Correct Soviet Air Doctrine

[matt.buttsworth]

I am learning through error to play Soviets in 1941 GC. What in peope's experience are the correct air doctrine Soviets in this first terrible year.

All advise appreciated.

Matthew Buttsworth
Germany

[Montbrun]

I don't know what the "best" strategy is, but I send all of the Soviet Air Units to the National Reserve after the first several turns of running away, and then reorganize my Air Force around 04/42, when you get Air Armies.

[mmarquo]

Brad,
 
In your experience, what is the difference between setting the percent needed to fly over one hundred and putting the air units in the national reserve?

[Aurelian]

The NR is off map, so they are beyond enemy reach while they refit/reorganize/train what have you.

And the enemy is beyond their reach until they're back on the map.

[mmarquo]

Well if you set the percentage to fly over 100% on air bases far to the rear, how is that any different?

[randallw]

I've decided that these crappy pilots shouldn't limit their deaths to pathetic flying accidents while fellow countrymen are having to flee their foxholes every day.
 
Currently I have air bases a good distance from the front lines, about 20-25 hexes, with an empty airbase in between as the transfer/waypoint.  Fighters stay back as protection, bombers go out every and drop flaming vodka bottles on Germans at night.

[randallw]

The top line German fighters can't reach my bases too well; the He-111s and Do-17s basically go out on their own.  I take some losses from raids on my airfields but the 111s and 17s don't get away without some payment.

[jomni]

Actually Soviet losses after the first turn is not so bad.  And having them around is useful for automated recon, air defense, and movement interdiction (quite effective).   I have had little success on direct attacks on units and airbases.  I lose from 1-2 planes per German loss only.

Any other tips to make good use of the Soviet Air Force? 
I also don't know how to drop supplies on the partisans.

[randallw]

Partisan air supply is semi-automatic.  The computer checks your VVS bases for transports and uses them to automatically fly supply; if those planes aren't there ( or can't reach the partisans ) then it tries other planes/bases.

[randallw]

There's still the disappointment of seeing only about 10%-20% of bombers actually getting to the target hex on bombing; will have to check the manual to see why.

[gradenko2k]

I haven't played a GC yet, but I've had some success with the following strategy:
1. At the start of my turn, set the Percentage to Fly at 20% or lower
2. Recon the German airfields until I get DET 10
3. Bomb the airfields repeatedly. I usually just shift-click and send every available plane at them
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for each target airfield
5. Before I end my turn, set the Percentage to Fly at 105% or higher. If no one goes up into the air, the Germans can't shoot me down (although obviously they can still bomb your airfields directly)

I'm usually able to rack a 2:1 loss ratio on each of my Soviet turns. I take some more losses during the German turns obviously, but I think the "empty forward airbase" (good idea!) can mitigate that somewhat - although how do I know if I'm setting my actual full airbases too far back?

[Aurelian]

ORIGINAL: Marquo

Well if you set the percentage to fly over 100% on air bases far to the rear, how is that any different?

The NR is immune to any and all Axis action. They can't be bombed, attacked, put in an enemy ZOC, or even stared at.

[randallw]

Each aircraft type has a range, listed in miles; each hex is worth 10 miles, so just divide the range by 10 and that's the maximum amount of hexes the type can reach ( from the forward airbase ).

The amount of flak I have to face depends on the flight angle, and sometimes the target.  Sometimes there's 30 or 40 88s and maybe 60 or 70 other pieces, other times I face a dozen pieces.  The Axis Allies are weaker of course.

You probably want to avoid having the airbases, with planes, within 20 hexes of the front line; the Bf 109s can reach you then.

[Blind Sniper]

I don't know what the "best" strategy is, but I send all of the Soviet Air Units to the National Reserve after the first several turns of running away, and then reorganize my Air Force around 04/42, when you get Air Armies.

I found it a very gamey move and I'm astonished to see several testers do it...

They have to stay in the map except for airgroups that really need this recollocation.
Then the Russian player can place all his aircraft in the borders (and I don't like this move too) but I have some chances to hit them at least (even if very few).

Hide all, repeat all your air force (Nationale Reserve o border) is not tactic.

[KenchiSulla]

I agree with Blind Sniper, the soviet player should be punished more severely for putting large chunks of its AF into the NR!

Imagine Stalin asking: "where are our planes" with applicable commander chief replying "they are hiding in the Far East sir, all 9000 of them..." I mean, c'mon...
And that is coming from a player who is planning on a PBEM soviet side...

[heliodorus04]

As a newb, I agree with the previous two posts.
If I can't rename L Corps to 50th Corps because it's a-historical (how I hate translating Roman numerals in my head!), then gamey psychic strategies like that ought to be disallowed by the game mechanics.

[ool]

I NR all the frontline units after turn one. Lets face it their morale is in the toilet so what else can you do? As for the rear area bases all I-153 are automatic into the reserve and upgraded ASAP, admin points permitting. SB2's are NR ASAP as well. They are flying clay pigeons.

I tried the all to NR in a few practice games and found it annoying to be without recon or fighter cover for rear echelon areas that weren't hit day one.

[Blind Sniper]

then gamey psychic strategies like that ought to be disallowed by the game mechanics.

I think that is only important the "common sense", the National Reserve is a good mechanic per se (and useful for Russian in the early years).

How to do it by code? I don't know, I'm mot a programmer.
How to do it in game? Gentlemen's agreement.
I'm playing a PBEM game with a forum member (Fletcher) and after two or three turns we reached the same conclusion, don't put everything in the Nationale Riserve (or other).
We are playing Road to Leningrad and every turn I receive an air attack at least. We never talked about House Rules, just common sense.

We want to play the '41 Campaign and I'm glad to have found a fair opponent like him [:)]

[heliodorus04]

Yeah, sorry to have said "game mechanics" - I'm not a programmer and don't know how hard such a thing is.  I didn't mean to be mean-spirited/critical.  I love the game.
Cost APs beyond a certain threshold of units per turn?  I dunno.
If I could find someone with that same gentleman's agreement mindset, I'd be happy (and I resolve not to do it myself as Soviet).

[ComradeP]

Air to air combat, air base bombings and AA damage are currently broken to the extend that the VVS bombing Luftwaffe bases will quickly cause significant losses the Luftwaffe can't take whilst the Soviets take minimal losses. notenome and me have agreed not to do so until it's fixed, as it's just too gamey currently.