How do you get experience for Fighters - is it even possible?

[Alcibiades73]

It seems like they always get whacked while escorting or intercepting; and it seems impossible for them to gain experience?

[Platoonist]

Assuming that your fighters and the enemy's fighters have the same level of tech and the same level of leadership from an HQ, they're pretty much going to trade blows in the air roughly 50/50. I noticed my Soviet fighters didn't really start getting into a elite position until such time as the AI starting withdrawing his fighters from the Eastern front to defend the Reich from Allied bombers.

Then they started gaining a lot of experience....beating up on unescorted Axis bombers.

[Alcibiades73]

ORIGINAL: Platoonist

Assuming that your fighters and the enemy's fighters have the same level of tech and the same level of leadership from an HQ, they're pretty much going to trade blows in the air roughly 50/50. I noticed my Soviet fighters didn't really start getting into a elite position until such time as the AI starting withdrawing his fighters from the Eastern front to defend the Reich from Allied bombers.

Then they started gaining a lot of experience....beating up on unescorted Axis bombers.

Ah, so the secret is to hit unescorted bombers. Any other way?

[Platoonist]

ORIGINAL: Alcibiades73




Ah, so the secret is to hit unescorted bombers. Any other way?

Being in a position of technological superiority sure helps. I've noticed my German fighters do well in the opening stages of Barbarossa knocking tech level zero Soviet fighters out of the sky.

[wobbleguts]

ORIGINAL: Alcibiades73

ORIGINAL: Platoonist

Assuming that your fighters and the enemy's fighters have the same level of tech and the same level of leadership from an HQ, they're pretty much going to trade blows in the air roughly 50/50. I noticed my Soviet fighters didn't really start getting into a elite position until such time as the AI starting withdrawing his fighters from the Eastern front to defend the Reich from Allied bombers.

Then they started gaining a lot of experience....beating up on unescorted Axis bombers.

Ah, so the secret is to hit unescorted bombers. Any other way?

Does the game allow you to choose intercept targets? If so i will have to RTFM in more detail. I thought fighter units were automatically assigned missions depending on events - your bomber gets intercepted/your fighter escorts, an enemy bomber approaches/your fighter intercepts and so on until your fighter runs out of action points. Can you actually stop fighters being involved in certain missions?

I invest in fighter tech to try and keep ahead of the enemy. This seems to work and I get elite re-reinforcements etc without any problems. However, you do have to upgrade each fighter unit to the new level and this is a pain.

[Sovyetsky]

You can switch your fighters mode or ground them. Little icon down on the left by the other string of icons haha.

[wobbleguts]

ORIGINAL: Sovyetsky

You can switch your fighters mode or ground them. Little icon down on the left by the other string of icons haha.

Ah yes, I do remember this now. It's just that I've never bothered to change any air units mode in my games and forgot you could do it. I change the mode of Naval units (eg, carriers) because you have to, but the air wing has always taken care of itself and I've never had a need to edit their missions.

After reading your post, I checked which mode my fighters are on (to make sure they weren't restricted to certain missions). They are all set to 'auto' - which must be the default. Auto has worked for me so far but it's good to be reminded this can be changed if required.

[Mithrilotter]

I set my Soviet and Chinese Fighters to Ground until their tech is equal or superior to German/Japanese tech to avoid getting slaughtered in the sky for no good purpose. I invest in AA and build AA Guns to protect Soviet and Chinese units until then. AA Guns defend for free and take no losses. My Chinese Fighters stay on Ground for a very long time as China can't afford expensive air battles.

[DrZom]

ORIGINAL: Mithrilotter

I invest in AA and build AA Guns to protect Soviet and Chinese units until then. AA Guns defend for free and take no losses.

What do you think about buffing your units/cities with AA rather than buying AA units?

[wobbleguts]

ORIGINAL: DrZom

ORIGINAL: Mithrilotter

I invest in AA and build AA Guns to protect Soviet and Chinese units until then. AA Guns defend for free and take no losses.

What do you think about buffing your units/cities with AA rather than buying AA units?

I didn't know AA guns don't take losses. I thought you would have to reinforce them like regular units. I will use them more in the future.

[Sovyetsky]

AA guns can take losses and will have to be reinforced like regular units if directly attacked. He is just mentioning if they defend in the six hex radius they don't take damage.

[wobbleguts]

ORIGINAL: Sovyetsky

AA guns can take losses and will have to be reinforced like regular units if directly attacked. He is just mentioning if they defend in the six hex radius they don't take damage.

To clarify,are we talking about AA physical units or upgrades to city/town AA defense? I assumed it was the latter. Are city/town AA values treated the same as normal game AA units? If so I understand.