Question regarding Carpet Bombing

jckerr4 · 01-25-2010, 01:14 AM,

As far as I can remember, every time I use the carpet bombing feature, it results in damage to my own units. I know there is a possiblity of 2 hexes as per the manual (see below). Am I missing something, or do I have bad luck

Carpet Bombing

Air strikes from Heavy Bomber air units affect all units in the target hex and no target unit selection occurs in this case. Such bombing is considered to be "Carpet Bombing" and has an increased effect on causing Disruption in the target hex. Such air units are flagged with the word CARPET in the Air Mission Dialog . Carpet Bombing does not require that the target hex be spotted by a friendly unit. When a Carpet Bombing air strike is called, the program will randomly scatter the designated target hex up to 2 hexes away. This may result in the air strike hitting friendly units. Also note that Heavy Bombers are often designated as Single Use units and when this is the case, they will only be available for a single mission.

alaric99x · 01-25-2010, 01:21 AM,

I think you're having bad luck.

The best way to use carpet bombing is to find a nice fat cluster of enemy units in multiple hexes, 2 hexes away from any of your units. In an area with enemy units in several hexes, if your bombing misses, it might drift into another hex where there is an enemy stack or unit. Just try to find those locations where a miss is more likely to hit an enemy unit instead of one of your own.

**Mr Grumpy** · 01-25-2010, 03:05 AM,

Indeed as alaric99x says it is just a random result and good/bad luck will play a role in what results you see, obviously if you can carpet bomb units away from your own that is the best use of these units.

Glenn Saunders · 01-25-2010, 04:36 AM,

Ya bad luck. Setup a test scn and have a look. I used a Goodwood test scn when I ask to have this target scatter and in repeated test I got more or less what occurred. Of course there are numerous examples of bombs going astray. Happened to the US in cobra top. Lots of examples. But you should bit you approximate target sometimes.

Glenn

jckerr4 · (This post was last modified: 01-25-2010, 05:34 AM by jckerr4.)

(01-25-2010, 04:36 AM)Glenn Saunders Wrote: Ya bad luck. Setup a test scn and have a look. I used a Goodwood test scn when I ask to have this target scatter and in repeated test I got more or less what occurred. Of course there are numerous examples of bombs going astray. Happened to the US in cobra top. Lots of examples. But you should bit you approximate target sometimes.

Glenn

Thanks for confirming
I wanted to make sure there wasn't a modifier I was missing

(01-25-2010, 05:22 AM)jckerr4 Wrote:
(01-25-2010, 04:36 AM)Glenn Saunders Wrote: Ya bad luck. Setup a test scn and have a look. I used a Goodwood test scn when I ask to have this target scatter and in repeated test I got more or less what occurred. Of course there are numerous examples of bombs going astray. Happened to the US in cobra top. Lots of examples. But you should bit you approximate target sometimes.

Glenn

Thanks for confirming
I wanted to make sure there wasn't a modifier I was missing

Just one other comment.
I have to say that HPS and The Blitz are top notch.
I mean, where else can you post a question and get a reply from design in the very same day.
Thanks Glenn

Liquid_Sky · 01-25-2010, 06:05 AM,

You can use all those recon aircraft to find some nice rear targets. Maybe you will get lucky and find a string of reinforcements on the road in travel mode. A target I like to hit is a city/town/village hex with a bridge so I rubblize the hex (if it had a unit in it).
If you want to do near the front line, you could back some of the units up. The damage is in proportion to the amount of men/guns/vehicles in the hex..

alaric99x · 01-25-2010, 06:34 AM,

That's right, remember, carpet bombing doesn't need a spotting unit, contrary to regular air strikes. Spot the target with air recon, and you can strike as much as you have air missions available.

**Mr Grumpy** · 01-25-2010, 08:14 AM,

Yup, i have been doing this in my F40 campaign to great effect, oh sure some attacks hit empty hex's, but catch an arty unit i T mode and...........:eek1:

Dog Soldier · 01-26-2010, 04:20 AM,

The scatter is more than bad luck. I see it as an example of how difficult it could be to distinguish friend from foe at the altitude and speed the carpet bomber operate at. Add some flak bursts to the situation and you can easily see why the bombers want to drop their load and get out.

Actually, nothing is said in the documentation that flak affects the scatter algorithm. I like to think it does along with the fatigue and "1 plane" results.

Dog Soldier

Volcano Man · (This post was last modified: 01-26-2010, 06:03 AM by Volcano Man.)

Speaking of carpet bombing and "bad luck", I seem to remember a certain Graziani campaign where all my Italian bombers were good at was bombing the Mediterranean Sea, killing loads of fish to have them wash up on shore behind the British lines. ;)