29 replies to this topic

[CorvusCorvax]

Once upon a time, I rage-XP'd past the Bf-109Z.  I was so mad that I could NOT get the dang MK108s to hit, that I could not get around on anything, that I had zero effect on any match that I was in.  After the mighty Me-410, which is SUPER-OP at T6, the Zwilling felt like total craptastic weaksauce.  Rage-XP'd right by, rage-sold - screw you, I ain't going to even think of you any more.  Hell, I think I might have even dismissed a 6-point pilot in my haste to be rid of this piece of junk.

After I got to T9, and fell in absolute love with both the Swallow and the HGII, I decided to give the 109Z another look.  Patiently worked to specialize it, put a decent pilot in it, to make sure I was not missing out on some hidden talent...

Lo, and behold, I started to have a different opinion of the plane.  It became a regular in the rotation, and I felt it stands up OK to T8 gameplay.  But I was flying with the 20s, and the range and shell speed let me do things that I had not been able to do with the MK108s.  I slowly came to love the grace and power of this nimble HF.  But specialization came, and I paid for the wings, and got the dreaded MK108s back.

Sigh.  Frustration again, with the lack of range, and the slow cyclic rate, and the low shell velocity.  So, step back to the 20s, happy that I'm not wearing specialist wings, and just fly the thing and pretend I'm a German HF newb climbing the tiers.

But today, I need bomber flight planes and GAA to complete one of the crate missions, and I have been getting a string of escort matchmaking, and not many placements on the side to kill bombers/GAA.  So, I figure if I'm going to defend against HFs and other stuff attacking my flights, I guess, I'll specialize and rum the 30mm set-up again.  I paid for specialization, I might as well run it.

Odin help me, it's one of the best HF battles I've had in a while - and I got put on the "defend" team.  Those MK108 shells were hitting everything, and my bomber passes were HUGELY productive - I shot down one whole flight with a small amount of help from an I-220.  My score at the end was more than double of my nearest team mate.  I was stunned that I shot down so many planes

The pilot XP haul was gigantic.  The silver produced was really good for a tech tree plane, even in this mode.

I want to believe that I finally have this plane figured out, after all this time - mostly due to all the snapshots where I killed LFs in passing. 

We will see, we will see.

Bf-109Z, I am sorry I did not give you a fair shot when I first flew you.  Next on my list of planes to give fresh eyes to?

The F7F Tigercat.  I have to admit I'm not hopeful.  But I will do it, just to say I tried.

 

Edited by CorvusCorvax, 23 November 2020 - 03:37 AM.

[Captain_Underpants53]

I would not judge a plane by how it performs in this Bomber Escort mode.  It is busted.

[SpiritFoxMY]

Bomber Escort mode has been extremely fun for me. Only GAAs, and German bombers to a lesser extent, really suffer 

[Captain_Underpants53]

SpiritFoxMY, on 22 November 2020 - 11:08 PM, said:

Bomber Escort mode has been extremely fun for me. Only GAAs, and German bombers to a lesser extent, really suffer 

I think it's a case of what goes around, comes around.  The last time we had this mode, the attackers (bomber escort) could hardly lose.  But this is 2020 and I have never lost so many games despite scoring more chevrons than the entire defending side combined.  They apparently rendered the strategic bombers defenseless and without any armor.

[SpiritFoxMY]

Captain_Underpants53, on 23 November 2020 - 12:26 PM, said:

I think it's a case of what goes around, comes around.  The last time we had this mode, the attackers (bomber escort) could hardly lose.  But this is 2020 and I have never lost so many games despite scoring more chevrons than the entire defending side combined.  They apparently rendered the strategic bombers defenseless and without any armor.

 

Things are easier on the attacking team down in the mid-tiers. Up above tier 8 the firepower of the interceptors is just too much for the bombers to deal with without a competent escort.

[Captain_Underpants53]

I find it interesting that I see zero bot bombers despite playing all day at Tier IX.  24 battles, so far.

[SpiritFoxMY]

Captain_Underpants53, on 23 November 2020 - 12:49 PM, said:

I find it interesting that I see zero bot bombers despite playing all day at Tier IX.  24 battles, so far.

 

It could be that they just copy/pasted the templates from the last event of this sort which took place before bombers were fully introduced.

[CorvusCorvax]

Captain_Underpants53, on 23 November 2020 - 04:00 AM, said:

I would not judge a plane by how it performs in this Bomber Escort mode.  It is busted.

The flight of the shells and how the plane flies will not change when this game mode ends.

 

I have been flying HFs for this mode, and this was the best battle of the lot for me.

[losttwo]

Oh Gee the 109Z

can't hit the broad side of a barn even using gold ammo.

Like you I raged past it and rage specialized it.

 

Because my hangar was featured on hoarders I did not rage sell it.

I learned years ago not to rage sell anything.

Actually just do not sell anything.

 

Update after update, ghost tweak after ghost tweak.

Time and experience changes things.

A month can make a big difference in how you fly.

 

Thank GOD I finally got my low tier lil russin jet.

A couple of weeks ago.

It was originally a gift plane from closed beta but I sold it,

 

[Captain_Rownd]

CorvusCorvax, on 22 November 2020 - 05:34 PM, said:

The F7F Tigercat.  I have to admit I'm not hopeful.  But I will do it, just to say I tried.

 

 

I generally don't like heavies at all but F7F is one of the better ones.  I only flew it to get to the F2H, but it was working for me right away.  Much better experience than the 109Z

 

[losttwo]

here is some old video with the F7F

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

 

[wylleEcoyote]

Im actually doing pretty good with my high tier german Bombers & Attackers. Knocked out all three missions for both in just a few hours and did it again after the reset. Sure you can get focused upon  Especially if you go it alone without stealth gear. But at the same time when you roll up on a stronghold with 2-4 attackers after a bomber did a fly by that sector can be flipped in seconds. Its a bit crazy when even a german attacker has bombs left over.

[qu33kKC]

I really enjoy the 109Z.  Much less stiff than the 110/410s, and the cannons hit like a ton of bricks. Very nice bomber-deleter at tier. 

[trikke]

Captain_Rownd, on 23 November 2020 - 08:16 AM, said:

I generally don't like heavies at all but F7F is one of the better ones.  I only flew it to get to the F2H, but it was working for me right away.  Much better experience than the 109Z

 

i had it researched, since i blew past it to the Pancake and never looked back       but i watched somebody (Corey?) take me apart several times a couple of weeks ago in it

 

i tarted it up with an 8 skill pilot and mostly upgraded equipment and ultimate camo, and took it out last week       21k first flight!     but it was bomber escort, so...

 

the four 20s and the four 50cals do seem to work for me

[MarkoPollo42]

qu33kKC, on 24 November 2020 - 04:06 PM, said:

I really enjoy the 109Z.  Much less stiff than the 110/410s, and the cannons hit like a ton of bricks. Very nice bomber-deleter at tier. 

 

I had pretty much mothballed my Me 209a fighter in favor of the Spitfire XIV but on Sunday I decided to fly the 209a just because I was done with the Crimson Dawn mission goals and was in a "what the hell" mood. I was pleasantly surprised at how well I was able to shoot down bombers (and other aircraft) with it. Seems like the recent game patch has buffed the guns or something, or maybe I'm just getting better at flying (most likely). Whatever the reason I was getting > 20K scores with it and having a blast shooting down bombers. With that fun I took out my Me P.1092 which I had just ground enough coin and xp to buy a few weeks back but had only flown a few times. Once I upgraded my guns to get the higher firing rate I'm loving it and I'm not even up to Elite status yet. This plane is like my Swift with the guns such that I have to have a very light touch on firing and do controlled bursts to not overheat them but once mastered this plane can take on the tankiest GAs or tough bombers with relative ease. Out of interest I checked it's ceiling and could easily fly at 10000 feet without any problem and got up to 12000 feet (very mushy but that was red lining it). This is a bomber and heavy fighter eliminator for sure.

 

So now after every game patch I will fly the planes that have fallen out of favor with me to see if any of them has gotten buffed to be fun to fly again. On the downside my maxed out I-17 got a maneuverability nerf from 114 to 102. Oh well... maybe that was a bit op for tier IV.

 

  

[the_better_tetrisgamer]

MarkoPollo42, on 26 November 2020 - 12:04 PM, said:

 

(...)

 

So now after every game patch I will fly the planes that have fallen out of favor with me to see if any of them has gotten buffed to be fun to fly again. On the downside my maxed out I-17 got a maneuverability nerf from 114 to 102. Oh well... maybe that was a bit op for tier IV.

 

  

The maneuverability of my I-17 has not decreased. Is it possible that you transferred your well-trained I-17 pilot?

[blindfoId]

MarkoPollo42, on 26 November 2020 - 03:04 PM, said:

 

I had pretty much mothballed my Me 209a fighter in favor of the Spitfire XIV but on Sunday I decided to fly the 209a just because I was done with the Crimson Dawn mission goals and was in a "what the hell" mood. I was pleasantly surprised at how well I was able to shoot down bombers (and other aircraft) with it. Seems like the recent game patch has buffed the guns or something, or maybe I'm just getting better at flying (most likely). Whatever the reason I was getting > 20K scores with it and having a blast shooting down bombers. With that fun I took out my Me P.1092 which I had just ground enough coin and xp to buy a few weeks back but had only flown a few times. Once I upgraded my guns to get the higher firing rate I'm loving it and I'm not even up to Elite status yet. This plane is like my Swift with the guns such that I have to have a very light touch on firing and do controlled bursts to not overheat them but once mastered this plane can take on the tankiest GAs or tough bombers with relative ease. Out of interest I checked it's ceiling and could easily fly at 10000 feet without any problem and got up to 12000 feet (very mushy but that was red lining it). This is a bomber and heavy fighter eliminator for sure.

 

So now after every game patch I will fly the planes that have fallen out of favor with me to see if any of them has gotten buffed to be fun to fly again. On the downside my maxed out I-17 got a maneuverability nerf from 114 to 102. Oh well... maybe that was a bit op for tier IV.

 

  

 

There were no changes in aircraft balance. If there were any aircraft balance changes they would be listed in the patchnotes. 

Check your mounted equipment and pilot skills that can affect maneuverability.

[wylleEcoyote]

SpiritFoxMY, on 23 November 2020 - 12:34 AM, said:

 

It could be that they just copy/pasted the templates from the last event of this sort which took place before bombers were fully introduced.

If the did do a copy pasta it was of the after action reports.

The first time through this event there were a lot of confused players and plenty of lopsided battles. Especially in the first bomber escort week. Which had to get hot fixed between the two days of the first weekend. The second bomber escort week was slomosdt the opposite it went from attackers couldnt loose to attackers couldnt win. 
All in a ll it was a terrible showing except for the piayers that figured out the ins and out and adapted on the fly. 

This second go around has been MUCH smoother.
Being the attacker or defender did not factor into winning the battle this time around.  
As long as you knew what role your plane was for and carried that out you stood a good chance of winning.
Unless you saw one of the top human players in the opposition. Which is pretty much normal for this (or any) game from WeeGee.
Additionally this has been the case so far with ALL the modes played so far. 

To the point where i am seeing the occasional "hey lets do this all the time" post  and the primary negative response is  "are you nuts the MM wait times would practically double". 

instead of "no because these modes suck and im not playing anymore until they are gone"

Thanks again WeeGee. Y'all did a great job. 



Now. about those high tier american bombers ...

and Specialization Mk2. 

[SpiritFoxMY]

tbh, I still didn't like it. When playing on the Attacking team, every enemy heavy fighter had a raging hard lock on to any bomber on the team to the point I have literally dragged 4 - 5 enemy bots after me just by flying in visual range of them. If you think that bombers get focused in Conquest mode, Invasion is holy mother of god no. They respawn and fly straight at you from across the map. Not one, not two - often its EVERY heavy fighter on the enemy team. There were matches when I got more air damage racked up in my Su-10 than ground damage. Heck, there were battles where my air damage in the EF-131 rivalled my ground damage.

 

On top of that, each game ends really, really fast and tactics tend to get repetitious after a while. Playing on the defensive in particular, unless I was up against a particularly nasty combo, defensive games could end within five minutes (and actually did on several occasions). 

 

As a mode in random rotation? Eh, maybe. As a mode that lasts all weekend? No. Please no.

Edited by SpiritFoxMY, 03 December 2020 - 02:38 AM.

[crzyhawk]

Defense was much easier than offense, not sure what wylee is smoking on that comment...