Experience of Fighter Bombers - does it matter?

[Juardis]

Saw this question asked in a different thread but it got lost. So thought I'd bring it up here.

I'm buying forces for a 7500 point monster game and am considering buying FBs. I know fighter bombers are a risk, a gamble, they may not show up, they might but hit your own troops, they might but not do anything, etc.

What I want to know is, does the experience level determine their effectiveness? For example, maybe a crack FB will attack the enemy 75% of the time, your troops 5% of the time, and not show up or get scared off by AA the other 20% vs. a regular FB might attack the enemby 50% of the time, your troops 25%, and not show up the other 25%? Does the amount of damage increase with experience? Does the target selection change with FB experience? What exactly does experience do for FB? I hate to spend the extra money to get a crack FB if a regular FB will get the job done.

------------------

Jeff Abbott

[John Kelly]

It has been my experience that a veteran pilot is worth the price. The weather should ultimately be the determining factor. If the weather is clear, buy the fighter bomber. In my two most recent quick battles, the fighter bombers accounted for one PzIV and one Puma. Several houses also suffered collateral damage. John

[Kingfish]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I'm buying forces for a 7500 point monster game and am considering buying FBs. I know fighter bombers are a risk, a gamble, they may not show up, they might but hit your own troops, they might but not do anything, etc.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Or, you might get more than you purchased.

I just finished up a 1500 pt QB against Freyland, he defended with Polish Airborne against my Mechanized SS troopers. Half way thru the game a FB (the only one he purchased) rolls in and blast a couple of my HTs to hell. On his second pass he gets blown away by my 20mm flak. So far so good.

Fast forward 5-7 turns and out of nowhere another FB rolls in and wipes out my last 251/9, thus ending any chance of me capturing one of his VLs. He later rolled in again to get a track hit on another HT. Strangely my flak units did not engage the second FB at all.

Freyland confirmed he only purchased one FB, and I can confirm that he was shot down on his second pass (the kill screen on one of my 20mm flak listed one plane shot down). The AAR screen also confirmed the airplane being shot down. Yet another one appeared and ruined my attack. Talk about being pissed

Also, a few turns before the second FB attack Freyland tells me that 2 AT mines appeared out of nowhere on his side of the map, along the back edge. He is positive he didn't purchase any AT mines.

All this was during a TCP/IP game. He has kept the saved turns to send to BTS, along with the errorlog.

------------------

Frag Hanoi Jane

[This message has been edited by Kingfish (edited 12-11-2000).]

[Schugger]

I knew that Herr Doctor is a villain with a dark soul and cruel intends, but only god knows what he has sacrificed to become a master dark sorcery.

Zombie-FBs; is there anything you'll shy away from, Frankenstein ?

[phil stanbridge]

I have seen a marked improvement in the effectiveness of the fighter bomber in the beta patch, at least that what the result of the games are telling me. I have tested this theory with only one scenario in particular but have played it several times and every time the FB rolls in and knocks hell out of my troops. I posted a thread on this before hand but I'm sure something has been tweaked, unless of course it is reflected in the quality of the FB?? That would make sense.

[Freyland]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Schugger:

I knew that Herr Doctor is a villain with a dark soul and cruel intends, but only God knows what he has sacrificed to become a master of dark sorcery.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey, why do you think I went into Pediatrics? (Juuuuusssst kidding, folks... no need to go check little Nathan's bedroom)

[Pvt. Ryan]

I played a QB against the computer last night to check out the effectiveness of FBs since I never buy them. I set up the American forces on their edge of the map and let them sit there as the turns went by. I had 4 veteran US FBs. The first one dropped its bombs on what turned out to be a German HT (after the game ended the enemy units were revealed). It passed a couple more times firing its guns. The next FB fired rockets at pretty much the same spot. Then the next FB dropped its bombs on my troops, which were still as far away from the enemy as possible. It was a small map, but with the number of points, the map was still pretty big with a huge hill separating the forces. The planes strafed the enemy a few times and finally the last FB showed up and fired its rockets at my troops. So, 50% of the veteran FBs fired their main weapons at my troops and did a heck of a lot more damage to them than they did to the enemy.

[Lah]

The FB's can be pretty effective at times but afterwards you don't really get the satisfaction that you won the game by pure skill.

If the game is pretty small then it's not a good idea to pick planes, unless your the type of person just into winning than game.

A 7500pt game might not matter so much, but I would say leave it aside for PBEM's, it's just too much of a luck factor.

[Pak40]

If you're going to pay a lot of points for some sort of support, I recommend large calibur Artillery. Especially if your enemy is tanks or infantry in heavy buildings.

I played a TCP/IP game yesterday where my opponent used a 240mm Artillery against me. The first round hit right among a platoon which were hiding comfortably safe in 3 separate light buildings. That one round demolished all three buildings and killed/wounded 37 men in that platoon!!! ONE ROUND!!!

After that game I tested American 8in howitzers, 8in guns, and another large caliber and it was devistating. Not as strong as the German railway gun but 8in guns can take out city blocks very well.

[Schugger]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Freyland:

Hey, why do you think I went into Pediatrics? (Juuuuusssst kidding, folks... no need to go check little Nathan's bedroom)

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Arghhh! "It" lives! "It" is back to eat our souls and celebrate even more bloody PBEM rituals / at least I hope so ).

Doc, I feel the urgent need for some medical treatment in form of a PBEM ( or whipping if you prefer ). Soooo, if you have a cure for my increasing Egomania it would be much appreciated.

BTW, is it the same Fighter Bomber Kingfish is reffering to in http://battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/009718.html or have you done it again, you silly daemon ?

[Freyland]

Nope, different winged-demon of death! Herr Doktor is back, and I still have a few pages on my script pad for the truly ill.

I owe you the completion of the X-mas at Hemrouille game. Should you have the last file, upgrade it to 1.04 and I will gladly let you finish killing off my men with your unopposed tanks. Then, we will start a new game and I can mis-write your prescriptions and beat you with my Reflex Hammer.

Nice to see you again

Jonathan

[Kingfish]

How Quaint,

My two favorite punching clowns here in the same thread, acting like little school girls at a sleep over, tickeling and teasing...

SLAP!

Now that I have your attention...

Shug,

When you do start another game with Freyland I suggest you buy a thousand points worth of AA units, for Doc has shown a unique talent of pulling extra Jabos out of his ass when you least expect it. He even laughs when it happens. Weird.

Doc,

I suggest you break out the depends, for I'm about to pull the lanyard on the geriatric brigade, and they'll need a change after I'm thru.

Now, back to your PJ party.

[Freyland]

Folks, you heard it here first. When the leader of my German Bridge Club has his cane at the throat of Kingfish's Limey General, Kingfish is gonna devote a thread just to praising my name! Even more impressive is that in our game it is raining, causing my Volkstuurm's arthritis to act up.

Soon, my wise and boney ones, soon....

Jonathan

[Schugger]

Aha, Stan & Olly are at it again

Shug,

When you do start another game with Freyland I suggest you buy a thousand points worth of AA units, for Doc has shown a unique talent of pulling extra Jabos out of his ass when you least expect it.

Cunning suggestion, but as I've recently joined a druidic circle, I'm capable to change the weather conditions as I see fit. Then Freyland can land his Jabos where he had pulled them out...

I owe you the completion of the X-mas at Hemrouille game. Should you have the last file, upgrade it to 1.04 and I will gladly let you finish killing off my men with your unopposed tanks.

You really mean I should continue to finish off your meagre remnants of US defenders with my formidable force consisting of approximately 15 combat ready infantry ( low on ammo ), one HMG unit, one Panther and two Mark IVs all without HE ammunition and with my ace-in-the-hole Mark IV which has full ammo supply but quite unfortunatly also a damaged gun? You must be really desperate to see your infantry platoon killed which is hiding in a single scattered trees tile that noone can miss a shot at them - except me.

Shame on me, Jonathan, but I haven't any turns of that slugfeast on my HD anymore. If you haven't either our virtual soldiers are forever locked in this stalemate battle.

It was really going to be the first battle in CM without any survivers with noone able to collect the victory price ( Hemrouilles famous x-mas roast ).

[This message has been edited by Schugger (edited 12-13-2000).]