Mission «Air Recon»

What is this mission?

You assign your recon planes a region. They start flying over it and gathering intel on the enemy. In HoI4 the mission is called “Air Recon”.

Without recon you attack blind: unclear who stands opposite, how many divisions the enemy has, and what sits in his rear. With recon the fog lifts: you see enemy divisions even deep in his territory, and industry too.

This is especially useful in a blitzkrieg — you at once see where enemy divisions stand deep inside, and can route your path to avoid running into them.

Note: this is not a combat sortie. Recons don't bomb or intercept — they only watch and report. But why do you even need this mission in HoI4?

Why do you need it?

First reason — intel. You see the enemy composition and the region: divisions, their placement, industry. Offensives get planned on facts, not guesses, which is good in HoI4. For example, you can pick the direction holding the most enemy industry.

Second reason — a combat bonus. While recons work over the region, your divisions attacking the enemy get a bonus. It usually merges with close air support work: recon highlights, close air support hits. The more recons on the mission, the bigger the bonus.

Third reason — price. No need to hang dozens of factories on a recon plane, unlike a fighter or close air support. 5-10 military factories is enough — more than plenty.

The pleasant truth about the mission

Honestly: this is a top mission almost nobody assigns. A great many players underestimate it: they build hundreds of fighters and close air support while forgetting the army's eyes.

In my hundreds of games I have seen this many times: two identical offensives, but one player runs recon — and pushes with more confidence and fewer losses. Knowing beats guessing, always.

What happens when you switch it on?

Open the air map — the plane icon at the bottom right or the F3 key. Select a recon wing, in the orders menu press “Air Recon”, then right-click the air region above the ground region.

After that planes start sorties one after another and gather intel. The longer they hang over the region, the fuller the picture: first general silhouettes, then exact division composition and industry data.

Recon effectiveness

Recon works two ways. First — information: you see enemy divisions in the region, including the deep rear, and gather industry data. In game it shows exactly like that — the “Air Recon” intel source with percentages.

Second — a combat bonus. When your divisions attack the enemy in a reconned region, they get a bonus. It stacks with close air support work, so players with thousands of hours keep recon and close air support paired in one region. The rule is simple: the more recons on the mission, the bigger the bonus.

For example: once I decided to try recon and was pleasantly surprised. I had air superiority but no close air support. I hung about 100 recons over the region, roughly 2-3 weeks before the offensive. And in battle my divisions got a 10-25% attack bonus called “Close Air Support”, though there was no close air support. For 100 recons those are quite pleasant buffs. And a major like Germany can afford quite a lot of recons.

When to switch this mission on?

When you fight on land and want to see the enemy. Preparing an offensive, holding defense, planning a breakthrough — recon is needed everywhere enemy divisions stand.

Before switching on, check three things:

• You have recon gear — a wing of planes with the “Recon Camera” module;
• Planes reach it with normal coverage;
• You hold air superiority.

Who should switch it on?

• • In what situation.

    Any country fighting on land. Preparing a landing through a strait, breaking the front with tanks, holding defense — everywhere it matters to know who stands before you. With no land war, you don't need the button.

    The mission is especially useful for attackers: attacking blind means losing men for nothing.

  • How to get access?

    In two steps.

    • First — the “Photo Reconnaissance” research in the aviation branch. Early research (1933), opens fast — keep that in mind. By the way, majors quite often have this module researched already.
    • Second — the “Recon Camera” module on the plane in the designer. Without this module there is no access to the mission. The camera takes precise shots of positions and fortifications even from high altitude.

    Note: a recon doesn't need dozens of factories. 5-10 military factories is enough — more than plenty, unlike fighters and close air support.

Which region to assign?

A land air region holding enemy troops, where you plan to attack. Exactly there you need both intel and the combat bonus.

Check coverage and range. At 50% coverage the mission works at half strength while fuel burns anyway. No need to recon a distant rear with no troops. But how do you run the mission right?

Hang recon a couple of weeks before the offensive

The scheme is simple: first planes watch, then divisions go. Preparing an offensive in two weeks — hang the wing on the region right now. By attack time the intel gathers itself.

I recommend this order always. If you are new and don't know where to start — start with the region you plan to attack.

Hold the mission through the offensive

Intel piles up gradually: each sortie adds a little. Pull the wing off mid-operation — and stay with a half-empty picture.

Hold the mission while the offensive runs. Fuel burn stays ordinary — 1.0 per plane, no command power needed. The combat bonus works while recons hang over the region. Now what else can go wrong.

• Nuances worth knowing

  • The more recons, the bigger the bonus.

    Each plane adds intel, so a big wing gives both a fuller picture and a bigger combat bonus. A small wing over a huge region means a weak effect everywhere.

  • Normal fuel, no resource needed.

    Burn — 1.0 per plane like most missions. And command power the mission needs none at all — free here.

  • Recon pairs with close air support.

    The recon bonus stacks with close air support work: some highlight, others hit. That's why experienced players keep both missions paired in one region.

  • A cheap mission.

    A recon takes 5-10 military factories. For reference: fighters and close air support demand dozens of factories. The army's eyes are aviation's cheapest part.

  • A neutral country works too.

    If in peacetime you try reconning another country, also peaceful, you can pull it off. Quite handy: gather intel, then declare war and attack.

• Typical beginner mistakes

  • Never assigning recon at all.

    The most common mistake. Building hundreds of fighters and close air support while forgetting the eyes. Attacking blind as a result, losing effectiveness.

  • Hanging recon on offensive day.

    Intel piles up gradually in HoI4. A wing hung in the morning of attack day gathers nothing by noon. Give recon a couple of weeks.

  • Recon without cover.

    Recons are defenseless against fighters. If the enemy holds the sky, they get shot down before seeing anything. First your fighters with the “Air Superiority” mission, then recons.

• Tips from top players

  • Recon the main strike direction.

    Where tanks go — recon goes. Secondary sectors wait: eyes matter most where the outcome is decided.

  • Keep the close air support pair.

    Recon highlights, close air support hits — the bonus stacks. Two wings in one region give more than separately.

  • Cover from the sky.

    Recons are defenseless against fighters. Keep your fighters with the “Air Superiority” mission in the region.