I have no idea how to use air power (the AI always has AA)

[rooibos]

I don't get it really. Everytime I get air assets, that's an indication there's AA defenses somewhere- and that somewhere is usually buried at the back of the map so you'll rarely get a visual on it, at least until the game is nearly over.

I was just playing the mission where you need to take the 3 villages, but at least 2 of those villages have eiter SPAA or tunguska, and i didn't spot them until the battle was nearly won. I didn't use my air assets even once (although a previous attempt had all 3 assets + both UAVS destroyed)

am I missing something? Am I doing something really wrong in not identifying AA assets sooner? (I set an arty + mortar barrage to one of the areas but didn't neutralie the tunguska) 

 

Or does everyone here usually just risk it with their air assets and use them despite defenses present? 

[Ithikial_AU]

Play as the Russians. US forces have very little AA assets... but they have Abrams. It is tempting but in my experience I wouldn't pin all your hopes on winning to a handful of air assets. In CMBS I've come to rarely use them for area fire missions because of AA threats. Point missions for precision hits on ID'd targets is the best approach in my experience.

[rooibos]

right, makes sense. Point missions make them less vulnerable?

 

I find I only use air assets as cleanup once I've encirlced a town or position and don't feel like pushing further

[DrDon]

I don't get it really. Everytime I get air assets, that's an indication there's AA defenses somewhere- and that somewhere is usually buried at the back of the map so you'll rarely get a visual on it, at least until the game is nearly over.

...and the best way to find the AA in order to eliminate it is with a drone, which it will shoot down.

I'd be less annoyed if the AA showed some indication of where it was when it fired. I hear the rounds, but I can never spot the tracers (if there are any), no matter how I point the camera. Missiles I can usually spot, with enough camera gymnastics.

Usually I'll send in the drones, one at a time if I have more than one, and hope for a spot on the AA. Sooner or later, I'll probably use the air assets regardless. I'd like a better strategy if anyone has one.