Matrix Games Forums

Hi,

I have another air supply question here.

I just started my drive towards Baku and since there is no rail line yet I have to supply my spearheads by air.

Do you know if it is more efficient to move the airbases closer before starting to air supply, or will the movement use up so much of the transports readiness that it is better to stay in place and perform some air supplies and then move the airbases?

1 advantage of moving first would be that the fighters might have a chance to be in range to escort the transports.

Any ideas?

I believe if you move you will lose readiness, and thus the missions. Fly the air supply, then move what you can (it should be less than the full, as the missions went off).

Yes, I will lose readiness, but I am wondering if the readiness saved by having the transports need to travel a shorter distance will make up the readiness I lost while traveling.

You'll have to test this for us. [:'(]

FWIW, I routinely supply my HQs rather than my units. Whether that is effective or not remains to be seen, but it has worked so far.

ORIGINAL: Mynok


You'll have to test this for us. [:'(]

Exactly, as I was just guessing [:)]

K

Will make a save and give it a shot, will tell you the results.

The results will most likely not be appliable to every situation, but they should give a general idea.

Here are the results (excluding level bombers since I can use them anyway, so pure transport drops):

And the Soviets have no fighter cover in the area (overran their airbases).

1. attempt (no movement prior to the drops (range = 21), % to fly at 30%):
1st wave: 140t
2nd wave: 111t
3rd wave: 48t
Total: 299t

1.1 (2nd sample):
145
102
25
23
23
Total: 318t

1.2 (3rd sample):
145
104
64
Total: 313t

Some fluctuations, especially in the number of missions being flown.


1a. (no prior movement (range 21), % to fly at 50%):
1st (and only) wave: 115t

1a1. (2nd sample):
115t

1a2. (3rd sample):
115t

Consistent results here.


2. attempt (move to Voroshilovsk (range = 7), readiness dropped by 72%, 47%, 40% and 49% prior to flying any missions, % to fly at 30%):
1st wave: 140t
2nd wave: 79t
3rd wave: 48t
Total: 267t

2.1 (2nd sample):
145
99
82
50
21
Total: 397t

2.2 (3rd sample):
144
86
82
23
Total:335t

Large variance in the number of missions.


2a. (move to Voroshilovsk, 50%):
1st wave: 115t

2a1:
113
37
Total: 150t

2a2:
115t

Variance in the number of missions.


3. (move as close as possible (range = 3), % to fly at 30%):
1st wave: 144t
2nd wave: 95t
3rd wave: 61t
4th wave: 54t
Total: 354t

3.1 (2nd sample):
145
88
54
Total: 287t

3.2 (3rd sample):
145
84
23
19
Total: 271t

Variance in the number of missions.


3a. (move as close as possible (range = 3), % to fly at 50%):
1st wave: 113t

3a1 (2nd sample):
111t

3a2 (3rd sample):
113t

Very low variance.


At 30% moving to Voroshilovsk yields the best results (Voroshilovsk (R7) = 333t, 4 missions - close (R3) = 304t, 3.67 missions flown - stay in place (R21) = 310t, 3.67 missions).

At 50% moving to Voroshilovsk yields the best results (Voroshilovsk (R7) = 127t, 1.33 missions - no movement (R21) = 115t, 1 mission - as close as possible (R3) = 112t, 1 mission).

So essentially there is no hard and fast anwser. Due to the random factors (planes flying/getting damaged) there is a fairly high variance in the results (naturally larger at 30% to fly than at 50%). And with 3 samples for each scenario the sample size is fairly limited. There might be a sweetspot somehwere between the 3 range scenarios I have tried.

But with those 3 scenarios (and with my pretty banged up transports) there is a trend that indicates moving prior to starting supply missions will yield better results. And moving the maximum range will get slightly worse results than not having moved at all, but the airbases are closer to the spearheads (which is good for the range, but bad for supplies).

Conclusion:

I will try to stick to medium movement prior to making air supply missions, this has the added benefit of not getting too far away from my supply network too fast.

The thing about the sweetspot kept me thinking, so I did one final test (30% to fly, position: rail before crossing the river Yegorlyk - range = 12 - which means that my airbase HQ is still right next to a railhead).

1st atttempt:
144
82
73
Total: 299

2nd:
145
115
54
28
Total: 342

3rd:
144
126
77
55
30
Total: 432

On average 358t with 4 missions, but the variance is very large, from 299t in 3 missions to 432t in 5 missions. Best result yet and I like the position for the HQ.

ORIGINAL: Mynok

FWIW, I routinely supply my HQs rather than my units. Whether that is effective or not remains to be seen, but it has worked so far.

I am still undecided about this one (getting close to the supply rules in reading the manual at the moment) since I am not sure if getting duel/supplies from the HQ to the units will use vehicles (if in range). If it does I will drop directly at the units, if not dropping at the HQ will be much better since they are further back and thus in better range.

I think it a matter of time of distibution of the supplies; the resupplying the HQ will distribute during the next AI logistical phase; whereas dropping dirctly on the unit seems to have an immediate effect.
 
Marquo