Twig's War (Twigster Axis, thedoctorking Soviet)

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain


Do you by chance have any Snap shots of the air battles where you inflicted German fighter loses? Were they night bombings with high fighter losses by chance?

No, sorry. But the German fighter losses mostly came on interceptions of my bombing missions. I didn't do a lot of night bombing and for those that I did I didn't see any German interceptions. I did a couple of shots at German cities the first few turns and got shot up so I decided to lay off. Those IL-4's and TB-3's are precious! I use night bombing occasionally to attack hexes that seem too well protected during the day, especially the Axis railroad repair units (which are usually close to Axis airfields).

I'm assuming that Twigster has his fighters set to day missions only.

I think that German fighter losses are high because his pilots are heavily fatigued. He doesn't seem to be sending them back to reserve - this is unclear - or at least not fast enough to prevent fatigue. He has given up bombing my airfields for the time being.

Yes, that will do it for fighter loses. Fatigue is killer for German Fighters since they end up doing so many things in the air.

As for bombing rail repair units it used to net high casualties since they never had any form of entrenchment. I'm not so certain any more for like the last year the casualties are much lower than they used to be on those workers. I tried it in my Soviet games but didn't like the results and stopped when I compared to results I had a few years ago.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

ORIGINAL: Twigster

AGS.

Some minor attacks here but mostly quiet.

No offense here but in the south you need to find a spot in the line you can break through and surround some of those units with German armor. Looks very very vulnerable to a penetration style attack with a follow up pinning in of those Soviet units. Instead of banging your head on the Kiev Fortifications imho. But that is just me.

You did it up North near Velikie Lukie which was very pretty. Do it down south and you will be able to unhinge Kiev without even fighting for it if done correctly.

I try to make this difficult for him by having a double or triple line in front of his armor stacks with a "checkerboard" style setup of reserve units behind. He's gotten through onto the checkerboard a couple of times but can only go four or five hexes max before running out of MP's. He was able to do it against Northwest Front because I was inattentive and didn't think he was sending his tanks northwards because there are no particular strategic objectives up there plus the terrain is full of swamps and hills. So there was no checkerboard behind the front. Also, he was able to achieve a breakthrough with his infantry.

Yes, it will be difficult because of a few things that has transpired in your game but the Germans can do it. They just need to do it soon. Plus it is a great learning experience for both of you. There are certain techniques for attacking to get good bang for the buck, the fun is in figuring them out

[Twigster]

Yep! My valiant fighter pilots are taking it in the shorts due to Fatigue, and just at the moment I am making big pushes across the front. Their Morale and Experience levels are astronomical however.(There are some things to be learned in that, I think). Also dead on, not bombing because because I am trying to minimize air losses as much as possible. thedoctorking certainly knows how to play a defensive game. We'll see how the South turns out. (I so botched the opening in the South, and need to learn to do pocketing better and more often).

There is so much more to this game than "just pushing counters around", like I saw one reviewer write. [;)]

[SparkleyTits]

Nice F and FB losses for turn 9 there Doctorking

If you keep on exploiting low fuel and tired German pilots like that and you will rule the air before long!

[Twigster]

Turn 10
28 August 1941

AGN
Leningrad

The city has been totally cut off from contact with the rest of the Soviet Union by land, and now the focus goes to isolating it fully by seizing the small ports of Kobana, Novaya Loadoga and Sviritsa. This means driving the enemy back from the Volkhov line and forcing the river ASAP. Despite degradation in mobility due to enemy airstrikes supply and fuel availability remains adequate if not good (28-40 MPs). 16 and 18 Armies remain in good condition; despite not having had the opportunity to refit, 4PG is still combat effective. Luftwaffe was very active in AGN areas this week with airstrikes in and around Leningrad and other Soviet positions.

[Twigster]

16 Army becoming more active south of Lake Ilmen.

[Twigster]

AGC.

9 and 16 Armies between Velikie Luki and Rzhev.

[Twigster]

Smolensk area. 2PG and 3PG make an attempt to penetrate Soviet defense line in the direction of Bryansk- results not entirely satisfactory due to Soviet fortifications and reserves. Luftwaffe did conduct airstrikes as requested. One corps of LII Corps, 3PG has completed two weeks of refit and is now conducting an HQBU preparatory for attacks next week. (Screenshot not available).

[Twigster]

Gomel area.

[Twigster]

AGS

While organizing for assaults on Kiev, 1PG attempts to exploit what appears to be an opportunity to break through into the rear of the Soviet defense line south of Kiev. This effort is not as successful as desired. LW was useful in this are this week as well.

[Twigster]

11 Army and the Rumanians begin making attacks; the South is not quite so quiet now, eh?

[Twigster]

Losses end of Axis Turn 10. Soviet airstrikes are affecting Morale and MPs somewhat. Yet, Halder's Win-Loss ratio is still 81%.

[Twigster]

Turn 10 Axis air losses; heavier this week largely because of all of the offensive airstrikes all along the front.

[Twigster]

Here is the state of the German fighter force at the start of Axis Turn 10. I have not been sending air groups to the NR frequently enough- I know that now, still learning. Soviet air activity has been so intense I did not want to lessen my air defenses and this is the result.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Twigster

Here is the state of the German fighter force at the start of Axis Turn 10. I have not been sending air groups to the NR frequently enough- I know that now, still learning. Soviet air activity has been so intense I did not want to lessen my air defenses and this is the result.

That is the crux thinking you have to keep air defense constant and over everything. You don't, you do have to choose and the first choice is protecting your fighters from destruction. That has to be the first establishment then you can branch out. You can look at what I posted in Tyronec's AAR and maybe it will help you(I don't guarantee it at this stage) But your game and Tyronec's game is going to be an uphill battle to recover imho since I normally start on turn one getting my German Air Force in order. You and Tyronec are starting in later turns. Good luck.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Twigster

Here is the state of the German fighter force at the start of Axis Turn 10. I have not been sending air groups to the NR frequently enough- I know that now, still learning. Soviet air activity has been so intense I did not want to lessen my air defenses and this is the result.

Go look at the withdrawals .. JG54 is going west soon do you really want to lose those F2's? or would E3's be a better frame withdrawn?
On that strategy .. I have learned to manually replace the E3's sooner at the cost of AP's and burn those frames up ..

[Telemecus]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

ORIGINAL: Twigster

Here is the state of the German fighter force at the start of Axis Turn 10. I have not been sending air groups to the NR frequently enough- I know that now, still learning. Soviet air activity has been so intense I did not want to lessen my air defenses and this is the result.

Go look at the withdrawals .. JG54 is going west soon do you really want to lose those F2's? or would E3's be a better frame withdrawn?
On that strategy .. I have learned to manually replace the E3's sooner at the cost of AP's and burn those frames up ..

You may also want to turn off replacements to withdrawing groups - why put extra planes in to air groups just to see them leave.

I can see you turned upgrades to manual - but perhaps too late to stop your frozen rear area air groups upgrading to F4s. It is worth managing which airgroups get replacements as well. Only leave airgroups that you do want to upgrade or get replacements with that option.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Telemecus

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

ORIGINAL: Twigster

Here is the state of the German fighter force at the start of Axis Turn 10. I have not been sending air groups to the NR frequently enough- I know that now, still learning. Soviet air activity has been so intense I did not want to lessen my air defenses and this is the result.

Go look at the withdrawals .. JG54 is going west soon do you really want to lose those F2's? or would E3's be a better frame withdrawn?
On that strategy .. I have learned to manually replace the E3's sooner at the cost of AP's and burn those frames up ..

You may also want to turn off replacements to withdrawing groups - why put extra planes in to air groups just to see them leave.

I can see you turned upgrades to manual - but perhaps too late to stop your frozen rear area air groups upgrading to F4s. It is worth managing which airgroups get replacements as well. Only leave airgroups that you do want to upgrade or get replacements with that option.

+1 !!! Excellent advice

[thedoctorking]

ORIGINAL: Twigster

Here is the state of the German fighter force at the start of Axis Turn 10. I have not been sending air groups to the NR frequently enough- I know that now, still learning. Soviet air activity has been so intense I did not want to lessen my air defenses and this is the result.

Fatigue levels not as high as I thought they would be. I have the habit of sending guys back to reserve if fatigue goes over 25 or morale falls below 40 (for the USSR).

[Twigster]

Thanks for all of the input/info acquired wisdom everyone. This conversation on airpower in the game is really very interesting and I'm glad it is happening because I am picking up a LOT. I had begun combing past Forum posts on the topic but stopped because I worry about picking up advice/habits that may no longer hold due to patch changes.

However, I am beginning to accrue a sense of impending doom feeling in regards to the fighter force.. is it actually too late to turn around? Its that serious? Anyway, whether it actually is or not, I will be drastically overhauling how I handle the air forces.