Fighters - how many attacks?

[rolyatn]

I've just experienced repeated attacks by what turned out to be a single allied fighter. From turn 6 through 13 inclusive it made an attack and took out my King Tiger's commander and 2 Hetzers. What amazed me was that in 4 of those attacks it used rockets/bombs - 4 in each attack. The other attacks all involved mg/cannon. What sort of fighter/bomber has that sort of punch and, more importantly, how typical is that of aircraft attacks in general? It was scary.

My rather sad 37mm AA (half-track) fired 3 times at the plane, but was much more potent against the British troops and a Sexton (and harried a couple of Wolverines). I still think I would have preferred it if it had had a better pop at the fighter.

[Juju]

Hi Rolyatn

From your story I assume you've been attacked by at least two aircraft. How do you know it was only one?

IIRC a FB attacks max 5 times, and it can't use armament like bombs and rockets more than once or twice (not sure. Thought it was once) per fighter/per battle.

Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, yes?

[Kingfish]

Jabos will either use bombs (two in one attack) or rockets (2 attacks of 4 rockets each). They will then strafe 3-4 times.

German Jabos will always carry bombs, while the allies can be of either type, with the British more likely to carry rockets.

I agree with Juju, you were attacked by two seperate aircraft. How big was the scenario?

[rolyatn]

Well, it was an TCP/IP game and that's what the opponent told me - 1 fighter/bomber only. It seems reasonable, as it was a 1500 QB and my artillery was constrained to 300 or thereabouts.

It certainly felt like 2 planes! Maybe he had a very good roll of the dice when the plane's effectiveness was calculated, but I can't think of any aircraft with that sort of wallop. Maybe it's symbolic.

[Juju]

Still, shouldn't be possible. Attacks on turns 6 through 13 inclusive means eight attacks, four of which were with the heavy stuff. Both the number of attacks and the frequency of rocket/bomb use is not correct for a single plane.

Then again, a 1500 pt combined arms ME (for instance) gives the Allied player some 280 arty points. The FB costs 225, so, it beats me really...

Indeed your opponent had a good dice roll. Remember, sometimes FB's don't even show up!

[Kingfish]

A 1500 pt allied attack, with experience levels set at low, gives the allied player 562 arty points. He can then purchase two green jabos @ 213 each (or two conscripts @ 201 each). He still has 136 (or 160) points to spend on other arty.

What experience level was the opposition? Where were the VLs located? What other types of arty did you encounter? What did you eat for breakfast?

[rolyatn]

For breakfast I had humble pie.

I'm pretty certain that his troops were regular. There were 3 Churchills, a Priest/Sexton and 2 TD types. Plus a 6pdr and a couple of infantry plt. I think the points pan out OK - I just got roughed up by some schizo fighter bomber.

Just out of interest, what's the betting that if you had 2 green fighter bombers that they'd turn out to be lethal - but only for your own side.

[Juju]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by rolyatn:

Just out of interest, what's the betting that if you had 2 green fighter bombers that they'd turn out to be lethal - but only for your own side.<hr></blockquote>

I'm betting chances would be pretty slim. Better luck next time, eh.

[JasonC]

I often see FBs attack every other turn, with the intervening turn use for the fly-around for the next pass. So maybe you saw 4-5 actual firing passes stretched out over that length of time, with turns of fly-around "gap" between the actual attacks. I have also seen FBs with rockets deliver bombs on their first firing run and rockets on the next two. Also, two of the vehicles you have knocked out were Hetzers. Those have thin enough sides and top to be KOed by FB cannon/MGs on just strafing runs.

On the Flak, if it only got off 3 shots in 7-8 minutes, its was probably in a bad spot to see most of the sky - like too close to buildings or tall pines. I've seen single 20mm Flak guns get off that many shots on a single FB pass. Normally the result of Flak is to reduce the number of passes, and the accuracy on each. But if yours wasn't getting many shots off because of placement (or distraction by other targets I suppose) it would have done little for you in those respects.

As for your "what aircraft type?" question, it was probably a British Typhoon. They have 20mm cannons and 16 rockets, enough for 4 rocket attacks. They don't carry the larger bombs of the P-47, though.

[ 11-02-2001: Message edited by: JasonC ]</p>

[Gen-x87H]

I had this happen to me once in a QB against the AI. It was a 3000 or 5000 point game? Anyways I was strifed and attacked for 17 turns straight. Right from the first turn they bombed and strifed me to no end.

I quit the game because I had class but it is my firm belief they would have continued to bomb and strife me for another 17 turns.

Gen

[rolyatn]

At least one of the Hetzers was a cannon knock out; the other one may have been a cannon shot but the 4 rocket craters in close proximity may have been involved.

I was actually keeping brief notes on the game, so I logged the attacks "real time" or "replay time". There were definitely 7 continuous attacks, 4 of which were rocket ones.

I didn't think the Typhoon had 16 rockets, I thought it was 8, but that would explain a lot.

I still wouldn't buy aircraft myself, but if you are the British it must be a temptation to load yourself with Churchill Mk VIIIs and bung in a fighter to upset any big German tanks. In a very non-gamey way, obviouly.

[Monty's Double]

The Typhoon definitely carried 8 rockets (60lb) not 16, so I don't see how one aircraft could have made 4 rocket attacks. Not that I'd want to impugn the integrity of a fellow CMer, but are you sure your opponent has been honest?

[Kingfish]

Pg. 85 of the manual:

"There are two basic types of fighter-bombers in the game. One is equipped with rockets(enough for two passes)...

4 turns of continuous rocket attacks can only mean two aircraft involved.

[dieseltaylor]

Hey, I am honest.

Playing my brother TC/IP in a meeting engagement in a 1500 point game. Only 300 points are available so I purchased 1 fighter bomber. Now it has often been said that in the days of board games I was jammy with the dice ..... obviously it carries over. LOL

In a battle afterwards my Churchill VIII faced head on by a King Tiger knocked its gun out before it manged to kill anything!!! Those magic electronic die rolls ......

Now if only I could win games .....

[Capitalistdoginchina]

There is one possible explanation - the Pilot was from Finland

CDIC

[Kingfish]

You're right, it had to be a Finnish pilot. That explains the multiple rockets from one sortie.

I've read where Finnish pilots didn't even land to re-arm. They just flew very low over the arfield and the ground crew would lob the reloads up to the passing plane.

[Michael Emrys]

I've heard that the mere rumor of Finnish pilots in the area would cause entire Soviet armies to surrender en masse. Of course, I only hear that from Finns, usually after the fourth round.

Michael