GAME MANUAL - Steam

HEARTS OF IRON DARKEST HOURflotillas will use their air attackand air defence values. Aircombats are limited to amaximum of five hours, afterwhich the wings must return tobase.When air squadrons attackground forces, there is onevery important issue relating tothe ground forces’ ability toreturn fire. Unlike land battles,land forces do not gain theadditive leadership ratings andHQ bonuses for stacking, andthe overstacking penalties arecalculated somewhatdifferently. The rating of thehighest-ranking officerdetermines the maximumnumber of divisions that candefend against an air attackwithout penalty, though this isexclusive of any HQ modifier.If the total number of divisionsexceeds this amount, the airattack and air defence valuesof every division in the battlewill be penalised by 2% foreach overstacked division.Example: A field marshal with20 divisions including an HQwould not be overstacked in aland combat; however, if he isattacked from the air then heis only able to command 12divisions. This would result inhis being overstacked by 8divisions, and thus all 20divisions would suffer a 16%penalty to their air attackand air defence values duringcombat.Air Scramble Mission: Thismission is given to interceptorand fighter units. This instructsyour squadron to stay in theairbase and scramble onlywhen enemy planes aredetected in adjacentprovinces. Radar stationshave a positive effect on thismission. This is a standardassignment for tacticalbombers and close airsupport, though any airplanewith a hard or soft attack valuemay attempt this mission. Yoursquadron will attack anyenemy ground forces withinthe assigned province, area orregion, selecting their targetprovinces automatically basedon their perceived priority.Air Superiority MissionThis mission is the standardfare of a fighter squadron. Thisinstructs your squadron topatrol the skies within thetarget area or region and toattack any enemy fighters orbombers they encounter. Theattack and defence valuesused are the air values andwill reduce both the strengthand organisation of the enemyaircraft. Radar stations have apositive effect on this mission.Ground Attack MissionThis is a standard assignmentfor tactical bombers and closeair support, though any airplanewith a hard or soft attackvalue may attempt thismission. Your squadron willattack any enemy groundforces within the assignedarea, selecting their targetprovinces automatically basedon their perceived priority. Themission’s objective is todamage or destroy as manyunits as possible, and thus thisattack will primarily affect theenemy’s strength, not hisorganisation. Generally, anyenemy troops that areattacking your own will beassigned the highestpriority. The attack valuesused are the wings’ hardand soft attacks, and thedefenders will return firewith their air values. Airwings use their air defencevalues to avoid being shotby the land units, while theland forces use their airdefence values.Ground Support MissionThis order is very similar tothe ground attack,although its primaryobjective is to disrupt theenemy’s organisationrather than to inflictcasualties. This is also anarea-based attack that issuited to squadrons thatcontain a large number oftactical and close air supportwings.Naval Strike MissionThis order instructs yoursquadron to patrol a province,area or region of water and toattack any enemy vessels itcan spot. As you wouldexpect, it is the wings’ navalattack values that are used forthis type of mission, sotorpedo planes are the147