S3 Series

<S>
With the P-39Q available to the Russians we probably need to keep a high altitude approach doctrine even more compared to previous frames. I believe we really need to reduce their numbers of La-5FN's and P-39Q's before we take the fight at lower altitudes later in the frame. The Yak-9D and La-5F we can easily handle even at their altitude regime, but their two best fighters are a hard nut to crack below 15 000 ft.

For first sortie I'm thinking a 25 000+ ft (7600+ m) bomber mission. The goal here would be to allow our fighters to fight the enemy at our altitude. The bombers are as such hard decked at 25 000 ft, even if the cloud cover over target disables them to aim their bombs. If they can't see their target, then try to find another target on egress, or drop blind. The most important thing is to not go below 25 000 ft. If we can sucker the Russian planes to these altitudes, then our fighters should be able to dispatch several of their first line fighters. Our fighters would escort with a very aggressive approach, coming in at 32 000+ ft (9750+ m). Jump on the enemy at high altitude at every opportunity, boom n zoom. We should however avoid to go below 20 000 ft if the enemy dives out. Let them try come back up to our prefered altitude instead and finish them off if they do.

We should probably have a 4-ship of Bf 109G-6/RVI's or Fw 190A-4's tasked with defending our assets at high altitude, ready to dive on any bombers the Russians send on us. These planes can also boom n zoom fighters coming for them, as long as this 4-ship keep above 25 000 ft against enemy fighters at all times. Any squad that would volunteer to be defensive CAP during the frame?

For second sortie I'm thinking of doing either another high altitude bomber raid, or a high altitude fighter sweep to engage their fighters and kill their bombers so they can't hit our assets.

I do not want us to drive a lot of GV's during the first two hours of the frame. We need to finish off their best fighters first below we can take control of the low altitude airspace over the Kursk front area. Once we can contend with the Russians at low altitude, then we can combine GV's with fighters/bombers without the Russians having free reign to take out our tanks.

I'm also thinking of sending bombers or Stukas to close a field to the north or south, but need to see the new MAP first to know if F74 is in Russian hands etc.


<S> and full orders should be up later tonight.
/Robert

Map is up by muzz.
74 is Allied. If there is radar at 74 I would think it prudent to take it out early on somehow.
<S>

hmmnnn
Well, buffs cannot reach 25 k. Managed to get to 23 k but it took 30 min, and once boost ran out...well, kinda downhill from there.
10/10th cloud cover over targets, dropping blind? really?....not an option.
Predict VVS hits outposts neaest 55 first, close em in first 15 min of frame. Its a 3 1/2 min drive time for gv's.
No'gv's for first 2 hours of frame?.......um....we only have a short time for striking ro capturing anything before strike time is over, say another 40 min tops.
We punched a big hole in their front just short of 55 last frame, needed to get 55 badly. They will want to close it up.
As a buff pilot/gv driver for this series......I feel like a red wriggler on the hook with these orders.
Apoligies, I mean no offense.

Rgr.
We can have a few GV's but if we commit to many at the start then we'll have less fighters available for the crucial early battles, and last frame the 4th pilots got outnumbered at nearly every fight. Maybe try to keep everyone airborne for the first hour and then have people run tanks as they please? The Russians will rule the low altitude regime early frame so could cost us many player lives if they bring some IL-2's and kill the unprotected tanks.

Since F74 is open I'm thinking of doing an overwhelm attack on it. The Russians will most likely launch a squad of fighters from there, and maybe a few buffs. If we go with every guy we have, backed up by 3 Ju-88's or heavy Bf 110's, then we can easily overwhelm them there and kill off a whole squad while closing it early on. We'd also be foiling their plans if they launch buffs from F74.

Dropping blind would be if there is no visible target to drop on at all. If not wanting to drop blind then keep the bombs and go north/south to find an unprotected field to bomb. If our buffs dive below 10 000 ft at the Kursk frontline just to bomb then they are effectively committing suicide, as well as causing the death of every friendly Bf 109G who tries to help them at that low altitude where the Russians hold a significant speed advantage. I would say a whole buff group with escorting fighters is more vital to keep alive than to get a few extra bombs on target.

You are correct on max altitude. Seems we need to settle for 20 000+ ft (6100 m) for the Buffs as they struggle to get any higher.

I believe that after the first two sorties when the frame usually becomes more chaotic, and the Russians don't have all pilots in La-5FN's anymore, can be a better suited time for our buffs to go lower altitude in order to bomb.

Didn't see this posted anywhere else but....
From my email with kaceyj it is my understanding that F55 will be open with AAA and Gvs for defense, nothing else is going to be rebuilt it seems. Will it rebuild as the frame goes on? I don't know, but wouldn't think so. No airframes available at F55.

<S>

I wouldn't ignore the battle front for to long, 55/51 is absoloutly crucial to thier defense of the battle front. Places like 74 are distractions. Raiders think they can win this sneaking around hitting back stuff.