Wishlist: enhanced air strikes

[gabeeg]

I have a request for a future Command Ops update or product, enhanced air strikes. Air strikes are fine right now but it would be nice to be able to attempt to call an air strike instead of just take advantage of one that is available. It would add to the tension not know if your call will be answered or exactly when. More importantly it would be nice to have different types of air strikes such as weaker strafing P51 runs (...Russian P39), more armor busting Typhon rocket/cannon strike(or sturmovik), P47 bombing, or a medium bomber heavy hit...each varied in capabilities and when you call...your not quite sure what might be available...if any.

[wodin]

Gabeeg sounds good, say your given a certain amount of different kind of airstrikes you can call in during the scenario...(though you can be restricted in doing so if bad weather comes along)

[Greup]

Before we get all too excited over this (in a game context interesting) idea I would like to see a discussion on the historical relevancy of on-call combat air support.
I am by no means any expert on the topic but from what little info I've gathered *on-call* CAS was not very common.

I'd be interested to see some pointers to historical accounts or documentation of CAS procedures / capabilities for the powers involved. Anybody having literature on this to suggest?

[wodin]

greup I do believe your right, though I think they would be told at a certain time planes will be overhead that you can call in...so in away the game already does this, which makes it a mute point. However I would like to be able to choose what ordnance and maybe even what planes pre battle. Adds alittle something more to the air side of it and starts to give you a prebattle air commander role aswell. You could go so far than to include fighter escort etc...especially so in the east front title.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Everything else in the game appears to be quantifiable, so why not airstrikes? Why not make them discreet by aircraft type, weapon and number? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

[gabeeg]

For a future East Front game where air strikes (called or not) are a big stick for the Soviets and Germans...it would be an especially interesting enhancement IMO.

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: gabeeg

For a future East Front game where air strikes (called or not) are a big stick for the Soviets and Germans...it would be an especially interesting enhancement IMO.

+1...air attacks with escort are I feel very important to have in an EF game...Included things like large air attacks at start of a scenario for instance...

[JWW]

I was about to start a thread on air strikes, but I was considering something different.  Why not an option to let the AI handle airstrikes, just as you can let artillery handle its own targeting?  Or, more interesting to me, the ability to allocate airstrike priority to one of your subordinate headquarters and let the AI handle them that way.  That just gives more flexibility and might be more realistic than the player allocating every airstrike.  

[Arjuna]

If you do not commit an airstrike by the time it times out, the AI will then commit it for you.

[gabeeg]

Dave,

I did not know that...! I assumed the airstrike went uncalled. How does the AI decide where to place the airstrike?

[wodin]

Nor did I...I always thought you'd missed it. Good to know!

[JWW]

Same here.  I thought it was lost.  Very good.

[Topo]

Interesting.
Any clarification on this (to me) unknow feature?

[mllange]

This was mentioned in the tutorial videos (the last one I think - Phase 2). The AI only has 5 minutes to make the call, however. The player has either 20 or 30 minutes before timeout.