What would be better ? Simply fixed airfields and moving support units. As in real life.
The game is simulating real life, in 1940 (Battle of Britain) there were no paved runways in Britain (a well developed country). A grass landing area allowed a squadron to take off together in formation, in any direction - into wind, tail wheel aircraft are easier to handle on a grass surface - less chance of a ground loop. All of this applies equally to Russia where airfields were set up on any suitable grass, or dirt, terrain, the use of paved runways, or steel mesh landing strips, came later in the war.
Wartime footage of aircraft using runways comes from later in the war, especially as nose-wheel undercarriage came into use (danger of digging into soft surfaces) and aircraft weight increased.
In 1944 the allied tactical airforces went to France, not to use fixed airbases, but to rapidly prepared strips, same thing happened in the Pacific, airfields were quickly carved out of whatever was available.
I don't know what more to say, look at genuine video footage of the war in Russia and see if you can see a paved runway in use during the early war period.
The game is accurate. [:)]
