Right now, all airfields are are "average" targets. If you want to totally eliminate Axis airfield attacks and other bomb attacks in TitE, there is one thing you can do and it only costs 1EP+1PP. Build 1 Flak Unit and you basically eliminated the entire air aspect for the Axis FOR THE GAME.
If you do the probability calculations, you will find that it is a net negative for the Germans to bomb airfields or bases with that "1 damaged aircraft per turn." You have better odds just flying your missions with escorts against inferior (for a time) enemy fighters. So on turn 1 for Soviets, 1 PP and 1 EP is an easy spend. Heck, you can spend 2PP and 2EP and really send it over the top. You'll never need to spend any more!!! (No need to buy 6 Flak)
The reason this part of TitE becomes "broken" for the Axis is that there is not an abundance of German aircraft. I encouraged all TitE-ers to use this method. However, I don't think the intent was to stop airfield bombing by building a single Flak unit, but that is basically what it does.
Now, I had a proposal for this a while back on CSW, and it still seems appropriate. We already have a special rule for Hindered Air Forces. So we just need to add the line, "Hindered Airfields are "soft" targets." DONE! No other rules needed and fits right in.
The game logic is that "hindered" air forces are just crappy ground crews ... so these crews just don't know how to store ammo safely, disperse the planes while parked, etc. That is why "hindered" airfields are "soft" targets.
The other nations can maintain their "average" status. And these nations may actually build more than 1 Flak unit to protect their assets, maybe even build 3 or 4 ... now that is an aspect of TitE I'd like to see utilized. Kind of just lame to constantly use air for CAS only since that is the only thing the Axis may gain something from.
Doc
I have decided not to build any Air defense for Russia in a current game, daring the Luftwaffe to waste time doing Airfields attacks. It is easy to Rush Recover from Suppressions at .5 FP per Small Air. The new Air Offensive card might be trouble though, since it limits Rush Recovery to one per turn, as Gerald (Jay) pointed out above. An interesting thing about this system is how different players have different view about what is cost-effective. So my favorite game system isn't perfect (yet).
Regarding the Italians and French as being Hindered, I see them as ”soft targets” too. Those air forces really sucked, too ... or what you’re telling me (well the designers are telling me) are those ground crews suck just like the Soviets (poor ammo storage, poor spare parts, if any, bad aircraft dispersal when parked, etc).
If you‘re worried about when Germans use Italian air bases, then just add a Small Removed Event card to game, German Efficiency Moves South of the Alps (or something) stating, “If after 194x, and other conditions as warranted, Germany may use etc.”. Heck, you can even add a card similar to USSR for late war improvements since they basically mauled the LW by late 1944, if you wanted. There is so much you can do With Event Cards to script game when needed in these “sticky situation.”
I believe that France and Italy had piss poor air showing, as history shows.
The Luftwaffe isn't smaller, it is just more spread out over other theaters demanding its presence. There is more to this series than just TITE.
Bombing Airfield may not be something the Germans will do much but, playing with older rules in bad weather, it gives the planes something to do. The new ETP Air Offensive is just a medium card and it now last two turns. It has also changed by limiting the Russians to just 1 Rush recovered plane but it does not improve German Repair & Recovery. Planes can be destroyed but not from Flak. Even if Destroyed, you can get them back with some FPs. The Luftwaffe is there mostly for CAS.
I am inclined to agree to that statement - that Soviet airfields are soft targets. On the other hand we need to keep in mind that also Italians, Axis Minor, and French are hindered nations. Then the problem rises of how they work when they're mixed (Probably just count as Average Targets I'd say). So pratically it leaves only the Soviets to be Soft targets and maybe Italians early on in the African sector until 1 Luftwaffe piece arrive in the zone.
I also feel the Luftwaffe is way too small later on. In '42 I suspect it will be swarmed by the Soviets already when in '42 the Germans had still air superiority - and even locally at Kursk the Germans had air superiority in '43.