Any point in bombing Ports?

[massina_nz]

I've had a cursory glance thru the GS v1.4 manual, but can't work out if there is any benefit in TACs or STRs bombing enemy ports. Ports do get splash damage from the attack, but for what purpose?

[Peter Stauffenberg]

You can bombard naval units in port and damage them, but you don't inflict PP damage since we moved production from the ports into the cities. One reason to bombard a port is to discover a hidden sub in the port.

[massina_nz]

Thanks, Borger. Can you attack a naval unit in port, by air? Or just 'discover' them?

[Peter Stauffenberg]

Tac bombers and fighters attack the unit while the strat bomber attacks the "resource", but all will discover units in the hex just as if you had bombarded a city or a resource.

[metolius]

The other reason I've seen people bomb ports is to improve the 'experience' of their units. As far as I can tell, any sort of combat action may result in some experience gain (not sure how the formula works), and bombing ports can be a pretty cost effective way to do that.

[Happycat]

The other reason I've seen people bomb ports is to improve the 'experience' of their units. As far as I can tell, any sort of combat action may result in some experience gain (not sure how the formula works), and bombing ports can be a pretty cost effective way to do that.

I think that you require a favourable result to gain experience. So bombing a "zero" rated port won't help. But bombing a port with some production value will enhance your strategic bomber's experience.

[gerones]

The other reason I've seen people bomb ports is to improve the 'experience' of their units. As far as I can tell, any sort of combat action may result in some experience gain (not sure how the formula works), and bombing ports can be a pretty cost effective way to do that.

I think that you require a favourable result to gain experience. So bombing a "zero" rated port won't help. But bombing a port with some production value will enhance your strategic bomber's experience.

I´ve checked that bombing the ports you improve the aircrafts experience even the port has no production. But it almost has no sense because the experience you gain the experience you lose when you repair the air unit since the ports have air defense and you can get losses attacking them.

One thing that I would like to see in this game is the possibility that a strategic bombing of a port cause the port facilities become useless for two or three turns so the player can´t repair naval units in the port bombed. This would require 3 or 4 air hits in the port hex to make damage on the port facilities the same way when you bomb a city or a resource you need several air hits to reduce production. This would be interesting in the Battle of the Atlantic, so the allies could make useless the ports and then the german player can´t repair the u-boats for two or three turns.