I want to be more proactive with how I use my air force, but I don't know how to. I have a max of 6 slots for aircraft. Between AA guns and fighters the AI has at any time 3-4 interceptors. To use my air force on the attack, I need to spend 3-4 of my own slot to airsweep, leaving me with 2-3 free slots. I also need my own interceptors, so 2 slots on interceptor, leaving 1 slot to actually deal any damage.
I don't fully understand how air sweep works. Even when I dedicate 5 slots to air sweep, it doesn't seem to be ever enough, there's still a chance that my 1 attacking plane gets shot by AA. Air sweep doesn't seem to damage enemy aircrafts if no interceptors are found like the tool tips indicate either. I've tried to target the air sweep tile with no units --> no effect, tile with non-AA unit --> no effect, AA unit --> removed intercept but deals no damage, city tile --> sometimes remove intercept, sometimes nothing happened, either way no damage is dealt.
I've tried to use bombers with high evasion. The game of chance is too much for me. If they get hit with AA it is often an instakill.
I've also tried using guided missiles, but these seem completely pointless. On epic speed, you either spend ~1000g or 6 turns to make one of these, only to have them immediately shot down by enemy AA. On the rare chance that they do hit, their damage is quite pitiful as well, about the same as if you hit the enemy with an artillery shot.
So I decided to not bother. I make 6 fighters, park them in my city and turned them on interception. The late game air war seems to be a check if you have enough AA to counter their airforce, it is very un-interactive.
But I'm probably missing something, how do you guys play the air war?
I don't fully understand how air sweep works. Even when I dedicate 5 slots to air sweep, it doesn't seem to be ever enough, there's still a chance that my 1 attacking plane gets shot by AA. Air sweep doesn't seem to damage enemy aircrafts if no interceptors are found like the tool tips indicate either. I've tried to target the air sweep tile with no units --> no effect, tile with non-AA unit --> no effect, AA unit --> removed intercept but deals no damage, city tile --> sometimes remove intercept, sometimes nothing happened, either way no damage is dealt.
I've tried to use bombers with high evasion. The game of chance is too much for me. If they get hit with AA it is often an instakill.
I've also tried using guided missiles, but these seem completely pointless. On epic speed, you either spend ~1000g or 6 turns to make one of these, only to have them immediately shot down by enemy AA. On the rare chance that they do hit, their damage is quite pitiful as well, about the same as if you hit the enemy with an artillery shot.
So I decided to not bother. I make 6 fighters, park them in my city and turned them on interception. The late game air war seems to be a check if you have enough AA to counter their airforce, it is very un-interactive.
But I'm probably missing something, how do you guys play the air war?