Defensive use of air fleets

[Jeff Heidman]

Not that air power needs to be MORE powerful, but wouldn't it be nice if you could set your air units to "defensive air support" and they would "intercept" attacks on ground units (once) within their range?

Jeff

[I/O Error]

Although I have pursued the same train of thought, I quickly gave it up as a bad idea. As it is, defensive positions can have an overwhelming advantage. Defense Close Air Support would merely make stalemates and wars of attrition all the more common.

(Personally, I suppose I like to imagine that the CAS is indeed happening, just automatically when a unit attacks. Consider it an integral part of the game, like we assume artillery to be.)

[ October 16, 2002, 05:51 PM: Message edited by: I/O Error ]

[dougmangin]

Originally posted by I/O Error:

Although I have pursued the same train of thought, I quickly gave it up as a bad idea. As it is, defensive positions can have an overwhelming advantage. Defense Close Air Support would merely make stalemates and wars of attrition all the more common.

(Personally, I suppose I like to imagine that the CAS is indeed happening, just automatically when a unit attacks. Consider it an integral part of the game, like we assume artillery to be.)

I can agree with some of your reasoning - and it may be that I have not thought this out to the nth degree to see what effects a chance in this part of the game would have. But you have to admit there is a healthy dose of frustration on the part of whoever is intercepting.

I have had german air units, experienced, fully supplied, attached to a HQ, and when intercepting they get the hell knocked out of them. I have see one air unit - not meeting the above situation, it was a worst case scenario - go from a 9 to a 1!! And you dont have the option or choice to intercept. It is just done for you. I think you should be able to toggle your air units to be able to intercept or not.

It is frustrating to watch your air units beaten up for no good reason. I would personally much prefer the damage be done to the ground unit - it is cheaper to reinforce.

Also there seems to be a huge discrepancy between "the haves" and "the have nots". By that I mean unless your air units are at the same tech level, same strenght, same hq situation, they have NO chance at all.

I cannot use my air units as russia, I either have to hide them somewhere they cant be hit - or I spend an huge amount of limits mpps trying to keep them from being wiped out.

How do you usually use air power when you ARENT the one with air superiority? Any strategy you have found that works would be helpful.

But I still think the answer is optional interception. Please Hubert, just this one teeny thing and I promise I'll be good.

[Rastan]

Run and hide them or disband. Seriously, with the mandatory interception, if you don't have the superiority or even if equal and they attack 1st, you're airforce won't survive. They attack, you are forced to intercept and lose at a seemingly 3-1 or worse rate... you try to build back up to an attacking strength, next turn you are forced to intercept again... same cycle and all you do is waste MMPs while they pound on your ground units.