buff hunting is less rewarding than hunting fighters currently since at the very least anyone with decent aim is going to take out your oil by being able to concentrate all the guns from 3 buffs on you. I can't imagine it being easy to hit any aerial targets EXCEPT buffs if the ranging were manual instead of proximity. Also, it would be good to have a manned gun that could be lowered and also be effective against tanks.

Imagine you were in your favorite fighter having a great sortie. Your in the furball having a blast with 8 kills. All of a sudden... BOOM! 75648975 shot you down.
I don't see how this would be good at all....

As I alluded to earlier, 9 out of 10 times this happens around a CV, it is an auto-gun that gets you.

Like I said before, If you want to kill something, grab a plane and learn to fight. There are always people in the TA willing to help ya out.  :aok

Nothing you can grab will get up there and destroy a set buffs at 15K between the time they enter the sector and do their business, and anyone with decent aim will be more likely to destroy YOU. Nothing you can grab will be anything but giving a horde a free kill if the runway is covered and their are no guns up. There won't BE any guns up if bombers with a modicum of alt can destroy the VH, and anything else they want at will, which currently, they pretty much can.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Soulyss on August 29, 2008, 11:02:50 AM
another way to kill fighters without taking any risks....

Sort of like vulching?




*edit* damn someone beat me to it. :)

Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: mike254 on August 29, 2008, 11:05:45 AM
I see people whine because we don't have He-111s, because they were historically important...then I hear people complain that they don't want something that was just as 'historically important'.

88mm Flak 18 and 36s were always around Luftwaffe airfields, in fact, the Luftwaffe manned them, not the Army. The allies always used medium-caliber AA weapons around air bases.

We either want historical realism or we don't...we can't have some of this, some of that, to make our individual lives easier or more fun.

Having medium-range ack on fields, or movable towards towns, will simply prevent furballs from breaking out over the fields where the Wirbels and Osties can pick them off.

Flak was something that all pilots had to deal with. If you're mindset is purely plane vs. plane, move away from the airfields.

J

Oh...I'm in support of 88s...and towed artillery in general...setting up 105mm howitzers, or perked 155mm, to down towns or bases from range, shell CVs off the coast, etc. The trade off is that they're easy targets for strafers unless protected by a CAP or AA tank.



If your arguing that because people want the He-111 because of its historic importance, we should get the puffy ack on fields because of its historical importance... that's not a good reason. First of all, like Noir said, this is Aces High, not puffy ack online, and if a plane is historically important and won't ruin the fun of others, add it.  :aok You know what else is historically important? The B-29 and its N00K. In fact, its probably more important than the ack, it ended the war. Alot of people don't want it and I'm sure you don't. They won't add the B-29 and the N00K because it will ruin gameplay and the fun of others. Just like getting shot down by some 2 week-er in a 5 inch while your having fun furballing will ruin the fun. This is Aces High grab a plane, go kill some stuff, have fun. :rolleyes:
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Cthulhu on August 29, 2008, 11:11:10 AM
I can't imagine it being easy to hit any aerial targets EXCEPT buffs if the ranging were manual instead of proximity. Also, it would be good to have a manned gun that could be lowered and also be effective against tanks.
Actually manual ranging made these guns pretty useless against buffs as well. I do agree though that being able to load AP and trade with tanks would be a great addition. 88 mounts would become the top priority targets for attacking armor.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: BnZ on August 29, 2008, 11:19:23 AM
This is Aces High grab a plane, go kill some stuff, have fun. :rolleyes:

If you believe this game should only be about the a2a aspects, that is your opinion. Apparently the developers of the game disagree with you, however.

Of course, if we had no ground-2-air weapons, this game would be mostly about vulching.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Helm on August 29, 2008, 11:39:28 AM
I vote no.




Helm ...out
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: mike254 on August 29, 2008, 11:51:15 AM
The auto-guns on the CVs are what are so terrible at killing you at unrealistic distances, behind hills, and what have you. I agree this needs to be fixed. The manned 5 inch guns rarely get you unless you "ask for it".

This is a little off topic but... I agree something needs to be done about the 5 inchers on the CV and the ones on strats that can magically shoot you through mountains. But I don't agree that the 5 inch guns, mannable or auto, "rarely get you unless you 'ask for it". I have been killed countless times when the CV is 10K+ away from me and i know it happens to other people all the time. I don't think i am asking for it if i am that far away. I remember once when the CV was so close to the base that the manned guns were vulching people off the runway.


And it is important to stop "lancstukas" from bombing your CV, but unimportant to protect land-based fields?

Last time I checked land bases cant be sunk and a lankstuka can't take down a whole field, especially if hes divebombing. A CV doesn't have a VH to up whirbs and osties to kill said lankstuka. If he bombs the VH, easy target for any plane that ups. Also, If by some miracle the lancstuka takes down the whole field, you only have to wait 15 minutes before it pops back up, and that's if it killed everything all at once. That goes for anything that takes down a whole field. The hangars could be all down but if one hangar went down 12 minutes before the rest, you only wait 3 minutes. I don't think a 5 incher would help stop a high alt bombing mission at all. Sure you could kill lancstukas easily with it... but so can the auto guns, mannable guns, whirbs, osties, and fighters. Another reason why we need them on CV's is because if a CV goes down, you have to wait 15 minutes before you can up a plane, and then when it does come back, It is probably 100+ miles away from any action, so you have to wait an hour for it to go back where it was. You don't have that problem with airfields.  ;)

As I alluded to earlier, 9 out of 10 times this happens around a CV, it is an auto-gun that gets you.
That's because if your out of icon range the person in the manned gun isn't gunna shoot at you. As soon as you get in icon range they start shooting, and I have been killed many times from manned guns on the CV as well as auto guns that hit you when you are well out of icon range. If you were trying to capture a field, the town is close enough to the field so that the 5 incher would be picking off everything at town. The goon would never make it. You would have to have 1 or 2 people risk going through all the auto ack,the puffy ack, whirbs or osties to get to the guns and destroy them, which means 9 times out of 10 those 2 people would be dead.  That's if they even made it to the base. If they didn't you would have to send 2 more etc.. It would end up ruining gameplay.

Nothing you can grab will be anything but giving a horde a free kill if the runway is covered and their are no guns up. There won't BE any guns up if bombers with a modicum of alt can destroy the VH, and anything else they want at will, which currently, they pretty much can.

If there are no guns up in the first place how is that an argument to why we need them, because obviously they would be useless?  :huh
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: whels on August 29, 2008, 03:23:02 PM
My point really...this is aces high, not Puff Ack Online.

HT just named it that, it does not mean or meant for it have been
strictly planes otherwise he wouldnt have GVs.   

I kill enough planes with Osti/wirb/M16,  i want the Anti tank gun, the 37mm
we got now is barely able to get a T34, and Tigers just laugh hehe .

and as for the 5" guns on CVs, rarely does a manned 5" kill beyoud the 5k vis range.
if u die way out there, it was  AI puffy not mannable.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: BnZ on August 29, 2008, 03:29:31 PM
This is a little off topic but... I agree something needs to be done about the 5 inchers on the CV and the ones on strats that can magically shoot you through mountains. But I don't agree that the 5 inch guns, mannable or auto, "rarely get you unless you 'ask for it". I have been killed countless times when the CV is 10K+ away from me and i know it happens to other people all the time. I don't think i am asking for it if i am that far away. I remember once when the CV was so close to the base that the manned guns were vulching people off the runway.


In my experience, hitting a maneuvering aircraft outside 3K with a manned 5 incher is random chance.

If that CV was that close to the shore, it should have been DEAD to the shore bat.

Last time I checked land bases cant be sunk and a lankstuka can't take down a whole field, especially if hes divebombing. A CV doesn't have a VH to up whirbs and osties to kill said lankstuka. If he bombs the VH, easy target for any plane that ups. Also, If by some miracle the lancstuka takes down the whole field, you only have to wait 15 minutes before it pops back up, and that's if it killed everything all at once. That goes for anything that takes down a whole field. The hangars could be all down but if one hangar went down 12 minutes before the rest, you only wait 3 minutes. I don't think a 5 incher would help stop a high alt bombing mission at all. Sure you could kill lancstukas easily with it... but so can the auto guns, mannable guns, whirbs, osties, and fighters. Another reason why we need them on CV's is because if a CV goes down, you have to wait 15 minutes before you can up a plane, and then when it does come back, It is probably 100+ miles away from any action, so you have to wait an hour for it to go back where it was. You don't have that problem with airfields.  ;)



Fields currently have little defense against anyone bringing heavies 10K or above, as opposed to Lanc Stukas. A pair of 88s might kill them, or force them to go higher, where they would have a chance of missing at least.


If you were trying to capture a field, the town is close enough to the field so that the 5 incher would be picking off everything at town. The goon would never make it.


I think towns also need mannable guns.





[/quote]
 You would have to have 1 or 2 people risk going through all the auto ack,the puffy ack, whirbs or osties to get to the guns and destroy them, which means 9 times out of 10 those 2 people would be dead.  That's if they even made it to the base. If they didn't you would have to send 2 more etc.. It would end up ruining gameplay.
[/quote]

I can't see them being harder to take out than a VH.



If there are no guns up in the first place how is that an argument to why we need them, because obviously they would be useless?  :huh


There are no guns up because the field guns go out when you look at them and because the single VH is easy to take out, as it has no defense against heavy bombers above 10K. Especially V-Bases.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: mike254 on August 29, 2008, 05:35:11 PM
In my experience, hitting a maneuvering aircraft outside 3K with a manned 5 incher is random chance.

You might wan't to work on your aim a bit.  :aok It's really not that hard to hit an aircraft 3K away in a 5 incher.

If that CV was that close to the shore, it should have been DEAD to the shore bat.

Well that would have happened if the 5 incher didn't take the shore battery down first. :rolleyes:

I think towns also need mannable guns.

I just said how having them at the base would be a bad idea because it would ruin missions to capture a base and now you want them in the town? I can see how a big mission might be able to capture a base even with 5 inchers on base, but a smaller mission wouldn't work. It's already hard enough to get people to join a mission. At least thats how it is on rooks (unless it's Dredger) and bish ( unless it's ghi orJoker). If you had 5 inchers in town also, even larger missions would fail most of the time. This is probably the worst idea I have heard since the unperked n00k.

I can't see them being harder to take out than a VH.

As it is right now it isn't too hard to take down a VH, then again the VH doesn't shoot back with 88mm shells.  ;) You try going straight at an 88mm gun and taking it out before it takes you out, especially if theres 2 on the field, or in this case, since you want them in the town as well, 3 or 4 would be shooting at you.

There are no guns up because the field guns go out when you look at them and because the single VH is easy to take out, as it has no defense against heavy bombers above 10K. Especially V-Bases.

If you went to the TA and learned some ACM, then maybe you could stop the fighters from taking down the ack or VH.  :aok Problem solved

Oh, and don't tell me high alt bombers are gunna take down the ack... because they won't.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: sldered on August 29, 2008, 05:50:42 PM
Sounds good to me,  :aok
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: JHerne on August 29, 2008, 06:32:12 PM
Obviously, we all have perceptions of what this game should be, include, not include, etc...

I support a B-29 as a non-nuke, perk bomber, provided we have aircraft that can counter it, like a 262, J1N1 Irving, Ki-45 Nick, Me-410, etc...
one or some of these aircraft would have to be non-perk to enable players to counter the perked aircraft.

I support an He-111 for historical scenarios, Battle of Britain, etc. But to try and convince me it'll be used with ANY success in the late-war MA is a joke. It'll do fine in the early war arena, where we have a max of 20-30 players at any given time.

Historically, pilots didn't take off from any base they pleased and furball whenever they felt like it. That's not the way it worked, so we are limited to our reality in-game. While we can't control doctrinal reality, we can control historical reality. Airfield defense was a science, much the same way fleet defense was a science to the USN. This involved GVs like the M15 and M16, fixed and mobile 37mm and 40mm mounts, even .50 cals on single and twin mounts for close-in defense. It involved overlapping fields of fire, 'kill zones' and radar guided command and control with VT proximity fusing on the Allied side. But...

The primary AA defenses for airfields, especially Allied, were medium-caliber weapons, the British 3in and 3.7in AA gun, and the U.S. 90mm. The Germans used Flak 18s and 36s for airfield defense. These, along with the 3.7in and 90mm AA gun, were superlative dual-purpose anti-tank weapons as well, something we could certainly use on VBs. Eventually, practically all the combatants settled on the 40mm Bofors design, which, technically should be virtually identical in performance to the 40mm we use onboard ships. The 37mm in game, although accurately modeled, suffers from the same slow rate of fire and muzzle velocity that the actual weapons faced.

German 88mm guns have a stigma attached to them, that they are some sort of game-altering wonder weapon. Truth is, although ballistically sound throughout the war, by 1944 the ranging and optics, along with the lack of VT proximity fusing AND trained and experience crews, meant that the 88s were not what they were in 1941 and 42, at least from an anti-aircraft perspective.

What gave these weapons their aura of invincibility was the command and control and tactical doctrine developed for them. 88mm AA guns were established in batteries, 4 guns per battery, and were directed by a remote (several hundred meters) fire control system for ranging and aiming. This fire control system was connected to a radio truck, who in turn communicated with radar installations, forward observers, etc., to pre-determine altitude, direction, course heading, etc...

As a result of this infrastructure, bomber formations were practically pre-ranged and pre-sighted before they appeared over the target.

Flak is, was, and should be, an everyday part of any WW2 combat pilot's life. More Allied bombers of WW2 were lost to flak than to fighters. So why, if flak kills more aircraft than fighters, should we reduce the amount of flak in the game, or not increase the land-based flak from it's current level?

If you're looking for a pure dogfighting, 'the ground doesn't exist' type of game, then I can understand your position. That being said, AH has elements of all aspects of combat, except for playable infantry, so it makes sense to strive for historical accuracy (or let's just say virtual historical realism).

Jeff
(who, by the way, is a military historian (published even), by trade)
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: mike254 on August 29, 2008, 06:52:05 PM
Obviously, we all have perceptions of what this game should be, include, not include, etc...

I support a B-29 as a non-nuke, perk bomber, provided we have aircraft that can counter it, like a 262, J1N1 Irving, Ki-45 Nick, Me-410, etc...
one or some of these aircraft would have to be non-perk to enable players to counter the perked aircraft.

I support an He-111 for historical scenarios, Battle of Britain, etc. But to try and convince me it'll be used with ANY success in the late-war MA is a joke. It'll do fine in the early war arena, where we have a max of 20-30 players at any given time.

Historically, pilots didn't take off from any base they pleased and furball whenever they felt like it. That's not the way it worked, so we are limited to our reality in-game. While we can't control doctrinal reality, we can control historical reality. Airfield defense was a science, much the same way fleet defense was a science to the USN. This involved GVs like the M15 and M16, fixed and mobile 37mm and 40mm mounts, even .50 cals on single and twin mounts for close-in defense. It involved overlapping fields of fire, 'kill zones' and radar guided command and control with VT proximity fusing on the Allied side. But...

The primary AA defenses for airfields, especially Allied, were medium-caliber weapons, the British 3in and 3.7in AA gun, and the U.S. 90mm. The Germans used Flak 18s and 36s for airfield defense. These, along with the 3.7in and 90mm AA gun, were superlative dual-purpose anti-tank weapons as well, something we could certainly use on VBs. Eventually, practically all the combatants settled on the 40mm Bofors design, which, technically should be virtually identical in performance to the 40mm we use onboard ships. The 37mm in game, although accurately modeled, suffers from the same slow rate of fire and muzzle velocity that the actual weapons faced.

German 88mm guns have a stigma attached to them, that they are some sort of game-altering wonder weapon. Truth is, although ballistically sound throughout the war, by 1944 the ranging and optics, along with the lack of VT proximity fusing AND trained and experience crews, meant that the 88s were not what they were in 1941 and 42, at least from an anti-aircraft perspective.

What gave these weapons their aura of invincibility was the command and control and tactical doctrine developed for them. 88mm AA guns were established in batteries, 4 guns per battery, and were directed by a remote (several hundred meters) fire control system for ranging and aiming. This fire control system was connected to a radio truck, who in turn communicated with radar installations, forward observers, etc., to pre-determine altitude, direction, course heading, etc...

As a result of this infrastructure, bomber formations were practically pre-ranged and pre-sighted before they appeared over the target.

Flak is, was, and should be, an everyday part of any WW2 combat pilot's life. More Allied bombers of WW2 were lost to flak than to fighters. So why, if flak kills more aircraft than fighters, should we reduce the amount of flak in the game, or not increase the land-based flak from it's current level?

If you're looking for a pure dogfighting, 'the ground doesn't exist' type of game, then I can understand your position. That being said, AH has elements of all aspects of combat, except for playable infantry, so it makes sense to strive for historical accuracy (or let's just say virtual historical realism).

Jeff
(who, by the way, is a military historian (published even), by trade)

Thats all well and good... but it still doesn't change the fact that it would ruin the fun of fights, and this is a game, not real life soo it shouldn't be added to the game. you sure do know your stuff though.  :salute
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: JHerne on August 29, 2008, 06:56:05 PM
Thanks Mike...

Personally, it would just be another in-game item that I'd have to adapt to.

J
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: whels on August 29, 2008, 07:00:24 PM
if you cant kill AA guns with rockets from farther then 1k away, might wana go to TA and practice.

its way too easy to deack with rockets from out of thier range.  Any plane with rockets, fire 2 rocks =
2 dead 88mm AA gun batts.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: BnZ on August 29, 2008, 07:09:00 PM


If you went to the TA and learned some ACM,

I am, ummm, passing familiar with ACM. Sure you want to take things in that direction with  me? Things were so civil up until this point... don't make it one of THOSE threads.



Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: JHerne on August 29, 2008, 07:09:13 PM
Whels, most people can't!  :lol

The standard AA coverage plan puts a flak battery on each corner, with small-caliber AA (20mm and 40mm) covering them.

Big flak wouldn't have much effect on low-level fighters de-acking a field, they can't train fast enough, and lack proximity fusing. It would be similar to shooting down an a/c with a tank gun.

J
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: mike254 on August 30, 2008, 12:00:19 AM
if you cant kill AA guns with rockets from farther then 1k away, might wana go to TA and practice.

its way too easy to deack with rockets from out of thier range.  Any plane with rockets, fire 2 rocks =
2 dead 88mm AA gun batts.

Since when is 1k out of their range?  :huh
Rockets are slower than 88mm rounds which means you die, not the 88mm gun.  :rolleyes:

I am, ummm, passing familiar with ACM. Sure you want to take things in that direction with  me? Things were so civil up until this point... don't make it one of THOSE threads.



It wasn't exactly directed at you, because I have know idea if you know ACM. My point was that you don't need 5 inch ack to stop people from taking down the auto ack... that's silliness. It would be just as easy to kill them with a fighter.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: BnZ on August 30, 2008, 12:39:00 AM
Mike, do you get the point that these 88s with manual fuses will be harder to use than 5 inchers with proxi fuses?

Hurl one at a diving jabo or a couple of planes twisting in a dogfight, etc, most likely it will just whizz harmlessly by or explode prematurely. A practiced man will probably be able to take out a straight and level buffs, thats it.




It wasn't exactly directed at you, because I have know idea if you know ACM. My point was that you don't need 5 inch ack to stop people from taking down the auto ack... that's silliness. It would be just as easy to kill them with a fighter.

I'm thinking more of defense against buffs that have sense enough to get above 10K than defense against fighters here. Especially on GV bases.

People simply don't CAP for buffs with interceptors all that often. With MA fuel burns, time on station is always limited, and it is too tempting go down and attack some fighters rather than wait around just in case some buffs show. Due to the nature of the guns in the formation, it is often easier to get 3 kills against fighters and land than to take down a buff formation too.

BTW,  don't think their should be 88s in the town, just a couple of 37mm field guns. More for quick recon of vehicles than anything else.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Cthulhu on August 31, 2008, 12:04:48 AM
88mm guns have a stigma attached to them, that they are some sort of game-altering wonder weapon. Truth is, although ballistically sound throughout the war, by 1944 the ranging and optics, along with the lack of VT proximity fusing AND trained and experience crews, meant that the 88s were not what they were in 1941 and 42, at least from an anti-aircraft perspective.

Jeff
(who, by the way, is a military historian (published even), by trade)
Agreed. To say there was a stigma surrounding the 88's is almost an understatement. The 88mm was inferior to the American 90mm & the British 3.7in guns in range, rate of fire, and effectiveness (no proximity fuse). A wartime study by the Germans estimated that approximately 4000 88mm A-A shells were fired for each allied bomber downed. Four Thousand.

From what I've read, allied troops and reporters unwittingly helped to solidify the near mythic image of the 88 by misidentifying many German weapons encountered as 88's. This, and the ubiquitous term "Tiger Tank" were applied indescriminately to many Pak 40's, Pal 97/38's, Panzer IV's, etc. by our guys on the ground.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: SD67 on August 31, 2008, 03:39:27 AM
Why not make them 5" guns instead then? :devil
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: SmokinLoon on August 31, 2008, 11:19:09 PM
Why not make them 5" guns instead then? :devil

They were a naval AA gun.  I dont believe they were ever land based.  They needed to be able to be moved without having them hoisted onto a destroyer, cruiser, battleship, or CV.  ;)  Just as it has been pointed out, the German 88, US 90mm, and other AA guns would fit the bill just fine, but they need to be implemented so that they do not alter the playing field as drastic as the naval 5in AA do.  They are unbalancing to say the least.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: uberslet on August 31, 2008, 11:27:18 PM
good idea..till whels starts owning me at 20K like he always does  :cry :D
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Bosco123 on August 31, 2008, 11:33:41 PM
to Airfields 1 on each end of runway.  make them 88mm dual purpose, like 5" guns, u can back space
an select AA proxy shells or AP Anti-Tank rounds. have it have a reload time like a DS 5", alittle time
wait on reload.

might also put 1 or 2 in field towns :)
(http://www.wartoyz.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/TC99338-88Flak-450.jpg)
Just so that you can hit bombers at 15K at a level base? not buying this one
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: uberslet on August 31, 2008, 11:38:06 PM
agree bosco....would be fun for some, not for those trying to have fun in buffs  :cry
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: whels on September 01, 2008, 11:07:29 AM
Just so that you can hit bombers at 15K at a level base? not buying this one

as i said above i want it more for the anti-tank role for  GV capped fields. the 37mm has a
really really hard time damage or kill T34s n Tigers. 
The AA role would be a secondary option.

also like i said if u cant kill a AA gun @ range with a rocket then people
need to visit TA for alittle work.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: BnZ on September 01, 2008, 12:15:36 PM
agree bosco....would be fun for some, not for those trying to have fun in buffs  :cry

Buffs are something of an unbalancing factor in this game. They are too hard to intercept and kill vs. just looking for some fighters to kill, so often they don't get bothered with. Anyone who knows how to bomb accurately can up a flight of B-24s or Lancs behind the lines, get some alt, and shut down a base before they are intercepted and killed. They can do this UNESCORTED. And because of the nature of gunnery given to buffs in AH (You can concentrate every gun in a formation on a lone con, and a buff on autopilot is an utterly and unrealstically rock-steady gun platform, so it has a much longer effective range than a fighter trying to get guns) a decent shot in buffs can usually shut down hangars and land kills, once agains UN-BLOODY ESCORTED.

So yeah, I think there needs to be a ground-based defense against high buffs. I also think changes need to be made so that buffs aren't the Deathstars against intercepting fighters they are now, that will make the role of high altitude interceptor viable and the role of high altitude escort useful.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: Bosco123 on September 01, 2008, 02:51:08 PM
as i said above i want it more for the anti-tank role for  GV capped fields. the 37mm has a
really really hard time damage or kill T34s n Tigers. 
The AA role would be a secondary option.

also like i said if u cant kill a AA gun @ range with a rocket then people
need to visit TA for alittle work.
You would still find a way to use them for air defence, just like anyone else would, but becasue your so good with the 5', you would be good in another type of gun. Insetd of getting killed at CV's, you would be killed everywere insted.
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: crnbrd1 on September 01, 2008, 03:09:47 PM
That sounds like a good idea  :aok
Title: Re: HT add 2 new mannables
Post by: balance1 on September 02, 2008, 12:01:42 AM
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/iand1993/Scruffy_Futurama.jpg)