The Strategic Bombing Issue

[Ancient One]

Sorry for what may seem as "beating a dead horse" so to speak, but I must make this final plea:

Please let strategic bombers bomb resource areas even when occupied by enemy units. Right now the really important areas (capitals, mines, oil wells) are few enough that an enemy can garrison all of them with corps at ease, relegating the strategic bombers to bombing ports or the occasional undefended city.

I want key resource areas to be under threat of bombing. I want to bomb London, I want to bomb the Ruhr mines, I want to bomb the Ploesti oil fields, I want to force the enemy to devote air fleets to defend such objectives.

Consider this: Of the 4 mines in western Europe (2 in Germany, 2 in France), if guarding them with corps at 125 MPP each, would only cost a total of 500 MPP, the cost of 1 strategic bomber. :eek: Yes, I know the AI is too stupid to garrison all mines and oil wells, but a good human player sure as hell isn't.

Please...

[BloodyBucket]

BTTT, 'cause I agree.

[Titan]

I really question the value of bombing at all.

When the allied player is earning about 300 odd points between the French and British and doing a bombing run just to kill 3-5 mmp's is Hardly worth it other than drawing in enemy Air Defences.

It is also very expensive to replace lost bombers as well and i think the lost mmp's are no-where near enough to make it worth while.

[rleete]

I think this is basically just a flaw as seen in the short time of the demo. In the full game, using research, bombers can be much more effective.

To prevent heavy bombers from becomming a "win the game every time" thing (a la Axis & Allies), they have to be fairly weak at the start.

I've often put research points into AA radar, and one level gained is usually enough to dissuade the Brits from bombing. I haven't tried to research heavies, but I assume it will be devastating to the port/city bombed at the higher levels.

[Straha]

Originally posted by R_Leete:

I think this is basically just a flaw as seen in the short time of the demo. In the full game, using research, bombers can be much more effective.

To prevent heavy bombers from becomming a "win the game every time" thing (a la Axis & Allies), they have to be fairly weak at the start.

I've often put research points into AA radar, and one level gained is usually enough to dissuade the Brits from bombing. I haven't tried to research heavies, but I assume it will be devastating to the port/city bombed at the higher levels.

I think that's it exactly. The bombing has to start weak and (hopefully) will pay off later in the game. (Let's also not forget that the strategic bombing campaign, while devastating to the cities, did not even really manage to curb Axis production, which rather reached its peak during 1944.)

I heartily agree, though, that bombers should be able to bomb cities even if they are occupied by units. Else, the whole idea of strat bombing seems to me undermined. E.g. when we had the discussion of why mostly Western German cities are on the map (instead of e.g. Vienna), then Hubert said that it is because they can be reached by strat bombers. But if the Germans can "protect" their cities by just placing corps there, then it's sort of a bummer ...

Straha