WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 3 - Air Directives

[RedLancer]

In my last post on the Air Phase I mentioned Air Directives. Air Directives are the system by which Air Missions are ordered. This post aims to give you some more detail on the Air Directive functionality.

Firstly there are two methods of creating an Air Directive. In the last post I showed the Auto AD Creation system which provides a simplified approach to creating ADs based on you as the player setting priorities. Alternatively you can create your ADs manually.

Air Directives are assigned to Air HQs. The number of ADs that an Air HQ can handle is dependent on the quality of the leader. On average an Air HQ can handle around 5 or 6 ADs.

The screenshot below shows some of the functionality that is provided in the system. The AD being set is a Strategic Bombing AD for 8th US Air Force. The target is Brussels with an area of 1 (0 is 1 hex only and the max is 10). You can't see the target priority but as Brussels has undamaged Heavy Industry and Fuel Production (shown by the green symbols) they have been set as a target. Martlesham Heath is being used as the staging base - it's a Daytime directive. 19 Air Groups have been assigned with 660 Bombers and 235 Fighter escorts. In the advanced options I've set the Directive to fly on D2 and D5 at 24,000ft and a minimum of 100 aircraft are required for a mission to fly. It's worth highlighting here that the Air Phase runs day by day for the week. Finally you can see that I have adjusted the routes to and from the target to avoid areas of flak.

[morvael]

What does the number on the AA/Flak icon represent?

edit: I know it's related to its strength, but in what way?

[RedLancer]

The Flak Numbers displayed vary between 0 and 9 based on the intensity of flak. The left number is low/mid level flak (below 20K altitude) and the right number is high level flak (above 20K).

AA units in cities/airfields will fire at aircraft flying in adjacent hexes if they are 15K or higher, while units will fire into adjacent hexes if the enemy aircraft is 10K or higher.

[gravyhair]

Wow!

[RealChuckB]

This looks really ... fascinating and complex. I hope there will be an option to hand some of these tasks over to ... whoever is willing & capable of doing this, such as the AI

[zakblood]

+1

already asked it, and most can be, but you still need to add some input, for me scripts or time plans would help, say if you wanted a certain plan, chose that and let the AI do it for you, a script could take over all of it for you, as not everyone want to plan and run a air war, supply war and even a sea war, land only for me, but do like the overall look and feel of it as well, just dont want to spend the time doing it

[Helpless]

edit: I know it's related to its strength, but in what way?

Roughly, integral value of anti-air x rof of all ground elements in hex (area).

[KenchiSulla]

Looks very promising!

[warshipbuilder]

[quote][ I've set the Directive to fly on D2 and D5 at 24,000ft /quote]

I can assume there is some form of weather forecast? Or do you just take your chances that you can fly X days ahead?

[RedLancer]

I'll be posting more about weather later in the 'series' but the simple answer is there is a much better weather model with weather fronts, air and ground conditions. Here is a screenshot showing the air weather conditions with Polar Maritime and Arctic Maritime fronts.

[warshipbuilder]

As the Axis player, can you switch KG and JG gruppes between east and west, just like you can with ground forces?

Also, do you have any offensive punch or are you strictly on the defensive, like in BTR? I am looking for the Bodenplatte option.[;)]
It seems ridiculous that you should not be able to bite back from the air as well.

[RedLancer]

ORIGINAL: warshipbuilder

As the Axis player, can you switch KG and JG gruppes between east and west, just like you can with ground forces?

Also, do you have any offensive punch or are you strictly on the defensive, like in BTR? I am looking for the Bodenplatte option.[;)]
It seems ridiculous that you should not be able to bite back from the air as well.

The Axis player can be offensive. Attacking Amphib TFs in the Med is a good strategy and you can pull units from the East if using the EF Box. The Bulge to the Rhine scenario is set up for Bodenplatte.

[cmunson]

-warshipbuilder
As the Axis player, can you switch KG and JG gruppes between east and west, just like you can with ground forces? Also, do you have any offensive punch or are you strictly on the defensive, like in BTR? I am looking for the Bodenplatte option. It seems ridiculous that you should not be able to bite back from the air as well.

-Red Lancer
The Axis player can be offensive. Attacking Amphib TFs in the Med is a good strategy and you can pull units from the East if using the EF Box. The Bulge to the Rhine scenario is set up for Bodenplatte.

Almost total player control over the Luftwaffe is one of the great design decisions in WitW. The Axis player can move units between theatres and Reich air defense. The Luftwaffe, which has numerous bomber units, can definitely inflict major hurt on the Allies if they invade beyond fighter cover. Those familiar with WitP will recognize the importance of islands like Sardinia and Corsica, not for any resources they contain but as fixed aircraft carriers. Having fixed air bases introduces a whole new strategic element into the game as the Luftwaffe can make a decent show of it if base size and locations favor them and Allied fighter numbers are constrained by minimal airfields in a given region of the map.

[Balou]

ORIGINAL: Red Lancer
Attacking Amphib TFs in the Med is a good strategy

Really curious to see how this is going to be resolved since "naval warfare" is somehow abstracted.

[RedLancer]

Interdiction can sink the troop and cargo ships which move units and freight. If you can sink enough allied ships then things get interesting.