Matrix Games Forums

For some of the more experienced AWD players what is the most effective strategy for using these kind of attacks in combination with regular land units?

It seems to me that artillary, air, and naval units just don't have the same effect they used to from the original game, I'm not being criticil because I do understand the concept behind the accumalation of suppression points making it much more realistic. Back in WWII we didn't have laser guided bombs and missiles so artillary and bombing attacks were in many cases not very effective, for example even when the Allies bombed the holy hell out of the German coastal defenses before D-Day in the end it really didn't have a huge effect. But I do find that taking out artillary with my tac or heavy bombers before a land invasion just doesn't work anymore.

Clearly bombardment attacks rarely result in an immediate kill, but using them to soften up coastal artillery is obviously very important - note that one of the more effective uses of airpower is to target enemy rail, IIRC, total destruction of rail in the region you are attacking negates the so-called "defender's bonus" of 2 points as applied to the evasion roll - which, when using a bombardment attack afterward, be it by air or ART significantly affects the outcome (because of the doubling of modifiers when bombardment rolls occur.)  Making sure you have the Combined Arms Modifier on your side is also great for the bombardment doubling of modifiers.
 
Last thing to mention here:
Using air units in conjunction with sea units one at a time is the best way to get the most bang out of your Heavy Fleet buck, the most obvious example is when the Japanese take Foochow on turn 1.  The WA can even do this to the Germans (if they only have 1 art unit present in a place like the Low Conuntries or W France there is very little risk that the firing HF will be hit) long before Overlord, just to get some cheap kills (and perhaps vet or elite status for the aircraft - LFs can participate as well, and getting those vet or elite can be really useful when prosecuting the sub war.)  All in all, I really like the fact that airpower cannot clear regions of land forces as was seen in WaW, and with the differentiated kinds of attacks (general, rail, factory, resource, portstrike, airfield strike) that air can make, is still highly useful, you just have to be slightly more creative to take advantage.....