Three Questions and a Thought About the Air War (Full Version)

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neuromancer -> Three Questions and a Thought About the Air War (4/13/2021 2:57:52 AM)

I'm playing the Road to Leningrad scenario as the Axis of Evil (tm), and been trying to work out the air war. I think I was too conservative with my initial bombing runs, I thought I had done pretty well, but then saw that the dirty commies still had a crap load of fighters left over.

Which leads to the first question.

I was trying to get a bombing mission together for an attack on an airfield where I thought a bunch of fighters were based (mostly as an experiment) and obviously I wanted to send along escorts, but it kept telling me it would be 0 escorts - which for an attack on a fighter base would be suicide. I made sure it was within the range circle of my fighters, and my recon missions had escorts listed, but not my bombing run?

Any idea what might cause it to decide not to send escorts like that?


I saw it said elsewhere to not bother with Air Superiority missions, to only use escorts as the operational losses will not make it worth it. And while I haven't tried to do any AS missions, I am inclined to agree with at least the idea that there would be high operational losses. Although I would like to shoot down more Soviet planes.

Second question: Does the hivemind agree? Is Air Superiority not worth the operational losses?


And then a thought, and a question.

I mentioned that my recon missions had escorts. I'd been finding them getting shot up near Leningrad, so I decided to give them escorts, and specifically set a number, about 1 to 1 fighter to recon. I was then surprised to discover I was shooting the heck out of the Soviet Air Force. Apparently they would send fighters up to engage my recon planes, and the BF-109s would eat them for lunch. I had about a 10 to 1 ratio of kills in my favour. I in fact lost far more planes to operational losses than enemy fire, while taking down a bunch of enemy fighters in the process.

I thought this interesting, and a good way to grind down the Russian fighter force at little risk. Except the operational losses. Jury is out on the effectiveness of this overall, but so far it's the best kills I've got on the enemy air force since the initial day 1 bombings.

So the third question: How do you reduce operational losses, or can you?

Thank you.



neuromancer -> RE: Three Questions and a Thought About the Air War (4/13/2021 3:50:33 AM)

Correction, realized that I was sending about FIVE to one for escorts, 1 to 1 is what it does on its own.

Also looks like the Soviets are tired of that game and don't want to play any more. [sm=sign0003.gif]



loki100 -> RE: Three Questions and a Thought About the Air War (4/13/2021 8:37:01 AM)

I don't tend to use AS, auto-intercept is usually all that is needed. Mainly as both sides struggle to get fighters deep into enemy airspace (unlike say the Western Allies in 1944)

really up to 1944, the VVS will lose any A2A interaction horribly, fundamentally pilot skill trumps almost any other variable, so if you can get them to fight do so. This is why use GS on T1, its not the impact on ground combat that matters, its the ability to do real damage in the air.

op losses are significant. They come from combinations of low skill, low morale, poor reliability scores for your planes, poor weather and distance (either single mission at the range limit or built up over the week).

practically you can only control the last variable in that you have some influence over the others but mostly have to deal with what you have.

So, try to avoid that if you can, clearly there are times when you want to push to the limits but be aware of the fairly direct cost of those actions - so its a choice where the gains promise to offset the losses



neuromancer -> RE: Three Questions and a Thought About the Air War (4/14/2021 5:25:21 AM)

Thanks, Loki.
I found I was flying a LOT more escort planes than I thought I was, which accounts for the high operational losses. And in light of that, and what you say about not being able to fly deep sweep missions in enemy territory, what you say about not bothering with AS makes sense.

No idea why my escorts didn't want to fly on a mission though?



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