Axis Ground Unit Immunity

[SagarenHunter]

I have the most recent version of the game, but I'm finding in Italy that many of the Axis ground units cannot be effectively attacked. This is especially prevalent when units replace other heavily damaged units. They then seem to become immune to all air attack damage regardless of time or number of attacks.

[simovitch]

You wont do much damage if the ground unit has fortified. Recon the front lines good (bombers will recon OK but not as good as recon planes) and bomb the troops relentlessly to reduce fortifications. Bomb supply lines so they don't get replacements. Troops moving between fronts are exceptionally vulnerable as they lose fortification when they move.

The delay of breaking each front is only reduced or increased by 1 day whenever you see a message about "Allied assault defeats..." or "...Division ~ defeats Allied Assault" respectively. These results are heavily dependent on disruption and fortification values of the ground units.

It's a long war.

[SagarenHunter]

Thank you for the quick reply. I do understand what you're saying. My issue is there are units that are entirely immune to taking damage from air attacks regardless of circumstances. Be it FB attacks or HB attacks at insanely low levels with hundreds of planes and up to date recon they take no damage or disruption when other units take damage normally.

[simovitch]

Which scenario are you playing, version, and which units are behaving this way?

[SagarenHunter]

Grand Campaign 43, the most recent version. And at least some of the units are 16th Panzer Troop, 2nd Parachute Troops, 90th Panzergrenadier, 26th Panzer Troops, 3rd Panzergrenadier. There may be others but those are the ones I've been focusing on lately. All of them are units that were forced out of their original positions due to damage to themselves, or a unit they replaced. Before that they would take damage normally. I don't know if that might make a difference.

[simovitch]

Hmm good catch here. I found a bug that sometimes allows fortifications (and AA) to build up replacements past the max limit for troops by a factor of 3. This bug has been around since the original code which may explain the old complaints about ineffective attacks on troops.

In my current game, I am seeing units building up to fortification level 17 (basically immune), and the max should be 8 or 9. Units behind the lines seem to get the "growth bug" but most appear to be normal.
need to test the effects on the ground campaign.

[mark dolby]

I have always seen units dig in to level 15 on the Atlantic coast, never more. Also goes up in the Gustav line if not attacked but not beyond 15 again. just had 1st parachute and 16th Pz pushed behind the lines so I'll keep an eye on them. No divisions have actually been pushed out f the line yet.

[SagarenHunter]

Is fortification level something only the developers can see. I never recall observing it.

[simovitch]

The defending player can see the fortification value of his troops, the Allied player can't even if reconned.

[SagarenHunter]

Ok, thank you!