Two Unrelated Air Questions

[byron13]

I have 1.01.20:

1. Turn 24 in the Grand Scenario. I have some P-38 J/Ls that are set to - as best I can tell - "Auto" loadout.
I assigned the group to escort a bombing mission, but on the screen where you manually select groups, it shows that
the group as insufficient range. In fact, you run the mission and the after-action shows no escort flights - or at least none over the target when bombed.
The default seems to be 2x 150 gallons drop tanks. I've manually selected another loadout and re-selected "Auto" and same thing happens.
But if you manually select 2x 300 gallon tanks, the group does show sufficient range and will, in fact, reach the target.
I thought "Auto" would select (and I thought did in earlier versions) drop tanks that would get them to the target. WAD?

2. Anyone run any statistical tests on what Bomber Command loadouts work best for which targets? Primarily incendiary v. high explosive. Incendiary versus manpower? Petroleum targets?

3. And what do mines do? Do they raise interdiction points in ports? Actually destroy transports?

Thanks in advance. This is a great game.

[Helpless]

1. Turn 24 in the Grand Scenario. I have some P-38 J/Ls that are set to - as best I can tell - "Auto" loadout.
I assigned the group to escort a bombing mission, but on the screen where you manually select groups, it shows that
the group as insufficient range. In fact, you run the mission and the after-action shows no escort flights - or at least none over the target when bombed.
The default seems to be 2x 150 gallons drop tanks. I've manually selected another loadout and re-selected "Auto" and same thing happens.
But if you manually select 2x 300 gallon tanks, the group does show sufficient range and will, in fact, reach the target.
I thought "Auto" would select (and I thought did in earlier versions) drop tanks that would get them to the target. WAD?

Load out selection is somewhat tricky. There is no precise range requirement check, just modifiers. Current range priority selection makes sure that it will pick weapon set with higher ammo usage. Since both have 0 it will pick the first one on the list.

I could "fix it" so it will start picking 300gal. tanks, but it also means that 200 gal. won't get auto-picked in "medium" ranges, at least without extra extra range requirement check, which is very complex. Flying with 300gal. DT as a default range load out will worsen AC characteristics and increase fuel usage on the base (potentially decrease amount sorties).

3. And what do mines do? Do they raise interdiction points in ports? Actually destroy transports?

There is no mine warfare in the game. It is all abstracted to naval interdiction values. Mines are getting bonuses when it comes to the NI values calculations.

[byron13]

Thanks for the detail on the loadout. That makes sense. So manual selection for drop tank loadout.

While we're at it: another question. U-Boat Factory and V-Weapon VPs in the campaign game.
The rules indicate that negative VPS accrue only with respect to undamaged factories/sites without regard to how damaged the factory/site is.
According to this, the Allies suffer no negative VPs if I can maintain at least 1% damage on each factory or site.

So, as an example, a size 10 factory with 10% damage accrues no negative VPs. The other possibility is that negative VPs accrues negative VPs based on the 90% that is undamaged.
I just want to make sure that any damage at all to the factory/site results in no negative VPs. That changes the tactics from trying to fully knockout the large factories to hitting as may as possible without regard to the amount of damage inflicted.

[LiquidSky]

Any damage at all will stop you from losing vps. However the German will get a repair phase so if you do very light damage, he will repair it, and on your turn (when the vps are counted) you will get hit with negative vps.

He could also assign construction engineers and priority repairs to try and fix the damage as quickly as possible...although he probably wouldnt

[Q-Ball]

RE: Bomber Command loadouts, for night bombing I just leave it on the Incendiary Load, regardless of target.

You can be specific with targets on night bombing, and I am, but generally they will target everything in the hex, and it may or may not get hit. It's indescriminate.

[HMSWarspite]

I find that isn't true. I routinely hit Uboats say, when I aim at them.
Not every time, but enough that there is some
Aiming. For these targets I use the conventional bomb loads. When aiming at manpower I will hit other targets though.

[Harrybanana]

ORIGINAL: byron13


3. And what do mines do? Do they raise interdiction points in ports? Actually destroy transports?

Thanks in advance. This is a great game.

As Helpless says mines are used only for the purposes of naval interdiction. But be forewarned that mines are often not the best "loadout" even for a Naval interdiction mission. Depending on your other loadout options you may be better off using a whole bunch of small bombs rather than only a few mines. The same goes for torpedos.