What am I doing wrong...?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Gary Grigsby's Eagle Day to Bombing the Reich >> What am I doing wrong...?

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What am I doing wrong...? - 6/28/2017 12:06:49 AM

DavidRosner

Posts: 6
Joined: 4/2/2006
From: Los Angeles
Status: offline

Playing the 1943 Long campaign as the Allies...

Not making long unescorted raids
Layering and Time Staggering Escorts...
Just starting to receive P-51B's

Germans almost ALWAYS seem to have the Bounce, and always get results
recently sent out a raid of 4 groups of British Mitchell II's with 8 squadrons of
Spitfire fighter cover... Germans pretty much ignore the British Fighters,
and slaughter 60 Mitchells

my Bombers almost NEVER seem to shoot back...

My escorts almost always fail to Bounce, and just Attack...

My Bombers and Fighters get Huge amounts of "Damaged" enemy fighters, when they DO actually attack,
but very few "Destroyed" Enemy Fighters...

I'm getting slaughtered here...

(Current stats for my Campaign:)

thru 11/19/1943
Air Superiority 2
Strategic Bombing 7
Terror Bombing 14

Allied Losses 3,936 (with 1600 AAA losses)
Axis Losses 2,420 (with over half of them as GROUND kills)

< Message edited by DavidRosner -- 6/28/2017 12:07:14 AM >

Post #: 1

RE: What am I doing wrong...? - 6/28/2017 5:59:13 AM

Kursk1943

Posts: 445
Joined: 3/15/2014
From: Bavaria in Southern Germany
Status: offline

I'm only playing the Axis side, but I don't think you are doing wrong. My impression is, that experience and morale count a lot. In 1943 the Germans have a lot of units with experience in the 80ies and 90ies, I had units with morale of 99! When I won a game as Axis in May 1944 I had a look at the Allied side and saw many units with low morale and experience. 1943 is hard for the Allies (it also was in history). It's all about whittling down the Germans. Starting in 1944 the Axis will get only low experienced replacement pilots and if you keep up pressure as Allied without respite using escorted multiple raids, rest and rotate your units, then you will wear down the Luftwaffe for sure. As in history the critical time is Feb/March 1944. And watch out for heavily defended Flakareas like radar stations, V-sites, certain airfields and ground units, avoid them or accept heavy losses.

(in reply to DavidRosner)

Post #: 2

RE: What am I doing wrong...? - 6/28/2017 8:52:53 PM

warshipbuilder

Posts: 1960
Joined: 2/23/2013
From: C-eh-n-eh-d-eh
Status: offline

Given the fact that most Spitfires are bomb trucks, what did you expect? They will be having a hard time just staying with the bombers, never mind trying to dogfight with 500 pounds of dead weight strapped to their fuselages. Make sure you look carefully at the loadouts of your chosen escorts.

What distances do you have escorts above your bombers?

This is not about shooting down enemy a/c, this is about killing their pilots. If you can send in another strike to the same target about an hour after the first strike, do it, then send another. Wear them down, fatigue will be your friend. As PZ said they have high experience and high morale, you need to beat that out of them. You have more aircraft than the LW use that to your advantage. But in tandem with this, keep an eye on your squadrons morale levels.

In the early stages of the game, BC should be your weapon of choice.

Pick your targets with the strategic concept of your path to victory in mind. By day you can have the USAAF hit say an engine factory PLUS the nearest railyard. You have to do that or the engines will still go through. This holds true for any target. Then have BC pay a visit. Round the clock bombing, what a concept!

Another thing that will help with this is the fact you have lots and lots of FBs. Use them. Try a little shock and awe. Blast every radar installation within reach.

Checkout KayBays tips in the War Room http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2274148

_____________________________

warshipbuilder

Any ship can be a minesweeper, once.
ED/BTR Ressurection Project
https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca/

(in reply to DavidRosner)

Post #: 3

RE: What am I doing wrong...? - 7/16/2017 3:58:56 PM

kaybayray

Posts: 424
Joined: 6/1/2007
Status: offline

Greetings David Rosner <S> Sir!

Warshipbuilder <S> Sir!

Thanks for the plug on my thread.

Yes, I LIVE !
I was shot down over Lower Slobovia and have been evading capture. Finally made it back to base. I had to build a new rig and lost all my data. Yes, again... I think this is like the 3rd time now. Cheap components I guess.

Mr. Rosner Sir <S>
At the cost of appearing conceited I do recommend giving my thread a read. Also check out the contributions by such True aficionado's as Warshipbuilder, Nicholas Bell, and the others I mention. They have a lot of real insight to offer. This game is fantastic and I never get tired of working at it. This is no Beer & Pretzel's game. This is an intellectual death match of the 3rd order of magnitude.

The Devil is in the Details as Warshipbuilder points out. You have tons of options in this game but if you are not aware of them then you can find yourself in trouble. If you have not already done so, I would highly recommend taking time to do some serious study of the actual history of the Allied Strategic Bombing Campaign and the Luftwaffe defense against it. Study the Men, Machines and Methods employed by both sides. Keep in mind that my advice is coming from KayBay, and everybody knows, KayBay is Insane. You will understand if you give my thread a read. I am currently working on my next installment which covers the Electronic Warfare aspects. One of the most underutilized and misunderstood facets of this fantastic game. See, this proves I am insane.

I have recently purchased several books covering some aspects of the Strategic Bombing Campaign and also researching the EW, Elint and various Radars both ground and airborne platforms and attempting to put them to use. Why? Cause I am The KayBay, and I am insane.

But for some more practical advice to aid you with your delima, the simple truth is that your one true Warhammer until the spring of 44 is Bomber Command. Night Bombing is really your strongest weapon until then. Your Daylight Strategic Bombing forces until then are really only capable of inflicting Death by a Thousand Slashes so to speak. Because you don't have enough of the Heavy Bomber Groups to really pound Germany early on. The only forces, IMHO, that can really do damage are your Heavy Bombers, B-17's and B-24's. Check out your Group listings and you will see you really don't have much. Your Medium Bombers really don't have the concentration and bomb load outs to really shut down German Industrial Targets. They work very well for Transportation targets such as Rail Yards and Radar. If you assess your campaign score I believe it will confirm this. You most significant gains have been in Night Bombing. And just a FYI, you do have a very decent score going. This is a tough game, not meant for the Meek of Heart. So, just take your time and hang in there. Do your best to learn from your successes and failures and stay the course to Final Victory!

Trust me, any losses you have sustained in this game, I Guarantee I have sustained multiples worse, cause I AM the KayBay and I do it the KayBay Way!