New Player Questions

[charge62]

Hello,

I am new to EDBTR, but have played BoB games since SSI's Fighter Command. Through trial and error, I am figuring out how ED works. Still, some things are evading me through lack of detail in reports.

1. Have tried running LW escorts two ways, half close and half 2000ft above then all escorts above and stacked +3000, +6000, and sometimes +9000. Results seem to be the same with a slightly better return using close escorts. The escorts don't achieve bounces nearly as often as the RAF. Then the unemployed escorts start shooting up balloons while the bombers are dying. (In the worst day, I shot down 20 RAF fighters and counted the balloon kills, almost 50.) Is there a way to set up escorts that is more effective?

2. Is there a best bombing altitude for level bombers and one also for Ju87s?

3. I am using KG100 as lead elements for night raids and results are quite disappointing. Recon data is current for the raids, with the raids usually running at 10k ft or sometimes lower to get under the clouds. Am I missing some mechanic that increases night raid efficiency?

4. Fighter sweeps seem murky. I've tried setting them up at 300ft, 7000, 10,000 and rarely catch planes landing. Timing varies to between 30 and 50 minutes after the bait raid takes off. At 300ft I lose too many to AA and balloons. What is the logic to effective sweep planning, altitude, timing, and patrol points? Are sweeps the best use for 110s?

Thank you.

[mark dolby]

HI.
I remember that SSI game. SOOO long ago.

2) Bombing height. This depends on several changing factors. Day time/night time, defended/undefended, recon photo/no photo. Coastal targets with only light AA can be bombed at a much lower altitude @7K and inland targets with the 3" gun can be bombed at 25K with no danger. There is not much bombing accuracy at this height so coming down a few K can be acceptable. However operating at height allows your 109's to outperform the Spitfire ever so slightly and more so over the Hurricane. You might find you get more attacks on the RAF from this. Ju87 should come in high to allow better escort performance and shortly after a main raid which should attract most of the defending RAF in the area. Coastal targets are best but if you do have to come inland try to choose lightly defended targets as despite being very accurate the 87 is terribly slow and vulnerable. ALWAYS get a recon photo of your target beforehand for best results.

3) Night time bombing is very variable. Once again get a recon photo, even of city centres before attacking. London is such a massive target bomb from 25K without KG100 but use an experienced Gruppe instead. Use KG100 for smaller cities or individual factories that have no or little heavy AA. Come in at 7K for best chance at visual identification of the factories but 15-20k for the cities. Be prepared to miss a lot.

1) I normally use either 110 or 109E1 for close escort, 1 or 2 Gruppen. Then Gruppen at 2k, 3.2k, 4.5k, 5.8k and 7K. Sometimes more than 1 Gruppen and the heights are not set in stone as depending on the bomber height I will try to maximise the benefits of the 109 escorts. I have never had the balloon issue you describe beyond isolated incidents.

4) I very rarely bother with sweeps against airfields except some of the satellite fields with little AA, and then first thing in the morning well before any raids. Other FS will be during the main raid mostly following the Bombers path with slight deviations and TOT to try to catch the RAF before they engage the bombers or as they break away hopefully damaged and low on fuel. 110's are not the best on sweeps, I prefer to use them in close escort or at the higher altitudes on bomber escorts. I like the 110 but it will suffer in any role.

Above all get good recon info, keep the radar offline and be patient. Unlike history this campaign does not have an invasion waiting limiting the time available. The premise is to defeat the RAF and subdue Britain's industry and you have a longer time frame to accomplish this. Be prepared to take losses and risks but don't throw away men and machines for a quick victory.

Mark.

[Zovs]

Greetings I am also a newbie, but I am more interested in BTR so any tips here for the USAAF and RAF?

Thank you.

[mark dolby]

Greetings I am also a newbie, but I am more interested in BTR so any tips here for the USAAF and RAF?

Thank you.

Hi Zovs.

I mostly play LW, more experienced Allied players will flesh this out.

1) Don't worry too much about the radar. There is so much its hard to create a really useful gap and it can be expensive in losses.
2) Use BC to increase the terror score as often as possible except those bright moonlight nights (22 light or more). Keep an eye on moon rise and set times as a bright moon may actually be out in the daytime.
3) The winter will severely curtail your day operations so at times be prepared for R&R or smaller closer targets.
4) Recon. Keep it current. Keep it relevant.

Using escorts and FS will come too you as you experiment and you find out what does and doesn't work.

Finally, try one of the smaller scenarios first. The large campaigns do take an awful lot of time and will give you moments of wishing you were elsewhere! Finishing some games should get you a proper mindset for the long game.

Good Luck!

Mark.

[Zovs]

Thanks for the tips Mark.