Desperate for tips. Eagle Day German side

[xavutrecht]

I have been messing a bit with Eagle day (German side, 1 week campaign) and can't find a way to win this one.
I tried:
Big bombing raids with a lot of fighter cover
Low-level bombing raids
Decoy raids and bombing raid (both Westward and Eastward)
Fighter sweeps to catch the British fighters un-prepared

Nothing seemed to work, the RAF is still launching packs of fighters after my boys.

Low-level raids are taking a pounding by AA guns.
Fighter sweeps are tricky for timing and usually strike only thin air.
Regardless of the fighter cover, bombers are hit badly by the RAF.

It seemed also that shooting practice is far better on the English side, most of the time German pilots are like sitting ducks and fail to score hits (at least to shoot down enemy airplanes).

Any tips are welcome.

Nice game by the way

[cohimbra]

Hi xavutrecht, I haven't any tips to give to you, but you can take a look at this 3 AAR, maybe you can find some help:

BoB - Kevin v Swift
tm.asp?m=2311715

Eagle Day 1 Day - Newb German versus AI UK
tm.asp?m=2353181

BoB 41 AAR HS vs Dixie
tm.asp?m=2417483

Have a good game.

[Wijter]

Hi Xavier,

follow the original plan of the GAF:
- Gain and maintain air supperiority in the south east sector (Dover - Southhampton - London)
- Concentrate on RAF installations
- make his (fighter) airfields your prio 1 taget
- destroy any RAF plane, either in the air or on the ground

Lessons learned by the GAF
- there is no ueber plane, neiter with the GAF not the RAF
- the Bf 109 is short legged, London is max range it can effective support your bomber groups
- the Bf 110 is no match for the fast and agile RAF single engine fighter (in reallity it needed additional fighter cover)
- the Ju87 was removed from combat, do not waste your aces in unescorted raids
- Recon is crucial, if you do not know where the RAF is you cannot hit them
- airfield repair is fast, come back early and often
- night bombing is not your war winning tactic
- no air supperiority -> no unescorted bombing raids
- level bombing (especial from high level) was not that accurate, to destroy a target in a single raid use low level or dive bomb attacks (be aware of flak and balloons)
- And finally: Do not expect to win the war in one week, RAF is a strong opponent

Keep in mind:
- As soon as and airgroup is moved to a new airfield, it will not fly the same day
- It is easy to relace a fighter plane, it is impossible to replace a fighter ace
- You will not run out of pilots, there is always some from school

Cheers,
Wijter

[enefer11]

Never played the short game, but have one the long game several times.

Suggestions:

1/ Lots of recon of airfield early on focusing on airfields only. This will tell you number of aircraft and number/type of flak.
2/ Fighter sweeps are key, but avoid hitting airfield directly by plot sweep offset from target airfield This way you will not attack the airfield and lose planes to flak but will be able to hit planes as they land. Certain airfields are so close together that a single sweep can cover both fields.
3) Bomb airfields at medium altitude (Above light flak maximum height by about 1,000ft. This will maximize damage while reducing losses to flak.
4) Use Stuka's to hit radar sites and factories near the coast. Focus on blowing a hole in the radar coverage and keep it open so that RAF must mount standing patrols that waste fighters.
5) Use fighters for sweeps as that is the quickest way of killing fighters in numbers, use minimal escort for bomber formations (I would use the Bf110 as they can't be used for sweeps, deploying them at high altitude to bounce enemy fighters)

Hope that helps.

[Geredis]

Enefer: Does the AI ALWAYS plug gaps in its radar coverage with fighter patrols? Would it be feaisble then to basically checkerboard the RAF/German RADAR coverage, and then only use one or two of these holes regularly as transit routes...or will the AI "catch on" eventually and add more fighter coverage to those gaps actually being used by your plains, while perhaps ignoring other gaps?

[JeffroK]

The AI doesnt think, its scripted so I assume it reviews RDF coverage and puts patrols up into gaps.

IMHO, Fighters sweeps into reconned Primary Airfields, you can create a war of attrition over Biggin Hill & Kenley.
Bombing raids of around 50 bombers, Ju88 as a preference, onto reconned Primary Airfields.
Early Morning Ju87 raids onto RDF sites.
Use bf110 & Do17 as diversions, use them to draw a couple of defending squadrons away from the London area.
Hit Scapa Flow from Norway & the Newcastle area from Denmark, again drawing defenders.
He111 to hit London at night, ports as a target.

[JeffroK]

Just played agin using this approach and easily won as the luftwaffe.

(Always hit Scapa, 100% damage every time)