Best way to fight tactical bombers

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    • Best way to fight tactical bombers

      Hey folks,

      I'm not that new in that game, I had several pretty successful games. However, I still don't know how to fight against tactical bombers. Let's say for example, I'm attacking some country with lots of ground units and artillery, and everything goes well until I meet airplanes, especially tactical bombers.
      The bombers are very fast and very strong, and let's say 15 planes can easily destroy the whole army with more than 50-60 units.

      So far I didn't find a good way to fight it unless I catch them on the ground and than they are easily destroyed. But it's very hard to catch them on the ground - They are usually far away, and probably there are a lot of ground units until you reach their base.

      Anti-Air units are very weak, they don't help much and they are extremely slow.
      Interceptors are also weak, and it's complicated to "catch" the bombers.

      Any strategy suggestions? I build empires, but when it comes to planes, I'm lost :(
    • There's lots of ways! I'm a TB player myself, but there are some thing that make me keep them on the ground, or even away from the entire battlefield:
      - one or two AA in an enemy stack. Yes TB's still do damage, but I lose bombers too. And the whole point of TB's is, well, NOT losing them. Sure the AA is no good in ground combat, but they absolutely keep my bombers away.
      - patrolling fighters. They're even worse than AA (from the TB's point of view), because they're much more mobile, and can pop up anywhere to shoot my bombers.
      - Taking the airfields. Every time you take one, that means my bombers lose mobility (which is of course their key feature). Rebuilding a replacing airfield takes 9 hours at least.
      - Outnumbering. No matter how good they are, they have a limited capacity of destruction. If you spam me with troops, I simply cannot attack them all, and I must retreat the bombers to prevent them being caught on the ground.
      - Use your own TB's. If you can bomb my airfields while I'm refueling, you're sure to inflict big losses.
      - Catch them on the ground. Absolutely the best way, but also the hardest one. Know when your enemy sleeps, take a stack of tanks, and march into his air base... if it works, you usually take them all out.

      It's actually surprising how few players use any of these techniques. TB is absolutely a great unit, but there's plenty of counters availables. Most players don't find them though (and of courses, its a dream unit for taking inactives/neutrals).
      When the fake daddies are curtailed, we have failed. When their roller coaster tolerance is obliterated, their education funds are taken by Kazakhstani phishers, and their candy bars distributed between the Botswana youth gangs, we have succeeded.
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    • Normal AA units are slow (I keep a mobile army myself), however SP AA can be a help. Interceptors are your best choice, but AA will provide protection anywhere.
      Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
      -Winston Churchill

      Attack rapidly, ruthlessly, viciously, without rest, however tired and hungry you may be, the enemy will be more tired, more hungry. Keep punching.
      -George S. Patton
    • Pablo22510 wrote:

      1. AA
      2. SPAA
      3. Interceptors

      Is that worst to best?
      Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
      -Winston Churchill

      Attack rapidly, ruthlessly, viciously, without rest, however tired and hungry you may be, the enemy will be more tired, more hungry. Keep punching.
      -George S. Patton
    • Pablo22510 wrote:

      Kehsct wrote:

      Pablo22510 wrote:

      1. AA
      2. SPAA
      3. Interceptors

      Is that worst to best?
      No. Random order ;)
      Huh, cause that actually is a worst to best list for me. lol
      Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
      -Winston Churchill

      Attack rapidly, ruthlessly, viciously, without rest, however tired and hungry you may be, the enemy will be more tired, more hungry. Keep punching.
      -George S. Patton
    • Here are my ways:

      *Storm the airfield with tanks, just eat the losses and get in there.
      *Have SP AA or AA with the army, this will limit your losses while punching up their craft.
      *Patrol over the army with fighters, fighters are awesome against other aircraft. Rocket Fighters over the army would be even better if you are lucky enough to have an airfield right next to your army.
      *Shoot at the airfield with rockets or artillery and try to damage it, this will stop their planes eventually while harming them during refuels.
      *Military Sabotage is great for destroying Air Bases, but it only happens once a day.
      *Time Tactical Bombers to hit their city right when they are landing, that hurts.
      *Use strategic bombers to beat up the airfield.
      Carl Wilson

      “Dad, how do soldiers killing each other solve the world's problems?”
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      "Rule 1, on page 1 of the book of war, is: 'Do not march on Moscow'… Rule 2 is: 'Do not go fighting with your land armies in China."
      Bernard Law Montgomery, British general
    • The anti-aircraft it's one unit designed to cause damage to the airplanes


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      "Alea iacta est" Gaius Julius Caesar.
    • The amount of ways to take Tac bombers out.. is just...

      you cant use your fingers and toes..

      Units can have huge checks and balances on Tac bombers..
      Even just bringing an SP AA with every group of units, will drive your enemy mad..

      I have something on how to deal with them... I Will send it to you..



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      -Friedrich von Haye


    • Wars are not usually won through micro or unit composition. You win by having more stuff than the other guy and being able to absorb losses better. Assuming both players are competent, they will do fairly well in both of micro and composition. If not, then you're not competitive anyway and will just lose. So I'm going to assume that you're a halfway intelligent and halfway active (once per day minimum) player. Assuming that, you win wars by being the bigger fish. You get to be the bigger fish by eating smaller fish faster than the rest of the fish. You ensure that you only fight wars you can win, with diplomacy. I can't tell you the amount of times that I've talked myself out of a war that could have seriously hurt me, only to come back and stomp him later. If you have more stuff than the other guy, TBs or no, then you can kill him. If he has a ton of TBs and still has a powerful ground force, and you're having trouble with him, it might be because you just have a lower unit count. Focus on economy early. Build as many fighters as are needed to combat opposing air forces. Once you do that, you can build bombers as a surplus.
    • Tygus wrote:

      Wars are not usually won through micro or unit composition. You win by having more stuff than the other guy and being able to absorb losses better. Assuming both players are competent, they will do fairly well in both of micro and composition. If not, then you're not competitive anyway and will just lose. So I'm going to assume that you're a halfway intelligent and halfway active (once per day minimum) player. Assuming that, you win wars by being the bigger fish. You get to be the bigger fish by eating smaller fish faster than the rest of the fish. You ensure that you only fight wars you can win, with diplomacy. I can't tell you the amount of times that I've talked myself out of a war that could have seriously hurt me, only to come back and stomp him later. If you have more stuff than the other guy, TBs or no, then you can kill him. If he has a ton of TBs and still has a powerful ground force, and you're having trouble with him, it might be because you just have a lower unit count. Focus on economy early. Build as many fighters as are needed to combat opposing air forces. Once you do that, you can build bombers as a surplus.
      Numbers dont mean a thing in this game...

      it sounds like you are saying, the usually ways to win, are through wars of attrition..



      If Socialists understood Economics, they wouldn't be socialists
      -Friedrich von Haye


    • I don't believe that there is a single game that I've won where I've not had more units and a stronger economy than anyone else. I can afford to lose 150 units in a war, assuming I can build them back up and have the resources to do it faster than anyone else.

      There's also the added benefit of, if you have a larger army, you usually won't lose as much. I'd like to see some replays of yours that have given you that belief. I'm sure there's more than one way to skin a cat, and we may have very different play styles.
    • Tygus wrote:

      I don't believe that there is a single game that I've won where I've not had more units and a stronger economy than anyone else. I can afford to lose 150 units in a war, assuming I can build them back up and have the resources to do it faster than anyone else.

      There's also the added benefit of, if you have a larger army, you usually won't lose as much. I'd like to see some replays of yours that have given you that belief. I'm sure there's more than one way to skin a cat, and we may have very different play styles.
      Haha, If I sent 10 tac bombers against your 100 tack of light tanks, what would happen?

      From reading what you have said, you are really just making your self sound like a rubbish commander.
      For example, 7 light tanks just attacked a city of mine. Level 1 fort, 3commandos and 1 AT gun ( Level 1) and one infantry.

      And Yes I won, although there were heavy casualties, I won..

      If I send 5 battleships against 6 destroyers who would win?
      If I Sent 10 light tanks against 6 infantry in a city, who would win?
      numbers mean absolutely nothing in this game


      even if players have different playing styles, as you mentioned hardly of them will relay on pure attrition



      If Socialists understood Economics, they wouldn't be socialists
      -Friedrich von Haye


    • Did you even read the first part of what I said. I said, assuming you have a halfway intelligent unit composition and micro. I assumed that part was so basic, that it wasn't even worth talking about. Of course, once you build your units, I'm kind of expecting you not to use them like a moron.

      A positive KDR helps in this game, but isn't indicative of an excellent commander. Most all units defend better than they attack, but you can't win the game by defending. Again, assuming the guy you're facing is worth anything.

      Numbers absolutely mean a lot in this game. Against equal commanders, the KDR will roughly be the same. The one with better econ will win, and that happens a lot.
    • Tygus wrote:

      Did you even read the first part of what I said. I said, assuming you have a halfway intelligent unit composition and micro. I assumed that part was so basic, that it wasn't even worth talking about. Of course, once you build your units, I'm kind of expecting you not to use them like a moron.

      A positive KDR helps in this game, but isn't indicative of an excellent commander. Most all units defend better than they attack, but you can't win the game by defending. Again, assuming the guy you're facing is worth anything.

      Numbers absolutely mean a lot in this game. Against equal commanders, the KDR will roughly be the same. The one with better econ will win, and that happens a lot.
      you do know, KDM isnt equal to numbers right, 1000 deaths for a infantry unit. 25 or a missile, or have I misunderstood you?


      Numbers are not everything, my point is proven. Id rather have 2 commandos in a mountain fighting 4 light tanks, than 5 light tanks fighting 4 tanks in a mountain. Numbers dont mean much, sure 20miltia in plains against 5 tanks

      4-1 Ratio, I presume you would be putting money on Miltia?



      If Socialists understood Economics, they wouldn't be socialists
      -Friedrich von Haye