AD Questions (Full Version)

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dwesolick -> AD Questions (2/6/2021 7:22:38 PM)

Getting a lot of good info from the forums and living manual as I re-acquaint myself with this great game. Have a few AD questions though:

1. I may be just imagining this, but I vaguely recall there being a trick or work-around so that the maximum number of AD's per HQ can be exceeded. Is this possible?

2. Air superiority altitudes: I know a lot depends on the particular F-FBs used, but, generally speaking, is higher better? I would assume higher would be better for "offensive" AS missions (sweeps over Calais, say) and somewhat lower for defensive AS missions (protecting the beach-heads in Sicily). Is that right?

3. Recon altitudes: Manual says 12k for low level and 35k for high level but I'm seeing all sorts of other answers in the forums. Any consensus as to what is best?

thanks!



cfulbright -> RE: AD Questions (2/6/2021 11:36:31 PM)

quote:

1. I may be just imagining this, but I vaguely recall there being a trick or work-around so that the maximum number of AD's per HQ can be exceeded. Is this possible?

You can have a maximum of 10 AD's per HQ, but you only can have active a number that is the average of the Admin and Air ratings for that HQ commander. Essentially you can "save" some AD's by deactivating them, then reuse them later by reactivating them. If you have more AD's active (checked) then the commander can support, the game will fly the first AD's up to the allowed amount.

quote:

2. Air superiority altitudes: I know a lot depends on the particular F-FBs used, but, generally speaking, is higher better? I would assume higher would be better for "offensive" AS missions (sweeps over Calais, say) and somewhat lower for defensive AS missions (protecting the beach-heads in Sicily). Is that right?

For the Allies higher is almost always better. That's because the Allied planes generally have a higher "max speed altitude" than the German planes, and max speed, climb rate, and manueverability rating are what win A2A combat. (Unfortunately there's no in-game way to see each aircraft's max speed altitude, you have to look at them in the editor.) For example, the Bf 109G-6 has a max speed alt of 21K', the P-47D-15 has a 29K' max speed alt. See screen shot. The Spitfire IX's is 25K'.

For that reason, I fly my AS AD's at 24K' and SB AD's at 21K' (to avoid low-altitude flak), so my FB-F's are above or at the same altitude as the German interceptors.

quote:

3. Recon altitudes: Manual says 12k for low level and 35k for high level but I'm seeing all sorts of other answers in the forums. Any consensus as to what is best?

Optimal recon photo altitudes are as follows:

Low: 12K'
Medium: 25K'
High: 35K'

But the altitude set for a recon AD can be up to 10K' higher (or lower, but why?) than the optimal altitude, and they'll adjust over the target. For that reason I fly my Low recon AD's at 22K' and my Mediums at 27K' (because I want to avoid the Fatigue penalty for high altitude flying).

Cary

[image]local://upfiles/9101/77F078EC7570429FB191519C562D5AE9.jpg[/image]



dwesolick -> RE: AD Questions (2/7/2021 12:05:57 AM)

Thanks for the detailed response Cary. I've owned this game since the release day and I'm still learning new stuff. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know high altitude flying caused fatigue or that there was a "medium" altitude for recon (the living manual only lists high and low, unless I'm looking in the wrong spot). I've also never even opened the editor before.

I did see the part about recon changing altitude though. I'll be taking all my high altitude recon off of 35K from now on now that I know there's a penalty.

Just curious, what altitude do you recon enemy airfields at? Low or Medium? I assume the high for strategic and low/medium for tactical still holds mostly true?



cfulbright -> RE: AD Questions (2/7/2021 1:12:08 AM)

I think the ideal altitude for Medium recon was mentioned in the forums a few years ago, but I can't find it now.

I tend not to attack enemy airfields, so not sure what's ideal for that. Low is probably better, but I'm guessing.

I do all Strategic at Medium except for the F-9's that only have High-altitude cameras. I learned about six months ago that Medium altitude tactical is a waste of time, so do all tactical at Low altitude.

Cary



dwesolick -> RE: AD Questions (2/7/2021 2:14:35 PM)

Yeah, my tactical recon has been pretty pathetic so far. I've been going in too high. I do like to hammer the LW airfields though, especially early in the game (later, not so much).

One odd thought, if the program adjusts the recon height by up to 10K, does it go up or down? If I want low recon (of interdiction, say) and I go in a bit higher than 12k to avoid some flak, say 16K, I assume the program knows to drop to 12K for the pics. But if I'm on the higher side of the 18500 midpoint between 12k and 25k, would it automatically opt for 25K?

On a slightly different note, has anyone ever had any luck in interdicting the ferries between Messina and Calabria? I never seem to.



cfulbright -> RE: AD Questions (2/7/2021 2:40:08 PM)

I'm pretty sure the altitude that the recon takes place at is dictated by the type of cameras. So if your recon planes have Low altitude cameras, the AD will move the plane(s) to 15K' over the target.

Cary



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