An analysis of Soviet airfields on T1

[larryfulkerson]

I did a cut and paste of screenshots to try to analyse the Soviet airfields on T1 just before I started my game against the Soviet AI just
now and thought I'd share what I learned from it. There's not much that can be gleaned from just the numbers alone in this picture but
it looks like "pure bomber" airbases are rare and the rule is fighters at every base. A lot of the Soviet fighters deployed are of the
biplane variety and or I-16's and the Mig-3's and Yak-1's are not represented so much, which is a good thing from the Axis point of
view. Also, from the Axis point of view, the object of the exercise is to destroy as many Soviet planes with the least damage to self as
possible. That means bombing the close-in fighters first so they won't be able to defend quite so vigorously. I have circled in cornsilk
blue those close-in bases I'm refering to. I'm thinking that maybe the Axis player should bomb in increasingly larger concentric circles
and those pure-fighter bases with priority so that any defending fighters will probably be fewer and fewer as the air battle progresses.
That way the Axis bombers that have to fly long distances to reach their targets will have fewer distractions and can enjoy the cloud
formations better.

EDIT: I have no idea if this particular deployment of the Soviet air force is set in stone or if it's a random-ish kind so keep that in mind.

[nedcorleone1]

I believe the setups are permanent. 7th SAD with 139 planes matches up well with what I got. I tried ComradeP's first turn 'Airbase Bombing' strategy and easily knocked out about 5000 SU aircraft (set Air Doc to 10%) with about 100 GE losses of my own. I literally ran out of targets with which to destroy anything. Thanks for this. Super-handy reference for sure. Oh and thanks for the reply to my other post. [:)] Yeah I look forward to some more data mining in the future.

[randallw]

I believe the deployment is an attempt to match the historical situation, though I am not well read on the air war and don't ever remember seeing a document on the base deployments as of the opening of the war.

[olivier34]

great job ! Thanks Larry. I will use this when I began a new GC. For my first one, I let the AI handle the air war and only 2400 soviets planes were destroyed. (historical I think)

[Scook_99]

Remember the following if you are going for the mass Red Air Force death of Turn 1:

1) Remember to recon the air bases 1st. If the mouse over shows you a '?', do it again, otherwise your 1st strike will be pathetic.
2) Change the air settings, Needed to Fly to 0, and Air Base attacks to at least 100%. This will exhaust your air, and leave none for ground support, but well worth doing (change them back once done).
3) Shift + right click each attack so you can pick who flies.
4) The map above is almost perfect (Thank you, Larry!), but you can also reach the air bases on the western Crimea. Lots of juicy targets there too.
5) My preference is to furthest to closest. I like smashing as many of the bombers and recon 1st, then get to the close range fighters last.

EDIT: If you are really going for it, you won't do any port bombing, which means you are bypassing the Riga gambit entirely. I personally rack up the air kills, as I don't find a few infantry a bit further forward worth the effort.

[Klydon]

Nice job Larry, I like that map. [:)]

[Ketza]

I also hit all the air bases in the Crimea. Long range Rumanian aircraft kill on average 250-300 planes.

You are better served in my opinion to hit the furthest away bases first and work your way back in.

[larryfulkerson]

One reason to hit the air bases far away first is to get some flying time out of the long range bombers to those bases before they use up all their mileage on the shorter range bases.  Other than that I can't think of a good reason to hit the far away bases first.  Is that the thought process you're going through to arrive at that hypothesis?  Otherwise it sounds strange to me to do the far away bases first.

[nedcorleone1]

Larry, it probably comes down to the effectiveness of the bombers when they are fresh. If you are going to hit the bases that are far away you'll want to maximize the amount of damage done so you minimize repeat trips.

[Scook_99]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

One reason to hit the air bases far away first is to get some flying time out of the long range bombers to those bases before they use up all their mileage on the shorter range bases.  Other than that I can't think of a good reason to hit the far away bases first.  Is that the thought process you're going through to arrive at that hypothesis?  Otherwise it sounds strange to me to do the far away bases first.

one of two reasons, yes. The other, the 1st turn, Russian air interception is a joke, so you don't have to worry about flying the long distance missions 1st. Nothing worse that having planes that can fly, but they can't hit the further targets.

Edit: I can't call it a hypothesis. In action, my best is now up to just over 5700 aircraft flattened. Working my way from closest to furthest I get about 4500 aircraft.

[Scook_99]

Thank you very much, Larry. I will probably print this on nice paper, mount it and laminate it, for future planning purposes.

[larryfulkerson]

If I had known you were going to go to that much trouble I would have combed it's hair first.

ORIGINAL: Scook_99
...my best is now up to just over 5700 aircraft flattened. Working my way from closest to furthest I get about 4500 aircraft.

Nothing succeeds like success. Hard to argue with results like that. I'm thinking it's just about time I do some in-depth testing of my own. Hold on. Okay......with two trials using from short-to-long-range tactics I get 2705 Soviets with 55 Axis losses on trial 1. On trial 2 I got 3147 Soviets with 56 losses. And trial three ( from longest to shortest distance tactics ) I get 5383 Soviets with 85 losses. Whoa, it works for me too. Thanks for the tip.

[Wild]

Thanks Larry. This is very helpful.

[Mynok]

Yes, farthest to nearest has always worked best for me as well.

[Harovan]

I go the way from the biggest base (in terms of # of planes) to the smallest no matter the distance. First, I go from N to S hitting all bases with 300+ planes (there are a few). I repeat hits only if after the first one the base meets still the same criteria, which happens rarely if ever. Then I do the same with bases with 200+ planes. Then same procedure with 100+, then 50+. By then, I usually have destroyed about 5000 planes. Then I let the AI do 2-3 runs; I often just overlook a base or 2 and the AI takes care of them now. In most cases this approach brings me over 5500, with 50-100 own losses.

[Scook_99]

Thank you Larry. My friend capitulated our last game and so we are starting over right now with me being German. I get to use my handy dandy reference guide.