B - 17 Bomber - Tactics

[doctorclu]

I've recently had great fun with B-17 Bomber on the Intellivision Flashback. Wanted to create a thread to share tactics on playing this game.

 

I've three questions:

 

1)Sometimes when I restart a round my plane starts at the North Pole rather than England. You fly for a few minutes, get back on the map, and then the round starts again as soon as the plane hits the map. Anyone else experience this?

 

2) Flak Bunkers, worth one point (I believe that is their name). What is the best way to hit them? They have three icons, I've found hitting to the bottom left (short of the target) seems to work. Also hitting the icon to the left or right seem to work. Seldom the center icon.

 

3) To fly in and line up so the target is center on the bomb-bay screen, what is the best way to fly in or select target for best result?

 

 

[+DZ-Jay]

1. Never seen this. Is it only on the Flashback, or does it happen on the console too?

 

2. Those are anti-aircraft batteries, no? The ones that produce Flak. I aim at them carefully, but usually takes me two or three bombs to hit.

 

3. I don't know if that is something the player gets to influence. Perhaps by putting the map targeting pointer in the very middle of the map target icon?

[doctorclu]

1. Never seen this. Is it only on the Flashback, or does it happen on the console too?

 

>> So far on the Flashback. I'll try the regular version and see if that appears there too.

2. Those are anti-aircraft batteries, no? The ones that produce Flak. I aim at them carefully, but usually takes me two or three bombs to hit.

 

>> Man there have been times I have buried them in bombs and still not hit them. So I was curious if the place to hit them randomly changed or something.

3. I don't know if that is something the player gets to influence. Perhaps by putting the map targeting pointer in the very middle of the map target icon?

 

>> Ok. I was almost starting to wonder if placing on the lower side of the icon was making a difference.

 

------------

And then there is a part of me that wonders if the Hit detection emulation that IntvSteve was talking about on another thread might be more of what I am running into. Need to play some real B-17 apparently.

[+DZ-Jay]

1. Never seen this. Is it only on the Flashback, or does it happen on the console too?

 

>> So far on the Flashback. I'll try the regular version and see if that appears there too.

2. Those are anti-aircraft batteries, no? The ones that produce Flak. I aim at them carefully, but usually takes me two or three bombs to hit.

 

>> Man there have been times I have buried them in bombs and still not hit them. So I was curious if the place to hit them randomly changed or something.

3. I don't know if that is something the player gets to influence. Perhaps by putting the map targeting pointer in the very middle of the map target icon?

 

>> Ok. I was almost starting to wonder if placing on the lower side of the icon was making a difference.

 

------------

And then there is a part of me that wonders if the Hit detection emulation that IntvSteve was talking about on another thread might be more of what I am running into. Need to play some real B-17 apparently.

On 2: I don't believe it is random. These are 8x8 tiles, and the bomb should fall within it or the adjacent tiles. I haven't done a thorough analysis on it, but I've never had much trouble hitting any of the targets. Of course, some are larger than others, but it's a matter of honing your aim.

 

Like you said, it could be an emulation issue. I'll try to get some time with my Flashback this weekend to test it.

[doctorclu]

Playing on a real Intellivision I will say this:

 

The flak bunkers target one of the three icons and hit it. Anything inbetween, around or near doesn't cut it. But works every time on the real intellivision (as I remembered it doing.) Will try on the Flashback later.

 

The text is more clear on the real intellivision (As IntvSteve mentioned in another message)

 

The voice emulation is interesting. Phrases tend to be said more often. Some phrases faster.

[bradhig1]

Has anyone heard the pilot say "Mayday" I can't figure out what is wrong with the plane that makes him think he is in distress.

[mr_me]

I heard "mayday" everytime I've played; after getting hit with heavy flak; taking damage; engines stalling and the plane losing altitude before crashing.

[bradhig1]

Does the map always replace targets you destroyed when you return to England?

 

 

How did Intellivisiondude get 100+ bombs?

 

I wish I could blow up every target on the map.

[mr_me]

Practice mode gives you 200 bombs and unlmited fuel. See here for game instructions.

http://kentrepairs.com/General/Intellivision.asp

http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/games/instructions.shtml

 

I wish the game was designed so you can bomb all targets and win. But its designed to end after a few missions.

[+intvsteve]

If memory serves, each time you land, at least some of the targets are replaced. Been awhile since I've played, though.