Airpower in HOI2 was somewhat overpowered because you could easily destroy entire divisions with CAS and even TACs as they retreated. This was exactly what Goering thought the Luftwaffe could do to the British as they retreated to Dunkirk, and it was a huge mistake. Close Air Support is, by definition, support for ground troops. No matter how effective it is, it isn't designed to operate alone anymore than artillery is.
That said, the fact that you can use 16 wings of CAS at the same time is a joke, as is the ease of gaining air supremacy against the AI. So it was just as much an AI problem as a problem with the modeling of air power.
My opinion of HOI3 is that Strat bombing is the new overpowered wing of the airforce. Partly this is because air to air combat is so impotent that it is impossible to shoot them down. It seems the best way to defend against strategic bombardment is to take your enemy's airbases. It's hard to evaluate the other arms of airpower until the weather starts to look more like earth and less like the red spot on jupiter.
That said, the fact that you can use 16 wings of CAS at the same time is a joke, as is the ease of gaining air supremacy against the AI. So it was just as much an AI problem as a problem with the modeling of air power.
My opinion of HOI3 is that Strat bombing is the new overpowered wing of the airforce. Partly this is because air to air combat is so impotent that it is impossible to shoot them down. It seems the best way to defend against strategic bombardment is to take your enemy's airbases. It's hard to evaluate the other arms of airpower until the weather starts to look more like earth and less like the red spot on jupiter.