To watch almost any Europa title being played is to see a great many GS missions and almost nothing else. It may be that players prefer the instant gratification of the GS mission instead of the slow, incremental benefits of attacking marshalling yards, ports, factories, rail lines, roads, air bases, and the like. But I think it is because those other missions, on the whole, are not effective enough and the GS mission is too easy.

If you look at the history of air power in WWII you will find that, not counting the strategic missions of the Western Allies, GS missions did not dominate but were usually only one of many other missions such as interdiction (i.e., harassment), railroad bombing, air base attack, etc. In its early campaigns the Luftwaffe flew a large number of missions against targets other than those in direct support of the Army. In Poland, during the first few days of September, 1939, the ratio of strategic missions to tactical was 5:4. Likewise in France and the Balkans, strategic missions, especially against the enemy air force, made up a large percentage of all missions. It was different in the East. There, despite the devastating blow against the Soviet air force in June, 1941, the wide space and tenacity of the opponent worked against the Luftwaffe gaining permanent air supremacy. In the 1943-44 period 60-80% of all German missions flown in the East were in direct support of the Army.

On the western front, however, from D-Day to the end of the war 75% of U. S. Ninth Air Force medium bomber missions were against interdiction targets. Allied fighter- bomber missions flew a smaller percentage of such missions, but they were still very significant. The famous protection of Patton's flank along the Loire river by the XIX Tactical Air Command was interdiction pure and simple. In fact, in USAAF doctrine, GS missions were third in priority after those to gain air superiority and interdiction.

I see two basic ways to attempt to increase the number of non-GS missions in Europa. One is to impose by fiat a limitation on the number of units that can fly GS missions. While that might result in a 'historical' level of activity, players probably wouldn't appreciate another 'idiot' rule. It's better I think to try to make other missions besides GS more attractive and let the players then judge whether or not other missions should be flown, depending on the situation.

With this in mind, I propose to make it more costly to use B-type bombers in GS/DAS missions while enhancing harassment, air base bombing, and DAS missions.

"Messing" with the Europa Air System

Introduction
1. The Popularity of GS missions
2. Type B Bombers
3. Harassment
4. Patrol Attacks
5. Gratuitous Air Missions
6. DAS Reconsidered and a Revised Air Sequence
7. Optional Rules