How to escort Stukas?

[Tuk]

I just launched a couple of raids with these, both escorted well (in terms of number, quality and fatigue levels), one with 120 fighters layered from a few close to some up to 10 000 feet above. Both raids were attacked after bombing and severely mauled without the escorts even intervening bar one instance. This leads me to wonder how the escorts function. The Stukas drop low to bomb, then climb to between 5-8000 feet for the return trip, as I recall. But do the escorts do likewise or remain at their original altitudes? This would mean that a raid going in at 14000ft with escorts up to 10 000ft higher would thereby be effectively stripped of much of its escort for the return.

Advice please.

[jomni]

It would help to assign a Fighter Sweep to guard the return trip.

[Jeldren]

I never use escorts for Stuka raids. I use several fighter sweeps before and after the raid.
Stukas are only usefull as a bait to gain air superiority fast. They lack the range for
terror and industrial damage.

[nelmsm1]

I only use Stukas for coastal targets such as radars, ports, and the close sector airfields. Usually I'll send them in while a major raid or two is inland and sucking up most of the interceptors and send a small escort flying 2000 ft above. I'll get hit hard once in awhile when I mistime thinks but otherwise it works out alright. Just remember that the longer those birds are in the air the more you are going to lose.

[Hard Sarge]

remember, Stuka's were HARD to escort

and very easy prey as they pulled out of there dives

plus, they are pretty slow, if they get caught, they going to get hurt

the trick is to not get caught

[joey]

You have to very choosy on how you use stukas or they will become prey. Keep them close to the coast and keep them away from any enemy fighters.

[treespider]

Do not own the game but the thread title caught my attention...I imagine many a Luftwaffe Commander had the same question...[:D]

[Tuk]

Interesting. Thanks for your answers, all. I take it, then, that the escorts maintain their original altitudes after the loads are dropped, so there is much to lose  sending Stukas in at more than the minimum dive bombing altitude, and in layering their escorts high.
 
The sweeps look like an interesting tactic to employ,and close/2000ft high escorts look like a viable option.

[Hemmingway]

I just wanted to add a note about Stukas.  They are hard to escort, but I love them!  I mainly use them to knock out coastal targets.  But I also use them for critical, must succeed raids. I especially like to use them to knock out primary airfields.  Usually I will launch one or two deep penetration raids with He 111s at 20000+ feet, then launch my Stukas when the He 111s are closing in on their targets.  The enemy interceptors are almost all concentrating on the high flying level bombers and the Stukas usually (note usually) make their attacks in relative safety.

[Tuk]

Can you damage targets from 20 000 ft, or is it pure diversion? I usually level bomb at 10-15 000 ft.

[Hemmingway]

It's mostly diversion, although some damage can be achieved.  Typically I'm hitting distant primary airfields and with ~90 bombers and will get damage levels in the 10% range.  Not really great, but when the Stukas hit (I mass them into swams of 90+) they will usually get between 80-99% damage.  Putting the level bombers up high cuts their casualties.

[Tuk]

Post Script-
 
In case any other newbies are wondering the same things, my experience confirms all the above advice is good, though with sufficient swamping of (AI) RAF defences, Stukas can make it some way inland too, AND get back to tell the tale. Most gratifying of my latest experiment was to set up two fighter sweeps around an airfield to be 'Stukad', just before and after the raid went in.
 
Following four heavy level bomber raids elsewhere, timed to sap RAF resources, it just happened that exhausted Spitfire pilots were coming in to land as the second FS went in. I lost count as it happened and I'm still not sure how the Target Point/Patrol Point thingy works, but the final tally for the FS was 17 interceptors [:)] for no loss. The Stukas lost a couple to AA fire and one to the RAF, their one close escort grupp got a kill too, I think. I'm happy.

[NavalNewZ]

Simple answer to this is don't use Stukas at all. Seriously. I'm not aware of any effective use of them - even the occasional short range raid will come out even at best most times. Playing the Luftwaffe in BoB campaigns, I have developed a gradual, but effective, way of defeating the AI based upon varying raid sizes and targets. In my latest game, I have turned South England into a virtual red zone. I thought I would try throwing in some Stuka raids to give some rest to the other squadrons. Big mistake. Over two days, I lost 102 aircraft compared to the RAFs 25. This reflects history. Stukas just weren't of much use in BoB. But if someone develops a way to circumvent this in the game engine, feel free to share [;)]

[Tuk]

But if someone develops a way to circumvent this in the game engine, feel free to share [;)]
 
[X(]

[JudgeDredd]

I was more gobsmacked by this!

Simple answer to this is don't use Stukas at all. Seriously. I'm not aware of any effective use of them

Clearly he has more experience than me as I haven't "developed a gradual, but effective, way of defeating the AI"...but I would not say Stukas have no effective use! They are surgical in their strikes. You will lose alot, but not if you protect them well enough

[pejsek]

Sending several raids 20-30 minutes before the Stuka raid to distract RAF fighters worked for me. The Stukas were aslo escorted, but took losses from flak and some stragglers were shot down by fighters. Stukas have always higher losses than level bombers, but usually cause more damage to the target. I used Stukas every 3-4 days when playing BoB 1940 long campaign and had no problems with replacing losses.

[Hemmingway]

As I said before I love my Stukas.  In my current BOB campaign I'm on day 25 and have used my Stukas about every other day.  To date I have lost ~140 of them, but they are winning the battle for me.  Make sure you have diversionary raids go in a few min before them and they should do fine! 

[Hexagon]

Stukas best use is in coordinated attacks, first hour send fighters to sweep airfields near stukas objetives (radars and other coast objetives special in south coast), send 1-2 hours later a strong bomber formation (better He-111 than Ju-88 because you can use Ju-88 in more missions like fast attacks or night bombing) with heavy fighter cover, when the attack is in the objetive (you can attack the important factories in west London) your stukas can arrive to their objetives (or 5 minutes after) at least 2-3 and if you want try a trap send a fighter unit in scort mission over Stukas when they are returning, you can take some enemy planes (in one experiment 5 Gladiators pass to work as submarines hehehe).

[NavalNewZ]

My basic point is this - I can win without using Stukas at all. I'm interested to see some of the comments here about people ok with using Stukas - how much better off, victory wise are you, and what evidence do you have that using Stukas was of relevance in the scenario you played? I mean, if you are talking about 'distraction' raids, I suspect you could well be better off using different craft for such raids that will result in far fewer losses. And, oh, if you are only using stukas because you are short of ready craft...the thing is, you can win without overcommitting the Luftwaffe. I don't need stukas to win, and they may make the situation worse.