Multiplayer dilemma

[HagarTheHorrible]

Flying a bomber online always feels a little bit masochist, or at the very least a one way ticket to nowheresville.

 

Last night , just to balance up the server (as per forum pleas) and with a devil may care attitude I fired up a Pe-2 and headed out to deal some death and destruction to some German Armour.  Having arrived in the target area (notable by an absence of tanks) I noticed that my radio operator had manned the gun,  "uh-oh!" I thought to myself, bandits about, however nothing bad happened and it soon dawned on me that a human had jumped into the gunners chair.  Well, we tootled about like this for several minutes looking for the pesky tanks, without much joy I might add, when along come a couple of 190's looking for some fun.

 

Now this is where the dilemma comes in,  I'd spotted the 190's in reasonable time and I could have cut and run, I could also have used my speed and energy to head for cloud cover, which I in fact did (Pe-2's aren't good for this hiding in the cloud thingy, what without an artificial horizon) but it dawned on me that while it might be fun for me it probably wasn't going to be a load of laughs for the gunner, who after all was there for a fight, not simply to gawp at the inside of a cloud.  So to get to the nub of the issue,  I might have had a slim chance of getting away, if I simply considered flying for myself, but it wouldn't necessarily have been great fun for the gunner, trying as a I might to avoid all and any hostile contact.

 

Needless to say I about turned, charged, heedless of the risk to of my weak and all to frail virtual body, into the fray............., "On rode the 600 hundred, cannon to the left of them, cannon to the right" ( do they do a Crimea map ?)

 

and, rather inevitably,  was promptly shot down.

 

All because I wanted the gunner to not feel left out.

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

That's actually very nice that you considered the poor sod's entertainment.

 

By all means though, next time go and exit the area. It's very likely that you would have bumped into fighters some other time to get the lad his share of trigger-happy fun. I am positive that he will be just as happy to have been part of a successful mission where you two made it home alive and without being shot at. The thrill of running away from hungry fighters loaded with all kinds of nasty ammunition probably will give any gunner enough adrenaline.

[HagarTheHorrible]

That's actually very nice that you considered the poor sod's entertainment.

 

 

 

 

With the one possible downside, that he ended up with more holes than a colander !!!!!

 

Then again I didn't hear him scream  "Nooooooooooooooooooooo..............." as I charged in.

 

The other dilemma I always have is whether I fly for the gunners benefit , give him a chance to shoot, or do I simply ignore him and let him take any chances he gets, probably fleeting at best.

Edited March 7, 2016 by HagarTheHorrible

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

It depends really. If the enemy is easy to handle and/or you have fighters to ward them off, I would focus on whatever your goal is (getting back to base, bombing the target, keeping formation, etc.)

 

However, if your enemy is not playing around and insists in killing you despite how rude that attitude is, giving your gunner a chance to fire is of mutual interest. In this case the fighter will decidedly kill you unless your gunner does something about it, so you might as well help them do it by providing angles that allow for a nice shot right.

[ACG_pezman]

I wish more people would consider others when flying, we might not have such imbalanced teams then. Having said that, I am sad that a Pe-2 had to go out last night without cover. I too was flying a Pe-2 last night on WoL and know your pain. I would have gladly offered you fighter support but no one seems to work together online.

[-TBC-AeroAce]

In my experience getting out of there would be beneficial for both. The real gunner is dead as soon as a fighter is engaged

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

I wish more people would consider others when flying, we might not have such imbalanced teams then. Having said that, I am sad that a Pe-2 had to go out last night without cover. I too was flying a Pe-2 last night on WoL and know your pain. I would have gladly offered you fighter support but no one seems to work together online.

Unless something needs bombing really quickly I try to stick to an etiquette of spawning and, right off the bat, asking: Who needs escort, and where?

 

Once in a while someone replies, and from then on the fun doubles. I recommend everyone to do that, you don't need radio contact to cover someone and it's far more rewarding

[6./ZG26_5tuka]

If you have a human gunner without means to comunicate with him (chat is impractical, TS / Voicechat is nessecary) your first goal should to rely only on your pilioting. Keeping faith in other players in MP will get you fooled more than once. You never know if the dude behind is actually watching out for targets and cares for your safety or is just hanging out to enjoy the view, having a coffee brake or whatever.

 

Same applies for fighters, too. You see a guy in danger, shoot his bandit down only so he can run and watch you happily getting finished off by another enemy. Effective teamplay is sth you'll ever only have within a squadrom or at some events like FNBF. 

 

Edit:

Unless something needs bombing really quickly I try to stick to an etiquette of spawning and, right off the bat, asking: Who needs escort, and where?

Once in a while someone replies, and from then on the fun doubles. I recommend everyone to do that, you don't need radio contact to cover someone and it's far more rewarding

Good you mention that. As a fighter I usually takeoff and check the airfield is clear, than ask for an escort job. The funny, yet sad fact is that even the majority of bomber drivers don't care for teamplay. They don't write in chat what they attack or if they need help, go in all alone and eventually get shot down.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Stab/JG26_5tuka

[7.GShAP/Silas]

That was nice of you, Hagar.  Maybe next time you'll do something different, but it's the attitude that's important.

 

 

 

Unless something needs bombing really quickly I try to stick to an etiquette of spawning and, right off the bat, asking: Who needs escort, and where?

Once in a while someone replies, and from then on the fun doubles. I recommend everyone to do that, you don't need radio contact to cover someone and it's far more rewarding

 

 

I'd like to echo that this is the thing to do.  My group fly exclusively ground-attack, and sometimes we forget to ask for escort to a target.  If we ever see anybody offer, I can promise we immediately start talking to them.  Adding escort fighters to our formation is fun for everyone involved, friendly and enemy alike!

[-TBC-AeroAce]

I when I can fly, fly one of the best pe2 squads. PM me !!!

[Livai]

Flying a bomber you need just to watch for the red dots to known if the area is clear for bombing. And before you reach your target you should send to the enemy team a message where you going to bomb them. This is what I do everytime. It works perfect to have a clear target for bombing and the enemy team is searching you where you not are.