SPW@W and AA units...

[Gronk]

Hi Folks...

A question regarding the use of AA units when playing SPW@W.
Actually I have about 50 questions, but I'll limit this as much as possible. Lol

I'm in the 15th "scenario" of a WWII campaign, I'm playing the Germans, all battles in North Africa. The AI has finally wised up and started hitting me with ground support aircraft sorties. I've been carrying 4 to 6 AA units, Ger S 7/1's and 6/2's .

My question is: Do I need to have these units right up on the front lines to have any real chance of being able to drive off the aircraft. I'm not sure how the AA units should be set up...do they need to have an los just like ground units, do they have to be very close to my armor and infantry..etc.

Also..any suggestions on a percentage of AA needed for a mission ? Obviously, Allied air power was a huge difference maker historically. I'm assuming I'll be seeing more and more of it as the campaign continues.

Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated ! <smile>

Mike

[Vathailos]

You need to utilize them to cover your most valuable assets on attacks/assaults/meeting engagements as those units advance. Ideally, they’ll cover the “air” high speed avenues of approach between their charges and the most likely direction of enemy air advance. Higher is better (because it equals more time to acquire) but not “silhouetting” yourself for the enemy you’re advancing toward.

Against the AI, you should be fine with the dismounted (cheaper) versions of the same AA weapons. Key to their use is different. Place them high and nearer to the center of the map, because you don’t really know where the enemy aircraft is going to strike. Hilltops (not those immediately on the front lines) just back of your main defensive positions are great places to put your AA assets, place them in “rough” terrain. They have an uncanny ability to spot enemy targets as well.

Set their range so that they will cover the friendlies you need them to cover, but try and keep the range at the weapon’s medium or closer. Closer shots equal greater hit chances. When placing them in the defense however, remember that some AA guns are VERY effective against personnel (quad .50’s or since you’re Germany, Quad-20mm’s) or against lightly armored units (British 40mm, German 88mm). This dual-usage will help make sure you get the most bang for your buck. As the enemy may not even send any aircraft your way during an engagement.

Two other things effect your chance to hit IIRC. Those are crew skill, and suppression. If your crews are too suppressed they may not OP-fire at all. And even a little can decrease accuracy. For that reason, try and not utilize them in a direct fire mode in the defense until after they’ve engaged any enemy aircraft, or you’re relatively sure the enemy has no air that battle. Reason being, you don’t want to give away your positions and become a “star” to the enemy’s artillery assets.

Crew experience is something you can control indirectly (against the AI) or directly (in PBEM). If you play against a human opponent, you can alter the experience of given units if you turn the “True Troop” (or one of those “historical” troop settings, escapes me now). Against the AI, you can control the experience of your assets by making them “core” forces and allowing them to mature battle after battle. Depending on the country and timeframe, you can purchase either green or veteran forces as “support”, but if I’m not mistaken, only special or core units achieve “elite” status.

I may be mistaken. But hopefully there’s something in all this rambling that you can sink your teeth into.

[john g]

Originally posted by Gronk
Hi Folks...

A question regarding the use of AA units when playing SPW@W.
Actually I have about 50 questions, but I'll limit this as much as possible. Lol

I'm in the 15th "scenario" of a WWII campaign, I'm playing the Germans, all battles in North Africa. The AI has finally wised up and started hitting me with ground support aircraft sorties. I've been carrying 4 to 6 AA units, Ger S 7/1's and 6/2's .

My question is: Do I need to have these units right up on the front lines to have any real chance of being able to drive off the aircraft. I'm not sure how the AA units should be set up...do they need to have an los just like ground units, do they have to be very close to my armor and infantry..etc.

Also..any suggestions on a percentage of AA needed for a mission ? Obviously, Allied air power was a huge difference maker historically. I'm assuming I'll be seeing more and more of it as the campaign continues.

Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated ! <smile>

Mike

Ah, you have started seeing the Amis. When I did a German WWII campaign back with ver 2.3-v4.3 the Americans would easily throw out two dozen aircraft per battle. I was spending 3/4 of my support points per battle for AA when it came up Americans as the opponents, the UK never did throw more than a couple of aircraft in any battle so they only faced my core 88's, which stayed as AA until late 44 when they were converted to pak 88's and were up to about 110 experiance (makes them hit a hole lot more often) by that point.

Unless you have some very experianced core AA expect to buy at least 16-20 20mm vierling (the quad mount) and spread them out in groups of 4 on each approach area of your side of the map. For the mobile part of your army Wirbelwinds will keep up with the other armor and will shoot down planes as well, keep about 4 with every concentration of vehicles.

This is totally ahistorical, but it is the only answer to the sort of massive airpower the American picklist can supply. Be glad you aren't facing the B25 and A20 bombers that used to be in the old oob files. Back then one bomber would take out a platoon or more per bombload.

Another quirk of the ai is that you should expect most airstrikes to be over by turn three (at least those armed with bombs), so keep your troops spread out till then. No units stacked up and at least one hex between each unit to minimize splash damage from large bombs.
thanks, John.

[Gronk]

Thanks to both of you !

The 6 AA units I have were converted core units, so they should have some exp built up. I'll be sure to purchase some non-moblie AA support for the next battle. I knew Allied air support would turn up at some point. In this scenario they managed to catch me cautiously advancing my units behind my engineer company checking for mines. ie Units too tight together.

I'll put the advice to good use in the future..thanks again !

Mike

[Black Sabot]

Shouldn't be too difficult to have some elite AA in your core by the time the Amis show up. 7/1's are available early in the war and don't really need to be upgraded (the exp dip when changing to eg. moebelwagen offsets the improved fire control, at least for the next couple of battles.)
Also make sure they get lots of target practice. Crew mop up and infantry support are good missions to do this.

[Gronk]

Unfortunately, it's turn 12 and the Brits are still pounding me with 2-4 airstrikes per turn, dropping those dreaded 500lb.'ers still.

They have used no other type of "artillery" even their favored 2" mortars this mission. They've taken several good crews of mine out including one of my AA ones ! Akk !

A tough lesson learned here. Looks like support points are going to have to go heavy on the ground quad AA guns next mission, as you've all suggested.