Is it a noob move to use an interceptor to attack infantry units in the early game?

Lord Crayfish wrote:

Carking the 6th wrote:

Where is your source for that? Even then, AA is very inaccurate and would take time to ready, and by then your men could already have holes in them while the enemy plane flies far away. In WW2 the allies didn’t really even have to worry too much about German planes when facing them past 1943; the Luftwaffe was obliterated and only was able to commit minor incursions that were repelled by allied planes or had little effect anyway.

At least in the European and North African theatres, every major player (British, German, Italian, Polish, Soviet, French, Rumanian, American) equipped most infantry formations of upward of a regiment with heavy machine-guns with intent for use in anti-air mounts. Can't vouch for artillery regiments, at least not in the British Army.

Of course everybody had machine-guns and rifles which would inflict at least some losses against strafing fire, albeit not against level bombing. One has only to read accounts of such attacks.

Specialised AA batteries including flak guns would usually be attached organically to divisions where air superiority was lacking. As you've suggested, these were to useless unless an attack was anticipated and prepared for. I'm not saying all infantry regiments would have a flak gun. But what I'm saying is that infantry weapons themselves would realistically do at least scratch damage to low-altitude attackers.

You have to remember how rare these cases were. It’s very rare to see those machine guns actually shoot down a plane, you’re far more likely to have dozens of holes in you before you even do a little damage. Your best chance is to take cover and hide, or rely upon the actual anti air or air support your forces would have.

Now as you said, actual anti air, like those German flak would probably be attached to large battalions like those in the game, which is most likely where that AA damage comes from. Still, your point about infantry weapons actually putting a dent in air forces? Unlikely.

I think that this is best considered on a case-by-case basis. Generally, you don't want to use planes to attack ground units, but in cases where a little more damage is needed to win a fight that's almost come to a close or a lone inf is sitting with almost no health, I do think it can be the right decision. Its your call to make.

Sometimes if I have a stack of like 7 high level ints and attacking a bot with level 1 inf, usually the ints stack will have enough firepower to oneshot a lone inf

In an emergency, any damage helps. But generally it's a noob move to attack ground targets with a single interceptor early in the game.

That’s what I found out

I just want to take a moment to imagine a railroad gun no scoping an interceptor out of the sky. What a way to go. Flying around feeling the rush of combat when BLAMO! Get hit by a dam solid lead VMW Beetle.

RookOnzo wrote:

I just want to take a moment to imagine a railroad gun no scoping an interceptor out of the sky. What a way to go. Flying around feeling the rush of combat when BLAMO! Get hit by a dam solid lead VMW Beetle.

Gone.....

Just gone...

This is giving me war thunder flashbacks. I've shot down a plane head-on with an SU-122 before.

How the hell is that physically possible?

Carking the 6th wrote:

How the hell is that physically possible?

But like… how?

I might have a replay somewhere. I think I shot down some other aircraft in some stupid way before in that same match. Anyway, if you want a detailed explanation, here it goes...

The SU-122 was driving up a slope next to a river, with its gun pointed partially upwards and the actual body of the tank pointed up(because of the slope). Some bomber, I believe an American TBD, was doing a shallow dive at the same time. The TBD is rather old, so it wasn't going very fast, which allowed me to see it, and thanks to my gun and tank body orientation, I was able to shoot it with minimal adjustment to my aim. Using my experience with how shells performed, and using a basic range estimate, I fired the 122mm HE shell (or HEAT, I don't recall) slightly above it, to counteract the downward force of air resistance and gravity, and the result was it landing directly in the engine compartment/propeller. The detonation instantly ripped the aircraft apart and killed the pilot, resulting in victory for the SU-122. I don't think I even stopped moving while this happened. Anyway, don't dive on tanks from directly in front. lol

Genius

Donk2.0 wrote:

RookOnzo wrote:

I just want to take a moment to imagine a railroad gun no scoping an interceptor out of the sky. What a way to go. Flying around feeling the rush of combat when BLAMO! Get hit by a dam solid lead VMW Beetle.

Imagine its an HE shell.

RookOnzo wrote:

Donk2.0 wrote:

RookOnzo wrote:

I just want to take a moment to imagine a railroad gun no scoping an interceptor out of the sky. What a way to go. Flying around feeling the rush of combat when BLAMO! Get hit by a dam solid lead VMW Beetle.

Imagine its an HE shell.

Mmm So good. AP shell would have a satisfying thud though...

I wonder if anything like this has ever happened in real life.

Carking the 6th wrote:

I wonder if anything like this has ever happened in real life.

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