Aircraft combat bonuses

[Smote]

I'm curious if anyone knows how combat bonuses apply to aircraft. For example, if a great general is near a bunch of planes, do they air strike better? If attacking in friendly territry, do the aircraft benefit from oligarchy, himeji, nationalism? Does Discipline work?

In a recent game, I was using Stealth Bombers vs enemy mech infantry in friendly terrain w/ oligarchy+great general, and doing a paltry 2-3 damage. I was quickly defeated, and quite dismayed at the failure of my units, of which the hammers would've been much better spent on some rocket artillery and my own mech infantry.

 

[Ddude97]

As of right now, airpower is underpowered (IMHO) and no, I believe great generals don't affect planes and neither do oligarchy, himei, and nationalism, though I'm perfectly not sure, I'd be willing to bet bonuses don't apply to airplanes at all (except promotions)

 

[vexing]

i set up a quick test with firetuner, and can confirm great general and friendly territory bonus do not apply to air units.
terrain bonuses for the enemy do apply... ie you'll deal a lot more damage bombing a unit sitting in a marsh than on a forested hill.

 

[Smote]

Thanks for the test Vexing. I guess I'll never research Stealth again unless I am going for GDRs or have nothing else to research.

 

[vexing]

I guess I'll never research Stealth again unless I am going for GDRs or have nothing else to research.

stealth bombers are great, however until they fix promotions for them i recommend you start with regular bombers, get siege 2 or bombardment 2, then air repair, then logistics, then 3 before upgrading.

if you have honor's 1.5x exp it goes pretty fast, maybe 25 turns

bombardment 3 puts them at 128 strength vs land units.

a mech infantry on a hill with drill 1 is 72.5 strength, vs the stealth's base 80 strength, probably accounts for your poor results.

 

[Bibor]

Bombers and stealth bombers are awesome for taking out either cities or units, but they need to be promoted for that. Until stealth gets fixed, build regular bombers, get at least two promotions and then upgrade to stealth.

 

[Smote]

Bombers and stealth bombers are awesome for taking out either cities or units, but they need to be promoted for that. Until stealth gets fixed, build regular bombers, get at least two promotions and then upgrade to stealth.

I agree somewhat, since their range makes them truly versatile. I was so hammer-starved the game in question range and 1upt wasn't an issue anyways; I would have been much better off building modern armor and rocket artillery rather than stealth bombers. Stealth bombers not getting benefit from oligarchy, general, morale, or land bonuses is a huge hit to their strength vs promoted enemy mechs.

I will try the 2promotion bomber -> stealth bomber upgrade if I build air units again.

The game in question i was weak in hammers but strong in beakers, so I thought to leverage an advantage with Stealth Bombers. I was hoping oligarchy+great general+populism would give them very good damage. However, they failed to do enough damage to be worth their cost, despite my opponent lacking any form of anti-air. They tended to do 2-3 to mechs on plains in friendly territory (probably with morale and shock upgrades). Their failure of damage made me basically defenseless to my neighbor's mech attack, despite many turns of preparation.

 

[Babri]

You should first construct a good landforce & then build air units. Don't rely too much on air units. They are main use is to aid the rest of your army/navy NOT to replace them.