Introduced in the 30s, this was one of the fastest bombers of its day. By 1940 is was outpaced by new fighters but represented the bulk of the VVS bomber fleet. Used in spain and china, as well as the eastern fronts. "Successfully" bombed the Deutschland. The crew mistaking the german ship for the Canaris
Big reason for this was its ubiquity early in the war and generally wide use. Including both sides of the SCW. There are a couple of options already avaiable, this is just a cheapy filler unit for the reds with a secondary use for the spanish factions.
Recommending
ASW BOMBER 2: Once per game, instead of making a Bomb attack during your Air Attack step, this unit can make a 2-dice ASW attack.
The finns used them for maritime patrol planes, sinking 3 russian subs.
Along with either
NIGHT SPECIALIST: While in Darkness, this unit gets +1 on each search check and ignores darkness attack penalties.
They were forced to operate by night after massive losses during Barbarossa or
Rough Airstrip Operations-Once per game at the beginning of the Air Midsion phase, you may remove a rearming counter from this unit if you control an Installation with the Airstrip ablity.
I did some looking, SB's are known to have "accidentally" attacked deuchsland and may have hot so.e mpre ships in the yangtze as well. They did launch a long range strike at a major japanese base on taiwan/formosa. Given this showpieces were a pretty good example of navigation and planning and to give this a niche
SKILLED SEARCH: This unit gets +1 on each long-range search check.
SKILLED SEARCH: This unit gets +1 on each long-range search check.
Rough Airstrip Operations - Once per game at the beginning of the Air Midsion phase, you may remove a rearming counter from this unit if you control an Installation with the Airstrip ablity.
Maximum speed: 450 km/h (280 mph, 240 kn) at 4,100 m (13,451 ft)
Range: 2,300 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi)
Service ceiling: 9,300 m (30,500 ft)
Time to altitude:
1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 1 minute 48 seconds
9,000 m (29,528 ft) in 32 minutes
Armament
Guns: 4 × 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns (two in nose, one in dorsal and one in ventral position)
Bombs: 6 × 100 kg (220 lb) or six 50 kg (110 lb) bombs in bomb-bay, 2 × 250 kg (550 lb) bombs on wing racks
Aircraft - Patrol Bomber
Points 6
Speed - A
Bomb 6
ASW 2
A4 V6 H1
SKILLED SEARCH: This unit gets +1 on each long-range search check.
Rough Airstrip Operations - Once per game at the beginning of the Air Midsion phase, you may remove
a rearming counter from this unit if you control an Installation with the Airstrip ablity.
ANT-40 , or Tupolev SB, was Fast and Modern when introduced in 1936. Sent to support the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War. Difficult for contemporary fighters to intercept. Once they encountered monoplane fighters, like the Bf109 and Ki-27, they proved vunerable. By the time of operation Barbarossa, ANT-40 were still the most numerous bomber in Soviet use. Though swiftly replaced when alternatives were available.