Avimimus Posted September 27 Posted September 27 Hello, I'd previously assumed that the ineffectiveness of RBK bombs was due to lack of fusing options (and my releasing them below 2000 metres altitude). However, with the release of the Mig-29 and fusing options it now appears that this wasn't the case. I've found that attacks against both soft-skinned and armoured targets are more effective using FAB than RBK. In many cases a FAB-100 will destroy more vehicles than an RBK-250 will! Furthermore, a cluster bomb effect is better achieved using the B8 rockets. There is literally no use case for the RBK. P.S. This suggests some issue with the simulation (as IRL they wouldn't have built RBK if this was the case)! I'm not sure what is going wrong, but I've done many tests and it isn't the fusing or the attack profile... so it has to be something with the bomblet simulation itself.
Kang Posted September 27 Posted September 27 Cluster bombs as a whole, in DCS, have an interesting tendency to alternate between 'completely useless' and 'ridiculously powerful' every few updates. Nobody knows why. This is not limited to the RBK-250. 1
Dača Posted September 27 Posted September 27 Only anti armor cluster munition can penetrate heavy armored vehicles. Standard cluster is of no use. Not sure if Mig-29 has anti armor ones. Haven't tried it yet.
DogsInTrousers Posted Sunday at 12:07 AM Posted Sunday at 12:07 AM 12 hours ago, Kang said: Cluster bombs as a whole, in DCS, have an interesting tendency to alternate between 'completely useless' and 'ridiculously powerful' every few updates. Nobody knows why. This is not limited to the RBK-250. I agree. Using clusters on Bluefor jets leaves you in awe of the destructive effect. Especially how they modeled the realistic effect of the subs hitting the ground sequentially. The Redfor RBK clusters just suck, the sub-munitions all magically hit the ground at the same time creating just a single impact event, (instead of the awesome spectacle as they hit the ground one by one, as per many sources of visual reference). The KMGU seems a little better but the RBK's are pretty ordinary, I feel like using the OFAB250-270, is more effective. 1
Kang Posted Sunday at 05:26 PM Posted Sunday at 05:26 PM The western-made clusters aren't really much better in being consistent in their performance. The sole exception are the 'smart sub-munition' ones (like CBU-97) that have always been deadly. A BLG-66 or a Mk20 are just in the same boat as the RBK-250. 3
Avimimus Posted 15 hours ago Author Posted 15 hours ago On 9/27/2025 at 12:09 PM, Dača said: Only anti armor cluster munition can penetrate heavy armored vehicles. Standard cluster is of no use. Not sure if Mig-29 has anti armor ones. Haven't tried it yet. There are versions of the RBK-250 with 2.5kg PTAB and RBK-500 with 1kg PTAB variants (PTAB are unguided HEAT submunitions). Anyway, the tests I did were mainly against groups of soft skin vehicles. Against unarmoured vehicles a FAB is more effective than the RBK. In fact, an OFAB-100 was more effective than an RBK-500 (that weighs five times as much). Try it out. On 9/28/2025 at 6:26 PM, Kang said: The western-made clusters aren't really much better in being consistent in their performance. The sole exception are the 'smart sub-munition' ones (like CBU-97) that have always been deadly. A BLG-66 or a Mk20 are just in the same boat as the RBK-250. This is definitely not the case. The Mk20 is much more effective than the RBK bombs (including the RBK-500 which ways twice as much as the Rockeye). 1
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