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What commands do I give my land based fighter aircraft to protect formed task forces at port from air attack? I have been getting heavy air raids from Singapore, but none of the 50+ fighters I have based at Singora have been responding. What commands and settings should I be using to ensure these fighters respond to the attacks on the ships?

Thanks!

Using LRCAP (long range CAP) you can actually set an individual task force as the target it will protect.

With your TF in port, all that should be necessary is to set your fighters to an ESCORT mission on their GROUP screen and to select the CAP level you want on the sub-MISSION below. (But be aware that interception is still NOT a guarantee.)

You can either set your fighters at (local) sweep or LR sweep. If the sweeps are set without a percentage they shall fly full formations at a time, otherwise each unit's planes shall be split up to cover the whole day - 100% would give you 1/3 of the unit airborne at any one time. If you have fighters in Khota Baru and Patani these can protect Singora, as well. Just mark the base as a destination for a sweep or a LR sweep. Best way to protect a task force (I believe) is to mark it specifically as a sweep or LR sweep object. (As per Capt. Hornblower - except "sweep" - not "escort").

Fred

If you are trying to have your fighters protect your TF in the same hex the fighters are based in, I would use CAP and make sure you don't set the max range to anything but zero. If you have a sense of the altitude the enemy is coming in at, set your CAP just a bit higher, If you set the CAP at very high altitude, there is a decent chance that they won't see the enemy planes in time to do anything. If the TF are moving, I would use LRCAP and set the actual TF as the target with a range for the fighters of several hexes.
Weather and lots of other things may also be impacting your fighter's ability to intercept the enemy.
I'm not an expert but I hope this helps.
WEXF

You can either set your fighters at (local) sweep or LR sweep. If the sweeps are set without a percentage they shall fly full formations at a time, otherwise each unit's planes shall be split up to cover the whole day - 100% would give you 1/3 of the unit airborne at any one time. If you have fighters in Khota Baru and Patani these can protect Singora, as well. Just mark the base as a destination for a sweep or a LR sweep. Best way to protect a task force (I believe) is to mark it specifically as a sweep or LR sweep object. (As per Capt. Hornblower - except "sweep" - not "escort").

Fred

I don't see an option for long range sweep. Can you clarify? Are we talking about LRCAP with escort function or sweet with LCAP? It's contradictory what you're saying, or I'm not understanding.

LRCAP is one to use, since it protects TF it targets as long as TF is in range with fighters.

It is not as effective as CAP, but CAP can only protect few hexes from base mostly.

Don't expect miracles from LRCAP, determined attacker will get through it, but it is good disrupting most of attacks.

ORIGINAL: Capt Hornblower

With your TF in port, all that should be necessary is to set your fighters to an ESCORT mission on their GROUP screen and to select the CAP level you want on the sub-MISSION below. (But be aware that interception is still NOT a guarantee.)

I have been unsuccessful selecting individual TFs as target, only a hex. Can you show me how this is possible?

Everyone else: All the feedback and directions is greatly appreciated! To confirm, do I select ESCORT or SWEEP + the cap/lrcap submissions? I saw conflicting advise between SWEEP and ESCORT.

ORIGINAL: BananaConvention

I have been unsuccessful selecting individual TFs as target, only a hex. Can you show me how this is possible?

If a portion of your CAP is set to LRCAP, then click on the Select Target button, then mouse over the hex and click on the task force you want protected.

When you set the squadron on LRCAP. Click on set target. Then click on the symbol of the TF in the hex screen and a list of the available TF in that hex will show. Click on the TF you want to fly LRCAP over. That should do it. The TF number should show up in the target listing.
If you do set the LRCAP to protect a certain TF there is always a chance that the squadron will actually cover anything that happens in the hexes within the range you set. Make sure you set the range to cover the hex you want to get to.
Hope this is clear.
WEXF

Sweeps are offensive counter-air missions. They are used against enemy CAP and not useful protecting your TF.

In other words, sweeps attack enemy fighters. Not at all useful protecting your TF from bombers.

CAP and LRCAP are for that.

Copy on ALL! Very very helpful guys. I learned something new today.

If you use sweep they won't be distracted with an escort mission and will concentrate (per the percentage you assign) on the LRCAP mission, also not distracted by providing local CAP. I've always used escort anyways, but to each his own. If the TF is in motion make sure you max the range and use drop tanks if available.

Also, you cannot sweep your own base. Fighter sweeps are offensive mission to be used over enemy units/bases

Remember that when you set LRCAP over a target (base or TF) the “range” setting is actually the radius of that LRCAP around the target.
I rarely set LRCAP with range >0 as I usually want the LRCAP to concentrate over the selected target.