12 replies to this topic

[MagicMikeV]

Hi,

 

  I bought that 3 pack of bomber and I am completely enjoying this new concept. Has anyone been experimenting with both the equipment and the crew skills to get the most out of these 3 planes? Here is what I have been doing but I would like to see what others have been choosing and what is their rational. All my bombers are setup for high level bombing. I have been putting the standard Bomber Demo Expert on the pilot and the Rear Gunner gets the extended burst skills. What have some of you been doing and why? Thanks.

 

Equipment for Tier 3 Blenhiem

Reinforced Airframe

Armor Plating

Bomber Site

 

Equipment for Tier 6 A-26B

Reinforced Airframe II

Read Gunner Stabilizer

Bomb Site II

 

Equipment for Tier 8 RB-17

Reinforced Airframe III

Read Gunner Stabilizer

Bomb Site III

 

[MagusGerhardt]

*rear, only offering correction because the error was duplicated.

 

What equipment you put on the bomber and what skills you choose for the crew depend entirely on how you intend to use the bomber.

 

The Blenny and the RB-17 can *ONLY* be used as high altitude strategic bombers, and their skills and equipment should reflect that.

 

The Douglas A-26B Invader, however, is also capable of Barnstorm Bombing from very low altitude.

[hoom]

Only got the Blenheim:

• Bombsight (tried Engine Tuning instead but significant loss of accuracy)
• Reargun Stabilisation (with so little else going for it might as well maximise the gun firepower)
• Concealing Livery (minimise damage taken from AA when not above its ceiling & from other Blenheims)

 

Pilot

• Demolition Expert (obvious max ability to take stuff out)
• Engine Guru (more power = higher quicker)

Gunner

• Quick Reflexes (gun on target asap)
• Precision Gunner (hope for crits to disuade/cripple a chaser)
• Endurance because I've got a spare point, a very far away 2 more points will go to Defensive Fire

The gunner shoots continuously at a target in range so I don't see how increasing burst length would help.

 

In writing this though I've decided to try a slightly different setup:

Since I mostly stay above & away from enemies, swapped out the mostly idle Gun Stabiliser for 100% active Engine Tuning & realised I've been using a dedicated pilot, there was a reason but I can't remember it (have been using the Beaufighter gunner), put my Beaufighter pilot in which adds Aerodynamics Expert (stacks with Engine Guru & Engine Tuning), got a solid 13,000k battle with it.

Certainly not a revolutionary improvement but definitely improved transit times between caps, kept a good boost buffer instead of often using the whole boost just trying to get around.

Edited by hoom, 04 December 2017 - 11:21 PM.

[Catch21]

I'm only testing with the Tier 3 Blenheim IV (Early) at present. It seems you can (should) fly above flak, which for Tier 3 reaches to 2565m and should you be in a Tier IV match, 2925m. It takes a while but you can get to 3000m and stay there. I'm trying:

 

1) Bomb Sight I (a no-brainer)

2) Engine Tuning I to get me up quicker and away faster too if pursued.

3) Improved Flaps I (to loiter over targets longer?) and for lower stall speed and better turning which seems to be useful up there.

 

Note that these are all freely dismountable, unlike other options which cost.

 

Comments on other ideas:

 

1) I don't see any benefit to protection given you only have 3 slots, as long as you stay up at 3000m. The guns are terrible, front and rear, so Rear Gun Stabilization I seems like putting lipstick on a pig. If someone makes it up there to let me know I'm causing problems on the ground, I'd hope to try to evade with boost. If they catch me (Bf 110 C-6?) it's really time to bale out.

2) Concealing Livery I is moot since you're above flak- just, the jury is still out but a shell exploding at 2925m seems to throw some shrapnel to some (100m?) radius (prioritize High AA Positions on 1st pass?).

3) Self-Sealing Fuel Tank I seems unnecessary, the aircraft seems robust enough and nothing screams fire anywhere.

 

Skills- Demolition Expert for Pilot, Vigilance for Gunner as lookout, the .303 Lewis is just for show.

 

My options are pretty opposite to yours on the Tier 3 Blenheim IV (Early), but I've focused on what'll get me up there faster to do more damage quicker, as opposed to protection from threats I've so far found few and far between. Thanks for your post and I'd be interested in thoughts of others too.

 

 

Edited by Catch21, 05 December 2017 - 12:26 AM.

[Mercsn]

I swear, I really really really want polished airframe for my bombers (no, I won't use it to chase down heavies, I promise...what do you mean my fingers are crossed??)...and the a-26 model that had rocket racks under the wings would be splendid too (I promise I will only use the rockets on ground targets...what do you mean my fingers are still crossed??), or just the 8 more .50 cal in the wings if adding rockets are too unbalanced.

[pyantoryng]

hoom, on 04 December 2017 - 11:19 PM, said:

 

The gunner shoots continuously at a target in range so I don't see how increasing burst length would help.

Increased burst length is prerequisite for range skill, which for RB-17 will increase its range to 1500 meters when stacked with RGS, which is very funny when a 262 decides to climb after you and you boost awy laughing as your gunner calmly tear him to pieces...

[Mercsn]

hoom, on 04 December 2017 - 05:19 PM, said:

Only got the Blenheim:

• Bombsight (tried Engine Tuning instead but significant loss of accuracy)
• Reargun Stabilisation (with so little else going for it might as well maximise the gun firepower)
• Concealing Livery (minimise damage taken from AA when not above its ceiling & from other Blenheims)

 

Pilot

• Demolition Expert (obvious max ability to take stuff out)
• Engine Guru (more power = higher quicker)

Gunner

• Quick Reflexes (gun on target asap)
• Precision Gunner (hope for crits to disuade/cripple a chaser)
• Endurance because I've got a spare point, a very far away 2 more points will go to Defensive Fire

The gunner shoots continuously at a target in range so I don't see how increasing burst length would help.

 

In writing this though I've decided to try a slightly different setup:

Since I mostly stay above & away from enemies, swapped out the mostly idle Gun Stabiliser for 100% active Engine Tuning & realised I've been using a dedicated pilot, there was a reason but I can't remember it (have been using the Beaufighter gunner), put my Beaufighter pilot in which adds Aerodynamics Expert (stacks with Engine Guru & Engine Tuning), got a solid 13,000k battle with it.

Certainly not a revolutionary improvement but definitely improved transit times between caps, kept a good boost buffer instead of often using the whole boost just trying to get around.

 

Aero expert doesn't do anything for engine guru, just engine tuning and aircraft polish (which bombers don't have access to), as far as speed adders go.  It only modifies equipment, not other pilot skills.

[comtedumas]

Mercsn, on 05 December 2017 - 01:07 AM, said:

 

Aero expert doesn't do anything for engine guru, just engine tuning and aircraft polish (which bombers don't have access to), as far as speed adders go.  It only modifies equipment, not other pilot skills.

 

aero expert adds 40% to engine tuning (5% to engine power), while engine guru I and II adds 5% to engine power, so that is 12% more engine power and it makes a big difference when climbing to 10,000ft.  Add cruise flight for even more goodness.  

Edited by comtedumas, 05 December 2017 - 07:06 AM.

[Mercsn]

comtedumas, on 05 December 2017 - 01:02 AM, said:

 

aero expert adds 40% to engine tuning (5% to engine power), while engine guru I and II adds 5% to engine power, so that is 12% more engine power and it makes a big difference when climbing to 10,000ft.  Add cruise flight for even more goodness.

 

In the quote I replied to, hoom said, "Aerodynamics Expert (stacks with Engine Guru & Engine Tuning)."  I was pointing out that aero doesn't boost engine guru, for clarity on the point.  I know hoom knows this, but being that he tied the two in while talking about aero expert, I thought I'd clarify for anyone who misinterprets that bit.

[hoom]

Block Quote

 Increased burst length is prerequisite for range skill, which for RB-17 will increase its range to 1500 meters when stacked with RGS

True, I may spec for that at some point when I have a lot more gunner points but as a first choice on a low point Gunner & with 100% respecs by Silver available I don't see any use.

1,500m is terrifying, possibly explains some things that happened the first couple of times I've tried to get close to an RB-17...

 

Block Quote

 Aero expert doesn't do anything for engine guru, just engine tuning and aircraft polish (which bombers don't have access to), as far as speed adders go. 

 True, I may have been confused a bit with that post, thinking of my Beaufighter which does have engine tuning & improved polish.

Though as noted by comtedumas it does add to the improvement from engine guru.

 

Anyway, trying out Improved Flaps instead of Livery.

 

 

[Catch21]

I revisited this looking for equipment/skills advice on the Dornier Do17Z, following on form post above #4, where I was trying:

 

1) Bomb Sight I (a no-brainer)

2) Engine Tuning I to get me up quicker and away faster too if pursued.

3) Improved Flaps I (to loiter over targets longer?) and for lower stall speed and better turning which seems to be useful up there.

 

After a month's experience, I've put Concealing Livery I on, there were just too many situations where I was at lower altitudes weaving in amongst the flak for one reason or another (usually because I needed extra speed to get somewhere faster).

 

The Bomb Sight I remains a no-brainer, and Engine Tuning I seems better for the other slot, again for the extra speed. Just to update this before asking for help on the Do 17Z...

Edited by Catch21, 04 January 2018 - 02:58 PM.

[vcharng]

Personally I'm using

Bomb Sight

Reinforced airframe (the one that adds 15%HP)

Concealment livery

Skills:

Demo expert (pilot)

Engine Guru (pilot)

Faster aim (don't know the skill name, gunner)

Longer burst (likewise)

Defensive fire (the 30% firepower penalty sounds quite useful)

 

But I'm thinking about adding radiator and RGS+related skill into the set, as I found out that a faster boost reload and longer range could prove pretty useful for keeping the enemy HFs being shot by you instead of otherwise

We are going to spend a lot of time in idle engine when bombing targets anyway.

[comtedumas]

MagicMikeV, on 04 December 2017 - 03:20 PM, said:

Hi,

 

  I bought that 3 pack of bomber and I am completely enjoying this new concept. Has anyone been experimenting with both the equipment and the crew skills to get the most out of these 3 planes? Here is what I have been doing but I would like to see what others have been choosing and what is their rational. All my bombers are setup for high level bombing. I have been putting the standard Bomber Demo Expert on the pilot and the Rear Gunner gets the extended burst skills. What have some of you been doing and why? Thanks.

 

Equipment for Tier 3 Blenhiem

Reinforced Airframe

Armor Plating

Bomber Site

 

Equipment for Tier 6 A-26B

Reinforced Airframe II

Read Gunner Stabilizer

Bomb Site II

 

Equipment for Tier 8 RB-17

Reinforced Airframe III

Read Gunner Stabilizer

Bomb Site III

 

Might want to consider engine tuning, 5% more doesn’t sound like much, but that and engine guru 1 and 2 makes it 10% and that helps on those long climbs to altitude.