BAK Long Range

[76mm]

Other than the VVS bases, my understanding has been that all of the other airbases are pretty much the same, despite all of the different names. Is that not correct? If not, the Sovs are screwed, because you soon run out of air bases and get new ones one what seems to be a random basis, in other words you might get airbases like Shad when you need IAD, or vice-versa. As far as I can tell, the types of planes available in the reserve bear little relation to what new airbases you get.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

Other than the VVS bases, my understanding has been that all of the other airbases are pretty much the same, despite all of the different names. Is that not correct? If not, the Sovs are screwed, because you soon run out of air bases and get new ones one what seems to be a random basis, in other words you might get airbases like Shad when you need IAD, or vice-versa. As far as I can tell, the types of planes available in the reserve bear little relation to what new airbases you get.

Yes, it's totally chrome.

[randallw]

The air bases under Moscow Air Command were reserved to help defend that specific area, though in game terms the fighters should go up on defense to defend any air bases in range.  In modern times the Soviet ABM units have been reserved for the Moscow area ( just a bit of random info that means nothing to the game ).

[heliodorus04]

I don't know what 'chrome' means.
My assumption is that it's for the sake of being pretty, but it has no impact on game play?

My understanding was that all airbases are equal in terms of allowing missions by fighters (in any role for any mission type) and bombers (all types for all missions).  The only exception I know of is for VVS airbases, which are directly responsible for night-supply drops to partisans (which requires the air units to be set for night missions).

What I need to know is how to optimize the basing of bombers and recon type aircraft. 

Are there any restrictions inherent to an airbase in the types of aircraft that can fly from that base
AND/OR
the types of bomber-versus-ground missions that can be staged from a base type
(except VVS, which I believe I understand).

Separately, from the 'Things-I-only-now-learned-after-5-months' file
What's come to my attention is that it is apparently tactically useful to keep SOME airbases near the front-line where your missions are being flown because that forward air base will act as a rallying point for multiple aircraft on missions when those aircraft are beginning from separate airfields.  The advantage of this, as I understand it, is that it can save you some air flying miles.

How am I doing?

[TulliusDetritus]

Yes, that's what chrome means. You can put planes where you want (but the recon and transport should be in the VVS bases). As I see it, I like everything organized. If you put fighters in IAD bases, bombers in BAD bases it's easier to find them or see the big picture [;)] I hate chaos. It doesn't do any good. It would be like sending the North Pacific HQ to Australia. Aberrant LOL

Coming mysef from WitP AE, the air thing on this game is sort of kafkaesque. In the former it is VERY detailed AND evident. You 100% know what squadrons will be used in x mission, what squadrons will be doing ASW or Naval Search, Recon missions etc etc.

In WitE it is simply abstracted. And still I don't get, sorry... The PVO, Bak things...

[mmarquo]

You are fine, but maybe not the Soviet Airforce. Here's the deal: I think that CAP can be flown from any airbase, and you can pretty much fly any mission you want to manually from any base. Where it gets bizarre is how ground support (computer AI driven) works. It seems clear from all this mess that we can't say that BAK, etc. are not WAD because no one seems able yet to definitely say what WAD is [8|].
 
If seems that STAVKA bases, BAK, etc will not participate in ground support unless it/they are the closest air base to the action (seems ridiculous, I know). Pavel wrote in a different thread that the airbase limits are 24/8 i.e. Front/Air Army.  With this in mind it only seems logical to attach as many airbases that you can to Fronts and Air Armies and basically screw STAVKA, BAK, PVO - this way you can at least have some confidence (not 100%) that they will perhaps, maybe, possibly, you never know, could happen be committed to ground support.
 
Marquo [:)]

[heliodorus04]

ORIGINAL: Marquo
If seems that STAVKA bases, BAK, etc will not participate in ground support unless it/they are the closest air base to the action (seems ridiculous, I know). Pavel wrote in a different thread that the airbase limits are 24/8 i.e. Front/Air Army.  With this in mind it only seems logical to attach as many airbases that you can to Fronts and Air Armies and basically screw STAVKA, BAK, PVO - this way you can at least have some confidence (not 100%) that they will perhaps, maybe, possibly, you never know, could happen be committed to ground support.

Marquo [:)]

Okay, at least my general understanding is accurate. However, more stuff to ask.

An Air Army is still attached to a Front/Stavka like anything else, I believe: correct me if I'm wrong on that.

What do airbase limits MEAN (what is 24/8). Is that range that an airbase can fly missions to? (24 for something attached to a front, 8 for something attached to an air army?). I've not read that other thread, apparently.

[mmarquo]

24 air bases per Army and 8 per Air Hq (corps).
 
Marquo

[Mynok]

I will point Oleg towards this thread in case he can provide some insight. He is getting massive ground support for his attacks. Be interesting to know how he's basing stuff.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Marquo

24 air bases per Army and 8 per Air Hq (corps).

This is getting ridiculous...I interpreted Speedy's comments as meaning 12 per army and 8 per Air HQ, as if the bases were divisions, although now I can't even find the post where he brought this up, so maybe I totally misread it... It's really about time for an updated manual methinks.

[Harovan]

VVS- these are special air bases that allow transport flights to partisans. I usually put night flight transport, night bombers and recon in them.

PVO - air defense bases for fighters. Here is where opinions differ and things start going badly. It seems, and I thought, that thse bases only fly cap missions. But they may allow escourts etc Put fighters in them, but it is not very clear yet if they have restrictions and limitations other than being just fighter bases.

IAB - fighter bases.

IAD - bigger fighter bases

BAB - bomber bases

BAD - bigger bomber bases

SAD - utility bases, I put a little of everything in them, some fighters, some bombers and some ground attack along with a recon. They also get disbanded over time.

DBAD - long range bombers base

TBAB - heavy bomber base

OSNAZ - "special use air group" not sure what it does special if anything.

ShaD - ground attack bases

BAK - bomber aviation corps

There seems to be a bit confusion about some of the abbreviations, including the manual, especially what TB means.

The first 1-2 letters describe the type of service

I - istrebitelny (fighter)
B - bombardirovochny (bomber)
DB - dalnebombardirovochny (long range bomber)
Sh - shturmovoi (ground support)
S - smeshanny (mixed)
TB - could mean takticheski bombardirovochny (tactical bomber) or tyazhelo bombardirovochny (heavy bomber). It probably means the former, since in the scenario, the heavy TB-3 bombers are not in this base, but in DB.. bases.

The last 2 letters (except for OSNAZ) describe the size:

AK - aviatsionny korpus (air corps)
AD - aviatsionnaya divizia (air division)
AB - aviatsionnaya brigada (air brigade - I think, but am not sure)
AP - aviatsionny polk (air regiment - unit)
AE - aviatsionny eskadron (air squadron - unit)

OSNAZ means osobogo naznachenia, "for special use", and is probably the same as in German z.b.V. means (zur besonderen Verwendung).

[cpt flam]

as a side note
I generally leave VVS airbase closer than others to the frontline
this give a staging base from where miles are flawn [8D]
taking an exemple of ORG Leningrad Front as PVO, Baltic Fleet air & Leningrad Air
typically on VVS i will have 1 Rec,2 NBAP,2 Fighter, 1 Transport & 1 or 2 Sh (attack)
for SAD they go away generally 3 per turn
if your airbase have 6 groups each you will received 1 new airbase per turn (as a maximum)
sorry for the speech [&o]

[mmarquo]

I agree that it is somewhat frustrating.  I am assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that 8 air bases can attach to an air army, and 24 airbases can attach to a Front but this could be all wrong [&:]
 
Marquo

[Harovan]

The devs said the limits are the same as with land HQs, so 8 points to an air corps and 24 to an air army. I don't think there are air fronts. One air base counts as 1 point. Note, that if you attach a base to an air army, which in turn is attached to a front HQ, the load of the front increases by 1 as well.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Marquo

I agree that it is somewhat frustrating.  I am assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that 8 air bases can attach to an air army, and 24 airbases can attach to a Front but this could be all wrong [&:]

I think you mean 8 air bases to an aircorps, because I think air armies are attached to ground fronts. Confused yet? I am.

Also, I'm not sure how we are supposed to know how many points are represented by an air base, 1 or 2?

[Harovan]

It is 1 point, I just tried it and that's what I saw.

[pompack]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

ORIGINAL: Marquo

24 air bases per Army and 8 per Air Hq (corps).

This is getting ridiculous...I interpreted Speedy's comments as meaning 12 per army and 8 per Air HQ, as if the bases were divisions, although now I can't even find the post where he brought this up, so maybe I totally misread it... It's really about time for an updated manual methinks.

I can't find the post either, but it stated that the limits were the same as for the ground HQ's. Count the X's on the air HW to determine the limit

[Speedysteve]

Yup. Same HQ command limits as Ground HQ's.
 
May sound easy for me to say but for all of the various names of the SU airbases the only one that really matter is VVS and PVO AFAIK. They have special coding allowing certain missions from them. The rest you can place whatever you want in them and they will conduct their missions accordingly. It, obviously, makes sense to structure your airforce with the different names in mind as it's easier to track what is where. As such I do place fighters in IAD/IAK for example.
 
I'm going to test some more now on PVO/STAVKA BAK's to make sure they're working as advertised.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Speedy
...but for all of the various names of the SU airbases the only one that really matter is VVS and PVO AFAIK. They have special coding allowing certain missions from them. The rest you can place whatever you want in them and they will conduct their missions accordingly.

It's been a while since I read the manual, but I don't recall anything about PVOs having special attributes?

[Speedysteve]

As in they'll provide CAP but not be used on escort missions etc.