Russian air army

[STEF78]

I would like to get some ideas about the use of russian air army.

I'm doing it rather basically:
- swapping leaders
- all bombers to BAD and DBAD bases
- fighters an fighter bombers to IAD and PVO
- recon and transport to VVS
- disbanding SAD and long range HQ

At the beginning of the game I always build LI2 units for the partisans

And I use my air units to massively bomb german units before decisive fights.

I don't use paratroops, neither do I bomb HQ, I find it gamey

No more and surely not enough!

For example, the TOE are all below 100%, do you change it?

[loki100]

basically agree.

I keep two BAK commands in existence. This is handy if I decide to keep some armies reporting to Stavka as an emergency reserve (I usually don't). If not, I use them to hold the VVS bases and deploy one to the north of moscow, one to the south. Helps me to control the partisan war more easily than if the VVS bases are scattered around (I'm basically a very lazy player). As with you, I also put the recon assets here.

I'm not too keen to give up on Paras. You can agree some house rules to remove the worst exploits but without the threat its too easy for a German player to not bother with local reserves and thus enables them to concentrate too much. On that basis, again the 2 BAK commands give me a focus for any active airborne operations I'm planning.

I get the TOEs up to 100. While its unlikely you will want so many air units you breach the support level, I think you want as much flexibility as you can. You gain enough kit to fund this when you scrap the SAD bases and various unneeded air commands.

[Mehring]

also basically agree if you put bombers on VVS set to night missions and otherwise mostly as modified by Loki. Given the most paras dropped in one op was three brigades, three's a house rule I use in new games, also that units and their drop hexes must be recorded 2 turns in advance.

As for bombing HQ's, it destroys too much arty and too little supply, fuel and support. Better that, in my view, than further reduce its power which was far more behind the lines than direct support.

[Gabriel B.]

You can still field 100 aircraft per airbase at 60 % toe until dec 42.

After that you can field less regiments, 3 experienced as oposed to 6 .(my choice)
or push the toe back to 100% and field 5 regiments.

prefered mixed .

1 level bomber (pe-2-or a-10_
1 tac bomber (il-2)-25 suport
1 night bomber or recon or transport
3 fighter bombers.

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

prefered mixed .

1 level bomber (pe-2-or a-10_
1 tac bomber (il-2)-25 suport
1 night bomber or recon or transport
3 fighter bombers.

You make no difference between IAD, BAD, VVS?

[morvael]

I mixed them too, with exception of VVS as they have special rules (partisan supply). Other than that I liked each base covered by fighters.

I went with:
2-3x fighters/fighter-bombers set to fighter missions
2x tac bombers (Il-2)
1-2x level bombers (Pe-2)
(depends on changing group size, with 40 strong fighter and tac groups it was the minimum)

VVS got Il-4 level bombers (x2) set to night mode, recons and one fighter set to night mode.

Two dedicated bases had all my transports in late war so I could use them for transport ops.

[Gabriel B.]

ORIGINAL: STEF78

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

prefered mixed .

1 level bomber (pe-2-or a-10_
1 tac bomber (il-2)-25 suport
1 night bomber or recon or transport
3 fighter bombers.

You make no difference between IAD, BAD, VVS?

VVS gets 1 transport instead of nightbomber .

I like to stack each army Hq with a airbase but it is risky to do so in 1941 .

[Mehring]

Maybe to give some meaning to the airbase designations, fighter bases could have lower support levels and carry less fuel than bomber bases?

[morvael]

Nice for those who want to micromanage, but others will be less happy. The changes done to air for next patch, including new mission limits, are made to make it more user friendly and useable.

[STEF78]

so going to mix my airbases!

[IvanShuski]

Is there any functional difference between IAD, PVO, BAD and DBAD airbases?

[timmyab]

For some unknown reason I'm on turn 5 of my campaign game and I don't have any LTAP air units so I've got 600 U2 (trans) aircraft with nowhere to go Is this a bug?

[Denniss]

You have to build them yourself.

[timmyab]

I know this makes me sound stupid but can someone give me the idiot's guide on exactly how you do this. Thanks.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: IvanShuski

Is there any functional difference between IAD, PVO, BAD and DBAD airbases?

the only one that matters is PVO - can only be used by fighters or fighter bombers in the fighter mode (though you can deploy other types they won't fly). Air units on these bases will only fly interception. This reflects the historic role of the PVO (both planes and AA units) as city defense formations.

In game its actually quite handy. It means that some of your fighters can't be used up on bomber escort so must remain free for interception.

ORIGINAL: timmyab

I know this makes me sound stupid but can someone give me the idiot's guide on exactly how you do this. Thanks.

If you go to the map tab and click on - or next to - a major city you access the build unit screen. In addition to the traditional ground units you can now build air units (one per turn) and air squadrons. You have limited choice, so for example for FBs it will expect you to build the type most common in your pools, but the swap routine will sort this out later

[timmyab]

Thanks for the reply, but I'm still confused. Just to be clear, It's transport 'air groups' that I'm missing not 'air bases'.

[STEF78]

not sure if it's the reply you're asking for:

TAP cannot be built during the very first turns then

[timmyab]

Thanks stef. I'm only on turn 5 so I guess I'll have to wait a while.

Four years and I'm still learning the basics [:(]

[STEF78]

I've myself discovered 4 years after beginning the game that there was no difference between IAD, DBAD, PVO, BAD airbases...[;)]