Most Efficient Way to Use Soviet Air Power

[matt.buttsworth]

It is now 1944 and the Soviets have a massive number of planes.
What is the best way to use Soviet air power?
Should I always bomb enemy units (which does not seem to have much effect)?
Try to bomb cities?
Or set it on automatic? (how do you do this?)

Please say the best way you think is to use Soviet planes.

Matthew Buttsworth

[TulliusDetritus]

Not the best use, but what I do (different things) [:)]

1941:

1) I don't do daylight attacks (ground bombing)

2) nigth bombing: harass the most dangerous enemy units with the many hordes of U-V2s and long-range bombers attached to the BAK air Commands. This is a tedious task, yes.

3) the rest of the air force will automatically intercept and support ground forces. Well, in theory. I have never changed the air doctrine settings. And yet my opponents confirmed I was doing a lot of interdiction.

4) the VVS air bases are close to the front. They are filled minimum with at least one long range transport or bomber to supply partisans.

Finally, I never bomb airfields, as that would destroy the Lutwaffe. I don't bomb HQs because I could assassinate enemy leaders en masse. Gamey things ergo I avoid them.

1942:

Basically the same, but here perhaps I will be using the MANUAL daylight ground bombing, before a land attack that is.

[TulliusDetritus]

Oops! Sorry, I really should pay more attention [8|] 1944

I never got to that year (like almost everyone I guess). Hmm, in 1944 you have the initiative, the Germans are on the defensive. Still, interdiction is important. In theory, you are massing the Red Army forces and then strike a portion of the front. Interdiction may be interesting here to harass the enemy deployment of reserves (to meet your threat).

Then I guess I would carpet bomb the enemy units you plan to massively assault. Perhaps 1/2 of the front can do gound attacks and the other 1/2 might be saved to interdict enemy defensive movements and support land battles.

Given that I am a purist (or a moron, as you prefer [:D]), I would not use the Soviet Air Force as a strategic tool. Only tactical (just like in the real thing: the red Air Force was not the USAAF).

[mmarquo]

OTOH I encourage bombing HQs sitting alone in the clear.

[Encircled]

Bombing HQ's at night isn't gamey

I second Marquo about bombing HQ's that are on their own. Excellent way of utilising your otherwise useless U2's

[Aurelian]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus



Finally, I never bomb airfields, as that would destroy the Lutwaffe. I don't bomb HQs because I could assassinate enemy leaders en masse. Gamey things ergo I avoid them.

I've been bombing HQs for seven straight turns. Haven't killed a leader yet. But damage to fuel/supply and troop disruption/kills help. Airfield bombings have been less than I hoped though.

[TulliusDetritus]

Encircled and Aurelian, I am pretty certain I read someone saying -one or two weeks ago- he was killing enemy leaders (via air attacks vs HQs). Latest patches. Until this is 100% fixed I will not bomb them [8D]

Don't encourage me or... I might start spamming the HQs with many night gifts. The squadrons and bombs are ready [:D]

[CarnageINC]

Being a axis fanboy I would say that this is the best most efficient way of running the Soviet air force that I've seen [:D]

[Aurelian]

HAHA. Looks like my airforce...

[matt.buttsworth]

How do I use air doctrines to set up automatic interdiction and attacks of enemy ground units?

Thanks

Matthew

Bit ignorant here.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

Encircled and Aurelian, I am pretty certain I read someone saying -one or two weeks ago-

I said so two days ago [:)]
One airstrike took out 10 German generals...
Killed a total of 17 generals in the last 3 turns, so have stopped using aerial HQ attacks


Terje

[TulliusDetritus]

Quod erat demonstrandum

Thanks Terje, I will keep avoiding these attacks [8D]

[Cavalry Corp]

ORIGINAL: terje439

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

Encircled and Aurelian, I am pretty certain I read someone saying -one or two weeks ago-

I said so two days ago [:)]
One airstrike took out 10 German generals...
Killed a total of 17 generals in the last 3 turns, so have stopped using aerial HQ attacks


Terje

that is stupid and I hope its fixed because HQ were often attacked and its realistic to do so but 1 leader a year maybe would be ok... This kind of problem makes me not want to commit to a big campaign.

Cav

[Jakerson]

Here is full list of German Generals killed at eastern front, rank, cause of death and location. 31 German Generals was killed at eastern front totally.

GM Julius von Bernuth. His Fieseler Storch was found crashed near Ssochkranaja, two days after his disappearence. Btw he was an early Nazi.
Gen. Kurt von Briesen. Shot by two Russian fighter aircraft MG-fire near Isjum/Donezk while driving from one regiment to another in the front line. The other officers in his car survived.
GL Friedrich Bergmann. Killed near Kaluga, 200 km south of Moscow.
Gm Gerhard Berthold. KIA near Korolevka. GL posthumously.
GL Georg Braun. KIA? near Charkow
GM Albert Buck. KIA? near Kljutschewaja
GM Cord von Bülow. KIA near Witebsk.
GM Karl Fischer. Killed near Uljewo/Vyasma. Unknown circumstances.
GL Otto Gabcke. KIA near Charkow-
GL Herbert Geitner. Wounded near Artemovsk. Died in hospital in Freiburg.
Oberstarzt/Gen.Arzt Dr. Walter Hanspach. KIA near Perepolny (posthumous promotion).
GL Georg Hewelke. Killed near Byansk. Unknown circumstances.
GL Kurt Himer. Wounded in Crimea. Died in hospital?
Oberst/GM Bruno Hippler. KIA near Lake Ilmen. (posthumous promotion)
GL Kurt Kalmukoff. KIA? near Swoncz.
GL Viktor Koch. KIA? near Voronej.
GL z.V. Rudolf Krantz. Wounded, died in hospital in Dresden.
GL Otto Lancelle. KIA by a sniper near Smerdy.
Gen. Willibald von Langerman u. Erlenkamp. KIA (in car approaching the front line) near Storoshewoje.
GM Erwin Mack. KIA near Terek.
GM Richard-Heinrich von Reuss. KIA near Bovoskaya/Stalingrad.
GL Stephan Rittau. KIA? near Rshew.
GM Franz Scheidies. KIA by sniper near Gluschitza.
Gen.Oberst Eugen von Schobert. His Storch landed in a minefield near Tarnopol.
GM Ulrich Schütze. KIA near Stalingrad.
GM Karl von Weber. Wounded. Died in hospital at Krassnyj.

Brig-Fhr Richard Herrmann. KIA
Gruf u. GL Pol./SS-Stubaf d.R. Paul Moder. Fell into Lake Ilmen or KIA near Lake Ilmen.
Gruf u. GL Pol. Arthur Mülverstedt. Wounded near Luga.
Oberf u. Oberst d. Pol. Dr Johannes Nockemann. Killed by partisans/Kleinirowo.
Brig-Fhr u. GM Pol. Hans Christian Schulze. Mortally wounded near Luga.
Brig-Fhr u. GM Pol. Walther Stahlecker. Killed by partisans/Krasnogwardeisk.

Info queted from axis history forum: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 4&start=15

Axis history forum have answer almoust everything related to world war two and many historical academics write there.

[Aurelian]

And there was FM Walther von Reichenau. Died of a heart attack.

I'm playing three PBEMS, using the latest beta. Bombing HQs in all three turn after turn. Not a single enemy leader killed.

Terribly unlucky I guess

[Jakerson]

ORIGINAL: Aurelian

And there was FM Walther von Reichenau. Died of a heart attack.

I'm playing three PBEMS, using the latest beta. Bombing HQs in all three turn after turn. Not a single enemy leader killed.

Terribly unlucky I guess

I normally lose about 4-5 generals per game year isolated HQ witch are inside pockets and forced to relocate seem to have highest risk of Generals getting killed I once lost 3 Generals per turn this way when HQ relocate out from pockets.

[Flaviusx]

I only very rarely get a leader killed this way, not sure what's going on here.

[heliodorus04]

ORIGINAL: Jakerson

ORIGINAL: Aurelian

And there was FM Walther von Reichenau. Died of a heart attack.

I'm playing three PBEMS, using the latest beta. Bombing HQs in all three turn after turn. Not a single enemy leader killed.

Terribly unlucky I guess

I normally lose about 4-5 generals per game year isolated HQ witch are inside pockets and forced to relocate seem to have highest risk of Generals getting killed I once lost 3 Generals per turn this way when HQ relocate out from pockets.

Cannonfodder and I have both noticed a very high probability of general dying when the player clicks on HQ Relocate. Seems counter-intuitive: if you order the HQ to flee, they should be safer than if Germans over-run them.

[Flaviusx]

HQ relocate is damn near autokill for generals if the HQ is pocketed. Which is a nice way to get some free leadership changes as the Soviet after turn 1 and clear the decks of a slew of bad generals.

[heliodorus04]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

HQ relocate is damn near autokill for generals if the HQ is pocketed. Which is a nice way to get some free leadership changes as the Soviet after turn 1 and clear the decks of a slew of bad generals.

Speaking for myself, my General deaths were the result of hitting Relocate even when NOT surrounded. Think of the units between Riga and Pskov after the wreck of turn 1. All sorts of HQs need to move further than they can. So in my early days as a Soviet player (1.04) I would use this on air bases and HQs, resulting in about a 33% to 50% KIA leaders.

Not sure what CF would say his data show.