Quote:
Originally Posted by iCaMpWiThAWP
Hmmm, i think aircraft is worth if you use them the right way, obviously you need luck, but it doesn't play a major if your tactics are good,shell the enemy possible AA emplacements just before the strike IE, buy arty first, then aircraft, so that howitzers fire before aicraft expose, use SEAD, if the enemy has average AA, if good SAMs expected, get more SEAD,and some mortar to kill manpads
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Very good advice CaMpWiThAWP.
Always buy artillery before aircraft, so it fires to suppress air defenses just before a strike.
Also Buy SEAD aircraft first to help with last moment suppression.
Myself I tend to use aircraft mostly for on map counter battery missions, i.e. knocking out mortars and such. Usually takes 3 to 5 turns before you've spotted the positions via the smoke and if you use UAV's and the occasional helo pop-up to spot (and possibly run outta missiles) MANPADS I find it works fairly well. Around turn 10 in most games you're starting your initial assaults and not having enemy arty/mortars landing on you while you're doing so helps a lot.
Andy's (Mobhack) comments on real world aircraft effectiveness are spot on. At operational levels aircraft are invaluable, at tactical you're usually better served by artillery in-game (and often in real life).
And Marek_Tucan's quote about the 1st Gulf - "During the 30 days of air raids I have lost two tanks. Then, during 30 minutes of land combat, the rest." is correct if not quite complete ... it should read "During the 30 days of air raids I have lost two tanks. Then in 30 minutes of combat the with the Abrams tank, the rest." or something very close to that.