Use of fighter plane tutorial tip - spread out attacks?

[nhill40]

A bit late to the party, but finally getting around to learning this game.

Am playing through boot camp and trying to read all the to read the pop up tutorial tips carefully, but upon my first attack with a fighter plane, I accidentally clicked through one!

A 2nd tip came up advising that it may be a good idea to spread out your attacks with fighters, but I’m not sure why. Does anyone know what that would be?

I’m assuming it is saying, if you have multiple fighter units available, it may be good to use them to attack different targets rather than ganging them all up on a single target. I would just like to know why!

[nhill40]

Aha, found it in the manual!

AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
A mechanic unique to air-to-air combat is that the damage done by
both attacker and defender depends on the defender’s strength
value. For example when a 10 strength fighter attacks a 3 strength
bomber the damage taken and dealt by both will be lower than
if both units had been at full strength. This represents that there
are only so many attacking aircraft that can safely engage a single
target simultaneously, and that weakened targets are more
spread out – trying to avoid combat – resulting in longer flight
times to catch up with them.
In practice this means it is better to spread out your fighters
when engaging several incoming enemy bombers rather than
concentrating all fighters on a single target until it is destroyed.
It also gives to badly damaged aircraft a better chance to escape
back to the safety of their airfield or carrier.

[Hubbfrosch]

Thats a questionable advise.

1. If you spread out your attacks you do more damage, but you receive more damage as well.
2. The crippled units can retrat, repair and return some turns later.

I would almost always go for the killing blow.

Thats even more important against ground targets. All OoB players know the 1-strength unit that manages to cut off your supply lines.

[Celeborn]

Agree with Hubbfrosch.

Do not forget to factor in AA units (both friendly and hostile) Unlike aircraft, AA will inflict a fixed amount of damage and so can be more more effective in delivering a killing blow. That said, if trying to conserve your fighters it may be better to first weaken the enemy with AA units then attack with them. (I tend to favor the latter as it also helps preserve any air leaders/pilots)

[StuccoFresco]

Thats a questionable advise.

1. If you spread out your attacks you do more damage, but you receive more damage as well.
2. The crippled units can retrat, repair and return some turns later.

I would almost always go for the killing blow.

Thats even more important against ground targets. All OoB players know the 1-strength unit that manages to cut off your supply lines.

IMHO it's better to do 4 damage to 2 bombers than finish off a single 5HP bomber. It's a case-by-case for me when it comes to air units. Naval units is even less crucial to actually finish them off since their abilities fall off significantly when damage piles up.

Enemy units with good mobility or especially valuable/dangerous are the exception: always finish them off.