Decoy Forces- are they possible?

[baronbustin]

As the Allies in BTR, how can you send a bomber force as a decoy/feint to confuse German defenses? This was an important tactic.

[simovitch]

I don't see why not - but there is a difference between a feint and a decoy, I think. You can use your waypoints to make the defender think you are heading in one direction and then turn about toward your intended target at the last minute (feint), or you could send a group of planes out to a mission to one location early in the morning (decoy) then launch your main effort 45 minutes later in another location, hopefully catching the defender off guard.

That's my take on it...

[Hexagon]

The problem with decoy and feints is that now play as LW is so hard, add more advantages to allies... send a full Gruppen only to find a false attack (or now when you find a false scort mission, AI send fighters that can cover bombers and return to base before arrive to the objetive the problem is that you send your fighters to divide scorts from bombers) is frustrating, if you add feints/decoys defenders need at least the option to send recons or reasign interceptors to another attack... or add operation points to attacker because you can find decoys all the time and a single total attack in the end of the day, attackers dont have fuel problems, defenders yes.

PD: i understand feint isnt a decoy, for me is enough with it, play with waypoints is a good tactic.

[baronbustin]

Thanks for your reply. Fair comment on the differences between feints and decoys- my concern should be isolated to decoys only. From the game mechanics point of view, it doesn't seem possible to send a group of bombers over the North Sea for example, and have them turn back to base at a specific point over the North Sea. With bombers, it seems that you can only direct them on missions to a bombable target. I remember in Grigsby's original BTR game from the 80's- USAAF- this sort of mission was an option. So, my question is: Am I missing a way to do this in the present game? Thanks.

[simovitch]

I agree this would be a nice feature to have. There is a way to do this now by targeting your own Base or HQ.[:'(]

Your planes will "bomb" it but no damage is done (I checked). Set your outgoing waypoints wherever you like out at sea, and set your return waypoints between the target and the forming up point.

[baronbustin]

Very clever- who would have thought- now if the Luftwaffe AI will just buy it- I'll give it a try- thanks.