Normandy 44 interdiction

[CountryBoy]

I'm part way through the super large Normandy 44 campaign (the 750 turn monster) in PBEM, and I can't help but be amazed at the losses I suffer (as Germany) due to Allied air interdiction.

I certainly understand that the Allies had complete air superiority, however some of the losses inflicted by air interdiction seem out of proportion to losses suffered through combat. For example, moving a company of 2nd Panzer division grenadiers resulted in a loss of 22 men out of a unit of around 130, in just one interdiction. Over 10% wiped out in one air attack. In a normal turn it is not uncommon to lose 700+ men to interdiction per turn, never mind guns and vehicles.

What made me wonder about the amazing impact of Allied air interdiction was that I recently finished reading D-Day: The Battle for Normandy by Antony Beevor and in it he makes the case the casualties from Allied air interdiction were typically wildly over-stated and I wonder if the game isn't making the same mistake? He cites many examples where the air force (both US and UK) claimed huge kills which were not backed up by on the ground forensics after the fact.

[robbo186]

I am currently doing the very same game and scenario, moving at night seems to be a good way to mitigate the losses

[Bioman]

Not moving in travel mode during the day will also mitigate the losses. It is much slower but I do not believe that units that are moved in non travel mode suffer air interdiction.

[Lowlander]

Normandy 1944 by Niklas Zetterling, IMHO this detailed study confirms the the in-game allied air interdiction is set too high for the 750 turn MONSTER.
A happy Halloween to all my readers.

[CountryBoy]

I certainly appreciate that losses are lower if you move at night or not in T mode, my point was more if the interdiction settings are too high, as mentioned by Lowlander above.

[Fhil]

I certainly appreciate that losses are lower if you move at night or not in T mode, my point was more if the interdiction settings are too high, as mentioned by Lowlander above.

 If your current opponent shares your opinion, there is an easy way to fix that. 
Open the pdt file that the campaign scenario is using and lower the value. Then send that exact pdt file to your opponent, he should copy and overwrite his current file (saving the original somewhere). And you will have lower interdiction value.

I hope this idea won´t be the end of your game 

[CountryBoy]

Thanks Fhil, but I'm happy to push on as is. It doesn't seem right to change mid game but your recommendation is something I will bear in mind for next time (if I ever feel like tackling this 750 turn monster again!)

[Indragnir]

Normandy 1944 by Niklas Zetterling, IMHO this detailed study confirms the the in-game allied air interdiction is set too high for the 750 turn MONSTER.
A happy Halloween to all my readers.

Indeed.
Generally speaking HA (bar dedicated tank busters like Hs-129) and Air Interdiction values are too high. They achieved quite less kills.

[Lowlander]

PBEM the vanilla 250 turn campaign game well over a decade ago, from memory the interdiction was acceptable, and recently the 750 turn on H2H setting and had the same experience as CountryBoy, a lot of casualties.

The disruption and delay seems about right but less death and destruction required.
Moving at night and in deployed mode during daylight is correct but what about towed guns.

[Pat the wolf]

I played the 750 round campaign.
I had noticed that I had a lot less attrition moving my units hex by hex for both infantry and vehicles.
The problem is tedious.
Most of the time you have to wait until nightfall to move if your front line isn't creaking.
Good luck.

Regards,

Pat