Having spent much time with making aircraft models, I would like to take the opportunity to elaborate somewhat on the air combat concept in PWM.
Aircraft have an important part in PWM, as they obviously did in the Pacific War. Not only did the Pacific theatre lack the same variety of ground combat vehicles that the European theatre produced- the geography and nature of the conflict favored and promoted the use of the aircraft as a weapon. From the destruction of the US fleet at Pearl Habor and the sinking of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, to the destruction of the super-battleshipsYamato and Musashi and ultimately the bombing of the Japanese homeland, air power was the decisive factor of the war, only matched by the contribution of the infantrymen on the ground. Air power effectively ended the era of the battleship as the ultimate naval weapon.
Aircraft have an important part in PWM, as they obviously did in the Pacific War. Not only did the Pacific theatre lack the same variety of ground combat vehicles that the European theatre produced- the geography and nature of the conflict favored and promoted the use of the aircraft as a weapon. From the destruction of the US fleet at Pearl Habor and the sinking of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, to the destruction of the super-battleshipsYamato and Musashi and ultimately the bombing of the Japanese homeland, air power was the decisive factor of the war, only matched by the contribution of the infantrymen on the ground. Air power effectively ended the era of the battleship as the ultimate naval weapon.
Transporting that into the game is not an easy task, as unfortunately, the SuddenStrike engine does not simulate air combat very well. After all, it is a game about ground combat and it seems there was never made much effort to incorporate aircraft to the same extent as tanks. Nevertheless I have developed settings that fulfill my requirements to have planes with visibly different missions and purpose in the game.
Below a brief overview on the different aircraft roles and how they are implemented in the mod, along with the outline of the main mission and how to use them in the game.
Fighter
Main mission: attack any other aircraft, preferably other fighters, fighterbombers and divebombers.
The purpose of fighters is self-explanatory. They come in various levels of development, from the rudimentary biplane Ki-10 and I-15 to evolved P-51 and Ki-100. They are fast and agile, later versions usually carry powerful cannon armament. Mission time is relatively short, accounting for their limited range. Carrier fighters have slightly extended mission time.
The purpose of fighters is self-explanatory. They come in various levels of development, from the rudimentary biplane Ki-10 and I-15 to evolved P-51 and Ki-100. They are fast and agile, later versions usually carry powerful cannon armament. Mission time is relatively short, accounting for their limited range. Carrier fighters have slightly extended mission time.
Examples: Ki-10, Ki-27, I-15, I-153, P-40, P-51, F4F, F6F, F4U, Ki-43, Ki-84, A6M, Ki-100
Heavy Fighter / Interceptor
Main mission: attack larger, slower planes like transports, bombers and other heavy fighters and close air support of ground forces with heavy machine guns and cannons (multiple .50 cal, 20mm and larger).
The heavy fighter concept is that of having a set of very powerful weapons on a sturdy airframe that itself can take some punishment. Use them to attack formations of bombers, flying boats and transports. Their powerful cannon armament makes them also very suited for ground attack of soft targets, as artillery, vehicles, boats and infantry.
Examples: P-38, Beaufighter, Mosquito FB.6, Ki-45, Ki-102, Ki-46-III
The heavy fighter concept is that of having a set of very powerful weapons on a sturdy airframe that itself can take some punishment. Use them to attack formations of bombers, flying boats and transports. Their powerful cannon armament makes them also very suited for ground attack of soft targets, as artillery, vehicles, boats and infantry.
Examples: P-38, Beaufighter, Mosquito FB.6, Ki-45, Ki-102, Ki-46-III
Fighterbomber
Main mission: ground attack & close air support with bombs and rockets
Some Fighters are available with ground attack weapon loadouts, such as rockets and bombs. Fighterbombers will attack ground targets within a certain range of their mission target, as well as enemy aircraft.
Examples: FM-2, F6F-5, F4U, Fairey Firefly, P-47D
Some Fighters are available with ground attack weapon loadouts, such as rockets and bombs. Fighterbombers will attack ground targets within a certain range of their mission target, as well as enemy aircraft.
Examples: FM-2, F6F-5, F4U, Fairey Firefly, P-47D
Nightfighter
Main mission: interception of enemy planes under limited visibility conditions
Nightfighters will attack enemy aircraft with a short range, very powerful attack. They are usually multi-engined and crewed, but converted single seat fighters existed. Mission time is more than with daylight fighters, the nature of the mission accounting for that. Equipped with radar, they will spot enemy planes from a very far distance. Being less maneuverable due to their size, use them against individual or small groups of enemy planes, preferrably slower ones- the nightfighter will perform poorly against conventional fighters- as the game cannot distinguish between day and night and visibility is always the same for aircraft.
When deployed in the game, the mission weather should be set to "night" (=fog) to create a realistic situation. I am currently considering to give this class only very limited ground attack capabilities to counterbalance the powerful (double) air attack power.
When deployed in the game, the mission weather should be set to "night" (=fog) to create a realistic situation. I am currently considering to give this class only very limited ground attack capabilities to counterbalance the powerful (double) air attack power.
Examples: P-61, P-70, J1N1, F7F-3N, F6F-3N, F4U-2, Ki-46 Kai III
Ground Attack Aircraft
Main mission: ground attack, close air support
Ground attack aircraft have a similar mission as fighterbombers, but they do not possess the same capabilities fighting other aircraft. Most have some defensive armament and will start defensive maneuvers, but lack in maneuverability to effectively bring down enemy fighters.
They excel in attacking soft and hard targets alike, with general purpose and fragmentation bombs, rockets and napalm.
Examples: Ki-51, Ki-30, , Hurricane IId, A-20C+G, Ki-102, Ki-45, Il-2, Tu-2, TBM, B-25H
Ground attack aircraft have a similar mission as fighterbombers, but they do not possess the same capabilities fighting other aircraft. Most have some defensive armament and will start defensive maneuvers, but lack in maneuverability to effectively bring down enemy fighters.
They excel in attacking soft and hard targets alike, with general purpose and fragmentation bombs, rockets and napalm.
Examples: Ki-51, Ki-30, , Hurricane IId, A-20C+G, Ki-102, Ki-45, Il-2, Tu-2, TBM, B-25H
Torpedo Bomber
Main mission: attack enemy ships with torpedoes.
Torpedoes are the most powerful anti-ship weapon in the game. The aircraft carrying them towards the target may have to deal with a lot of defensive fire and need to be able to take some punishment. Single aircraft will be almost certainly shot down when attacking vessels with anti-aircraft weaponry, so a good tactic is to send in faster aircraft such as fighters first to attract the air defenses´ attention and then send in the slower torpedo bombers to deal the damage. They are also notoriously weak against fighter aircraft- do not use them without cover when the enemy has own fighters in the air.
Examples: B5N, B6N, B7A, G4M2, TBD, TBF, B-26C, Fairey Barracuda
Torpedoes are the most powerful anti-ship weapon in the game. The aircraft carrying them towards the target may have to deal with a lot of defensive fire and need to be able to take some punishment. Single aircraft will be almost certainly shot down when attacking vessels with anti-aircraft weaponry, so a good tactic is to send in faster aircraft such as fighters first to attract the air defenses´ attention and then send in the slower torpedo bombers to deal the damage. They are also notoriously weak against fighter aircraft- do not use them without cover when the enemy has own fighters in the air.
Examples: B5N, B6N, B7A, G4M2, TBD, TBF, B-26C, Fairey Barracuda
Dive Bomber
Main mission:accurate bombing of point targets, such as ships and bunkers.
Divebombers are the nemesis of the big ships. Accounting for many sunk vessels, they deliver a powerful blow to point targets with high explosive and armor piercing bombs. In the game the aircraft carry only one bomb load as opposed to the three of normal bombers, but they deliver this one (large) bomb very accurately. AP bombs are effective against armored ships and reinforced structures, such as concrete blockhouses, but have limited area effect. HE bombs will deliver a powerful blast, but are less effective against hard targets- but they are still sufficient to knock out even the heaviest tanks.
Main mission:accurate bombing of point targets, such as ships and bunkers.
Divebombers are the nemesis of the big ships. Accounting for many sunk vessels, they deliver a powerful blow to point targets with high explosive and armor piercing bombs. In the game the aircraft carry only one bomb load as opposed to the three of normal bombers, but they deliver this one (large) bomb very accurately. AP bombs are effective against armored ships and reinforced structures, such as concrete blockhouses, but have limited area effect. HE bombs will deliver a powerful blast, but are less effective against hard targets- but they are still sufficient to knock out even the heaviest tanks.
Examples: D3A, D4Y, SBD, SB2C, Fairey Barracuda
Light Bomber
Main mission: tactical bombing, anti-ship bombing, ground support
Light bombers are flexible aircraft used to support ground troops with point attacks. The usual armament are light bombs of up to 250lbs, though single large bombs may also be carried. In the game the light bombers are assigned a typical 3-load bombing setting for smaller and single attack load -similar to dive-bombers- allowing for point attack.
Examples: B5N, TBF, Fairey Barracuda, A-20
Medium Bomber
Main mission: tactical bombing, anti-ship bombing, ground support
Medium Bombers are the workhorse of tactical air attack operations. In general they carry medium size GP bombs with bomb loads between 2000 and 4500 lbs. In the mod, they are scripted with the regular Sudden Strike bomber setting of three loads.
Examples: B-25, B-26, A-26B, G3M, G4M, Ki-21, Ki-67, Beaufort, SB-2
Medium Bombers are the workhorse of tactical air attack operations. In general they carry medium size GP bombs with bomb loads between 2000 and 4500 lbs. In the mod, they are scripted with the regular Sudden Strike bomber setting of three loads.
Examples: B-25, B-26, A-26B, G3M, G4M, Ki-21, Ki-67, Beaufort, SB-2
Heavy Bomber
Main mission: area bombardment
Heavy bombers are a strategic weapon to destroy the enemy´s industrial and military capabilities. As history has shown, they have become also weapons of terror against the civillian population- with every power attacking cities deliberately and on purpose, culminating in the firestorms of Hamburg, Dresden and Tokio, and ultimately the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
As such, the incorporation into the game is controversial- yet I have included them for the sake of completeness. Additionally, the heavy bombers were used against many island strongholds and can be realisticly included into missions.
Bomb loads are usually between 6000 and 18000 lbs, divided into 12 to 36 bombs, with bomb sizes from 500 to 2000 lbs.
Examples: B-17, B-24, B-29, Wellington
Heavy bombers are a strategic weapon to destroy the enemy´s industrial and military capabilities. As history has shown, they have become also weapons of terror against the civillian population- with every power attacking cities deliberately and on purpose, culminating in the firestorms of Hamburg, Dresden and Tokio, and ultimately the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
As such, the incorporation into the game is controversial- yet I have included them for the sake of completeness. Additionally, the heavy bombers were used against many island strongholds and can be realisticly included into missions.
Bomb loads are usually between 6000 and 18000 lbs, divided into 12 to 36 bombs, with bomb sizes from 500 to 2000 lbs.
Examples: B-17, B-24, B-29, Wellington
Naval Patrol Bomber
Main mission: maritime patrol, anti-submarine, anti-ship & anti-boat bombing
Patrol bombers can be land based or flying boats. The large, multi-engine aircraft are designed to travel long distances searching for ships and submarines to attack with their bomb loads. Mission time is generally the longest of all self-attacking aircraft in game. Weapon loadouts vary, from 4 to 12 500lbs bombs, dropped in pairs to allow for multiple attack runs. In game, bombs are dropped from low altitude and from a short distance, requiring the aircraft to fly directly over the target. The american PB4Y2 is armed with 3 stand-off BAT ASM-2 anti-ship missiles, allowing for less dangerous attacks.
All patrol bombers in the mod are equipped with defensive armament, upon sighting an aircraft, they will start defensive maneuvering and fire at any enemy unit in range- making them difficult to shoot down. With up to three 20mm cannons or 12 .50 caliber HMGs, some PBs are a real threat to any attacking fighter aircraft. Use heavy fighters or nightfighters to counter them, if available.
Examples: H6K, H8K, Sunderland, PB2Y, PBY, PBJ, PB4Y, PBM
Patrol bombers can be land based or flying boats. The large, multi-engine aircraft are designed to travel long distances searching for ships and submarines to attack with their bomb loads. Mission time is generally the longest of all self-attacking aircraft in game. Weapon loadouts vary, from 4 to 12 500lbs bombs, dropped in pairs to allow for multiple attack runs. In game, bombs are dropped from low altitude and from a short distance, requiring the aircraft to fly directly over the target. The american PB4Y2 is armed with 3 stand-off BAT ASM-2 anti-ship missiles, allowing for less dangerous attacks.
All patrol bombers in the mod are equipped with defensive armament, upon sighting an aircraft, they will start defensive maneuvering and fire at any enemy unit in range- making them difficult to shoot down. With up to three 20mm cannons or 12 .50 caliber HMGs, some PBs are a real threat to any attacking fighter aircraft. Use heavy fighters or nightfighters to counter them, if available.
Examples: H6K, H8K, Sunderland, PB2Y, PBY, PBJ, PB4Y, PBM
Spotter (Light Reconnaissance)
Main mission: artillery spotting in uncontested skies
Spotter planes will fly very slow and are thus extremely vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. They are usually of only light construction, making them easy to shoot down with AAA and fighter aircraft, even with only machine gun armament. Do not use them in defended areas.
They offer medium flight time, paired with a large observation radius. This gives the player the ability to observe enemy movement and direct artillery fire.
Examples: Ki-76, E14Y, E13Y, L-5/OY-1, OSU, SOC, Lysander
Reconnaissance
Main mission: extended reconnaissance over multiple target areas with light to medium defenses.
Recon planes have the longest flying time, will move at medium speeds but do have only a medium observation range, due to them passing over their target at fair speeds. They are more difficult to shoot down, either to their sturdier structure or being relatively fast.
Examples: A-26C, C5M, C6N, Ki-15, CA-19, Do-24T, PBY
Fast reconnaissance
Main mission: "snapshot" recon of heavily defended areas.
Fast recon planes will proceed to their assigned mission area with high speed, making just a fast pass over their target before returning to base. They fly at the highest speed and have the shortest recon time of all scout plane classes, making them difficult to shoot down by AAA. Their very short time over the target requires the player to be attending to the aircraft once launched.
Examples: F-4 Lightning, Ki-46-II, Mosquito PR, Spitfire PR
Transport & Cargo
Main mission: transport and airdrop
The transport of goods and supply of troops is the daily work for the transport aircraft. Use them to insert paratroopers behind enemy lines or supply your troops with ammunition and fuel. In the game, all cargo carrying planes can be assigned either cargo or transport in the editor.
Examples: C-47, C-46, C-54, Avro York, Ki-57, L2D
Main mission: transport and airdrop
The transport of goods and supply of troops is the daily work for the transport aircraft. Use them to insert paratroopers behind enemy lines or supply your troops with ammunition and fuel. In the game, all cargo carrying planes can be assigned either cargo or transport in the editor.
Examples: C-47, C-46, C-54, Avro York, Ki-57, L2D
"Script" Units
Script units are introduced to create a more immersive game experience. They use known Sudden Strike game mechanisms, but assign new functions. They are intended as mission objectives, or can be merely for decorative purpose.
Examples are damaged planes (scripted for paradrop- assign pilots as paratroops), famous aircraft, such as the "Enola Gay", or famous aces with better game values.
Examples: damaged B-29, damaged B-24, B-29"Enola Gay", F4U"Pappy Boington"
Examples are damaged planes (scripted for paradrop- assign pilots as paratroops), famous aircraft, such as the "Enola Gay", or famous aces with better game values.
Examples: damaged B-29, damaged B-24, B-29"Enola Gay", F4U"Pappy Boington"
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