Direct attack vs patrol of planes
When do you use direct attack vs patrol with planes ?
Here is what I figured out. Direct attack is great if someone have got interceptors, so you dont stay for long in the range where interceptors could catch your planes, also assuming you use strategic bombers over a really long distance.
Also, I have figured out something. Sometimes, having a lower level airfield is better. Lets say someone have got rocket fighters, you want to hit with strats a close zone, and you know you will be afk for two hours. If you got for patrol, you can get hit in patrol too by rocket fighters and take the equivalent of full damage every half an hour, so you will have full damage four times. But if you use direct attack, you will maybe have one attack at worst, so it is safer. Even safer if you have a longer refuel time, because you will stay safe for longer.
That leave you open for strategies based on knocking out airfields tho, against which you need patrol.
Also, is it true that in attack, you take defense stats against air, but in patrol offensive stats of the target ? If this is true, that mean that against medium tanks or artillery, you would take less damage in direct attack rather than in patrol.
Also, I would say, if you dont have a particular target or want to hit several target at the same time, patrol is better. Patrol also unable you to have a slightly bigger range.
To catch a fast moving units, I would actually use direct attack, so you give as much damage as possible while it is at range.