Improving AA units' experience

[Lowpe]

AA units are extremely important for Japan.

Does anyone know of a way to farm experience increases for AA units? I don't think aerial bombing increases experience much if at all.

What impact does the commander have on experience gain?
Do they gain experience from ground combat? I think yes, but hard to do and how to farm it?

Any and all outside the box thinking here much appreciated!

[GetAssista]

No effective ways to my knowledge. Even with the benefit of a clueless persistent AI launching air raids I still them in the 70s at most by the end of the game. And boy did I have a lot of air raids coming my way when taking out CONUS

[Lowpe]

So, I guess get them on the front lines where they will be attacked, but no forced to take crippling retreat losses. [:(]

Not very promising.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

AA units are extremely important for Japan.

Does anyone know of a way to farm experience increases for AA units? I don't think aerial bombing increases experience much if at all.

What impact does the commander have on experience gain?
Do they gain experience from ground combat? I think yes, but hard to do and how to farm it?

Any and all outside the box thinking here much appreciated!

Heavy AA units firing at amphib TF's perhaps? Other than that, being stuck under bombardment attacks.

All this is assuming that LCU EXP, which we know plugs into the ground model, also plugs into the flak component of the air model.

It would make sense if it does, but there's no assurances that it does.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

AA units are extremely important for Japan.

Does anyone know of a way to farm experience increases for AA units? I don't think aerial bombing increases experience much if at all.

What impact does the commander have on experience gain?
Do they gain experience from ground combat? I think yes, but hard to do and how to farm it?

Any and all outside the box thinking here much appreciated!

Heavy AA units firing at amphib TF's perhaps? Other than that, being stuck under bombardment attacks.

All this is assuming that LCU EXP, which we know plugs into the ground model, also plugs into the flak component of the air model.

It would make sense if it does, but there's no assurances that it does.

A salutary warning.

Alfred

[Lowpe]

Being encouraged by a post from Mr. Kane, I went thru my AA units' experience level history to find out if they do indeed gain experience from being aerial bombing...and they do![:)] It might make sense to change leaders for those critical AA units.

Now, to somehow figure out if their effectiveness is increased by experience. Hard to conceive that it has 0 impact given how experience seems to be such a factor in every other combat.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Being encouraged by a post from Mr. Kane, I went thru my AA units' experience level history to find out if they do indeed gain experience from being aerial bombing...and they do![:)] It might make sense to change leaders for those critical AA units.

Now, to somehow figure out if their effectiveness is increased by experience. Hard to conceive that it has 0 impact given how experience seems to be such a factor in every other combat.

Based on Alfred's comments above I wouldn't think so. I've not came across anything to suggest that LCU EXP factors into anything outside the land combat model.

[Lowpe]

I still think it is a worthwhile endeavor for Japan. If for no other reason than roleplaying.[:)]

[Alfred]

1.  Ceteris paribus an AA LCU with experience 99 will not hit more enemy aircraft than an AA LCU with experience 19.
 
2.  An AA LCU does not directly fire at enemy aircraft.  It's AA guns are pooled together with all other LCU's in the same hex AA guns to fire in aggregate at the enemy aircraft.
 
3.  Unless directly targeted by enemy aircraft, an AA LCU is not specifically identified as having been engaged in combat which potentially could increase it's experience.
 
4.  Another way for an AA LCU to increase it's experience above the national training level is for it to be directly engaged in "land" combat.
 
5.  Auxiliary support LCUs like AA, Engr, are not dependent on their experience level to effectively undertake their primary, auxiliary non land combat duties.
 
Read this thread: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3113853&mpage=1&key=flak&#3114684
 
Alfred

[mind_messing]

1. Ceteris paribus an AA LCU with experience 99 will not hit more enemy aircraft than an AA LCU with experience 19.

Id quod sequitur that A LCU (CD or otherwise) with experience 99 will not hit more enemy ships than an AA LCU with experience 19, assuming it is firing against ships in an amphibious landing.

A stretch, but I can see the design logic behind it.

[Lowpe]

Thanks Alfred. Well, there are other advantages of high experience AA units. They can plan forward objectives faster![:D]

I wonder if radar works in the same manner...a pool created for the hex. It would be interesting if it worked that way at sea.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Thanks Alfred. Well, there are other advantages of high experience AA units. They can plan forward objectives faster![:D]

I wonder if radar works in the same manner...a pool created for the hex. It would be interesting if it worked that way at sea.

I suppose they might recover disruption faster after bombardments?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Thanks Alfred. Well, there are other advantages of high experience AA units. They can plan forward objectives faster![:D]

I wonder if radar works in the same manner...a pool created for the hex. It would be interesting if it worked that way at sea.

I suppose they might recover disruption faster after bombardments?

Makes you kind of wonder if disruption, morale, fatigue have any impact also. I have no noticed no noticeable change from having AA in reserve mode for example.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Thanks Alfred. Well, there are other advantages of high experience AA units. They can plan forward objectives faster![:D]

I wonder if radar works in the same manner...a pool created for the hex. It would be interesting if it worked that way at sea.

I suppose they might recover disruption faster after bombardments?

This 2017 thread:

tm.asp?m=4376273&mpage=1&key=fatigue?

goes into details re recovery of fatigue and disruption which are conditions precedent for disabled device recovery. There is some benefit in having high experience LCUs when combined with quality leaders.

Alfred

[witpqs]

Thanks! [:)]

[rustysi]

2. An AA LCU does not directly fire at enemy aircraft. It's AA guns are pooled together with all other LCU's in the same hex AA guns to fire in aggregate at the enemy aircraft.

D'oh, I knew this and never equated the two. Not that the lack of AAA exp gain really concerned me.[:)]

Number of AAA guns in hex divided by 6 equals AAA strength of hex. Of course altitudes are figured in somehow, but no individual units firing at specific targets. Thus no exp gain. I have seen the gain in land combat.

I are a dummy.[:D]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

2. An AA LCU does not directly fire at enemy aircraft. It's AA guns are pooled together with all other LCU's in the same hex AA guns to fire in aggregate at the enemy aircraft.

D'oh, I knew this and never equated the two. Not that the lack of AAA exp gain really concerned me.[:)]

Number of AAA guns in hex divided by 6 equals AAA strength of hex. Of course altitudes are figured in somehow, but no individual units firing at specific targets. Thus no exp gain. I have seen the gain in land combat.

I are a dummy.[:D]

If I understand Alfred correctly, the AAA unit can gain some combat experience and fire directly at aircraft if that LCU is a target of the air strike. The firing would only apply during the actual drop phase of the air attack, not the approach and departure phases. Anyone else think that or otherwise?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: rustysi

2. An AA LCU does not directly fire at enemy aircraft. It's AA guns are pooled together with all other LCU's in the same hex AA guns to fire in aggregate at the enemy aircraft.

D'oh, I knew this and never equated the two. Not that the lack of AAA exp gain really concerned me.[:)]

Number of AAA guns in hex divided by 6 equals AAA strength of hex. Of course altitudes are figured in somehow, but no individual units firing at specific targets. Thus no exp gain. I have seen the gain in land combat.

I are a dummy.[:D]

If I understand Alfred correctly, the AAA unit can gain some combat experience and fire directly at aircraft if that LCU is a target of the air strike. The firing would only apply during the actual drop phase of the air attack, not the approach and departure phases. Anyone else think that or otherwise?

AA units can gain experience from shooting aerially only, but it doesn't happen a lot.

[Alpha77]

AA units from the IJ come in generally 3 categories (at start without combat)

a) 50 exp (draftees or militia crews) - those might rise to 55 iirc if planning points are 100%
b) 60 exp - exp does not rise
c) 65 exp - exp does not rise

It seems the same is true for arty units in my experience.

Arty units also do not gather exp very fast eg. from bobarding, in my experience they mostly gain exp if attacked and perhaps the enemy gets through with some tanks to the arty rear position. And arty shoots at tanks directly (= possible exp gain). Also when field guns are employed in the forward positions for direct fire. The same seems to be true for AA units, they gain - but slowly - if directly attacked and fire back at enemy (on the land, not air).

I can see that if I check arty units in India and from ex- IJ "fortress" or better "forlorn hope" Tassafaronga. The arty units were involved in much attacks by the enemy (mostly superior) land forces. They were also attacked by air, but seemed not to gain exp from this. In case of Tassa the enemy was 3-4 times superior in numbers so one can assume some of the enemy made it through to the arty positions were those guns then defended themselves in direct fire mode and perhaps hit something. This seems to be the major exp gainer for AA and arty. In contrast to the Tassa forces which the overall commander let down to die or capture the forces in India won their engaments mostly. So I have some arty units with 70 exp for example. Oth. tanks somehow do gain verryyyy slowly.

Edit, there are at least 2 20mm AA units with starting exp of 70 I think. These 2 raised 2 exp points in my IJ PBM game. They were not involved in much combat I believe even not shooting at aircraft as the enemy bombers in 90% of cases flies over their ceiling... eg. 9k seems to be a beloved height by the enemy bombers.

For sure people here know the important catch in all this, the units need to set to "no reeinfocrements" otherwise if they lose men or stuff and draw new stuff this stuff comes at I believe 50 exp. Which means if your unit took high losses and drew reinforcements the exp might actually go down. Or you land your arty unit and 50% of the crew drowns but you have much supply and take the base it might draw reinforcements, bingo exp lowers.

[Disco Duck]

Ok, I am beginning to think that rest/ training has no purpose. At Los Angeles on December eighth I set the 65th Coastal AA to no replacements rest/ training. I left the 78th at combat with replacements and combat. I sandboxed it to the middle of March. Moral and experience both increased at the same rate. Note: Experience will not go up until your " set future objective" is 100.