Matrix Games Forums

One thing the game really doesn't simulate well is the size of air units.
The typical German Geschwader...or wing, had three Gruppen which in turn had 3 staffeln and a Stab flight. A few wings were given 4th Gruppen, though I can't remeber which ones. All that said and done, a German wing at full strength would have 100 machines.
In most of my games in which I'm playing the Germans, most of the wings have anywhere from 150-200 machines. This growth has come with a drop in expertise, and my battles with the I-16 Rata are becoming embarrassing in some cases. These little crates take to the air in numbers around 200 and are doing frighteningly well...I may shoot down 50 of them if I have 2-3 fighter wings in an air attack...but the remaining 150 shred my bomber formations, which decide to fly home in too many cases.
It seems nothing daunts fighter units anymore.

Well, the statement is "the bomber always gets through." Even in 1941 the Russians inflicted some damage against the Germans! There was no way in creating a complete barracade to emeny aircraft interdiction. Your best bet is to strike first, nail their HQ's so you can knock down their air strength before they do the same to you. After you do this a few times, your fighter groups should get enough experience with 200 aircraft in the group to make them a formidable force! Remember, even if groups are lowered to 100 per, the Russians will still have a greater number of aircraft (the problem would still exist, but with lower aircraft attrition, which would probably skew actual aircraft losses in the game!).

The high numbers are probably a compromize. It is either all Groups/Wings get 200 aircraft, or they would get 100. Either way, the Germans are outnumbered.

Another way in 'getting past this' is to put aircraft only in specific HQ's, so that you can match the air wings of one Russian air strike by massing your aircraft (have 4-5 Fighter groups with 4-5 Bomber groups).

I usually make specialist air groups, with Long Range bombing (Ju-88), or Short range (Ju-87). The Short Range go after Ground Units, while Long Range target enemy airfields. I usually attack any Airfield HQ in range, which tends to limit my losses to enemy attack (since my fighters can bust through their CAP and my bombers can wreak havoc to theirs!). Remember, until the arrival of Allied Aircraft, and late war Russian, the Luftwaffe Fighters outclass their opponents. Even the Me110 (one of the worst aircraft) is equal/superior to most Russian fighters.