Air Unit Size

[Felix]

G'day,

Just after some advice from everyone on the recommended size of air units. I'm looking at a WW2 scenario, with divisions as the main unit size. Do you think I should have the air units as;

1. Wings of about 60 aircraft. Formations would be 2-4 wings, and would be called groups (like 11 Group at the Battle of Britain).

2. Or should I step it up and make the air units groups of about 180 aircraft. Formations would be Air Forces, with a mix of fighters, fighter-bombers and light/medium bombers.

Option 1 offers flexibility of deployment, but a lot of mucking around setting orders. Option 2 limits flexibility but eases the problem with setting your orders and keeping track of units.

Opinions?

[JMS]

G'day,

Just after some advice from everyone on the recommended size of air units. I'm looking at a WW2 scenario, with divisions as the main unit size. Do you think I should have the air units as;

1. Wings of about 60 aircraft. Formations would be 2-4 wings, and would be called groups (like 11 Group at the Battle of Britain).

2. Or should I step it up and make the air units groups of about 180 aircraft. Formations would be Air Forces, with a mix of fighters, fighter-bombers and light/medium bombers.

Option 1 offers flexibility of deployment, but a lot of mucking around setting orders. Option 2 limits flexibility but eases the problem with setting your orders and keeping track of units.

Opinions?

Depends on the number of bases. Can your airbases hold 180 or 540 aircraft? I wouldn't mix types though, as ranges usually are not the same and TOAW takes the longest range for the whole formation. Larger formations would have more impact in the battlefield, and I would go with them for a divisional level game.
On terminology, you could use that of the USAAF:
Squadron->Group->Wing->Dvision->Air Force ranging from 9/24 fighters/bombers in increments of 3/4.

[Felix]

Thanks for that JMS.

Problem with mixing aircraft type, is that the scenario is set over 5 or so years. The RAF will start off with Hurricanes and transition to Tempests, Spitfire (late) and even a few Meteors. I guess the early aircraft will 'fade away' through attrition, but there is a chance that some of the older types will survive well into 1944 or so. I guess this will just have to be part of the game.

The map I'm using is set at the 25km level. I imagine these should be sufficient to hold up to 540 aircraft.

The terminology will be Sqn-Wing-Group-Air Force, for both the RAF and Confederates, as well as the USAAF (yep, it's the American Civil War, circa 1940......). I'm still not sure if the units should be wings, which offer more flexibility, or groups, which offer more impact. I'll certainly have a think about what you're saying though.

Cheers.

[JMS]

Thanks for that JMS.

Problem with mixing aircraft type, is that the scenario is set over 5 or so years. The RAF will start off with Hurricanes and transition to Tempests, Spitfire (late) and even a few Meteors. I guess the early aircraft will 'fade away' through attrition, but there is a chance that some of the older types will survive well into 1944 or so. I guess this will just have to be part of the game.

The map I'm using is set at the 25km level. I imagine these should be sufficient to hold up to 540 aircraft.

The terminology will be Sqn-Wing-Group-Air Force, for both the RAF and Confederates, as well as the USAAF (yep, it's the American Civil War, circa 1940......). I'm still not sure if the units should be wings, which offer more flexibility, or groups, which offer more impact. I'll certainly have a think about what you're saying though.

Cheers.

You are wellcome.

Still, if you have aircrafts with different ranges, the longest range still applies, even if you have 0 airframes, though not the combat factors so in combats beyond the range of your present assets you are going to suffer evaporations. Check the Europe in Flames thread for a better explanation.