1 .TH Concept "Plane Types"
2 .NA Plane-types "Description of different kinds of planes"
4 The general plane types currently available in Empire are:
7 fighter A general offense/defense plane. Historical examples include
8 the FE.2B, the Sopwith Snipe & Camel, the Nieuport V-XVII, the
9 Spad, and the Fokker planes. From WWII are the Me-109, the
10 FW-190, the English Spitfire & Hurricane, the Japanese Zero,
11 the American P-39, P-40, P-38, and the Soviet Yak series.
12 Later planes include the Me-262, the Gloster Meteor, P-80,
13 Mig-15. Korean War vintage planes are the F-87 Sabre, F-100
14 SuperSabre, and the Mig-17. Vietnam Era planes are the F-4 &
15 Mig-21. Later, NATO & WP models include the F-16 & F-15 and the
18 The main points of similarity are: 1 or 2 high performance
19 engines, a single pilot, and plenty of guns/missiles. Duties
20 include patrol/interception, escort, and light bombing.
22 escort These are planes optimized for escorting, with superior range,
23 sometimes at the expense of fighting capacity. Examples are
24 the Me-110 & the P-51. Note that this type is relatively rare,
25 as long range heavy bombing was rare.
28 fighter These planes all sacrifice range and/or fighting power in order
29 to fit on a carrier and carry the gear necessary to operate
30 from one. Examples are the series of Short biplanes built in
31 Britain, the Sopwith Baby & Cuckoo, the Gloster Gladiator, the
32 American Wildcat & Corsair, versions of the Japanese Zero, the
33 F8 Corsair, the F-4, F-14, and F-18. Many of the planes were
34 multi-role, due to the relatively small plane capacity of their
35 carriers. They were almost always inferior in performance to
36 land fighters. Many of them carry dual engines.
39 bomber These planes are tactical bombers, suited for strafing, combat
40 support, etc. These range from the first trench bombers, such as
41 the Junkers J-I and the Sopwith Snark & Dolphin, the Ju-87
42 Stuka, the American P-47, various ground-attack versions of the
43 Yaks, the Japanese Val and Kate, the British Typhoon, and many
44 others. Modern versions are the A-3 SkyWarrior, the A-4
45 Skyhawk, the A-6 Intruder, the Su-22 Frogfoot, the Su-27, and
46 various British models. A modern and most effective example is
49 The common factors are maneuverability, the ability to take
50 damage and still fly, and the ability to hit targets precisely.
51 (Either through low-speed bombing, dive-bombing, or rocket or
52 guided bombs/missiles) Their performance against fighters of
53 any sort is poor, with few exceptions (notably the P-47, which
54 was designed as a fighter, and used as a ground-attack plane
55 due to its toughness) Many are naval, or have naval versions,
56 since the requirements of a naval plane do not affect them as
60 bomber These planes are build for long range and great load-carrying
61 ability, and the ability to defend themselves against fighters.
62 (Although that never worked more than middling well) Examples
63 are the Handley-Paige bombers of WWI (especially the O/400), the
64 German Gothas and Giants, the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24
65 Liberator, the B-29 SuperFortress, the Avro Lancaster, the Short
66 Sterling, and the Vickers Wellington, as well as the more modern
67 B-36, B-47, B-50, B-52, B-1, and the Soviet Ant-4, Tu-20 Bear,
68 Tu-2? Backfire, and others.
70 The common factors are the extreme range, the ability to carry
71 several tons of bombs, the wide range of defensive armament, and
75 bombers These were basically an intermediate stage between the light &
76 heavy bomber, and were used for both purposes. Examples are the
77 He-111, the Do-17, the B-25 Mitchell, B-26 Marauder, the A-20
78 Havoc, the Avro Manchester, Armstrong Whitworth Whitely, the
79 Russian Il-4 & I-15, and the Japanese Betty & Sally.
81 These planes were essentially compromises, and were phased out
82 as time went on. They could not bomb as precisely as a light
83 bomber, nor as heavily as a heavy bomber.
87 Initially, these were basically similar to civilian airliners.
88 They could carry supplies or troops. (In Norway, the Germans
89 captured airports and flew in troops) Later, they were used for
90 paratroop landings. Eventually paratrooping became too dangerous
91 for these planes (with the introduction of SAMs) and they were
92 replaced by helicopter assault, with the transports going back
93 to carrying supplies and equipment.
98 These were made to transport assault troops. They also carry
99 supplies & wounded, but their main duty was to deliver troops
100 with greater precision, rapidity, safety, and cohesion than was
101 possible with paratrooping. (They were also to replace the
102 landing craft, as the Marines looked at the odds of an invasion
103 fleet standing up to nukes)
108 These supplement the light bombers, and specialize in the very
109 precise application of firepower, as well as evading
110 interception, by use of terrain.
116 These provide precise information about enemy troop dispositions
117 and movements. The first recon planes had no protection. Then,
118 it was attempted to make them un-interceptable. This was done by
119 simply being faster than anything the enemy had, such as the
120 stripped down British Hurricanes, US P-38's & P-51's, or German
121 FW-190's or Blitz-Bombers. Later, emphasis shifter to also being
122 able to fly higher, as with the U-2 & SR-71. These planes are
123 largely superseded by satellites now (for good or ill).
128 The first SSMs were used as strategic harassing weapons, and
129 were almost useless. (German V-1 & V-2) There were also combat
130 rockets, such as the Russian Katayusha's and the German
131 Nebelwerfers, but these were essentially similar to artillery.
132 The first true SSMs were the Russian missiles in the 1950's,
133 such as the Frog. They were intended to deliver nuclear or
134 chemical warheads at medium ranges, and to be un-interceptable.
135 Later missiles increase payload & range.
137 However, since we've artificially restricted the blast effects
138 of nuclear weapons, I am merging these in with tactical
139 missiles. (no need for an ICBM unless you've got big nukes)
143 These are modern smart-missiles. They are naval weapons, such
144 as the Harpoon, Penguin, Exocet. They are accurate missiles which
145 may be launched at ships.
148 The first sams were nuclear-tipped, and intended to break up
149 large attacking bomber forces. Later, they were made smaller
150 and more accurate, and were intended to hit single targets
151 at any speed or altitude.
153 ABMs These are to shoot down missiles, and are mostly fantasy.
156 planes These are either long-range bomber type aircraft, with some
157 sort of equipment for locating & killing submarines, or also
158 helicopters, able to fly from most naval vessels.
161 These plane types differ in their fundamental capabilities;
162 some can fly bombing missions,
163 other carry cargo, others exist to shoot down other planes.
164 Missiles are special;
165 they are planes which fly one-way missions
166 and cannot be shot down by opposing planes.
168 The technology level at which the plane was built is very important.
169 The same model plane built at a higher tech level
170 will outperform the planes built at a lower tech level.
172 The particular planes available and their attributes
173 are given by the show command.
174 The fields given in the output are as follows.
179 the amount of lcm to build the unit,
181 the amount of hcm to build the unit,
183 the number of military this plane has as crew
185 the amount of avail used to build this plane
187 minimum tech level to build this unit,
189 cost of the unit in dollars,
192 For the stats report the fields are:
196 bomb accuracy, low is best; a 0 accuracy implies no ability.
198 bomb load/cargo capacity.
200 air-to-air combat attack rating (reduced by low eff, can't go below 1/2 of base).
202 air-to-air combat defense rating (reduced by low eff, can't go below 1/2 of base).
204 base range (in sectors).
206 amount of fuel used each trip.
208 the percentage chance this plane has of evading detection
211 The abilities are given as a set of attributes for each plane.
214 .in \w'half-stealth\0\0'u
216 Pinpoint bombing ability. Can be put on interdiction and support
217 missions. Tactical missiles may be launched at sectors unless they
218 have "marine" ability in which case they may only be fired at ships.
220 strategic bombing ability
222 Interception and escort ability. May be put on escort or air defense missions.
224 cargo-carrying ability
226 vertical take-off ability -- no need to use airports
228 missile -- One-shot. Can either intercept planes (ability intercept),
229 intercept tactical missiles (ability SDI), attack and intercept
230 satellites (ability satellite), attack and interdict ships (ability
231 marine), or attack and interdict on land (ability tactical).
233 light, can land on carriers or be carried on a submarine
235 spy ability, for recon missions (see info recon, info bomb, info satellite)
237 full imaging capability - satellites with this ability show much more
240 a satellite - stays in orbit until shot down
242 Intercepts tactical missiles.
244 xtra-light, can be carried and used on any ship or land unit with a non-zero
245 xpl capacity. (see info Ship-types)
247 helicopter, can take off and land in mountains, can be carried and
248 used on any ship with a non-zero hel capacity. (see info Ship-types)
250 Has ASW (anti-submarine warfare) ability. May use sonar & bomb subs.
252 may be used to paradrop
254 Escort ability only. May be put on escort missions.
256 Can lay mines (see info mine).
258 Can sweep mines (see info sweep).
260 Missiles with this ability may only be launched at ships.
263 Each plane has a stealth rating. The
264 stealth rating of a group of planes is that of the plane with the LOWEST
267 As an example of the output
270 lcm hcm crew avail tech $
271 Zeppelin 6 2 3 6 70 $1000
272 f1 fighter 1 8 2 1 7 90 $400
273 lb1 lt bomber 1 10 3 1 9 100 $550
274 nf1 naval fighter 1 8 2 1 7 100 $500
275 hb1 hvy bomber 1 20 6 2 17 110 $1100
276 as1 anti-sub plane 1 10 3 2 9 110 $550
277 f2 fighter 2 9 3 1 8 150 $600
278 es escort 9 3 1 8 150 $700
283 acc load att def ran fuel stlth
284 Zeppelin 60 2 0 -3 15 2 0%
285 f1 fighter 1 90 1 3 2 7 1 0%
286 lb1 lt bomber 1 50 2 1 2 7 1 0%
287 nf1 naval fighter 1 80 1 2 2 7 1 0%
288 hb1 hvy bomber 1 90 5 1 3 15 2 0%
289 as1 anti-sub plane 1 85 2 1 2 15 2 0%
290 f2 fighter 2 60 1 6 4 9 1 0%
291 es escort 60 1 4 5 15 2 0%
297 Zeppelin tactical cargo VTOL spy
298 f1 fighter 1 tactical intercept VTOL
299 lb1 lt bomber 1 bomber tactical VTOL
300 nf1 naval fighter 1 tactical intercept light
301 hb1 hvy bomber 1 bomber
302 as1 anti-sub plane 1 tactical ASW
303 f2 fighter 2 tactical intercept
304 es escort tactical escort
306 .SA "fly, launch, build, show, Planes"
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