Questions; Air Assets and Losses

[thekossack]

1. Is it true that Air Assets only incur strength losses when performing Ground Attack/bombardment missions as a result of AA fire resolution? Losses never occur from Counter Air or Interdiction?

2. Is it true that when resolving Counter Air/Interdiction status for the turn, Quality/Readiness/Strength have no effect in the process? In other words, the calculation is solely based on a comparison of each sides # of assets committed to the missions (exception being possible Air Superiority value in scenario setting)?

[bcgames]

Counter-Air represents all actions taken to gain and maintain air superiority. These actions include bombing airfields to destroy aircraft on the ground, crater airfields, destroy airmen, ground crew, fuel and ammo dumps, maintenance facilities, disrupt air command and control, destroy/disrupt radar, etc. Counter-Air also includes combat air patrols, bomber escort, interception and fighter sweeps. Therefore, both bombers and fighters can participate in the counter-air mission. Counter-Air will influence all types of enemy air missions.

Interdiction Air Missions are those which attempt to disrupt enemy ground operations, by reducing enemy movement, HQs ranges, and the amount of ammo and fuel points received each turn.

1. Is it true that Air Assets only incur strength losses when performing Ground Attack/bombardment missions as a result of AA fire resolution?

True.

...Losses never occur from Counter Air...

Losses can occur from Counterair by increasing the antiaircraft capability of a side. From the manual, pg.53:

"A friendly air asset assigned to Counter-Air adds "anti-aircraft points" to the Anti-Aircraft value of every single hex attacked by enemy aircraft. Each air asset assigned to Counter-Air will add one (1) anti-aircraft point to every friendly occupied hex that is attacked by an enemy air asset during a single turn. But every enemy air asset assigned to Counter-Air will counteract one friendly unit assigned to Counter-Air."

...or Interdiction?

The side with equal to or more Counterair assets than the enemy has Interdiction assets will prevent the effects of the enemy's interdiction efforts; then enemy's air efforts are countered.

2. Is it true that when resolving Counter Air/Interdiction status for the turn, Quality/Readiness/Strength have no effect in the process? In other words, the calculation is solely based on a comparison of each sides # of assets committed to the missions (exception being possible Air Superiority value in scenario setting)?

True.

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The bottomline:

The focus of WEGOWW2: Stalingrad is on a simple abstraction of ground combat operations during the Second World War. Other aspects of warfare that affect ground combat--are further abstracted to their very simplest effects on ground combat--all of these are called "assets".

Such is the case with the air war. It is a rock-paper-scissors application of air combat power. This asset system allows the player to concentrate on the ground game. Losses/aborts suffered by air assets conducting ground support or loss of supplies/movement/HQ range provide feedback to the player that they need to think about Counterair to allow ground operations to proceed uninterrupted by enemy air...knowing the enemy has a vote too.

[thekossack]

Thank you very much for the clarifications. Indeed, I totally agree with the manner in which “assets” have been abstracted out but still offer meaningful effects and compelling game decisions!