Changes to Bomber Survivability

[Real_K_Soze]

@Aisbitt034-psn

Yes alongside

1. Increased standard spawn-height for bombers
2. Removal of artificial spread on turrets
3. Removal of artificial overheat on Turrets
4. All maps besides carrier maps have destructible air fields

From my pov your answer is right on track - just 2 points:

3. Which turrets overheat?
4. You see killing the carriers as airfield replacement on Pacific maps?

@TheAnnoyingFinn

No.
Alongside the opposite of every point you just made.

Bombers don’t need more training wheels to perform. They need to have the remaining training wheels removed if anything.

I am not sure if you talk about the situation

a) before the current update - or:
b) after a potential nerf of bomber damage models in the future

In case of b) i can’t assess this without knowing how gaijin would implement such a potential nerf.

But regarding the point a) it looks like that besides your described very limited bomber experience flying them in Air RB is the logical explanation - as all points (no clue about #3, never happened or i don’t remember) are actually valid points if you have flown them more than once.

In order of appearance (i refer to Prop BRs) regarding the situation before 09/2026 :

1. Increased standard spawn-height for bombers

   This is comprehensible as the standard spawn altitude of 3,500 meters for tactical and 4,500 meters for strategic bombers remained unchanged for ages (valid from June 2016) - whilst the threat level for bombers increased by constant new aircraft which were not in place when these limits were set.

   The classic hard to intercept bombers in 2015/2016 were B-29, Tu-4 and Pe-8. The P-61 with the 2 km Air defense fighter spawn (March 2016) was basically the only fighter to counter them before the drop. The standard bomber interceptor has 2 engines, is British or a P-61 and has the 2 km Air Defense Fighter spawn (1 km higher than 1 km interceptor spawn) and came way later - gaijin’s list as link.

   All tactical bombers (except B7A2 on very small maps) can be outclimbed by them, even classic fighters with the 1 km interceptor spawn can usually get get to co-altitude of strategic bombers or (like in case of Me 264 ) can often get a stall shot. Even strike aircraft (like Fw 190 F-8 or Wyvern) have zero problems to kill a tactical bomber.

   In order to give you an idea why 1 km more spawn makes a difference: The British Mosquito NF Mk II is in 2026 the best British propfighter above Rank II (=kills per spawn) and was beaten (above Rank II) just 2 times regarding best British fighter just 2 times: once by the Hunter F 6 and once by Rank IX Typhoon.

   On top of that: A lot of temporarily bugged maps got an airspawn for all fix - without adjusting the spawn altitude on these map. This kills not only the effectiveness of planes which work just with Interceptor spawn - it reduces the drop chance for bombers further as even good climbing standard fighters (like Yak-3, I-225, J2M2, etc.) can get to co-alt before the drop.

2. Removal of artificial spread on turrets

   As described in another comment - a hidden gaijin nerf (like countless FM changes of aircraft of all classes). Every experienced player is aware of this - in my B18B this happened in Q4 2022.

3. Removal of artificial overheat on Turrets

   Thh - no idea, but i trust this player that this might be an issue of rifle caliber turrets.

4. All maps besides carrier maps have destructible airfields

   This is and was the purpose of heavy bombers: Killing strategic targets that could not destroyed by fighters. I would even add that old Pacifc maps have asymmetric layouts - so the side attacking with carriers (like US/UK on Saipan needs to kill or capture Japanese airfields whilst they should lose all their carriers. Imho unrealistic as gajin won’t change their “no win condition for bombing” approach as they would face the same issues as in March 2020 when F-4 Phantoms ended matches in minutes.

A last remark:

@TheAnnoyingFinn

Bombers don’t need more training wheels to perform. They need to have the remaining training wheels removed if anything.

I allocate this quote to the current and rather strange situation of op bombers. Regarding the pre-update situation the points 1 & 2 are rock solid.

[Kefal_Bravo_690]

It is mostly a German problem: they only have a good HE shell (which is useless now) but a very bad API shell. For fighters with US or Soviet ammo, many of those issues can be fixed by letting all fighters without air-to-ground ordnance able to spawn at interceptor spawn, or even higher than bomber spawn, where interception should be initiated from. Bomber spawn height is an outdated protection system for the pre-buff DM.

[Real_K_Soze]

@Teddy_Bear185

good thing is that the Ju388 (worst plane if flown in wt before the update)

Ever tried the Ki-94 II? Still at 6.0…

[PlagueOfGripes]

Personally, I don’t see what people are complaining about. Bombers don’t vaporize, but they still die pretty easily. With the constant listing from damage, they also can’t accurately drop their payload (assuming they’re trying). The issue seems to come from very, very specific bombers.

Things like the TIS MA, of course, shouldn’t have the modeling anyway.

[andrgysev0293747]

@Jamwich

HE is currently useless, as bombers are wrapped in a skin of ahistorically thick armour that completely negates them.

Small caliber HE

[andrgysev0293747]

@Tech-Tree-F-14D

If you think a TU95 should withstand more than 6 direct hits from a SAM then I don’t know what to tell you.

I bet he was falling after the first hit, but WT players are trained to shoot at you until they see a red “aircraft destroyed” text and get a neuron activated.

How many times I was shot at when I was already gonna crash… Surprise, a giant plane is a giant sponge and it won’t turn to mist in mid air, but a single missile hit will destroy its controls.

[andrgysev0293747]

Idk guys, Even I shot down bombers, despite the fact that I am a very bad player. Its also more interesting for me now, I have to aim, make correct approaches, evade bullets, its kinda fun if you want to play anti-bomber. It reminds me of old days in Il-2 game…

[Cooper_Kuma]

Here is the problem about why whe need that “aircraft destroyed” even so, HE WAS DESTROYED

[Drohnir]

Ehm, germany has APHE shells in their 20mm… i wouldt say they suffer that much :D

[Kefal_Bravo_690]

it take atleast 25 mm pen, MG 151/20 APHE pem was 20 mm, to penetrate the new DM. And the MG 151/15 API cannot start fire as fast as 12.7 API of both USA and Soviet.

[Drohnir]

Well ofc its FUN… as long as u dont need to learn/grind anything.

But is it fair? NO hell NO!

[andrgysev0293747]

Just remove infinite reload in mid air for gunners in air rb and this will fix half of the problems

[Drohnir]

First of all… remove the need of a proper crew + expert crew… the buff it gives is nothing more then insanely high compared to a lvl 10 crew…

then we talk about infinitive ammo

[RoyalWaffles]

i watched a b26 get oneshotted by a ki109’s 75

skill issue

[andrgysev0293747]

@Drohnir

then we talk about infinitive ammo

no, fighters have limited ammo and need to rtb to reload, while bombers in arb can just fly for 25 minutes without rtb, spawning new gunner ammo mid air

[Drohnir]

there literly only a handfull of planes with 15mm…

[Drohnir]

its called pilot snipe… or winning lottery

[Kefal_Bravo_690]

Which is a problem now, as the 15 mm now can be more effective than 20 mm in killing bomber.

[Drohnir]

havent tried, but i can tell you that 20mm APHE into the cockpit is a serius thread. (unless the bomber has brain and dosnt headon/let you shoot at his front)

[TheAnnoyingFinn]

You must be talking about bomber pilots who have never had to learn anything.

But now the average fighter pilot is expected to use skills and tactics to take down a bomber, which can be piloted with one hand while picking your nose.

Ironic