AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question

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AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/25/2012 12:30:23 PM

Ambassador

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From: Brussels, Belgium
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Hi all,

While I understand the different values for bombs when attacking ships (bigger bombs = good

), I've been wondering lately what's the best kind of ordnance for planes bombing airfields, ports and LCUs.

1) AP vs GP bombs
I get that AP bombs are less useful than GP bombs, as there's no real armor (not anythink like the ship's armors) on the ground, but does penetration really have no influence ? Even when forts are high ?

2) payload
Suppose I have two types of planes available whose loads are :
- 2*500lbs GP for the first
- 4*250lbs GP for the second

So, same nominal payload, in weight... but is it the same for the actual effect ? Would more numerous lighter bombs be more efficient at suppressing/damaging installations and troops than fewer bigger bombs ?
Or does only the maximum load have any bearing on the success of the mission ?

Thank you for any answer or insight,
Lionel

Post #: 1

RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/25/2012 12:43:10 PM

Alfred

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What you need to be considering is the effect of the bomb. You can see how much effect the different bombs have by looking up the in game database.

So to consider your nominated examples, you will see that 2 x 500 lbs GP does not equal 4 x 250 lbs GP.

Then it just becomes a question of die rolls as to whether the bombs actually hit.

Alfred

(in reply to Ambassador)

Post #: 2

RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/25/2012 1:22:07 PM

Crackaces

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It brings up the different kinds of ordinace. Given just this example ..

Troops in the open .. 4 X250 kg maximum probablity of hitting something with anything and the target will suffer causualites.

Troops in a bunker ...2 X 500 kg maximum probability of doing damage if I do hit something.

(in reply to Alfred)

Post #: 3

RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/25/2012 6:30:14 PM

sandman455

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You still don't get to pick the load out or the type of bombs on your aircraft so I'm not sure why you are asking.
Keep the aircraft to normal range and you get more ordnance over the target. Usually I'm just tinkled pink to have attack aircraft on a runway, with support and supplies in range of an installation that needs to be bombed. Their type and load out capabilities are pretty far down my the list.

Then again, I've been know to get them stuck without support all to often. Nobody told me how hard the game would be.

Anyways, you have pretty much summed up 90% of bombing theory with this statement:

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ambassador

(bigger bombs = good )

< Message edited by sandman455 -- 1/25/2012 6:31:09 PM >

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(in reply to Ambassador)

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RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/25/2012 8:22:00 PM

bradfordkay

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Does the game use different loads for airfield attacks versus port attacks (other than the percentage possibility of torpedoes in a port attack)?

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RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/25/2012 9:55:36 PM

Ambassador

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From: Brussels, Belgium
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quote:

ORIGINAL: sandman455

You still don't get to pick the load out or the type of bombs on your aircraft so I'm not sure why you are asking.

I ask for picking the right model of aircraft. I do know that I don't get to pick exact payload of a given aircraft (been playing WitP for three years now), but I've been wondering whether I should "specialize" some types of squadrons depending on the aircraft, or when my CVTF does a port/AF strike : should I rather use SBD's lone 1000-lb or TBF's 2*500lb.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Alfred

What you need to be considering is the effect of the bomb. You can see how much effect the different bombs have by looking up the in game database.

So to consider your nominated examples, you will see that 2 x 500 lbs GP does not equal 4 x 250 lbs GP.

Then it just becomes a question of die rolls as to whether the bombs actually hit.

Alfred

Thank you, Alfred.

So I only have to add the effect of all weapons to compare ? This depends from each mod then (DaBabes has 250-lbs with exactly half the effect of 500-lbs, so 4*250 is equal to 2*500).

(in reply to sandman455)

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RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/25/2012 11:44:42 PM

Alfred

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Ambassador

quote:

ORIGINAL: Alfred

What you need to be considering is the effect of the bomb. You can see how much effect the different bombs have by looking up the in game database.

So to consider your nominated examples, you will see that 2 x 500 lbs GP does not equal 4 x 250 lbs GP.

Then it just becomes a question of die rolls as to whether the bombs actually hit.

Alfred

Thank you, Alfred.

So I only have to add the effect of all weapons to compare ? This depends from each mod then (DaBabes has 250-lbs with exactly half the effect of 500-lbs, so 4*250 is equal to 2*500).

Ah, not quite.

I'll have to expand on my post.

You are essentially asking about the impact of ordnance on 3 different things:

fixed terrestrial facilities
operation of facilities
combat and support units

In all cases the first priority is actually hitting the target with your ordnance. In this the odds of obtaining a hit are more favourable if you drop more bombs. But then the value of achieving hits is dependent on the size of the bomb.

1. Against fixed terrestrial facilities (airfield runways, port wharfs) in simplified terms the more hits you achieve the greater the odds of inflicting a higher per centage damage to the facility.

However when you target a fixed terrestrial facility you may also destroy supply held at the base. The amount of supply destroyed is based on the bomb's quantum effect modified by die rolls. In this instance even if the effect quantum of 2 x 250 lb bombs = 1 x 500 lb bomb, the result you see is not the same unless the die roll for both of the smaller bomb hits produced the same effective quantum delivery as the bigger bomb hit.

2. Against operation of facilities you are dealing with a game abstract which largely incorporates the personnel required to make the facilities usable. However, in the game some of these personnel are represented by separate units and these can suffer collateral damage when the terrestrial facilities are targetted.

Think of the distinction this way. If you bomb the airfield of a vacant base you inflict destruction (in game terms damage) only to the terrestrial facilities which I commented upon in point 1 above. However if the airfield is populated with air units and base forces to service the aircraft stationed at the airfield, both the air and support land units can suffer collateral damage. In this instance, the anti-soft rating of the ordnance dropped is the key factor. I don't have the game open at the moment but from memory, a 250 lb bomb whose effect rating is 50% that of a 500 lb bomb does not necessarily have an anti-soft rating which is also 50% of the bigger bomb.

3. Against combat and support units (ie the air unit is on a ground attack mission) it is the anti-soft rating which is the key factor. In this context I will correct an assumption you made in the OP.

Against ships, "bigger is better" is not completely accurate. Against unarmoured ships your statement is valid if we accept by "bigger" you meant the greater the effect rating of the ordnance. However against armoured targets, the anti-armour rating of the ordnance is more important as the first priority is to pierce the armour otherwise most of the explosive value of the effect rating is lost.

So the bottom line is that there is no simple answer to your query. As a generalisation, go for the ordnance with the bigger effect rating but be aware of the different circumstances. Just as important as the type of ordnance are all the other vital ancillary factors such as pilot skills and experience, bombing altitude, airframe durability.

Alfred

(in reply to Ambassador)

Post #: 7

RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/28/2012 9:18:14 AM

Ambassador

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Wow, thank you Alfred, this is so complete I'll need some time to let it sink in.

(in reply to Alfred)

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RE: AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question - 1/30/2012 12:05:37 PM

Empire101

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Thanks for pointing me here Alfred, very useful info!!

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> The War Room >> AF/Port/ground strikes & ordnance question

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