CAP

[renwor]

I want CAP!!! Do I have to say more???
No??
But I want tooo, please

Ok idea goes like this:
Fighters could already be purchased and attack ground targets. But fighters are sometimes lousy supporters. Let them do what they are designed for, assign them for CAP.

Fighters you purchase could be rated in several stats:
1. number of turns on CAP. I guess p-38 could watch over you for several turns, while Bf-109E just a turn (e.g.)
2. The probability of interception: The Spitfire would get better number than Hurricane, or Gladiator (e.g.)
The bombers would get a "cap-evasion" stat ... the FW-190A-8 would be much better than "Stuka" at this.

Could be dealt with as "off - map " arty counterfire. If enemy wants to send in a bomber and you have Cap assigned the result could be computed in background with message like "JU 87 on bombing run"
"Hurricane intercepting JU 87"
"JU 87 shot down by CAP"
or "JU 87 damaged" and it may then appear over battlefield with some damage already taken.
Or
"Hurricane failed to intercept BF-110f"

or even

"Hurricane intercepting FW-190A"
"Hurricane shot down by bomber"

None of it requires special graphic. Dogfights over battlefield would be cool though (if possible to switch off)

Renwor

[Pack Rat]

I like it. You might have choosen to buy a fighter group and a bomber group, you send your fighter group in first to hopefully take out any AI fighters. If your fighters are sucessful they continue their run if their suppresion and ammo are still intact. Your bombers then make their run and maybe don't encounter any more air and only have to deal with any AA fire. Could work.

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Good hunting,
Pack Rat

[Desert Fox]

I like that idea, but the problem is that in this game, air superiority is predetermined when buying support units. If you can buy strike elements, then you have air superiority and no fear of enemy aircraft bombing you. This is the big message to you when buying support whether you should buy some more AAA units or if you have air superiority already.

[Pack Rat]

Not always Desert Fox. Try playing a battle where you've set the preferance screen air stike numbers to 4 and your battle points to max for both sides. Lots of extra points for aircraft and the AI does love it's aircraft. In prior versions of SP, 8 aircraft coming at you would be usally more than your AA opp. fire could handle and most would have gotten through and nailed a good number of targets. Your AA fire would be luckey to take out 1 plane and maybe damage 2 and the rest would be back. I like AA units, nasty against infantry and softer armour, but in a more typical battle you can only get so much. The problem with fighter/bomber cover is ( I'm guessing) is they would have to drop their payload in order to give proper fighter cover.

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Good hunting,
Pack Rat

[renwor]

I was not aware of air superiority issue, but I would almost swear in some scenarios, or rather campaign BOTH sides did bombing runs.
Even if it is so there is air superiority, it may well change.
There may be occasions, there is no superiority ... not 100%, so if you want to be airsrike invincible, you will have to ask for cover and spent points for it, or opt for AA. It's a matter of balancing.
The superiority may appear in more subtle form. Eg. if in scenario in Africa as british you get only Blenheims and no fighters, you may guess fighters are on oponnents side and it may be a waste of points to try sneak the Blenheims in, on the other hand, if you get all it doesn't mean enemy is inferior, he may still have similary massive force. Just another choice ... I LOVE choices

Regards Renwor