Bombing Help Needed - Reply Within

[Sub_Saint]

I'm sure this question has been asked..I just haven't found where..I've tried reading all the tips and strategies here, but I can't find specific guidance on this particular subject..

-Bombing Runs-

I'm no Top Gun ace pilot..but I've got most of the basics down..and I can zip around the map, repair and rearm, evade, etc etc..the problem is..I can go whole rounds and maybe die only three or four times (which isn't bad)..but I might only have an equal number of kills (which isn't good).

It's not that opportunity doesn't present itself..I see plenty of ground targets..I just can't hit them to save my life.

Now I have read the whole, "switch to the external reverse chase view" (or whatever it's called) to gauge at what point to release the hardware..and I've tried that..and really don't see that helping..I'm not opposed to using it..but need to know when to switch and at what point to release.

I'm using a SAITEK X36. I have all the commands mapped to buttons and it works good..it isn't really an issue of control or opportunity..just on how to aim and release the bomb to hit the target.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. (Or if you know where this topic is, pls link it here)

[SPC_Zotchman]

I'll be awaiting responses also. I come close to hitting my targets, but close doesn't cut it on the battlefield...
Z.

[SaladFork]

There is really no sure-fire way to always hit your target. You just sort of need to get that 'feel' for when to drop the bombs.

By default, F9/F10 switch between the first two views. Map those to joystick buttons. RIGHT after you bomb EVERY SINGLE TIME, switch to the second view. Look at where your bombs drop, go reload, and try again.

~Salad

[Jensen]

the bomber jets only fear is fighter aircraft trying to shoot it down, and to an extent AA sites. Because of this, and the mass destruction caused by its bombs, its one of the most potent weapons on the battlefield.

I annihilate the enemy with it if i'm unopposed in the sky.

Here's what you do, play singleplayer, and just practice blowing up bots. There is no set, "release bombs 3 seconds before target" advice. It depends on altitude and speed.

Generally speaking though, you need to release bombs well before you think you should. You want to time it so the third bomb of your five hits the target you were going for. That ensures its complete destruction with the help of the 2nd and 4th bombs.

The most difficult thing in a bomber is not getting kicked for TK's. You absolutely must err on the side of caution when destroying enemy targets. Check the minimap for any friendlies, and if there is even one, just strafe the target with machine guns while in your bomb view hud.

yesterday there were 4 friendlies at one of our flags, one of them was calling for support because 4 different enemy armor vehicles were rolling in to capture it. I fly over there, try to gauge a safe place to drop bombs, and do so. 6 enemies killed, one friendly killed.

The last thing I heard before seeing my server browser screen and the 'you've been kicked' message was the guy who called for support throwing me a "thank you".

People WILL punish.

[S_t_a_l_i_n]

wanna know the secret to bombing?? okay, get into the bombing airplane, and switch it to the bombing mode, still looking inside the cockpit, and u see a target, the sweet to release ur bombs is somewhere between the nose of ur aircraft. the second u see ur target pass under ur airplane's nose, release the bombs. of course this is the general sweet spot, it varies depending on ur speed height and such....hope that helped u!

[C11.Nemisis]

i just do ti by feel, just keep practicing and you will find out how to do it.

[PhoeniX_0]

if you're alone in a bomber you can also switch to the co-pilot seat since the plane will fly to the direction you pointed it to only with a small decrese in speed, then you can use the laser guided missiles to take out tanks and even comander assetes as the missiles will destroy them wiht 1 shot(even the uav trailer that requires 3 c4s)

[Odinpalen]

I can wrack up 30 to 40 kills a map bombing with fighter jet (not the bomber). The bomber is so easy its sickening. Ok here it is, switch to the bombing mode on the jet. You will see the bottom of the hud ( the thing that looks like a pendelum) When your target is in line with the bottom of the pendelum, drop bombs. When you turn, the pendelum will will sway left or right, that also shows you the bombs trajectory. When you drop the bombs try to come in at a 45 degree angle and swoop gently, so the bombs will land together with no gap in between. Your target may survive if it is between the release gap. Also if the target is moving you have to drop the bombs ahead of where it is driving take lagg into account for your estimation. The more lagg the more distance ahead of the target you need.
The best time to hit armor is when it is stopped. Usually it is stopped when it is in a fight with other armor or tying to get a flag. So even though you see a target on the run just fly by a few times and wait until it goes for a flag or encounters resistance and is stalled. Then make your move. Warning you will get alot of stupid a$$ ptk'ers who try to c4 armor while you bomb it. Of course its your fault becuase you did your job and took out the tank and should be punnished for it. (God damn noob covert ops sigh....)

[Sub_Saint]

...You will see the bottom of the hud ( the thing that looks like a pendelum) When your target is in line with the bottom of the pendelum, drop bombs...

OMG....that makes perfect sense....how could I have been so dumb? Argh!

Thanks all for the tips...but double thanks to Odinpalen for bringing my attention to the obvious...I'll let you know how it works out.

Muhahahaha!

[Chenzo]

I can wrack up 30 to 40 kills a map bombing with fighter jet (not the bomber). The bomber is so easy its sickening. Ok here it is, switch to the bombing mode on the jet. You will see the bottom of the hud ( the thing that looks like a pendelum) When your target is in line with the bottom of the pendelum, drop bombs. When you turn, the pendelum will will sway left or right, that also shows you the bombs trajectory. When you drop the bombs try to come in at a 45 degree angle and swoop gently, so the bombs will land together with no gap in between. Your target may survive if it is between the release gap. Also if the target is moving you have to drop the bombs ahead of where it is driving take lagg into account for your estimation. The more lagg the more distance ahead of the target you need.
The best time to hit armor is when it is stopped. Usually it is stopped when it is in a fight with other armor or tying to get a flag. So even though you see a target on the run just fly by a few times and wait until it goes for a flag or encounters resistance and is stalled. Then make your move. Warning you will get alot of stupid a$$ ptk'ers who try to c4 armor while you bomb it. Of course its your fault becuase you did your job and took out the tank and should be punnished for it. (God damn noob covert ops sigh....)

This is a pretty good explination. Someone else also said you just need to get a good "feel" for it. That's true also.

And it's DEFINATELY easier to use a bomber rather than a fighter to bomb stuff. You practically can't miss when you're dropping 5 of those bad boys.

[dfr.mav]

There is really no sure-fire way to always hit your target. You just sort of need to get that 'feel' for when to drop the bombs.

By default, F9/F10 switch between the first two views. Map those to joystick buttons. RIGHT after you bomb EVERY SINGLE TIME, switch to the second view. Look at where your bombs drop, go reload, and try again.

~Salad

couldnt have said it better myself. that's EXACTLY what i do

[Sub_Saint]

Okay...so that has spawned a few more questions...

1) Which camera view works best for verifying where your bombs are landing?

2) What altitude do you want to release at? (I've noticed if you launch pretty low, you can take splash damage and injure yourself)

3) How do you play SP and have all the vehicles? (When I play SP, I only have a "small" map which normally means no planes and haven't figured out how to make it a "large" map. I have practiced flying on a local server with no people, but that doesn't really tell you whether you're hitting or not.)

[dfr.mav]

i look at myself from the nose back and drop from 50-100m

[Teaves]

I think the guns are often overlooked, they are extremely potent against tanks and APC's and much easier to aim obviously. Once you have practiced a bit you can easilly take out armour in one pass with much less risk of a TK and soft targets suffer larger splash damage then you might think. On narrow maps finding a nice big convey is most satisfying, strafing the hell out of them with guns causes so much confusion and i cant say i have ever run out of gun ammo, although i am often in the red by the time i reload

Using the gun more also saves you having to reload all the time in a fighter which is the most risky against an equally skilled pilot, as he will automatically know the trajectory you will take when following you keeping his bombs selected (avoiding any "lock-on" tone) making for an easy damage/kill.

[BirdKiller]

The vulcan gun on the Fighter-Bombers feels like the A-10's 30mm cannon. FFS that vulcan can actually destroy APCs, AA sites (including the Phalanx Turret gun on USS Essex), and possibly Main Battle Tanks. Hell, it feels like i'm firing 30mm cannon with a splash equivilent to UH-60 mini-guns. No ****ing way am I directly hitting infantry with this gun yet killing them so easily.

Also, never rely on that bombing HUD other than the vertical line. That HUD does not change by your altitude, speed, angle, and direction. These 4 factors change the bomb's path but the HUD doesn't so therefore the bombing HUD does not reflect where the bombs will hit. If you want to see a more reliable Bombing HUD, try Ace Combat 4-5.

I agree that when to release your bombs depend on your instinct, it's working swell for me in BF2 and especially in BF1942 (where you only had 1-2 bomb(s) at a time). Just keep doing it and you'll find yourself making more accurate bomb runs.