Comparison: AI Air vs Custom Air - 43-45 Campaign

[GeneralDad]

That first air turn can be brutal in the air - every unit on both sides is at full morale and ready to fight. Here is the result of customizing A/Ds as Allied for the first turn of the 43-45 campaign. Using AI to plot your air - is - simply - a near disaster. The pros can probably do even better, but here are my results.

Objectives: Trash the LW; Don't lose so many aircraft you can't fly next turn; do some targeted damage.

What was done:
Move aircraft around and change commands so every bomber has escorts. Add UK Spitfires for B-17s and NFs to RAF night bombers.
Only go into Germany as far as escorts will take us, can reach the Ruhr with drop tanks on the fighters.
Hurt Axis supply in Sicily by bombing Reggio rail and port. Seems OK to go after Messina after T1 or T2 (lots of flak).
Find every air unit one can spare to put superiority over the Sicily transports. Malta, Tac, even Coastal AS directives, yet still have escorts for bombers and ground support. Stay tight over the Naval targets.
Bombers do not carry extra fuel unless needed.
Switched 2 US groups to P-38 for future long range escort (one in the far north of UK, and a Coastal AF P-39 unit that will go to Strategic AF in the Med).

Results from average of 4 trials for the first turn's Allied Air Phase (T1 losses only, from all causes, no Axis air phase until T2).
Allied air losses dropped from 718 to 354.
Axis air losses increased from 222 to 367.
Bombing VP decreased from 6.25 avg to 6 (not likely a significant result for this sized sample).

These are my results - likely the pros can do even better. Comments, suggestions, improvements appreciated; still learning this.
Gen. Dad

[cfulbright]

General Dad,

I think you have the gist of it. There are some other things you can do to further increase the margin (e.g., an 8th AF AD with 1-2 B-17 groups and all the P-47's hitting Emmerich on days 1/2/3), but they're sort of gamey.

Cary

[GeneralDad]

Thanks cfulbright.

I had used the P47s in A/Ds to support missions going after v-weapon launch sites. Given that losses have been gotten down to acceptable, I think hitting those has value in the game. But, I had not thought of any really gamey tactics.

Gen. Dad

[cfulbright]

Gen Dad,

If you're talking about V-weapon launch sites on the coast, The LW generally doesn't contest that much because they're air groups are pulled back to the East after turn one. I think you're safe using the 9th US AF and 2nd TAF medium bombers with little or no escort against VWL sites - when playing the AI.

Cary