Strafing runs - Effective or just Pretty?

[Wabbit]

Is the Strafing run any good? I ask that because in the few hundred hours I have in this game I cannot recall actually being killed by it. Maybe once?... Its certainly looks Awesome! and sounds great. It provides some great, if very brief, suppression but in reality does it do anything? As commander I find it a wet fart but useful for killing MSP's. Should/can it be improved? I love being able to direct its line of approach and its quick enough to feel realistic and effective in game but impact wise I want to see more from the damage it wreaks.

[Andy]

You find alot of players don't just stand out in the open, and if they are. You hear the planes coming and look up.
It doesn't take much to avoid them, behind a small rise in teh ground, in a ditch, behind a tree, in a house.
They also focus on a very small area.

But, they're not useless. They are just very limited.

The few times i played as commander, i would tend to use all straffing runs together, and try and only call them in when there was a group of enemys.

I have died once at the hands of a straffing run, and seen at least 2 others die.
But, for the most part. They have minor nuisance value.

It would be quite easy to improve them. Lengthen the straffing runs.
Make vehicles within 10 or 20 meters of the target point the focal point of the attack.
That would have to be in open ground though, you don't want well hidden vehicles in trees targeted.
It's soft skinned vehicles where straffing runs really would have excelled after all.

Or, you could leave them as they are, but have a few more. Encouraging the commanders to group straffing runs together.

[Wabbit]

Yeah some good answers there Andy I like the idea to send 3 planes at once - I will try that. Having more avaialble will make it more useful and I definatelt think attacking vehicles within 10-20meters of attack point would work - especially against those pesky Scout cars.

Someone on discord mention focus area strafe as an option rather than a long line - commanders choice depending on situation. Effectiveness vs Buildings too.

The maps are slightly off too making precision a nightmare.

[IronHat]

Originally posted by Andy:

It would be quite easy to improve them. Lengthen the straffing runs.
Make vehicles within 10 or 20 meters of the target point the focal point of the attack.
That would have to be in open ground though, you don't want well hidden vehicles in trees targeted.

the strafing run do kill, but are too limited in their area.

I think it would be better if the plane loiter for a set amount of time (fuel) or number of strike (ammo).

alternatively, the opposing enemy should be able to shot down(repel) enemy planes.

[Wabbit]

There is a flak36 and an 88 so why not? 😀

Brits need the Tri polsten

[Aerohank]

I think the planes should get some minor AoE or something because I have been caught in a few of them but have never actually received any damage from it.

[Tajin]

It depends a lot on how the commander uses them.

Personally I usually send them along trenches, ditches, treelines or similar places that are often used as firing lines.

That can be quite effective since those positions mainly provide concealment but no real cover.



It's also good if you coordinate it with your squadleads so they're ready to push and take advantage of the supression effect.





They could probably do with a little improvement (maybe if it always spawns 2 planes instead of 1) but I really wouldn't say that they're useless.

[Wabbit]

The maps dont align properly so you often miss hedges and ♥♥♥♥♥ by a good distance.

[Nick]

strafing runs will kill msps.

[Wolf.Enstein]

Maybe the type of straffing run needs to be changed? Right now we have the aircraft attacking with their machine guns, but that can be changed, like so:

https://youtu.be/u9mlz0Jrq0k

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 - G series had the same thing.

In saying that, my squad and me were crossing a field near to the cappoint last night and we all got wiped out by a straffing run. The first thing I said to them was:

"That's Wabbit's fault for starting that damn thread on the forums!"

:)

[Wabbit]

Originally posted by Bulldog:

strafing runs will kill msps.

Yeah but thats it. Needs more, I used to think I was lucky but ive survived nearly every strafing run I've been in. Needs a boost in my view.

[Wabbit]

Originally posted by Wolf.Enstein:

Maybe the type of straffing run needs to be changed? Right now we have the aircraft attacking with their machine guns, but that can be changed, like so:

https://youtu.be/u9mlz0Jrq0k

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 - G series had the same thing.

In saying that, my squad and me were crossing a field near to the cappoint last night and we all got wiped out by a straffing run. The first thing I said to them was:

"That's Wabbit's fault for starting that damn thread on the forums!"

:)

As you know Wolf. "Its Wabbits Fault!".

hahaha S.O.P