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AAR CO/4th: FRAME 4, BATTLE FOR KURSK
<S>
Thank you all for following professional cooperation, following the plan and taking good decisions on the fly in this weeks war against the Russian VVS!
--- AAR ---
Closing F74 was easy and successful and met with no resistance. This was good and bad as we could ensure the closure of F74, but didn't get the opportunity to engage VVS fighters there with superior numbers. During the night it seems the VVS focused heavily on low altitude pounding of the outposts, concentrating all assets at the Kursk area.
The bomber mission to F55 was prospectful as the clouds were fairly light, but unfortunately F55 was cloud covered and our bombers only brought a few targets down at F55. As our side combined our fighters over the frontline while protecting our buffs though, we scored several kills on VVS fighters struggling to get our bombers at 20 000 ft.
For the rest of the frame the 23rd JG and LF6 fought valiantly halting the VVS advance. The 4th FG went full He-111/Ju-87 with some escorts and closed several fields in the south, including a vital supply depot. I hoped this would draw some of the VVS south to relieve our squads in the Kursk area. The VVS however fully neglected our operations down south save for two Lav's, and kept attacking our posts at the center front. While the southern operations were a success, having the whole 4th JG separated from the 23rd JG, 39th JG and LF6 meant that these squads had to fight heavily outnumbered against the whole VVS at Kursk. As we only have around 25 pilots per side, I should have listened more to the pleas for reinforcements at the Kursk front and had the 4th go with only a few bombers and a fighter pair to work on the southern fields, while the rest of the 4th JG should have supported our squads in the Kursk area to even the odds there. F55 was closed late frame, but there wasn't time to get there with Ju-52's so the 4th JG tried to run APC's with fightercover. It provided a great opportunity to boom n zoom low flying VVS fighters looking for the APC's, and we got one of them in sight of F55 but the frame ended before he could deploy the troops there.
All in all we took several fields in the south, while being pushed back around Kursk. This probably allowed the Russians a small win in this frame, although hopefully it was a close one.
--- END AAR ---
LESSONS LEARNED
* Closing fields far away from Kursk was very successful, but should be done with fewer pilots committed to it so that we don't leave our forces at Kursk hopelessly outnumbered.
* High alt bombing missions are an efficient way to kill the VVS first line fighters. When all our squads were concentrated at high altitude with the VVS having to go for high alt bombers, we definitely seemed to be winning the fight against them in air-to-air.
* The Russian side doesn't seem to respond much to diversions or field operations away from the center, and instead seem to be focusing fully on the Kursk area.
* Committing more fighters coming in at 32 000+ ft to the Kursk area is probably the best tactic for next frame. With better numbers there we can then punish VVS fighters trying to fight us above 25 000 ft, and our altitude advantage can open up several opportunities to do quick boom n zoom strikes on low alt VVS planes who are busy doing ground work. After such strikes our fighters should exit the Kursk area, climb back up to high altitude at friendly territory and come back in again at 32 000 ft. Rince and repeat. If we keep air superiority then we can start bringing in bombers in a steady stream and support our ground forces better.
Thank you all 4th JG pilots for adapting quickly on the fly, volunteering for buffs and closing fields in the south efficiently. Thank you to the 23rd JG, 39th JG and LF6 who did a heroic effort against superior numbers. Sorry for leaving you without support for to long time at mid frame.
<S>
/Robert
4. Jagdgeschwader
"Vierte aber zuerst"
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Robert
