Air to Ground Attacks

[Mobhack]

Helm said:
I've had no luck with recce planes either, it's a suicide or punishment posting in my army heh

On the contrary, they are so easy to use that it makes an advance against the AI a cake-walk, especially in say a desert terrain

There are 2 ways to use recce planes
1) The suicide option, where you target areas deep in the enemy zone, and trundle happily to your execution at short range. Remember that your recce plane will be making a circuit, so will get more shots than a strike would. And being withing 500m of an AAA piece is rather dangerous, esp if you are circling and so it does not lose LOS on your scout plane..

2) The sane option, which I use. First circuit is over my lines, or in lower visibility, just enough to perhaps see into the enemy front line. But without exposing myself to any but (possibly) long range fires. If no AAA fire is recieved, next pass will be a little closer. If AAA fire is recieved, I should be far enough away that it will only be lucky shots that get me. But I usually buy 2 anyway, recce air is far mor valuable than strike air. As and when AAA is recieved:
a) Don't fly around there again - or at least until point b) is addresed:
b) drop great dollops of art on the revealed flak area.
c) Once you have killed the flak - try teasing it out again, see if it is neutralised.
d) meanwhile, look (cautiously) elsewhere, maybe there is a blind zone, or you find another flack nest - if so, add to the list for "treatment"

Smoke can also help to block AAA lines of fire, but HE is better

If you tease out the enemy flack, and apply anti-flack treatment, then you may well be able to overfly the enemy eventually later in the battle. Until then, look slantwise from behing your safe line.

If I use strike air, then I wait till the spotter planes have determined the flack spots, and till the AAA threat is reduced by the arty. Then I use my flights.

Cheers
Andy