SoWC:BoB Multisquad Campaign Starting

[notafinger!]

Originally Posted by klem

We are managing the a/c allocation numbers by assigning them to specific squads as you listed in a previous post. Generally it works out OK, we don't exceed the allocated numbers but the Spitfire %age was a little high on Sunday due to turnout. Its just that when we pulled up the on-screen stats it seemed the blues were flying almost entirely E4s. I am sure there were more than the 9 E4s listed in your a/c allocation table so perhaps you could look at logs etc to see and if so have a word with the unit commanders.

Klem, the table Farber posted showing ~10 E4's was from mission 1 based in July where E4's made up roughly 20% of Bf 109 strength. We just finished mission 3 in the August time frame where E4's account for 52% of aircraft strength. As Farber said the numbers were set for a full team but when everyone doesn't show of course the E4's are taken first. One remedy I would propose would be removal of the mine shell. IMO it is probably over-modeled compared to the other 20mm rounds available and causes Hurricanes to just fall apart. I think that would make red a little less concerned about the E4 numbers but I don't think it could be enforced server side, just a gentleman's agreement to remove it from our E4 loadouts. At the very least I think it's something we could try for at least one mission.

Originally Posted by klem

One question regarding "being like the BoB". Would the 109s have stayed around to feed off the empty Hurris and Spits or would many of them have withdrawn to cover the retiring bombers? Also, how are you guys finding the fuel issue, as I alway understood the endurance of the 109 to be a little over an hour with about 20 minutes over England? I think we were in the air for over an hour and 109s were still over our coast knocking down our aircraft.

Regarding 109 tactics, the Jagdwaffe's mission was to destroy Fighter Command. As long as there are RAF fighters airborne and the Bf 109's have fuel/ammo to engage I think it's safe to assume they would. It was a tactic of the Germans to send in a low level sweep after a raid to try and catch planes being refueled/rearmed and there were some successes doing that. It might be worth considering holding back a few fighters to cover your force after they disengage from the bombers.

Fuel with the Bf 109 was really only a concern when they were going to areas around London and they had to fly close escort and spent hours zigzagging behind the slower cruising bombers. Also, remember Park did not like big wings. He preferred to throw his squadrons at the bombers piece meal which peeled off the escorts layer by layer like an onion. This meant the Bf 109's were almost constantly engaged over England which really drains the tanks quickly. Personally, last mission I took 100% fuel, climbed to 6k, cruised between Dover and Littlestone, and then engaged RAF over Hawkinge for maybe 20-30 minutes. I returned home with less than 25% remaining. As the fighting moves closer to London I think you'll see fuel become a bigger issue for the Bf 109's.