Air Dropped Mines..more questions?

[Rusty1961]

I'm in December of 1942 and had a few more questions on airdropped mines:

1. Is there an optimum altitude from which they should be dropped?

2. How many mines are dropped? Does that depend upon bomb load?

3. What is the damage value associated with air dropped mine?

4. Are these mines limited in numbers like other mines or are they just consumed via supplies on missions?

Thank you.

[rustysi]

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961

I'm in December of 1942 and had a few more questions on airdropped mines:

1. Is there an optimum altitude from which they should be dropped? None of which I'm aware.

2. How many mines are dropped? Does that depend upon bomb load? My guess is one per bomber.

3. What is the damage value associated with air dropped mine? You could look this up in the menu bar at the top of the screen. IOW I don't know offhand.

4. Are these mines limited in numbers like other mines or are they just consumed via supplies on missions? Limited. For Japan this is 30/per month for the type 3(?).

Thank you.

[BBfanboy]

You can find out the weight of the mine from the devices listings and that gives an indicator of the relative power of the mine. But damage inflicted is a calculation done at the time of the mine explosion and would have some randoms. Size and type of ship have a bearing on damage inflicted.

The best you can get is an estimate that says a large mine is likely to sink a DD whereas a small mine might only cause damage numbers in the 30-50 range.

xAKs have big holds so a mine would cause catastrophic damage that has a good chance of sinking them.

[Lokasenna]

It is slightly more than one mine per bomber. I've seen an average of 1.5 for B-25s and such, which is odd. I tell this by tracking the number of mines used. For example, I could have 6 B-25s drop mines and the number of aerial mines used goes up by 9.

Tracking that number is the only way I have any idea what the minefield sizes might be.

[crsutton]

Multiple mines are dropped depending on the plane. (As Lokasenna points out.) A B24 will drop more than a B25. A B29 will drop a bunch.

Mines can be looked up in the editor. They have an effect and penetration just as a torpedo would and there is a quite a lot of variety. Checking the editor in stock the American sub laid mk12 mine is pretty nasty. Having about the same effect as a Japanese long lance torpedo. The air dropped mK13 mine is not as powerful but still has a lot of punch.

In the DaBabes scenario that I am playing torpedoes have been toned down a bit but the stats for mines have not. So the Mk12 mine is about 1/3 more powerful than a long lance. A ship killer indeed.

The Allies get 52 Mk 6 mines per month, (surface laid) 37 Mk 16 per month (surface laid) 67 Mk XVII (British surface laid) 37 MK 12 (sub laid), and 115 Mk 12 air mines per month. But you should be looking this up yourself. It can be easily done using the intel screen. If you can't find it let us know. These numbers are for DaBabes and might vary in stock. There are a number of Allied mines that go out of production on 12/42 but those listed above will produce til the end of the war.

[rustysi]

What is the damage value associated with air dropped mine?

The effect of this mine and all others may be viewed from within the game by clicking on the ship database button at the top of the screen. Its the fourth from the left. There is a radio button for mines which will display its characteristics.

As to how this translates to damage, all I can say is that those of us with experience should know the drill by now. It depends on a multiple of variables behind the curtain on whether the vessel will survive or not. Of course the vessel itself will factor into the equation, but you may still have it survive in one instance and succumb in another.