Flimsy Balloons

[Condor44]

I just completed a balloon busting mission in an EIII. I destroyed 3 allied balloons. When I looked at the mission summary it showed I had only 4 hits. I got in close and fired short bursts. I can't believe I had only 4 hits (although my gunnery is not great) but even more so I'm amazed that a single bullet will destroy a ballon. Does it usually take so little to bust them?

[+Olham]

I think we can say, that balloon busting is easier in OFF than it was in reality.

The gas inside the balloon would not ignite (so much for the stupid flare gun scene in "Flyboys").

It had to mix with air outside the balloon to become inflameable.

So the balloon buster had to perforate the hull, and only after that, he could light it with his

tracers. If you fired your first burst from a distance, and it hit and perforated the balloon, and

you hit the same area a bit later again, you could possibly light it up.

[77Scout]

I am no historian but agree they seem to blow up too easily compared to what I know of the real thing. Its been like that since the beginning.

 

Someone posted instructions a while back to edit the obs_balloon files in the vehicles folder to 'up' the damage threshhold. Have not tried it yet. This would be a very easy patch, providing the change gives a more realistic effect, which I assume it would be. Phase 4?

[Bullethead]

I agree. Before the Superpatch, you had to put a good number of rounds into a balloon. It would start to "smoke" from escaping gas before it would burn. But now, 1 single hit is enough to blow it right up. Last balloon strafe I went on, it was 20 rounds, 1 hit, and 1 dead balloon.

Edited September 16, 2009 by Bullethead

[+Olham]

Yes, but before, people complained about how tough they were, how difficult to destroy etc.

Maybe the devs made it easier then.

Perhaps they need a workshop choice, like:

 

O Flyboys

O medium

O tough balloons

 

(I wouldn't like to be one of the devs - whatever you change, someone will complain)

[+Polovski]

Balloons in P1 and P2 needed 1 round. P3 needs more but it's random. Sometimes a few sometimes more I won't go into the detail or it will spoil it but it's harder now usually.

Also note sometimes the ground fire catches it.

[von Baur]

Also note sometimes the ground fire catches it.

 

I can confirm this. I've had three balloon buster missions in my current campaign and only brought one down. The other two went 'poof' as I was on my way in for the first pass.

[Baldric]

The possibility is there if you have one tracer round following three or four normal rounds. Sort of 111211121112 (with 1 being a normal round, and 2 being a tracer) If I recall rightly, a few (or more?) of the pilots often loaded their own belts, checking rounds over, perhaps notching the lead a little...so they could easily make up their belts as to whatever sequence they liked. Maybe thats reflected in how quick a balloon goes up? I've had fast and slow results on balloons, so maybe not. :D

[Bullethead]

The possibility is there if you have one tracer round following three or four normal rounds. ...

 

But the stats showing rounds fired vs. hits takes that into account, or so I would think.

 

Balloons in P1 and P2 needed 1 round. P3 needs more but it's random. Sometimes a few sometimes more I won't go into the detail or it will spoil it but it's harder now usually.

Also note sometimes the ground fire catches it.

 

True, ground fire periodically scores an "own goal" on the balloon, but this is quite noticeable. Either you're way far away and haven't even fired yet, or you see the ground tracer and/or flak bursts hitting it.

 

But that's not what's happening now, as far as I can tell. 1 shot, 1 kill on balloons seems to be the rule, even in 1916 when there's next to no flak anyway.

[Condor44]

Not normally will they blow-up from a single hit. But the Ballon Mission is to destroy a ( 1 ) specific ballon, not the first three you find

 

 

I'm stumped. How do you recognize that specific balloon? There were several in the area within view.

[+Hasse Wind]

I seem to get balloon busting missions much less frequently than some people, so I don't have too much experience with perforating the pesky gas bags, but I'm sure the last balloon I shot down required more than one bullet to make it burn. Usually I just let the wingmen deliver the killing blow while I circle above and cover their backs. No, I'm not trying to avoid the ground fire, I'm only being a good and caring leader.

[+Olham]

Condor, you either fly by the map to find the right balloon, or you use TAC switched to

"vehicles" or "Ground targets" (don't remember which one).

Then you will find the ground crew can be target marked, and your blue line will lead you

to the right one. The balloon can't be marked, but you could send your wingmen to attack

the marked ground crew, whilst you do the balloon.

 

The only German balloon I ever attacked (in a Triplane) was incredibly tough - it took me

4 attacks to get it blown up.

 

Hasse Wind, if you circle directly above the observer, it will be only a question of time for

the ground crew hitting their own balloon.

Edited September 17, 2009 by Olham

[Mr. Lucky]

One mission, I was escorting some BE2's. While they dropped their bombs, I was staying close by and a balloon was right in front of me. I fired one very short burst and the balloon blew up. I thought I'd gotten it, but the Review Mission content revealed that the bombers hit the balloon base which destroyed the balloon. My timing and location just happen to be a coincidence. I've never had a balloon go down quickly otherwise. Sometimes, I've emptied all my ammo into one and nothing.

[+Olham]

As I said - the German ones are either tougher, or it is because of only one gun

on most of the Allied fighters?

[NS13Jarhead]

And, if you fly for the allies, some of the planes (Nieuport and Camel, etc.) can have the load out changed to include rockets to take out the balloons. I don't know if all the planes can use them - I haven't tried them all. While the rockets seem to be un-historically accurate, they are great fun to use.

 

 

[+Olham]

Those rockets are something to envy you Allies for, I must admit.

[+Polovski]

Well I have no idea why some say it's 1 bullet now, but we did a lot of balloon shooting recently for the patches after 1.32 and it was hardly ever 1 bullet.

Maybe time for a reinstall.

 

As per usual there are a zillion options and settings that could be different so maybe try some different settings/squads/craft and see what happens.

[+Olham]

Definitely not a single bullet - I had to fire at least two bursts.

Those with the single round have probably witnessed the balloon

being blown up by it's own ground crew Flak.

[Bullethead]

Definitely not a single bullet - I had to fire at least two bursts. Those with the single round have probably witnessed the balloon

being blown up by it's own ground crew Flak.

 

Well, either way something's haywire. Either balloons are too flimsey, or the AA gunners need to have their ROEs tweaked. They shouldn't shoot down so many of their own balloons, which is like every one I've attacked lately.

Edited September 17, 2009 by Bullethead

[+Polovski]

We can't tweak the gunners so it is the way it is. Balloons are tough as I say we did a lot of shooting recently so something must be going on your side.

[+Olham]

Vott?!? A Crumpet Wunderwaffe we hav not heard of?!?!?