tutorial Bombers dropping bombs on a specific ground zone (Tutorial 2026)

[9od.thy_]

To make this tutorial shorter and easier to understand, let's start our bomber's operation already on air.

 

Demo

 

Step-by-step

1 - Create the bomber squad:
Place on the map just ONE bomber of your preference. DON'T create more bombers for now (wait);

2 - Tells IL2 that the asset plane is dynamic and has a specific initial altitude:
Through the Plane Properties pop-up, click the "Create Linked Entity" button. Also, set the bomber over 5.000 meters high (Y-axis).

3 - Make the bomber spawn in the air:
In its Advanced Properties pop-up, select "In Air".

4 - Define which bombs will be used:
Still in the Plane Advanced Properties pop-up, go to "Payload" and define the bombs collection you wanna use. Google could help you to understand bomb names to see what is more interesting for your fire mission.

5 - Create other bombers and make them a group:
Copy the current bomber and place its copies close enough. Connect those new bombers to their leader, using right-click over each one, selecting Object Menu, and then "add target" link to the bomber leader.

6 - Set the bomber formation:
From the "MCUs" collection, drag and drop close to the bomber leader the "Command: Formation" option, connecting it to the leader (Over the formation icon: Selected Object menu > Add object), and then defining the formation as "V-Form" and "Safe" (personal choice once it looks increase the precision of bombing without the "Dense" complications).

7 - Define the bomber group's flight plan:
From the "MCUs" collection, drag and drop on the map each waypoint (one or more) that your bomber group must follow until their ground target. In the waypoint Basic Properties, define its altitude (Y-axis), remember bombers need really high altitudes in a straight line (align) to their target in order to make their aiming correct, and, finally, release their bombs in the right place.

Connect (each) waypoint ONLY to the bomber group leader, and get the waypoint basic properties to "sync" the waypoint altitude with the bomber altitude correctly (5000 in this case, for example).

Still in waypoint properties, get into its advanced ones, defining what tolerance area of the waypoint to be reached, and its speed rule to be passed to the plane from there. In case of more than one waypoint, all waypoints should be "Medium" priority (making bomber to maneuver in case of threats) EXCEPT THE LAST ONE before the ground target. The last waypoint MUST be "High" priority to the bomber to be forced to align flawlessly with the target as you planned. "Area" and "Speed" are important for the bomber leader, too. The area shouldn't be too big because it could be "noisy" to the bomber's approach to the target. And low speeds would force the bomber to lose altitude, which is not desired here at all.

Make sure each bomber of the group will get at least 3 km away from the last waypoint before the target to give it the chance to adjust its direction in case of combat or large turns before the order to bomb the target.

Tip: always set the right direction of a waypoint, clicking on that red-tiny-corner in the waypoint icon and aiming the yellow line in the direction where the plane must go.

8 - Define the bomber's ground target:
From MCUs collection, drag and drop to the map the "Command: AttackArea" option. Place it exactly where you wanna hammer with bombs. Then make sure the command is applied on the ground level, using "Set on ground" tool in the editor. So, through Advanced Properties, make this attack order a high priority. Now, connect (as target) the last waypoint to the Attack Area on the map. 

Crucial 1: Set the attack area icon AT LEAST 4 km to the last waypoint position to give the bomber's group the chance to re-align and drop all bombs synced. As we are talking about WWII bombers, it's not a solid approach to use Attack Areas so small, but this way to set a fire mission is accurate enough once the bombs hit somewhere inside the attack area range.

Crucial 2: The "Time" field means how long the bomber group should be hammering the target zone. As we want them to drop all their bombs just once, we need them as short as possible over there.

Crucial 3: Avoid setting a specific ground target because it can be frustrating if the bomber's group feels severely threatened by the enemy.

9 - Define who will hammer the target:
Back to the Attack Area's Basic Properties, in the Objects list, click over there, including ALL bomber members of the bomber's group. Now the game knows who must receive the order to strike the target, regardless of the bomber group leader's situation.

10 - Finally, tell the game the execution order ( and for best game performance):
From MCUs collection, drag and drop the "Translator Mission Begin" and "Trigger timer". Connect (as target) the Mission Begin to the Timer. In Timer, set just 2 seconds. So, connect (also by target) the Timer to the "Command Formation" and to the FIRST bomber's group waypoint if you are using more than one. If you got just one, connect the timer to it, though. 

11 - (Extra) Force the bomber's group to retreat after bombing:
Include a new waypoint straight on to far away from the target zone, keeping a high speed and altitude. Connect this new waypoint to the LAST WAYPOINT BEFORE the attack area (never in the attack area command). Now, connect this new waypoint to the bomber's group leader only. Once you've connected that to the bomber leader, go to that plane and, throught is Advanced Properties, on "On Events Table" area, include a "OnPlaneBingBombs" type connected (as target) to that new waypoint just created far away from the attacked area. This will make the bomber leader immediately follow the new waypoint as soon as the bomber has no bombs anymore, making the bomber's members perform the same approach automatically.

 

Done. Run your mission and enjoy. 

Cheers from Southern Brazil.

Edited January 4 by 9od.thy_

[Deacon352nd]

This has got to be the very most complete and easily understood explanation of how to set up bombers to bomb a target. Congrats on making such a clear explanation.