Matrix Games Forums

Can we get a production screenshot of your air forces plus a count of airbases?

Turn 94 : 01 April 1943

Muddy season.

The ennemy easily perce my fighter coverage in the air to bomb the artillery division, as always.



And in the caucasus, troops are still walking to safety.



Otherwise no significant movement.

Next turn, i'am sending a lot of planes in reserve and as i already have the result, my truck usage drop from 112K to 98K. Best thing my air force has ever done for me !!!

My planes stock :

Sorry, without the filter on.

Thanks, working on this. How many airbases do you have?

I have 55 airfield. Cannot disband more.

The short version:

Given how much map you have remaining, you're not too bad off.
A few too fighters perhaps and relying a bit too much on LBs doing the job.

The longer version for you to take what you will from it:

Fighter and fighter bomber assessment

149 regiments. Should be on 25 fighter divisions @ 6 per. Increase fighter count to 156. Total spend 7AP.

64 first-line regiments, 50 second line, 35 third line. Take highest 10 experienced among LaGG and Hurricane series and manual upgrade to Yak-1B. Will need a few weeks to fill pool. Total spend 10AP.

production of types all full except La-5F. The factories were presumably evacuated from Gorki and are damaged. Current capacity 49 of 108.

Tactical air assessment

52 IL-2 series regiments running full production. Should be 9 ground attack divisions @ 6 per. Approximately 6,800 a/c of all IL variants in reserve.
3 of the 4 IL2 factory clusters should move 1 factory to another location. That will significantly decrease production that you have no real need for and save on supplies.
There are ample reserve a/c stocks to fall back on. The earlier variants are not significantly different from the current a/c.

8 U2-VS regiments. Presumably 1 NBAD division. Move 1 factory from each cluster to save on supplies consumed on that line. You should never need another plane of this type with nearly 4k in reserve.

Level bomber assessment

Can't accurately assess without the complete picture, but there appear to be 63 regiments, not counting DB-3Bs that may or may not exist.

Given there are only 60 tactical air regiments, the bombing component is largely balanced, but this is the time when the level bomber should be getting phased out.

Starting Scenario for 43 campaign game:
126 tactical bomber regiments of which 35 are U2-VS. IL2M and 2M3 variant total 90 regiments.
61 level bomber regiments various types but do not include 1st Generation SB-2 or DB3B types.

Based on the combination of tactical and level bomber assessment, I would add another 36 IL2 type regiments to bring you closer to the historical mark for that type at least. Need 36AP

Recon and transport assessment

13 recon regiments and 13 transport regiments of which 9 U-2 trans are part of the latter. You should have 6 VVS bases.
3 of these bases should be dedicated as transit bases between map and national reserve to boost morale of FFBs to 60+
This will allow greater mission participation rates.

You have enough R&T a/c to make due. Ideally you would upgrade all U-2 to LI-2 but that isn't affordable.

Organization with 55 airbases

25 fighter bases
19 front line and 6 second line

16 tac air divisions with IL-2 buildout and includes the one NBAD division

Level bomber
8 divisions @ 4 regiments each. I'd scrap all but 40 of the most experienced LB regiments at no cost of APs. That leaves 8 in reserve.

6 VVS airbases, 3 dedicated for Recon&Transport and 3 for morale cycling FFBs between base and national reserve.

Ho very interesting thank you.

One question : What is the thing about the 60 morale in reserve ? There is a limit of increase of morale in reserve ?
Because i have some very high moral air squadron in reserve currently.

My main strategic goal for now is not to have an air force to support my troops, but i want to nullify the luftwaffe.

When arriving in the national reserve, your air units gain so many morale points depending what they come in with. Slight variance of +/- 1 or 2

morale < 40 you should gain 20 morale
morale 40-49 you should gain 10 morale
morale 50+ you should gain 5 morale

60+ morale will give you good participation rates without having to shuttle a unit back and forth over several weeks to get it even higher which you can do. This is the one variable that can allow you to improve performance of your air forces. Others include being assigned to an air command with a leader with an air value of 6, upgrading aircraft, and FFBs participating in air combat. Only FFB units suffering extreme losses won't gain experience in this way. Bombers gain their experience of course through bombing. Escorting FFBs not so much in this mission type.

So once a air unit have more than 60 morale in reserve, it is better to remove it from reserve and put it with nothing to do in a rear airfield ?

Reserve have no benefit for air group with high morale ?

The purpose of the base is to act as a conduit to move units to and from the reserve. Once you reach the desired morale state, the unit is ready to go back to a front line airbase for fighting.

Reserves have comparatively little benefit aside from bringing units up to full strength a little quicker. You will gradually gain morale there, but it isn't as fast as rotating the unit in and out.

Currently i'am rotating units in and out from the reserve. I add new air group straight from the reserve to the front line airfield.

Turn of mud 95/96, until 15 april 1943.

Nothing much happened during these turn.

The return of my air force to reserve really decrease the need for trucks. (for 112K to 98K).

But the luftwaffe is now free to attack, and i would really love having a more efficient AA. It is quite ridiculous. These DCA operator were trained to 45XP minimum.
Maybe the rain prevent them to see the ennemy.



Air recon show that my opponent is building a huge fortification line.

Once built, it is very difficult for the Russian player to cross a 3-Fort line.

really no reason for the Soviets to assault there tho....win the game with armor/mech/cav in the open terrain in the south, just like historical.

There is zero reason for the soviets to slog through the good defensive terrain in the north/center with double stacks of German divisions. Keep enough units there to threaten the Germans and maybe slowly attrit them, but your main offensive has to be in the open ground in the south, just like the Germans in summer 1942 on.

I never said it was necessary to attack there (though it would be the best place to attack). And in the south there are plenty of natural barriers that can be used as a defensive line.

Turn 97 22 April 1943: MUd turn

This turn, i tried to ambush the ennemy air force by concentrating my 500 best and more experienced fighters in the same area ton intercept the ennemy raid at 300%, maximum possible air doctrine.

It was better than before, but not so successfull.



I really have a problem to focus my planes. I'am supposed to destroy the luftwaffe by cheer numbers. But i'am not sûre i outnumbered the luftwaffe in the air [:D].

Turn 98 : 29 April 1943:

it is the last turn of mud. Next turn good weather is returning !!!

Air fight is better this turn, but it is mostly because the ennemy tried an airfield bombing and defensive bonus in airfield bombing are surprisinly huge.



In the far east, is successfully reconnected by railroad the north and south of the soviet union !!! (But still have to take the boat to Baku).

Turn 99 : 06 May 1943

First turn of good weather !!!

And new german offensive in the caucasus. (West caucasus).
Unfortunately, some troops will be encercled. But baku is not threatened as the black troops are very strong and will be able to block the mountains if needed.



First turn of good weather is also the start of my offensive !! My new doctrine is "continous operation". I intend to harrass ennemy weak points to disloge ennemy lines without taking too much risk for now.