FLAK 88 Question

[STALKER - Arach]

Does the Flak 88 instantly shoot down a plane if it hits? I've built 3 flak cannons in one game that all aimmed at one plane and fired... and the plane continued on. so either all those flak 88 missed or the damn planes are tanks in the air. Would either like to be confirmed if the planes are being missed or the Flak 88 needs a MAJOR buffs vs the aircraft.

me want flak 88 Instant kill plane!

[Sn1tch]

I try not to shoot planes down after I shot one down and it crashed into my _almost_dead_but_getting_repaired_Panzer_Command causing me a loss.

[theBlind]

Luck, Snitch. Snitch, luck. You'll get along just dandy...

OT: I think it does, but that experience wa slong ago and I can really remeber if there were any other units closeby.
So at least an 88 nearly shoots a plane down.

[Fonic]

If I remember correctly, the flak wont start firing at the plane until its fairly close, which means that the plane usually completes its strafing/bombing run before it gets blown up by the gun.
Paras dropping too close to the flak tend to take some damage before they hit the ground though.

[STALKER - Arach]

Nah it shoots its maxium distance when a plane starts heading at it. However if your flak has something blocking its LoS then it won't fire untill the plane either is point blank or finished with its run.

Found a thing i consider a bug on Vire river - If you build a flak 88 on the cliff near the tree for the middle push, it won't shoot anything. Making it a worthless Anti-Air and Anti-tank.

Still I have the replay of the flaks aimming at the plane and it almost making it past our lines.. if not for the flak panzer.

[Noble]

The 88's are best when aimed at enemy armor, for some reason they seem to do pretty poorly at shooting down aircraft. I hope this is buffed soon, they are great at pummeling allied armor, but it would be nice to swat those pesky recon fighters out of the sky.

[STALKER - Arach]

@Noble, Recently they blow at killing shermans too and AT guns :P. I've seen a flak 88 cannon shot bounce off a AT crew! And also off a sherman... wtf. I paid 400 mp and 75 fuel for a ANTI TANK/Anti-Air cannon i atleast want the shoot to always hit.

[MuttleyGrouch]

Not that realism counts for anything, but an eighty eight would have virtually no chance of hitting a single low level aircraft (they were for use on batteries firing on multiple high level targets) But would be good at hitting a ground target like a tank.

It was an interesting discovery for the germans - it was never considered until it had to be used in emergency - and bingo - ultimate AT gun.

[STALKER - Arach]

still these Flak 88 are built on ground level and can spot a plane on a low run easy. Therefore the planes should be going "aww shit."

[Sobbyoscar]

The flak 88 was only used as Muttley said in huge on mass batteries to target bomber squadrons at around 25 000ft. It would be extremly hard therefore to hit a low flying aircraft, espically with the map sizes in this game.

[Noble]

"The flak 88 was only used as Muttley said in huge on mass batteries to target bomber squadrons at around 25 000ft. It would be extremly hard therefore to hit a low flying aircraft, espically with the map sizes in this game."

This isnt world war 2, it's company of heroes. It would be a really cool game mechanic, and would make the 88 have a little more bang for its buck.

"@Noble, Recently they blow at killing shermans too and AT guns :P. I've seen a flak 88 cannon shot bounce off a AT crew! And also off a sherman... wtf. I paid 400 mp and 75 fuel for a ANTI TANK/Anti-Air cannon i atleast want the shoot to always hit."

I agree that the 88 is a bit too fragile, but i have never, NEVER, seen an 88 shell bounce off of a sherman. 88's will absolutely wreck any allied armor with ease. As for AT guns, well I cant say that a whole lot of AT vs 88 battles are fresh in my mind, but really the 88 isnt meant for fighting AT's.

[Victrix Legio]

I've seen an 88 bounce off a jeep multiple times, and its penetration rate against Shermans is even worse.

[Noble]

Show me a replay. I have never seen anything bounce off a jeep, that sounds pretty rediculous to me.

[DrunkenOne]

Seriously? Ive seen stug shots bounce off a jeep, im sure 88s might do the same.

[Victrix Legio]

The Flak 88 has a whopping 50% penetration rate against generic targets at long range, the worst of any AT weapon in the game. Since there's no penetration modifiers for jeeps that increase penetration, one gets to see the supremely idiotic sight of 88 AP rounds deflecting off the jeeps' adamantium armor at max range.

[MajorThorvald]

I've experienced the chobram armored jeep effect as well. The flak 88 is crap, pure crap. It has weak penetration a shorter effective range then a howitzer, it also boasts a HUGE fuel cost which is something i dont understand for a STATIONARY weapon. Not to mention it has no camo like paks, no mobility, and is the weakest of all the gun emplacements.

[DrunkenOne]

I've experienced the chobram armored jeep effect as well. The flak 88 is crap, pure crap. It has weak penetration a shorter effective range then a howitzer, it also boasts a HUGE fuel cost which is something i dont understand for a STATIONARY weapon. Not to mention it has no camo like paks, no mobility, and is the weakest of all the gun emplacements.
its good on ango :P

[Tankcommander]

The rare time I have flaks, they always shoot down a plane. Yours must all have missed, because one hit takes the plane down. Flaks seem (for me) to be much more effective AA than ostwinds...

lol about the jeep reflecting a 88 though, thats insane

[Noble]

Still waiting for a replay, I have never seen a jeep (or any light vehicle) do anything but go up in cinders when hit by an 88 shot.

[Virigoth]

Jeeps will bounce 88 shells. I've seen it happen as well.


@OP: Sadly right now using 88 to deny air support is sort of like using grenadiers for anti-sherman duties. You're better off not doing it.

[Bonnet]

The devolpers confirmed earlier in the beta that the jeep had something like a 1% chance of deflecting shots from tanks and such off of its spare tire.

[Vicious_CB]

Wow I gotta get me some spare tires for my vehicles. It should be an upgrade for allied tanks in the next patch.

[Victrix Legio]

Shermans already have the Iron Curtain device as a universal upgrade, they do not need titanium tires too!

[0mar]

I've seen jeeps deflect a shot from the Tiger and Tiger Ace :(

[Tankcommander]

you know, although that is extremely stupid it is hilarious...like Vicious said I need to get the new ultra reflective spare tires upgrade for my vehicles!!!

[Saunders]

Feels as if the 88 is more solid, 1.3