- For the Empire Earth unit, see B-29 Bomber.
Description[]
The B-29 Superfortress is an United States World War II atomic bomber in Empires: Dawn of the Modern World. It was used in the last years of World War II, a much bigger and more expensive relative of the B-17. It also carried the life changing atomic bombs used against Japan. A small fleet of B-29s will eliminate an entire city if a player can afford them and defend them in flight.
Strengths[]
- Good vs. all land and sea units. Drops an atomic bomb that devastates a large area.
Weaknesses[]
- Expensive. Weak vs. anti-air units and Fighters.
Description[]
Of all the strategic bombers used in World War II, none were as powerful, refined, and capable as the Boeing B-29 "Superfortress". Conceived as a replacement for the B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers, the B-29 incorporated the latest technology as well as experience gleaned from the early days of the Second World War. It weighed 133,500 pounds loaded, over twice the weight of a B-17, and could carry an amazing 20,000 pounds of bombs, well over three times what the earlier Boeing could tote. Though protected by ten .50 caliber machine guns (some of them in remote controlled turrets) and a 20mm cannon, the B-29's best defense was probably its speed and altitude. With a top speed of over 350 MPH, and a service ceiling of over 33,000 feet, it was perfectly suited for long-range missions in the Pacific, where it served with distinction from 1944 onward.
The Superfortress' 3,700 mile range gave it the reach to bomb Japan from America's island bases, and in fact, it was two B-29s that dropped the atomic bombs that ended the war. And in Empires, the role of the Superfortress is just that-a World War II atomic bomber. Though vulnerable to enemy anti-aircraft fire, this "big silver bird" has the ability to wipe out entire cities with one attack. If the American player can suppress enemy air defenses sufficiently, one or two B-29s can do in an instant what dozens of tanks or groups of infantry could not due after protracted battles. These bombers thus present the United States with a delicate problem. Being expensive and fragile, they require careful attention to detail and proper "target preparation" to smooth the way. On the other hand, their ability to destroy the enemy is unparalleled, making it very tempting to use them whenever possible.
`Not surprisingly, the successful American player in Empires will be the one who knows when to commit the Superfortress and its atomic payload, and when to hold off and pound the enemy with more conventional attacks, like those from the B-29's smaller sibling, the B-17 "Flying Fortress." Once the target city is sufficiently prepared-and its air defenses seriously weakened or destroyed-the B-29 can then be the true war-winning weapon it was in history. From its glistening silver fuselage to the awesome power of its atomic payload, the Superfortress stands as the very symbol of American power as the United States takes its place as a superpower on the world's stage.[1]
See also[]
References[]
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
