CBU-97

[jazjar]

My first impressions of the CBU-97 were very good. I had dropped one on three BMP-1s and gotten all three killed. I then tried killing tanks, I set 6 up moving on a road. Dropped another one, right on the comumn, only one was killed, I sear, I dropped it perfectly straight on top of the column. I tried another one when the convoy moved, the remaining five were killed. I kept doing repeated trials, and the only thing I came up with was that the computer was rolling the dice on which targets in the kill zone of the weapon were to be killed. Can someone tell me why this is? is the 97 WIP? Because in RL, the skeets always finish off most if not every one of the targets under the bomb when it bursts.

[Mugenjin]

Did you adjust the HOF setting? Default setting covers a rather large area, so it's not good against a tightly moving convoy.

[Geskes]

Was wondering also if the actual smart skeets were implemented or if it is just a scatter pattern at the moment. For one, the bomblets from the 97 do not delay themselves to seek targets so I think it is WIP.

 

But you can drop two, that will fix it :D

[jazjar]

Well Gesk, let's just say I don't like to waste money :). And I did not adjust default HOF, I kept it at 500 ft of burst altitude.

[Geskes]

Hmm if you don't want to waste money it might be best to leave your A-10 at the base and go to the column with some tea, cookies and a pack of sigarettes and try to talk them into surrendering. Just show them a movie of the CBU-97 operation. Guess that should work :D :D

[rexehuk]

Not sure what you been doing but I have 27/29 BMP3 kills within 50-75 meters using 2000 HOF using a single CBU105.

 

Also have a youtube video of 9/9 kills using CBU105 -

 

So it can be done :). I though they worked brilliantly tbh.

Edited February 24, 2011 by rexehuk

[Geskes]

This is my HOF 2000 result with BMPs :D

 

 

Maybe tanks are too tough for one skeet if it doesnt hit some weak armor spot?

[GGTharos]

Yeah? Do you have the appropriate documentation to support this, or do you just think so because you saw it on youtube? :)

 

Because in RL, the skeets always finish off most if not every one of the targets under the bomb when it bursts.

 

 

In any case, the skeets cannot be simualted properly, so other means are used. Last I heard, the reason has to do with computational complexity and your (and mine) precious FPS :)

[jazjar]

Hmm, O,K, so maybe the 500 HOF original setting is a little too low, should I bump it up to 2000, or little more modest 1200?

[Geskes]

Last I heard, the reason has to do with computational complexity and your (and mine) precious FPS :)

 

I figured as much :)

 

Hmm, O,K, so maybe the 500 HOF original setting is a little too low, should I bump it up to 2000, or little more modest 1200?

 

I guess you need to get a feel for the pattern size it will create for each setting and then adjust according to target spread. Also the better armored the target the less spread you'd want.

[TRoe13]

Quick question related to the HOF. I have the 97's loaded up, got into the DSMS page and looked all over, went to the change settings too, but i can't for the life of me find how to change that option..... any tips?

[Geskes]

- goto inventory or INV in DSMS (top right of MFD)

- push a CBU loaded station OSB

- hit INV STAT (top middle, inventory status)

 

You'll see the HOF setting bottom left now.

Once done setting up click LOAD to return to INV screen and rinse and repeat for other stations.

Edited February 24, 2011 by Geskes

[TRoe13]

Thanks Geskes, gonna go try it out now!

[jazjar]

O.K, Gesk, then can you explain to me, if armored targets require a smaller footprint, that even when I am providing that smaller footprint " 500 ft " I still get one out of six tanks on occasion? I've dropped a 97 on three T-55s in the create a fast mission mission and only managed to dispatch only two of them at a time? I'll go and play with the HOF anymore and if it still doesn't work, along with a couple of other odd things in the final release, I will go and do what I usually do and download the software again.

[Geskes]

Well I do not know if it is really true, I havent tried it very much yet, but I have seen in debriefing that tanks got hit by BLU108 but not destroyed so I figure that reducing the HOF and thus having smaller pattern increases the chance of good or multiple hit on target.

 

I did same as you basically and you do not get the same result always. I dropped CBUs on platoons of tanks that were exactly evenly spaced because of the template and I came in at the same heading/altitude. Still in some passes I got 1, other I got 3 or 4 while the pattern covered the entire platoon. So it kind of depends on a bit of luck too, probably because as per GGTharos' statement the skeets are not modelled and I suppose it functions as CBU-87 but with better armor penetration.

Edited February 24, 2011 by Geskes

[SonofEil]

Last I heard, the reason has to do with computational complexity and your (and mine) precious FPS :)

 

No kidding! i suspect that having 40 of those things dance, spin, target and shoot in the sim would temporarily cripple even a highly capable PC!

Here's one of Textron's sales vids for the BLU-108:

I'm happy with whatever compromise ED employs!

[jazjar]

I just want to know how to best use the 97. what should I do? Increase HOF, increase amount of bombs I drop in a single run, what?

[Geskes]

Dropping pairs and reducing the footprint seem like a logical thing to do for increasing kill probability.

[automag928]

I dropped a cbu-87 on a smerch last night, dead on target, little explosions surrounding it perfectly but no smoke or fire. After action report shows one of the blu-108s hit it, but no joy. Kinda disappointed with the performance on just one vehicle - i may have to go through and bomb it again a few times to see what happens.

[jeffyd123]

i dropped a pair of 97s on 4 BRDMs yesterday and it killed all 4. Spread was 150'.

[WarriorX]

Dont forget the RPM setting below HOF. I think lowering the RPM will also provide a tighter grouping of submunitions/bomblets/skeets.

 

A slower RPM setting should lower the centripetal force on the submunition, therefore the dispersion cone is tighter.

 

So if you really want a tight grouping with a high PK, go for a low HOF, and a slow RPM.

 

I will test this and see how it goes. Please keep posting your results.

 

Over time I'm sure we will all find a sweet spot we find is the best comprimise between CBU footprint coverage, and PK.

Edited February 24, 2011 by WarriorX

[jazjar]

Hmm, sounds good, and it is centrifugal force by the way :)

[Avilator]

Hmm, sounds good, and it is centrifugal force by the way :)

 

That may or may not be true, depending on how the bomb works. IDK how the bomb actually spreads the pucks, but if it spins faster the pucks have more inertia, not centrifugal force. If they are actually pushed radially outward in addition to spinning, then centrifugal force exists.

WarriorX, centripetal force acts towards the center of the circle.

[rexehuk]

I dropped a cbu-87 on a smerch last night, dead on target, little explosions surrounding it perfectly but no smoke or fire. After action report shows one of the blu-108s hit it, but no joy. Kinda disappointed with the performance on just one vehicle - i may have to go through and bomb it again a few times to see what happens.

 

CBU87 is an area effect weapon, better for dropping on bases, infantry and large groups of vehicles rather than a single one, CBU97 is a smart munition and is what is used if you really MUST hit a vehicle as they actively seek targets to destroy compared to the "dumb munitions" in the CBU87.

 

Refly with a CBU97 or CBU105 and come back if it doesn't die in an awesome explosion of death and tears.

[jazjar]

O.K, getting some cold hard data on the 97: First trial: ( doing this like a scientific experiment lol :) ) 2 CBU-97 SFWs dropped in PRS over 10 BMP-1s unevenly spread over an area 79 meters tall ( north to south ) and 125 meters wide. bombs were programmed for 1500ft burst altitude, aimed near center of the target area. Repeated trials: 2 Trial one result: seven BMPs immediatly killed, the remaining three caught fire. Trial 2: six BMPs immediatley killed, remaining four caught fire.

Edited February 24, 2011 by jazjar