Air war - Torch to Tunisia scenario

[Darojax]

Hey all.

Just wondering if anyone can give me a few good tips regarding the Fighter vs Fighter air war in the North Western Africa. I'm playing as the allies and getting my absolute guts kicked in by the German Bf109's, week after week. It doesn't matter if it's the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the RAF, or the Kittyhawks/Warhawks of the USAAF, we always seem to lose so badly I have had to stop my Superiority missions and pull the airgroups back from the front to rest and refit. (We are doing very good against the Italian Fighters though.)

I'm also currently playing the full 43-45 scenario as the allies, and here I am strangely experiencing none of these heavy constant losses.

If anyone could give me a few pointers of what I am doing wrong I would be grateful, thanks!

Dan

[LiquidSky]

Bomb the airfields. You have a lot of LB Groups. He can only base on so many airfields.

You will lose bombers doing it, but it sets up a slippery slope scenario. He will be able to fly less and less planes as the airfields get damaged, making it easier for you to shoot down Germans in the air, and for bombs to hit him on the ground.

[Darojax]

That sounds like good advise, will try that, thanks!

Any idea why the allied fighters are performing so poorly though? Experience-wise they are pretty decent?

[Helpless]

Any idea why the allied fighters are performing so poorly though? Experience-wise they are pretty decent?

On early turns in Africa campaign Allies have to use small air bases and/or fly long distances. Add to this very high German experience and chances to gain superiority from the very beginning is almost "mission impossible". You should try to establish several big forward air bases and build your AF there. Concentrate on defensive AS, i.e. fly over your own area and during enemy execution. This will let to minimize your pilot losses and protect your ground assets.

[carlkay58]

If you are playing vs the AI, you will find that the Axis are bombing your forward airbases very effectively and trashing your fighter squadrons. Pull your fighters back, build up the airbases so they have better capability, and fly Air Superiority missions over the better airfields to defend them. You will then see the Axis start to take bomber losses and the air war will turn in your favor. Africa in early 43 is NOT the Air War over Europe. The Allies are on a shoe string budget in all regards - troops, equipment, and especially supplies.

The Allies need to spend the first few turns improving their supply situation before they can do much of anything in the scenario.

[Darojax]

Very useful insights, thanks chaps.

[Darojax]

Just have to vent my frustration about this. So sure, the german luftwaffe is superior. But this?



Look at the air combat numbers. Are you sure there isn't something wrong with this scenario? The way the allied air is completely chance-less, even the fighters, just seems off to me. Surely the RAF boys who performed so admirably during the Battle of Britain don't transform into incompetent rookies just because they were transferred to Africa?

Well, I don't see any other option than to pull all my air assets back and allow Luftwaffe to gain air supremacy. [:(] At least on the ground we can match them.

[Helpless]

With "proper" management it is possible to have even higher losses

Seriously I understand your frustration, but it seems that you are running AS during your turn (allied air exec), which is really offensive type of mission. Usually allies air logistics is not strong enough to support it in early turns of Torch. Would be good to look into the save to get better idea what's going on.

[Darojax]

Sure, I'd love to share the save, but not sure where to find it, we're playing multiplayer over the server.

[Joel Billings]

We can find the latest 2 saves on the server if you tell us the player usernames in the MP game.

[Darojax]

Ah, that's cool. Thanks.

Scenario: Torch to Tunisia 42-43 (current Turn is 11)
Axis player: jhdeerslayer
Allies player: Darojax

[IslandInland]

ORIGINAL: Helpless

Any idea why the allied fighters are performing so poorly though? Experience-wise they are pretty decent?

On early turns in Africa campaign Allies have to use small air bases and/or fly long distances. Add to this very high German experience and chances to gain superiority from the very beginning is almost "mission impossible". You should try to establish several big forward air bases and build your AF there. Concentrate on defensive AS, i.e. fly over your own area and during enemy execution. This will let to minimize your pilot losses and protect your ground assets.

Why do the German pilots start with higher experience that the British pilots? Haven't they both been fighting the same desert war for years?

[Helpless]

Why do the German pilots start with higher experience that the British pilots? Haven't they both been fighting the same desert war for years?

Good question. I think LW experience can be toned down a bit.