Fighters, bombers, transports, recon, etc.

[TulliusDetritus]

I posted this in the middle of another thread but it went unnoticed, so I start a thread here [:)]

I could not find this in the manual, so could someone provide some information, please?

1) In order to defend an air base from enemy bombers, you must have fighters in that SAME base or interceptors will arrive from another air base to provide CAP (same command and in range)?

[If the answer is no, then that means in theory every air base should have a few fighter squadrons]

2) to escort bombers, transports, etc., the fighters MUST be in the same air base, as above, or they will join the strike the same, even if they are in DIFFERENT air bases (same command, in range)?

I'm currently on my 10th PBEM turn and really haven't paid attention to air forces yet (except the recon and transport planes on the VVS bases) [:D] But now I want to reorganize them. I have sent everything (except recon and transport planes) to the National Reserve and then will deploy them as needed [8D]

Thanks in advance for your help [:)]

[jomni]

Not too sure about #1 but I assume fighters in the area will scramble.
As with #2, when you order a strike, planes from different bases will assemble at the forward airbase before attacking the target.
I have never seen escorted Transport missions though.

[gradenko2k]

I'm pretty sure fighters from Airbase A will fly out to defend Airbase B if B is being bombed. You can see this quite clearly in the combat resolution screen:
1. Black lines represent the attacking planes forming up around a staging airbase
2. Red lines represent the assembled bombers flying to the target airbase
3. Green lines represent defending planes flying to intercept the bombers

When you see both a green and a red line converging on the target airbase, that means the bombers are being intercepted by fighters coming from a different airbase.

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As for #2, as said above, all planes committed to a given mission will assemble at a forward airbase first before executing the mission, so you can have fighters from Airbase A escorting bombers from Airbase B

[CharonJr]

Yup, fairly sure that #2 will use fighters from different airbases (I select them manually and can assign fighters from other bases), but no idea about #1.

CharonJr

[heliodorus04]

I've seen supply missions escorted but it might have been because I launched the supply mission using SHIFT (which allows you to select escorts).  It might have happened in auto-assign missions too.

[randallw]

On the receiving end of airfield attacks it seems like fighters at the target airfield, rarely, or sometimes not at all, get in the air to defend themselves. [:(]  Fighters at nearby airfields do try to help.

[jomni]

ORIGINAL: heliodorus04

I've seen supply missions escorted but it might have been because I launched the supply mission using SHIFT (which allows you to select escorts).  It might have happened in auto-assign missions too.

Ah you're right. I did not notice as I always do night supply drops at night where I have no fighters set to night mission.