Do not underestimate the power of the level bombers/strategic bombers. Though usually they do not kill as many troops as the tactical bombers, or even artillery, they are supreme killers. I will explain how. Suppression(sp?). You have an enemy stronghold surrounded, attack with strategic bombers one of their regiments that has no way to move if it wants to retreat, and that you can attack it with land forces at that turn. The strategic bomber will do minimum damage (1-2+) but the suppresion will be (usually) much higher, perhaps 5-8. So, if the bomber hits it for 1 kill, the regiment has 9 left (based on a 10 strength unit) and say 6 suppressed. That means when you attack it the same turn with a land unit it only has 10-(1+6)=3 effective strength for attack and defence. Which means first that it has less strength to harm your land unit, but more importanly, if your land unit attacking it succeed to kill and/or suppress at least 3 of it, the unit has to retreat. Having no way to retreat though will force it to surrender. Excellent! Where for example if you used a tactical bomber it would perhaps kill say 3-4, but the rest 6 would be ready to fight at the next attack and probably survive an attack or two, plus damage your land unit/s.
Since time and resources is something you cannot afford to waste, go for it!
Also in the first few campaign missions try whenever you have prestige points to buy core units to reach your max. (focusing on land units, but don't forget the airforce). The reason is that later one (invasion of Norway onwards) the missions get tougher and time is a problem. Together with prestige. It is better to keep attacking, leaving severely damaged units from the frontline so that they repair/refill when you have the points, but also have enough units to keep on attacking and not missing a single turn without attacking/moving your goals.
I love this game. I played it first in mid-late 94 IIRC, but my best memories from it are from early 95 when I joined the navy and had a higher ranking officer introduced to the game and in our free time we would use one of the PCs in the ASW to play some multiplayer games, great time! (and I kept losing, but I am sure I would kick his behind now :-p )
I also played the game a couple of years ago on PBEM and it is still very good multiplayer experience.
I started playing a new campaign a few days ago. I like all the other games of the 5 Star Series though I am probably the only one that finds Fantasy General the less good and Star General my favourite. Oh well!
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