Figure 1 documents the dogfight between the OPFOR's P40 Warhawk and VFs 1 and 2 that took place in turn 3. VF2 was attacked during the AI's turn, took 3 points of damage and dealt 4 in return. VF1 joined the fray inflicting 3 points of damage while taking 2. VF2 followed suit and replicated those results. The lesson here is that fighter-v-fighter is expensive for both sides.
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| Figure 1 - Dogfight over the bay |
In the background of Figure 1 can be seen the result of naval action inside the bay. One of the OPFOR's DDs trying to exit the bay was stopped by our own's ZoC. I think that was worth the heavy damage that plucky destroyer took in return.
Figure 2 maintains the focus on the bay during turn 3. The DD trying to reach open sea takes 4 points of damage from naval fire and another 4 from VB1's bombs.
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| Figure 2 - Dive-bombing |
Figure 3 still looks at the bay, now during turn 4. The heavily damaged retreating OPFOR DD is sunk by CA 34 Astoria. The other DD moved to the mouth of the bay and was targeted by the other two heavies for 5 points of damage and by VB1 for another 4 points. At the auxiliaries' beachhead we can see the outcome of the OPFOR's probe against our Engineer and of the DDs firing at the Supply Ship.
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| Figure 3 - Naval action in the bay |
Figure 4 is the Paratrooper's arrival Special Event pop-up.
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| Figure 4 - Paratroopers arrive |
Figure 5 illustrates an hypothetical attack on the northernmost bunker during turn 4 conducted by freshly landed units before they regain full efficiency. It is meant to be compared with Figure 6 which documents the actual attack during turn 5 when the attackers were at full efficiency. The smaller prognosis when the bunker is at full 13 HP is the tooltip over the target before movement and it represents attacks without flanking support. The larger prognosis is the tooltip when the attackers are adjacent to the target i.e. with flanking support.
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| Figure 5 - Early attack (hypothetical) |
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| Figure 6 - Now for real |
Taking both outcomes side by side I believe we can discount the extra Engineer hit point loss as a normal random variation. What cannot be denied is that the attacking units in the delayed attack are in a much better condition to carry on further offensive operations.
In this particular situation I have since realised that there's merit in the early attack as it allows the second wave to land one turn earlier and thus every core land unit will be able to proceed as a cohesive force after resting during turn 5.
Likewise it would be feasible to disembark all auxiliary units in turns 3 to 5, have them rest during turn 6 and start attacking in turn 7.
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