Strategick Bombers

[Uxbridge]

I welcome the change that the British don't have any 4-engine bombers at the outbreak of war. It feels correct.

I also think that the two Soviet bombers should be removed from original set-up. Yes, they had 4-engines, but those plane's ability to cause any real damage to the German war economy in the first part of the war, was, as far as I know, very limited.

I would also suggest that the ability to build strategic bombers should be tied to research; maybe that it won't be possible until tech reach '41, or att least '40 level.

Just my two cents.

[AlvaroSousa]

I think the UK has their 1st 4 engine bombers in late 1940. But the UK at the start of the game has no business building them. They are in dire need of other assets.

[Uxbridge]

The British are fine; they had the Stirling almost completed. But I saw a German strategic bomber in late '40 or early '41, and it took some sense of "feeling okay" out of the situation.

Also, if it's tied to tech, this will turn strategic bombers into a player decision, not merely something you can order at your hearts fancy.

But it's by no means a big deal, just a reflection.

[Michael T]

I liked the removal of the Strat bomber. But would have rathered it placed in the cue. Why? Well a 400 Prod cost unit was replaced with a 250 cost unit. Then on top of that Germany got IDK, maybe 300 Prod worth of free flak. That's around a 500 prod flip flop from the at start forces. Then throw on top cheaper more effective subs, remove another 250 Prod worth of escorts from the UK OOB. WOW it just adds up to a massive Axis boost V the UK not just in immediate production terms but in long term Prod pain for the UK. It was a massive over correction in my view.

[Uxbridge]

Well, it's still beta.

I haven't tried the strategic air war yet, but think the initial war year regarding subs felt rather okay. I did follow Alvaro's suggestion, however, throwing everything inte escorts and merchants.

[Flaviusx]

I also think the UK bomber should've been placed in the queue.

The 2 Soviet bombers are absurd. They didn't have anything like this capability at any stage of the war. OTOH, I always disband them, because the production is better used elsewhere, so...

[AlbertN]

I always wait with these, they can obliterate Ploesti into nothingness unless the Axis builds AA there and / or parks enough fighter squadrons just to protect that hex. That's a decent tradeoff for a while.

[Flaviusx]

Any Axis player worth their salt will build up Ploesti to 6 flak and do so immediately. Not something you should wait on. You don't have to leave a fighter there, and can react to a bombing campaign easily enough and stage fighters as needed, but it takes time to deploy flak.

Heck, 6 points of flak all by itself will shred bombers even without fighter cover. It's very cost effective.

Anyways, my planned Soviet build order requires those 400 points of production from disbanding these silly bombers.

[Uxbridge]

It would be nice if the advancement on the tech-board depended on actual bombing missions. That would give the British an incentive to stage even seemingly useless early-war attacks.

[Uxbridge]

The question of bombing and tech remained with me yesterday.

I would suggest, if possible to change, that the probability for advancement in tech (or the effect in days reduced to next change) should be halved. Then each time there is an advancement, the effect is trippled if the player has made a strategic attack in the turn prior to the change (acounting also for the grounding due to weather). That way we get the realistic effect of lessons from actual combat and not only from tech. As of now, the British can put points on tech and simply wait with the attacks until it seems fruitful to do them.

I think the same solution could also be aplied to the uboat war.

[AlvaroSousa]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

I also think the UK bomber should've been placed in the queue.

The 2 Soviet bombers are absurd. They didn't have anything like this capability at any stage of the war. OTOH, I always disband them, because the production is better used elsewhere, so...

That is actually a good point to remove them right here. I would rather have 2 Sturmoviks

[shri]

2 IL2s would be more Historic than 2 Strategic Bombers, at the start of Barbarossa there were some minor air raids towards Ploesti, but the Luftwaffe struck back and destroyed the entire airfleet in a week.