The general plane types currently available in Empire are:
fighter A general offense/defense plane. Historical examples include
the FE.2B, the Sopwith Snipe & Camel, the Nieuport V-XVII, the
Spad, and the Fokker planes. From WWII are the Me-109, the
FW-190, the English Spitfire & Hurricane, the Japanese Zero,
the American P-39, P-40, P-38, and the Soviet Yak series.
Later planes include the Me-262, the Gloster Meteor, P-80,
Mig-15. Korean War vintage planes are the F-87 Sabre, F-100
SuperSabre, and the Mig-17. Vietnam Era planes are the F-4 &
Mig-21. Later, NATO & WP models include the F-16 & F-15 and the
Mig-23, 25, and 29.
The main points of similarity are: 1 or 2 high performance
engines, a single pilot, and plenty of guns/missiles. Duties
include patrol/interception, escort, and light bombing.
escort These are planes optimized for escorting, with superior range,
sometimes at the expense of fighting capacity. Examples are
the Me-110 & the P-51. Note that this type is relatively rare,
as long range heavy bombing was rare.
naval
fighter These planes all sacrifice range and/or fighting power in order
to fit on a carrier and carry the gear necessary to operate
from one. Examples are the series of Short biplanes built in
Britain, the Sopwith Baby & Cuckoo, the Gloster Gladiator, the
American Wildcat & Corsair, versions of the Japanese Zero, the
F8 Corsair, the F-4, F-14, and F-18. Many of the planes were
multi-role, due to the relatively small plane capacity of their
carriers. They were almost always inferior in performance to
land fighters. Many of them carry dual engines.
light
bomber These planes are tactical bombers, suited for strafing, combat
support, etc. These range from the first trench bombers, such as
the Junkers J-I and the Sopwith Snark & Dolphin, the Ju-87
Stuka, the American P-47, various ground-attack versions of the
Yaks, the Japanese Val and Kate, the British Typhoon, and many
others. Modern versions are the A-3 SkyWarrior, the A-4
Skyhawk, the A-6 Intruder, the Su-22 Frogfoot, the Su-27, and
various British models. A modern and most effective example is
the A-10
The common factors are maneuverability, the ability to take
damage and still fly, and the ability to hit targets precisely.
(Either through low-speed bombing, dive-bombing, or rocket or
guided bombs/missiles) Their performance against fighters of
any sort is poor, with few exceptions (notably the P-47, which
was designed as a fighter, and used as a ground-attack plane
due to its toughness) Many are naval, or have naval versions,
since the requirements of a naval plane do not affect them as
greatly as fighters.
heavy
bomber These planes are build for long range and great load-carrying
ability, and the ability to defend themselves against fighters.
(Although that never worked more than middling well) Examples
are the Handley-Paige bombers of WWI (especially the O/400), the
German Gothas and Giants, the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24
Liberator, the B-29 SuperFortress, the Avro Lancaster, the Short
Sterling, and the Vickers Wellington, as well as the more modern
B-36, B-47, B-50, B-52, B-1, and the Soviet Ant-4, Tu-20 Bear,
Tu-2? Backfire, and others.
The common factors are the extreme range, the ability to carry
several tons of bombs, the wide range of defensive armament, and
four engines.
medium
bombers These were basically an intermediate stage between the light &
heavy bomber, and were used for both purposes. Examples are the
He-111, the Do-17, the B-25 Mitchell, B-26 Marauder, the A-20
Havoc, the Avro Manchester, Armstrong Whitworth Whitely, the
Russian Il-4 & I-15, and the Japanese Betty & Sally.
These planes were essentially compromises, and were phased out
as time went on. They could not bomb as precisely as a light
bomber, nor as heavily as a heavy bomber.
transports
Initially, these were basically similar to civilian airliners.
They could carry supplies or troops. (In Norway, the Germans
captured airports and flew in troops) Later, they were used for
paratroop landings. Eventually paratrooping became too dangerous
for these planes (with the introduction of SAMs) and they were
replaced by helicopter assault, with the transports going back
to carrying supplies and equipment.
transport
helicopters
These were made to transport assault troops. They also carry
supplies & wounded, but their main duty was to deliver troops
with greater precision, rapidity, safety, and cohesion than was
possible with paratrooping. (They were also to replace the
landing craft, as the Marines looked at the odds of an invasion
fleet standing up to nukes)
attack
helicopters
These supplement the light bombers, and specialize in the very
precise application of firepower, as well as evading
interception, by use of terrain.
recon
planes &
satellites
These provide precise information about enemy troop dispositions
and movements. The first recon planes had no protection. Then,
it was attempted to make them un-interceptable. This was done by
simply being faster than anything the enemy had, such as the
stripped down British Hurricanes, US P-38's & P-51's, or German
FW-190's or Blitz-Bombers. Later, emphasis shifter to also being
able to fly higher, as with the U-2 & SR-71. These planes are
largely superseded by satellites now (for good or ill).
SSMs
& ICBMs
The first SSMs were used as strategic harassing weapons, and
were almost useless. (German V-1 & V-2) There were also combat
rockets, such as the Russian Katayusha's and the German
Nebelwerfers, but these were essentially similar to artillery.
The first true SSMs were the Russian missiles in the 1950's,
such as the Frog. They were intended to deliver nuclear or
chemical warheads at medium ranges, and to be un-interceptable.
Later missiles increase payload & range.
However, since we've artificially restricted the blast effects
of nuclear weapons, I am merging these in with tactical
missiles. (no need for an ICBM unless you've got big nukes)
marine
missiles
These are modern smart-missiles. They are naval weapons, such
as the Harpoon, Penguin, Exocet. They are accurate missiles which
may be launched at ships.
SAMs
The first sams were nuclear-tipped, and intended to break up
large attacking bomber forces. Later, they were made smaller
and more accurate, and were intended to hit single targets
at any speed or altitude.
ABMs These are to shoot down missiles, and are mostly fantasy.
ASW
planes These are either long-range bomber type aircraft, with some
sort of equipment for locating & killing submarines, or also
helicopters, able to fly from most naval vessels.
These plane types differ in their fundamental capabilities; some can fly bombing missions, other carry cargo, others exist to shoot down other planes. Missiles are special; they are planes which fly one-way missions and cannot be shot down by opposing planes.
The technology level at which the plane was built is very important. The same model plane built at a higher tech level will outperform the planes built at a lower tech level.
The particular planes available and their attributes are given by the show command. The fields given in the output are as follows. For building:
the amount of lcm to build the unit,
the amount of hcm to build the unit,
the number of military this plane has as crew
the amount of avail used to build this plane
minimum tech level to build this unit,
cost of the unit in dollars,
For the stats report the fields are:
bomb accuracy, low is best; a 0 accuracy implies no ability.
bomb load/cargo capacity.
air-to-air combat attack rating (reduced by low eff, can't go below 1/2 of base).
air-to-air combat defense rating (reduced by low eff, can't go below 1/2 of base).
base range (in sectors).
amount of fuel used each trip.
the percentage chance this plane has of evading detection
The abilities are given as a set of attributes for each plane. These include:
Pinpoint bombing ability. Can be put on interdiction and support missions. Tactical missiles may be launched at sectors unless they have "marine" ability in which case they may only be fired at ships.
strategic bombing ability
Interception and escort ability. May be put on escort or air defense missions.
cargo-carrying ability
vertical take-off ability -- no need to use airports
missile -- one shot, can be launched (see info launch). "marine" missiles may only be fired at ships, "tactical" missiles which don't have "marine" capability may only be fired at sectors.
light, can land on carriers or be carried on a submarine
spy ability, for recon missions (see info recon, info bomb, info satellite)
full imaging capability - satellites with this ability show much more (see info satellite)
a satellite - stays in orbit until shot down
Intercepts tactical missiles.
xtra-light, can be carried and used on any ship or land unit with a non-zero xpl capacity. (see info Ship-types)
helicopter, can take off and land in mountains, can be carried and used on any ship with a non-zero hel capacity. (see info Ship-types)
Has ASW (anti-submarine warfare) ability. May use sonar & bomb subs.
may be used to paradrop
Escort ability only. May be put on escort missions.
Can lay mines (see info mine).
Can sweep mines (see info sweep).
Missiles with this ability may only be launched at ships.
Each plane has a stealth rating. The
stealth rating of a group of planes is that of the plane with the LOWEST
rating.
As an example of the output
[##:##] Command : show plane build
lcm hcm crew avail tech $
Zeppelin 6 2 3 6 70 $1000
f1 fighter 1 8 2 1 7 90 $400
lb1 lt bomber 1 10 3 1 9 100 $550
nf1 naval fighter 1 8 2 1 7 100 $500
hb1 hvy bomber 1 20 6 2 17 110 $1100
as1 anti-sub plane 1 10 3 2 9 110 $550
f2 fighter 2 9 3 1 8 150 $600
es escort 9 3 1 8 150 $700
[##:##] Command : show plane stats
acc load att def ran fuel stlth
Zeppelin 60 2 0 -3 15 2 0%
f1 fighter 1 90 1 3 2 7 1 0%
lb1 lt bomber 1 50 2 1 2 7 1 0%
nf1 naval fighter 1 80 1 2 2 7 1 0%
hb1 hvy bomber 1 90 5 1 3 15 2 0%
as1 anti-sub plane 1 85 2 1 2 15 2 0%
f2 fighter 2 60 1 6 4 9 1 0%
es escort 60 1 4 5 15 2 0%
[##:##] Command : show plane cap
capabilities
Zeppelin tactical cargo VTOL spy
f1 fighter 1 tactical intercept VTOL
lb1 lt bomber 1 bomber tactical VTOL
nf1 naval fighter 1 tactical intercept light
hb1 hvy bomber 1 bomber
as1 anti-sub plane 1 tactical ASW
f2 fighter 2 tactical intercept
es escort tactical escort