Whilst using the B-18B over the years i noticed some drastic changes within the damage effects (=less damage and more artificial spread whilst using them) - but i am not sure if some of you have noticed that the battle summaries you get in your inbox after ending and closing the result screen show always hits and damages by API-T - despite the turret fires solid AP and HEF- T.
Even more strange is that Sweden used API (without a tracer) in the 13.2 m/39 cannon (source).
I mean the plane is still (almost) unkillable thanks to excellent high alt performance - but i got used to fly the plane to benefit from the “new” research bonus - and i started to look at the battle summaries more often.
I saw countless hits displayed as API-T but just a few crits and severe damages and subsequent kills. Not a single hit displayed as scored with HEF-T.
I watched the replay of a recent match in which i scored 5 hits on a tailchasing La-7. Despite using the universal belt (50/50 AP and HEF-T) all of my hits were displayed as hits with API-T - despite the replay showed that it hit with solid AP rounds.
In the same match i killed a Bv 239 with 5 solid AP hits (no severe damage or critical hits btw, battle log says tail dismantled whilst i shot both horizontal stabilizers off).
From my pov it looks like the following:
- The turrets fires a mix of solid AP and HEF-T (otherwise i would see no tracers) but counts every hit as scored with AP only.
- The battle summary displays these AP rounds wrongly as API-T.
Or:
- There is a wrongly set RNG factor attached to these hits which leads to a lower kill ratio - as HEF-T hits in the wings usually results in fires which i see extremely rare.
It looks for me that there is a RNG factor attached to solid AP rounds as from time to time i manage to set XP-50s on fire, either with hits center mass (fuel below the pilot) or direct hits in the engines.
If you look at the disadvantages of solid AP round vs HEF-T you might agree that not scoring hits with the later is a nerf.
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The issue is that long range hits with AP happen mostly at very flat angles, so u score mostly glancing hits on wings without inflicting substantial damage, so you are forced to score a direct hit at the engine, pilot or wing root.
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The rather low penetration of HEF-T is no problem. If you fire with HEF-T on a similar fast aircraft the speed of the chasing aircraft adds up to the rather rather high muzzle velocity (800-900 m/s). So if both aircraft fly with 500 kmph at a distance of 1.5 km the guy behind you flies ~ 140 meter/s - reducing the distance whilst increasing the penetration value of your own shell.
The in-game protection analysis is unable to simulate such hits considering the speed of the shell AND the speed of the chasing target which flies towards the shell - but it shows a flat pen value of 3 mm aup to 1.000 meters - enough to pen the thin skin of a wing and to cause fuel tank fires.
So before i invest some time in a proper bug report i’d like to ask other frequent B-18B users if they have similar experiences.
In addition it would be great to know if somebody has created a bug report regarding the not available API shell.
Thanks for reading and potential feedback!
@blockhaj - as tech mod for Sweden - your opinion?