British OOB7 corrections and suggestions

[PvtJoker]

The British OOB07 has some error as well, especially in aircrafts and artillery:

Unit 002: The AP penetration of the 15mm Besa TMG (Weapon 101) is currently 2, but the official British Army requirement was that 70% of AP bullets had to penetrate 27mm at 100 yards at 0 degrees impact angle (http://www.tank-net.com/forums/index...368#entry43235). This in my opinion means that it should be given penetration 3. (Yes, it's a forum post -- by Tony Williams)

Unit 059 etc., Weapon 020: there were actually three different AP rounds for the 2-pdr, but only the first one (the Shot, AP, Mk.1) seems to be modelled. In September 1942 the supercharged APHV shot was introduced, which had about 10mm better penetration, and either at the same time or slightly later the APCBC shot, which was developed to deal with German face-hardened armor. It had roughly the same penetration as the APHV. The new shots could be represented by adding Sabot with penetration 8 and new units with Sabot ammo starting in 9/1942. The armored cars which still had the 2-pdr as the main gun in 1944 and 1945 most likely carried only these improved rounds (if they weren't fitted with the Littlejohn adapter to fire APCNR).

Units 127 & 137: the 18pdr field gun was still used in France and North Africa in 1940, and in Far East in 1942, so 12/1938 end date is far too early. I don't have any exact information when it was retired in Far East, but 12/1942 is probably not too far off. Also, Unit 127 name should of course be "18pdr Field Gun".

Unit 581 Colonial 18 Pdr: has a different icon than Unit 127 (the one of the 127 is correct).

Units 31, 147, 366, 367: the 6-pdr Valentines had the same telescopic sight as the 6-pdr Churchills, so FC should be 3.

Suggestion: add Valentine V. This was the major production version in 1942 and the last 2-pdr Valentine used by the British. There were no differences to the Mk. III which could be modelled in the game, but the Mk. V remained in service much longer and some were still used in Tunisia, Sicily and early stages of the Italian campaign. Availability could be from 1/1942 to 12/1943 as Infantry tank and to 12/1944 as Light Infantry Tank.

Suggestion: add Valentine X. This was the major production version of the Valentine in 1943. It put the coaxial MG back, but main gun ammo was reduced to 44 rounds. AAMG was installed occasionally like with other late Valentine marks. Many of them went to the USSR, but some were used similar to the Mk. V above. Availability could be from 1/1943 to 12/1943 as infantry tank and to 12/1946 as light infantry tank. It could also replace the Valentine IX as unit 367, so that there would not be two 6-pdr Valentines with late availability.

Unit 298: the official British Army requirement was that 70% of AP bullets had to penetrate 18mm at 100 yards at 0 degrees impact angle. That is IMHO enough that the Weapon 117 should be given an AP Pen 2 and AP rounds to units that use it. (http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/Vickers.html)

Aircraft stuff:

Unit 089: max. bomb load was 500 lbs in the centerline + 6 x 20 lbs, so the current load was not possible (the wing racks could not accommodate anything bigger). I suggest raising the "armor" of all P-40 variants (Tomahawk and Kittyhawk in the British OOB) to 10, since this fighter was known for being extremely sturdy and had a lot of armor for an early WW2 fighter.

Unit 090: real max. speed 413 km/h = Speed 4. Had only a single forward-firing MG. Theoretical max. bomb load was 4+2 250 lb bombs, although carrying bombs in the external racks limited speed and range further and was probably not used very much. It was still used in the Greek campaign for the lack of better light bombers, so availability end should be 4/1941.

Unit 091: real max. speed 420-445 km/h depending on source = Speed 4. The max. bomb load of Mk. I was 1000 lbs carried internally (110 lb bombs should be deleted).

Unit 092: bomb load was either 2 x 250 lb OR 2 x 500 lb (both wings had a hardpoint)

Unit 093: The Beaufighter IV was not actually build at all. It could be replaced either with Beaufighter I with cannon/MG armament only and available since 5/1941, or with Mk. VI with eight RP3-60 rocket armament (in addition to MG/cannon) and available in summer 1942.

Unit 094: max. speed 618 km/h = Speed 6

Unit 099: max. speed 745 km/h = Speed 7 (original Derwent I variant; the Derwent IV "long nacelle" variant was introduced in spring 1945). Availability 12/1944. Rocket load was no less than 16 RP3-60 rockets.

Unit 108: max. speed 555 km/h = Speed 6. Bomb load was 6 x 20 lbs, although in practice most production units did not have the bomb racks fitted at all.

Unit 109: max. speed was 407-414 km/h = Speed 4. Bomb load was 4 x 25 lbs.

Unit 186: max. speed 614 km/h = Speed 6. The Mustang I/Ia carried no bombs. Armament was four .50 cal and four .30 cal MGs on the Mustang I, and four 20mm cannon on the Mustang Ia. Both variants entered service about the same time (4/1942 is correct) and were used as low altitude fighters and strafers until the end of 1944, but not until 12/1946 like it is now.

Units 319-321: max. speed 224 km/h = Speed 2.

Unit 324: max. speed 442 km/h = Speed 4. Maximum bomb load was 4 x 500 lbs.

Unit 328: max. speed 341 km/h = Speed 3. Max. bomb load 2 x 250 lb + 4 x 20 lb. Only two forward-firing .303 cal MGs. Name should be Lysander Mk.I (Mk. III entered service only in 1940 but had nearly identical performance and specs.)

Unit 330: speed as Unit 091 (4). Name should be Blenheim IVF, which had five forward firing 0.303 cal MGs.

Unit 331: max. bomb load was 3 x 500 lbs, although the current load could also be carried.

Unit 332: max. speed 589 km/h = Speed 6. Name should be Mosquito F II. The NightFighter variants weren't used for ground attack.

Unit 334 : Assuming this is supposed to be Havoc II: max. speed 551 km/h = Speed 6. Armament 12 x .303 cal MG, max. bomb load 2000 lbs. Assuming Havoc I night fighter: max. speed 490 km/h = Speed 5. Armament 8 x .303 cal MG, max. bomb load 2000 lbs. Both were retired by mid-1943. Both were historically used as night fighters, so making them ground attackers is somewhat of a stretch.

Unit 336: max. speed as unit 094 (6). Most TseTses were conversions from FB Mk VI and retained four .303 cal MGs, but two is not incorrect, either. Most sources give 25 rounds for the cannon.

Units 338 & 339: availability should be 11/1933 to 7/1939. A more descriptive name would be HP.50 Heyford (Heyford being the official name). Max. bomb load was 2,500 lbs.

Unit 341: availability should be from 2/1930 and up to 12/1936. Max. bomb load was interestingly 510 lbs, which consisted of 2 x 230 lbs and 2 x 25 lbs bombs, but probably the current load could be carried as well (the British bombs were actually 112 lbs, but that is irrelevant).

Unit 342: max. speed 298 km/h = Speed 3. Max. bomb load as Unit 341, although the current one is probably close enough. Available 11/1935.

Unit 343: max. speed 428 km/h = Speed 4. Max. bomb load 1000 lbs internally in 250 lbs or 500 lbs bombs and 8 x 40 lb externally (= 1320 lbs). No other bombs could be carried externally.

Unit 244: max. speed 610 km/h = Speed 6. 2000 lbs max. bomb load was attained by carrying four modified 500 lbs bombs. (Carrying 8 x 250 lbs was not possible).

Unit 346: should be renamed "Mitchell Mk.II". The Mk.I never reached operational status with the RAF, so this should be early B-25C a.k.a. Mitchell Mk.II without external bomb racks.

Unit 347: available 5/1943. Should represent late B-25C or B-25D with wing bomb racks, which were all called just Mitchell Mk.II by the RAF.

Unit 248: available 1/1942. Suggest historical tactical load, which was 6 x 1000 lbs and "some" (non-standardized number of) 250 lbs bombs in addition; max. possible in game would probably be 3x8 = 24. I don't know if so many would have actually fitted in the bomb bay; 16 would be a safer bet.

Unit 349: suggest historical demolition load "Abnormal", which was 14 x 1000 lb bombs.

Unit 354: max. speed 488 km/h = Speed 5. Max. bomb load 2000 lbs. Available until 4/1946 (used historically mainly in the Mediterranean area).

Unit 400 & 401: max. speed 688 km/h = Speed 7. Absolute max. bomb load was 2 x 1000 lb + 1 x 500 lb bombs, practical maximum 2 x 1000 lb bombs. The current loads are fine, but perhaps a 2 x 1000 lb load could be added.

Weapons:

Weapons 005 & 007: The Breda AA gun fired the 20x138B Long Solothurn cartridge and like I wrote in my suggestions for the Finnish OOB, all guns firing that cartridge should have the same AP penetration, in my opinion 4.

Weapon 020: see my suggestion to model later APHV/APCBC ammunition above.

Weapon 021: penetration should be 6 as in Italian OOB and also according to most sources.

Weapon 036: max. range with modern ammo was 10,100 meters, which should be enough for Range 201.

Weapon 071: real max. range 11,270 meters (201).

Weapon 076: real max. range 15,500 meters (206)

Weapon 102: real max. range 18,000 meters (208)

Weapon 103: real max. range 11,200 meters (201)

Weapon 104: real max range 23,513 meters (214)

Weapon 136: max. range 6,700 meters by Wikipedia, 7,500 meters by Jaeger Platoon. Take your pick. In any case should not be in off-map units.

Weapon 248: max. range with pre-1944 100 lb shell 14,813 meters (205), 16,550 meters (207) with 82 lb light shell available in 1944. Should perhaps split the weapon (and units) to reflect the range increase. OTOH it only affects counter-battery resolution.


Sources: Wikipedia with appropriate source criticism (checked citations), Joe Baugher's http://www.joebaugher.com/uscombataircraft.html for US made aircraft, for Valentine: http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww..._Valentine.php and http://www.wwiivehicles.com/unitedki...ntry/valentine. Others mentioned in the text.