Close air support

[Jorunkun]

Hmmm ... there is a very well-written and knowledgeable thread on modern age warfare over in strategy articles that cautions against relying on bombers and fighters. I think the main point was that airpower isn't as cost-effective as artillery, especially when you take collateral damage into consideration.

I agree that airpower definitely has its use tho, and it is very attractive as long as the enemy has no SAMs. In GOTM9 I had such a setup in invading France: Knocked out all strategic ressources on the first turn, then took apart the rail-network; Louis never recovered.

I guess that airsupport is something you have to be able to afford; in a close, all-or-nothing war you might have to go with the more limited but efficient artillery.

J.

 

[cabert]

Hmmm ... there is a very well-written and knowledgeable thread on modern age warfare over in strategy articles that cautions against relying on bombers and fighters. I think the main point was that airpower isn't as cost-effective as artillery, especially when you take collateral damage into consideration.

I agree that airpower definitely has its use tho, and it is very attractive as long as the enemy has no SAMs. In GOTM9 I had such a setup in invading France: Knocked out all strategic ressources on the first turn, then took apart the rail-network; Louis never recovered.

I guess that airsupport is something you have to be able to afford; in a close, all-or-nothing war you might have to go with the more limited but efficient artillery.

J.

i already disagreed on the other thread
sam infs are not very effective counters, and the AI prioritize artillery over flight. Fighters may not be very efficient, but they are
- fast (rebasing artillery in 1 turn requires flight too
- cheap and need no xps = can be built everywhere.

The hammer cost is one thing, but the real game is another!
I'll have fighters in big numbers before you have any serious number of artilleries, and they will be on the front weakening the enemy without dying most of the time for so many turns, while artilleries have suicidal duties + cannot hit boats!

As i said already, when your the uberpower, you can rely on artillery (you'll have them soon enough, will be able to move them in place just at your leasure, will have no problem facing lowly riflemen...).
But when you're the underdog, fighting artillery with cannons, you can't wait to have those artilleries on the front. You need some vitamins fast. Flight is what you need.

 

[ZB2]

i research artillery first, but flight is done straight after. i usually have verteran army groups poised over weak nations so upgrading cannons has its use. but i do prefer flight becuase your not suiciding them into the defenders.