Battleground Italy Big Wing

[Smirfy]

I got pretty much fed up with the vanilla scenario of Battleground Italy for a few reasons, firstly I read the official history of the campaign, secondly the more *historical* production model can't cope with the losses in game in this scenario, thirdly you dont get enough aircraft in the scenario. Aircraft one understands is the fun stuff that differentiates the sophisticated war in the West with the counter shove in the East.

To begin with I added all the squadrons I could find that were involved in Husky and the general area, mainly maritime patrol and strike squadrons. I also took the liberty of increasing the aircraft pools to cope with the combat model in a thoroughly unscientific way and then canceled the withdrawl of the USAAF strategic airgroups. Strategic airgroups equate to fun. I also guessed an increase in pilot pools to cope with the slighty savage loss model. I also added an air HQ for the simple reason the editor lets you and its there to muck about with. This became the Airwar mod for the Battleground Italy scenario. The principle idea was to give me toys to play with and have something resembling the complete supremacy the allies enjoyed in the air that vanilla scenario just does not give you.

I was quite pleased with the way it played (until the latest patch) but I wanted to make the idea slightly more playable so I took the herectical step of rounding the Squadrons up into Wings, All the nations are still there Canadians, Greeks, Free French, South Africans and the Aussies and I was quite pleased that when the grand total of aircraft is much the same as the more historical Air War mod after my instinctive groupings. Though unfortunately the Albermarle and Swordfish did not make the cut. The result is the Big Wing Mod. The only other minor change are *alot* of enlarged runways and adding reserve planes to the Wings out of pure curiosity.

So Ill give this a whirl and see how it plays

[Smirfy]

Tactical Airforce & Coastal Airforce

[Smirfy]

XII & Middle East Command

[Smirfy]

Turn 1

One of the reasons why I started editing this scenario is everytime the Devs patch it, Battleground Italy suffers. I created the patrol aircraft to free my bombers from the abstract foe and with each patch you need more and more patrol aircraft. I'm in an arms race with the Devs. The previous patch I was in the ascendancy and had the game playing well but this patch forces you to use all your aircraft yes thats all those extra wings to make sure the 8th army in Sicily gets supply. The Kitchen Sink is literally thrown at an abstract mechanic.

Im not really keen the way Naval Interdiction it emasculates one of the best maritime strike aircraft in history and turns the Beaufighter the *Ten gun terror* and *Whispering Death* into fluffy the sheep. I like the Ju88, great plane, Crete and throughout 1942 but come 43 its grandad at the teen disco. Yet in Husky with this patch a few can disrupt the supply of the entire 8th army unless you throw that kitchen sink at it. When you throw that sink at it there are no toys to do anything else with

[Smirfy]

The underwhelming result of 4000 aircraft and Mines, rockets, torpedoes, 500lbs 250lbs

[Smirfy]

Meanwhile 4 aircraft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL4_z3kWa3s

[Smirfy]

I'm finding as Pavel says putting a low number like 40% into new airbases show far is getting air support to bite. The Wings I must say I prefer to fapping about with squadrons

[Smirfy]

57th Fighter Group "First in the blue" rack up an impressive score. R Reynolds the highest scoring Allied ace in the theatre

[Smirfy]

Preparing for the Catania bug-out

[Helpless]

Interesting mod. Curious to see how it would play out with the latest adjustments I did based on the saves you sent.

[Smirfy]

Thanks, I am coming to the conclusion Wings is the way to go. The standard games OOB never survives past the first turn as every AAR states so ithat makes the historical squadron argument somewhat void.. Though I am only a few turns in it is infinitely more playable and practical with Wings

[Helpless]

Good point. The only problem that Wing may not fit into level 1 AF, i.e. it may be getting overload penalties.

Btw, don't forget to resupply air bases once you increase or change plane count.

[Smirfy]

A fighter wing seems to fit, but I had to enlarge a lot of runways in Tunisia.. Since playing about with the editor. I have discovered that you have forgotten something or could make something better once you start playing .

[Smirfy]

If you send me the changes I'll fire in a new game

[Seminole]

The underwhelming result of 4000 aircraft and Mines, rockets, torpedoes, 500lbs 250lbs

It would be illustrative to see your actual ADs and assignments. I get good results with just two B-24 groups and a few B-25 groups.

Scenario seems pretty easy for the WA with the existing OoB, all those aircraft should make it a cakewalk.

[Smirfy]

It's a cake walk anyway, it's just it's absolutely no fun that is the idea of the Mod to make it fun. I'm more into the experience than winning. I use the extra planes to try differing things.. You can play the scenario at your own speed which is quite relaxing, you also have planes left in the end game and ones of the correct era The side effect is you can concentrate on *feel* and have some escapism, for competition. I play sport.

I also wanted to improve my Gameplay experience and like I say it plays better with both mods especially I believe with the wings. For match play yes it would probably be. unbalanced.

[Seminole]

ORIGINAL: Smirfy
It's a cake walk anyway, it's just it's absolutely no fun that is the idea of the Mod to make it fun.

Fun is subjective, and I didn't intend to imply you're not finding a way to have fun.

I'm more into the experience than winning.

I wish there were more folks like that. In my experience so far people stop playing when things look like they're going south. I will say my current BGI opponent continues to send turns even though he's in a world of hurt. To me, even on the other side, it's interesting to see how things will go.

I use the extra planes to try differing things..

Understand, but I'm still curious about your AD setup details.
The current OoB does force you to make choices and fewer aircraft emphasize the importance of those choices.
The Luftwaffe gets withdrawn for the most part after a month anyway.

You can play the scenario at your own speed which is quite relaxing,

That's why fun is so subjective. I'm playing 'hell bent for leather' so I can get as far as I can before he can get set, and to constantly keep him off balance.
Relaxing and war aren't things I associate.

you also have planes left in the end game and ones of the correct era

Haven't had a game go to the end, but my aircraft OoB have held relatively stable (not counting the LB withdrawals). In my current game it has been growing in spite of ready aircraft tanking by over a thousand while I figure out how the air support replacement engine works.
Did you increase the initial pools and production too?

For match play yes it would probably be. unbalanced.

I haven't had a game go to the end to judge the balance of the scoring system in the scenario, but I think the scenario already challenges the Axis to accomplish more with less. Allies just have to figure out how to throw their weight around. Fun part in the game is that what is required to do that depends on how your opponent chooses to fight.

[Smirfy]

I increased the pools not the production as Battleground Italy is quirky with the 20% limit, Pools is simple

[Smirfy]

As you say all things are subjective, my design and play philosophy probably summed up by the malta air superiorty mission I know exactly where the AI is going to hit and could easily have put that box where the AI would be but that would not be fair I could have also moved one of either the Malta air Command or Middle East Command naval patrol boxes to that area. Again hardly realistic. One advantage extra aircraft get you is you dont always have to use them. But you would think tactical air strategic air and the purpose built (by me) Coastal airforce would be enough

[Seminole]

Turn 6 of Battle Ground Italy, single naval patrol AD, size one (centered on the 6 value)
2x B-24 groups
2(4?)x B-25 groups (can't recall, sometimes the B-25s were rested after going on railyard missions)
1x P-38 group (escort)

Are you running naval ADs, or just counting on automatic naval patrol?
The AI puts air directives over what it considers to be the most logical spots to aid its efforts, are you eschewing countering that because it is obvious? I'm not sure I understand what you mean by it being 'hardly realistic' for you to focus your ADs where you expect his efforts.