Not sure if this tactic already exists, because I have not seen anybody do it before.
Use the Burton LMR Trench for the support class and use the incendiary firing mode to take down that giant balloon. Be sure to equip a ammo crate so you don’t run out of ammo.
This tactic was inspired by real life events, as incendiary rounds were developed to take down Zeppelins. Figured I should try it in BF1, and what do you know? It works!
This has been covered by some youtuber (don’t remember who). The Burton is one of the most effective weapons against the Zeppelin in BF1.
If you fire at the gun baskets, you can often get a few kills in the process too.
Yep fire at the gondolas (gun baskets) for more damage as well. Also firing at the engines gives higher damage counts too. Doing these things you can get a message something like Part Damaged or Engine Damaged and be awarded even more points and damage.
i did not know that. Thanks.
I discovered that this technique also is effective on planes, so try that out also.
If you shoot the very front nose of the Zeppelin, it causes greater damage and eventually give the “part damaged” notification.
I’ve always wondered if you destroy the engines, does it prevent the Zeppelin pilot from maneuvering?
There are several areas that give you “part damage” which takes a chunk off the zep.
The nose, just behind the nose, the mid and the rear (on each side). At least those 3 areas on each side and the nose.
To quote DOOM (1993):
“Protip: … Shoot at it until it dies.”
So if you have the choice where is the best place to focus your fire?
If gunners on the zep are taking you out, shoot the gondelas. Though you aren’t contributing to a “part” destruction, the damage does translate to the main ship and you are stopping them destroying AA guns.
Don’t shoot a part that is already destroyed. You will damage the zep as normal but you are better off starting on a new “part” if you can see one.
If gondelas are down or not active, Shoot the ‘target’ on the side you can see (since the nose tends to get concentrated fire all the time).
Once you’ve taken out the mid-section “part”, the front section between nose and mid - should now be more obvious where it is.
To be honest, I so rarely have to move onto the rear section behind the ‘target’ because it’ll be down by then hehe.
I never go for the engines since I don’t think they actually have a debilatating effect, at least I’ve never noticed one when piloting the zep.
There are, apparently, other sensitive spots (Midsection bottom, between engines, Midsection top, Rear bottom, in front of rear gondola, tail) though I’m not certain of those.
Be guided by when you see your sights turn to the ‘headshot’ colour you have defined.
I think that’s about it?
Good stuff. Thanks.
Funny I’m still learning new things in this game.
I always thought the gondolas gave the most damage. One thing I thought i saw was if I unload a burton clip into the gondola it gives around 90 or so damage, whereas if I fire a burton clip into the body, i get 40 or 50 damage. Not sure what is going on there. Maybe when i was firing into the body, I was not on a part section? Or do you get more damage per clip firing at the gondolas but give up a chance at part damage?
I’ll start paying more attention for that headshot indicator. All this time and Ive become so set in my ways of working on the gondolas. Lol.
Firing at the gondola is a ‘headshot’ but it doesn’t get a ‘part damaged’ award (which takes a chunk off the zep health).
Also firing at the gondola you can hit the cannoneers too, which ‘inflates’ the apparent damage you’re doing.
(By they way, you can shoot the cannoneers out of the gondola with ‘normal’ weapons - if I have my MG1917 and the cannoneers are proving problematic I sometimes sit and concentrate fire on them. No damage to the zep, but still good for the team. You get to learn where exactly the cannoneers sit and where to aim).
In case it’s not been mentioned, stationary MGs are also surprisingly good at killing the zeppelin. The only problem there is when the blimp is above you, as you won’t be able to aim up as much.
Indeed. HMGs of various kinds will do damage. On the back of cars - in tanks - etc
Exactly. That HE cannon on Giant’s Shadow you’ve been working is pretty decent against the train too if memory serves.
I do believe I have a clip saved on my PS that shows how a full squad can take down an airship in approx 90 secs… With primarily AAs & mounted HMGs
It was surprise for me but lasttime i earned about 8k pts in 5 minutes just firing at gondola with mg from back of car. The great speciality of this mg is that it overheats very slow, and cools down very fast. Sure i was just below zeppelin so damage was max. And what is interesting - trace of bullets is not so bright as burtons one. So passengers of zep didnt pay attention to you.
Burton LMG’s, Pom-Pom guns and mounted Vickers machine guns are all good at doing damage to the airship. The Vickers is my go to as you are harder to see from the air I think the range is better and if careful and don’t over heat the gun you can get a massive point score.
My tip is is you’ve managed to stop the first attack on Ballroom blitz Ops in the first sector there are no stationery weapons or vehicles to take on the airship but you can get to the AA guns by the mansion If your fast enough before the timer runs out. Once on the AA guns the out of bounds timer resets. Cheesy I know but it’s better than letting the attackers have the first sector. Haven’t done this in some time as I just use the LMG 1917 to farm kills from the airship gunners.
Also did you know that if you use the heavy bomber support loadout and drop supplies on it it will lower it altitude.
Mad stuff these guys do, finding things that you didn’t know was possible like getting tank on a airship and that there’s another type of heavy bomber that isn’t a strategic loadout, who knew.
Not sure if this is true but the amount of points you get suggests it is. A friend told me that if you shoot a gondola and you aim such that the blimp is behind it you get hits on both. It seems to be the case since the case with the amount of points that pop up on screen for behemoth damage. Doesn’t work with AA.