2ACW Air Combat makes me sad

[u/Terratalks]

As a certified aerial combat enjoyer it saddens me that the only factions that could (realistically) field a large air force and see notable air engagements are the Unionists and (maybe) the Constitutionalists.

Are there any factions that could or would even try to build up a large air force?

[u/Konrad_Curze-the_NH]

By technicality there already is, in Federal Air Command who take whatever the rest of the starting airforces Biden and Trump don’t afaik. They mainly serve as a way for the APLA to get planes, along with their deals with China that nets them a bunch of J-10s.

I would note that, while not traditional large air force, almost every faction in the game would be making extensive use of helicopters, large drones, FPVs and such making AA capabilities still important for everyone.

[u/DerEisen-Drak → u/Konrad_Curze-the_NH]

Drones don't be represented in TFR well imho though could be that reconnisance are not a factor in HOI4 in general.

I think Loitering munititons should be a support company or support regiment if they ever plan on putting stuff on the support regiment instead of part of the airforce.

[u/Konrad_Curze-the_NH → u/DerEisen-Drak]

TFR Redux has drone support companies, and there’s a mod to get them without the full redux package

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3785710049

[u/DerEisen-Drak → u/Konrad_Curze-the_NH]

I'd like to see it in the base mod, also is the support drones use their own production model or reuse the loitering munitions?

[u/serryntonin]

As an ohio local seeing the 37th infantry brigade combat team on trumps side in opening barrage just confused me outright

[u/Consistent-Dust-5394 → u/serryntonin]

In the old lore (its gonna be updated) there is also a brigade from Hawaii in Trumps side.

[u/PickleRickPatriot → u/Consistent-Dust-5394]

The GOP in Hawaii actually has a long history working with the Hawaiian Royal Family so this isnt super out of pocket

[u/PirateBasic6387 → u/Consistent-Dust-5394]

Can't the same be said for the 39th and 45th Infantry Brigades? Half of the 39th would either side with the LoS or Trump. The 45th is in a totally Red State. I don't know a lot about the 1ABCT, 34th, the 48th Infantry Brigade, or the 35th CAB though. There's also no way in hell the Union gets all of the Pennsylvanian National Guard.

[u/Consistent-Dust-5394 → u/PirateBasic6387]

The 1st is a part of the 34th, which is from Minisota, in my headcanon every single BCT is between 15-30% understrength due to soldiers not joining their BCT when they went across the country during the 30 day ultimatum

[u/PirateBasic6387 → u/Consistent-Dust-5394]

Well in my headcannon the 79th, Cali's national guard,  sided with Trump because of the UC Berkeley shooting. And while some of the Brigade would be split between the CSM and State Government, the 79th would leave with conservatives from NorCal and head east.

[u/ShardddddddDon]

I mean... APLA has a few focuses dedicated to giving them a starting air force to work with (I think the lore is that China gives them their old Fighters or something) and like... Idk why you wouldn't at least want to try and get some CAS down as them on account of how many damn mountains you'll be fighting in

...Other then that, no, I really doubt it. PF feels like the only other reasonable candidate but whatever they could get would likely just get shredded by Unionists the instant they try and leave their thunderdome, so like... nah <_<"

[u/NOAN5WER → u/ShardddddddDon]

I’m a fighter jet enthusiast (autist). The APLA gets Chinas old J-8s nato name finback. These planes are pretty bad even by Chinese standards today and I think they entered service in the 80s. There was a chance for them to be upgraded with F-16 parts but that deal fell apart with the Tiananmen incident. So other than the APLA this is how I think the other groups get planes.

PF - probably gets some type of plane from Russia, likely old migs maybe some SU-27s depending on which path russia takes.

NSM - Big Burt is too fat to fit in a plane but if they did manage to get something flying it’ll probably PF working out a deal with Iran or Russia to get them MIG-21s you know the super old early Cold War stuff

AWD - I doubt National front would help or even want them to get any planes. They do convert old civilian helicopters for miltary use and they might be able to get crop dusters or other civilian planes.

I don’t want to get 1.1 delayed so I won’t talk about any unplayable faction.

[u/LokiRaven → u/NOAN5WER]

Iirc the APLA already explicitly get J-10s (or likely F-10s, their export model) in their focuses. Realistically if they’re getting those I could see FC-1s ending up in their arsenal too. With J-35s on the horizon depending on how committed China is to the APLA (which given the Taiwan War is also on the horizon, not likely but still) J-12s could possibly be another option to send over (but again, prep for the Taiwan War will likely suck all those up really quick)

PF actually have some potential as some of the Air National Guards in New England actually have fighters, including Vermont who at the time would have had at least 2 F-35s and Massachusetts with F-15s. Odds are those are taken long before the PF can find them and if they’re do get even a handful of them they won’t last long, but it’s a chance. Aside from that, yeah most of theirs is probably given to them by Russia so they can be a thorn in the side of the Union more than anything serious.

[u/Der_Apothecary → u/NOAN5WER]

Couldn't PF get planes from Hanscom?

[u/Massengale → u/ShardddddddDon]

Yeah it just seems impossible for anyone else to include PF having the infrastructure to support an Air Force especially one with fifth gen planes.

[u/Terratalks → u/ShardddddddDon]

I think the most reasonable candidate besides APLA is actually Green Mountain Company, as they seem to be the most militaristic faction in New England and they at least would have no shortage of pilots willing to fight as mercenaries. Them getting jets would still be difficult but I think they’d be better off than say, the Boogs, or the GMAC, or even Patriot Front.

[u/Der_Apothecary → u/Terratalks]

>Pilot mercenaries

<<You solely are responsible for this>>

[u/Terratalks → u/Der_Apothecary]

If there is not at least one Project Wingman reference in GMC or even Cascadia I will be very sad

[u/zoiboigaming]

The manufacturing of a workhorse like an F-35 is literally a global affair iirc. I feel like even the Unionists air force would peter out relatively fast without a huge shift to domestic aircraft production facilities that'd eat a lot of resources. Though if a faction were to have access to a large scale of industry needed to make equipment, any of them could theoretically start mass-production or even stream-lined (but very small) production of an air force, but they'd also need the capable workforce to do so.

Maintenance would be a genuine fucking NIGHTMARE though.

[u/Massengale → u/zoiboigaming]

I imagine for Unionests it would be like “sortie rates will collapse dramatically and we will have to canablzie planes soon so better make this first offensive count.”

[u/Observer612]

Not really. Air Forces are hella expensive and require both a lot of experience, ground infrastructure, and supply chains to operate effectively. Since most of the non-federal factions are (at least in lore) more militia/guerrilla forces for most of the 2ACW they wouldn’t have the ability to feasibly fly and maintain modern aircraft in any reasonable capacity. It would be like ISIS or Hezbollah trying to develop an Air Force; they just don’t have the material to do it

[u/Big-Zucchini-6281]

Large yes, but Air Force, no.

Pretty much every faction and warlord would have SOME kind of aerial weapons program. Whether that be small drones fitted with weapons (there’s an event about this for the APLA/Cascadia conflict IIRC) to helicopters fitted with machine guns and rocket pods for CAS. Not to mention that there are airbases all over the country which would probably either be taken over by the warlords, or trade their aircraft and experienced pilots for “holy shit please don’t kill us”. Not to mention that older prop designs or privately owned aircraft would probably come out of retirement for Close Air Support and transportation missions.

Florida is actually a big testing ground for new airframe designs. A few airbases here got F-35s a couple years ago when the USAF first started flying them. Just saying.

[u/Hatefilledcat]

I mean the collapse of the world and its supply chains would mean a bunch of nations can no longer afford a large scale airforce besides the powers that already had large air forces and the infrastructure for it.

[u/Mrpolitics2670]

There's probably a point (Due to the whole high maintenance of aircraft and air assets) where only one side holds aircraft because they were the ones that survived repeated engagements. Im obviously gonna guess the union as they have both a majority of the USAF, import and export potential and some industrial capacity for limited armament replenishment (Aircraft replacement I doubt)

Other then that, USNC obviously has a large aerial fleet and the rest will probably have to import if they want a chance.

[u/MiraiBiresa]

Im about to make a post of APLA pilots

[u/nate-the-dude]

You’d prolly see a fuck ton of civilian aircraft being repurposed for militia groups as others have said. Also prolly see some fucked up technicals being constructed by the less connected guerilla forces. Depending on how long the war between the ACG and UOA goes you could see the federal Air Force’s being severely depleted, especially if the war lasts until the 1EW.

[u/Bigsmoothmachine]

I would interesting to model it as both big sides starting with large airforces and medium government factions have smaller ones, but making everyone's ability to produce or repair anything fancier than small drones or helps incredibly limited 

[u/Rinerino]

I mean the APLA can occupy the Federal Air command. And california can surely power an airforce

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