"Advanced" air warface tactics?

[margeorg]

Hello,


while I´m still a newbie to the game (played 2 stock and 1 DBB full campaigns against the AI, yet to start my first PBEM game) I´d like to learn more about "advanced" air warfare tactics. While digging into several AAR´s (btw, really great stuff by Cap Mandrake, QBall and others!!!) I do read a lot about layering, multiple sweeps, and other finetuning stuff to optimize the use of air groups.

So, which are the "advanced" tips and hints for this? How do I get the optimum out of my airgroups?

[BBfanboy]

As part of the layering process, look at the maneuver ratings for your aircraft and keep them in their best maneuver band. The P40B, for example is best below 10,000 feet while the P-40E can go to 14,000 feet and still be in its best band. They also need high "Defence" values to dodge the diving attacks coming from higher level enemy fighters. You can boost this fastest by training them on low level attack (1000') or strafing (100'). This is most critical in the early war when allied fighters cannot match the Zero for altitude and high level maneuverability.

Decide up front which units you will throw into the fray before their training is done. These will be lost but may slow up the enemy's attacks.

Move your trainees to much safer areas and resist the urge to throw them into the battle piecemeal or lacking skills. Safer areas also means away from the coast where the enemy can bombard (except the US/Vancouver which should be pretty safe).

If you are planning to fight as the Japanese, the advice you need may be much different! [:)]

[artuitus_slith]

best advice-have better pilots flying better planes with numbers on your side I layer my cap, using the new recruits in older planes as bottom bait. Also having read Greyjoy's AAR, I've started experimenting with using a smaller % of ac on cap, to allow others to scramble.
Assuming this works, I'm going to start setting my cap to 'sweep range 0' with 30-40% cap. this way I don't have most of my fighters away escorting raids when i really want them to protect my base/cv.

Also, if you are having trouble with enemy A/C interdicting your shipping coming to/from a port (rangoon comes to mind, and port moresby) you can LRCAP target a TF even if it is out of range at the moment, as soon as it is in range your fighters will cap it. Try sweeping around the enemy base instead of directly on top of it to catch smaller flights of enemy fighters rather than facing the entire cap, and conversely limit the range of your cap to 0-1 unless there is reason to set the range farther (escorting a strike, protecting multiple bases/TF in the area ect) Also LRCAP is fatiguing, so set a % to rest to help prevent fatigue.

On the offensive, sweeps are your friends. Try to sweep a hex before the raid gets there. Best way to accomplish this is to have the sweeping fighters closer to the target than the raid itself. Pay attention to the device database, and tailor your raids to take advantage of so called 'flak gaps' (with the latest beta flak is a lot more effective). Try having a Submarine or picket ships between your launching base and the target base to save more pilots.

I'm sure others on here can give you a lot more (and better) tips, but these may help get you started.