Air power question

[Wisdom11]

It's been a while since I've played TOAWIII but figured I'd revisit with the new patch.
Q1. I can't recall, but it seems there's a new option when intending to attack air units/airfields. Right clicking over an enemy air unit I see there's an option to either "plan an attack" or attack the "airfield".
Whats the difference, pros & cons?

Q2. Also, I've notices that enemy air power (AI in this case) sends every flying tin can as well as SSM's to decimate the opposing air power and usually succeeds in wiping out air wing after air wing in a few rounds with relatively few losses of its own. My fixed AA's couldn't knock out
I noticed this as I'm playing the original Germany '84 scenario. WARSAW pact preempts and sends hords of Migs and Su's along with SSM's and clears the air. It "seems" only the local airfield units sortie to meet their doom.
I also notices the fixed SAM sites didn't even respond.

However, when I attempted to do in kind, not only did my wings continually get bloody noses, as they encountered not only the wings at the target airfield but it seemed every available air wing in the entire scenario, but to add insult to injury the WARSAW SAM sites were also rising to the occasion causing havoc to my air wings.

So is there proper air strategies to try or are these outcomes typically intended in the scenario designs?

Btw, I usually (unless necessary) do not have my air units on CAS. They are manually changed by me to either Interdict or execute Air Superiority.

I know air/naval units aren't the focus of TOAW but I'm not sure what I'm doing right/wrong. Perhaps NATO airwings and SAM's really can't fight their way out of a wet paper bag as modeled in the game but if it's otherwise I'll look forward to any thougths out there.

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: aahari11

It's been a while since I've played TOAWIII but figured I'd revisit with the new patch.
Q1. I can't recall, but it seems there's a new option when intending to attack air units/airfields. Right clicking over an enemy air unit I see there's an option to either "plan an attack" or attack the "airfield".
Whats the difference, pros & cons?

My understandig is - airfield attack; you focus on the planes on it. The other attack option will include all other units on that hex i.e. your AA, combat units, the lot. Refer to manual -

13.4 airfield attacks
Artillery and Aircraft units ordered to attack Airfields will con-
centrate their attacks on Air units in the attacked location, ignor-
ing the presence of enemy Land units.

Q2. Also, I've notices that enemy air power (AI in this case) sends every flying tin can as well as SSM's to decimate the opposing air power and usually succeeds in wiping out air wing after air wing in a few rounds with relatively few losses of its own. My fixed AA's couldn't knock out....

Never played that kind of scenario. The toaw.log file would be helpful to analyze your predicament or what the game system tells us about the attacks and their outcome.

So is there proper air strategies to try or are these outcomes typically intended in the scenario designs?

Depends on the scenario, really. There have been reports that i.e. a bunch of Patriot missile batteries won't be able to down attack choppers. In the WW2 scenarios the system works ace.

kLiNk, Oberst

[Wisdom11]

Thanks Oberst for replying, I appreciate your feedback and input.  Now if I can only remember where I stored the game manual

[Oberst_Klink]

PDF, Kamerad, PDF...

kLiNk, Oberst

[ralphtricky]

You can also toggle the Air Assistant on and off to see what 'Elmer' would do. I'm not recommending you follow all the suggestions, but that should give you a feel for what he does.