Case White AAR (After action report)
OKH decided on a land impulse and therefore has Germany only 4 air actions.
As the the German Air Force High Command (OKL)
These are the option available to the OKL and their decisions made regarding that option when planning the first German impulse.
Port attack
To utterly destroy the polish fleet with port attacks on Gdynia and Danzig would have been nice. OKLs decision NO.
• Air activity limitations, can’t waste 1-2 air actions when they are needed else where.
• Mostly no or poor naval air strength units in range of the Polish ports.
• The good naval air strength units (He 115C) is saved for later in the turn, war could erupts with Denmark or the Netherlands or the Western Allies makes a daring raid into the Baltic Sea.
• The price, 1 CA and a CP is quite low.
• Wehrmacht has troops ready to overrun the Polish navy in the ports, a port strike might be an over kill.
Naval air
In order to efficient guard the convoys of the Kriegsmarine the (He 115C) could be deployed to the Baltic Sea. OKLs decision NO.
• Air activity limitations, can’t waste an air action when they are needed else where.
• The gain by protecting 1 CP is low.
• The Western Allies don’t have to make a raid and if the don’t the NAV is just wasting fuel.
• The good naval air strength units (He 115C) is saved for later in the turn, war could erupts with Denmark or the Netherlands or the Western Allies makes a daring raid into the Baltic Sea.
Strategic Bombing
A strategic bombing raid on Lodz or Warsaw could destroy productions pts for the Commonwealth. You need 1 strategic factor and roll 8 ( +1 to die if not intercepted) to destroy a production point. OKLs decision NO.
• Air activity limitations, can’t waste an air action when they are needed else where.
• Commonwealth production multiple is only 0.5.
• Mostly no or poor strategic strength units in range of the Polish factories.
• The good strategic strength unit (HE 111H) is on the western front.
Ground strike
A ground strike bombing raid on Polish units could disrupt them, making them easier to destroy and disable their usefulness for the Commonwealth. You need 1+ land factor and roll equal to the factors to disrupt a unit placed in the clear. OKLs decision YES.
• The positive surprise effect on Ground strikes (roll two times).
• The chance to disrupt and thereby stop a vital reinforcement from reaching Warsaw (Combined with some minor manoeuvring and a successful land attack on Krakow this will leave the polish capital with just one defender!).
• The chance to disrupt the vital Polish HQI.
• The chance to disrupt two units in one attack in Lodz.
• Lodz must be attacked and taken in order to concur Poland.
Plan go all in! 3 bombers to strike Lodz and one to Brest-Litvosk (See the picture).
Carpet bombing
A carpet bombing raid on Polish units could destroy them. You need 7 strategic factors and roll 11 ( +1 to die if not intercepted) to destroy land unit. OKLs decision NO.
• Air activity limitations, can’t waste an air action when they are needed else where.
• Mostly no or poor strategic strength units in range of the Polish factories.
• The good strategic strength unit(HE 111H) is on the western front.
• To many air units needed to make the 7 strategic factors target and the chance of success is to low
Air transport
With the JU 52 I could air transport 1 MTN or 1 INF division (or 1 PARA, if Germany had any). OKLs decision NO.
• Air activity limitations, can’t waste an air action when they are needed else where.
• No need for a air transport
• The plane is saved for later impulses.
Ground support (No activity limitations)
A ground support on land attacks could change to odds and thereby making Polish units easier to destroy. OKLs decision NO.
• OKH has planed to make automatic/high odds attacks the need for ground support should be low.
• The planes might be needed in later impulses.
Rebasing aircraft
Unused planes on the Eastern/Western front could be rebased to the other front. OKLs decision NO.
• Air activity limitations, can’t waste an air action when they are needed else where.
• There are already plans to use the units on their current front.
Air re-supply
A failed land attack might cause more disruptions than the HQs can reorganize. The JU 52 I could reorganize a land unit. OKLs decision NO.
• Air activity limitations, can’t waste an air action when they are needed else where.
• OKH has planed to make automatic/high odds attacks the risk of disruptions should be low.
• The plane is saved for later impulses when bad weather might cause more disruptions.
Situation during axis first impulse and the ongoing German ground strike