How to use Flak-Units (AA trooptypes)?

[briklebritt]

How do you use the German Flak units?

[Jagger2002]

I have been keeping them within a hex of high value units such as armor to protect against air attacks. Although I am not sure about the range of flak defense in hexes.

Just checked. 88mm AA has 3 hex range and 20mm AA has 1 hex range. I am not sure how that translates into air defense.

[sfbaytf]

I tried using 88s against armored units to see if I could pick off tanks, but looks like it was indirect fire. It was at distance not 1 hex away. The lighter stuff, besides air defense, use as ground attack or stack with infantry for additional ground defense?

I played a card and got trucks. Not sure what I can use them for....

Figured out what to do with truck unit I got using a card. I moved it into same hex as infantry unit with no transport icon and attached the truck to unit thus motorizing it. I suspect you can do this with non motorized flak units to give them better mobility.

May want to experiment with trying to attach flak unit to infantry and see if the anti-armor and anti infantry capabilities go up.

Curious to know if attaching a truck to an infantry unit that already has a truck or half-track icon on it gets additional bonuses.

[briklebritt]

This is very interesting - how that translates into air defense?

And as you said - german 88 flak was perfect knocking out enemy tanks. As I understand Vic in a earlier thread, tanks do direct fire in ranged attack. Maybe an 88-flak individual is doing direct fire too in ranged attack.

Trooptypes either to direct or indirect fire. They are never capable of both. Panthers (and all combat tanks) do direct fire.

best wishes,
Vic

[Jagger2002]

Maybe an 88-flak individual is doing direct fire too in ranged attack.

88 AA are designed for direct fire against aircraft and were used in direct fire role vs tanks.

Unfortunately the manual doesn't cover how AA fire works against aircraft.

[theWombat]

I think the best use may well be for opportunity (intercept) fire. That range means they can mess with American tank movements over a wide area.

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: theWombat

I think the best use may well be for opportunity (intercept) fire. That range means they can mess with American tank movements over a wide area.

Yes, and deadly with a good LOS, height advantage for ranged fire against US armoured units as well.

Klink, Oberst

[MrClock]

My guess is that AA only protects units in their own hex. The plane had to be in clear view of the operator in order to hit it.

[carll11]

ok sooooo can 88's fire at enemy ground units ( tanks APc's etc.) or not?

[Oberst_Klink]

It can, as can all the other AA guns.

Klink, Oberst

[Jagger2002]

I just played the Arracourt scenario as the Germans. Clear weather the entire scenario, so this is a good one for learning how to use your AA. I kept my flak units very close to my tanks and not only did they do good service vs air attacks, the 88s came in very handy when fighting off tanks.

[MrClock]

What do you mean by very close? Same hex, next hex? Thanks!

[carll11]

thank you sir...

[Jagger2002]

What do you mean by very close? Same hex, next hex? Thanks!

AA appears to have multiple hex range vs aircraft. I believe the range of the individual AA weapons is the effective range vs both aircraft and ground targets. IIRC, 88s have a 3 hex range and I strongly suspect that range is good both against aircraft and ground targets.

Having AA neutralizes a certain percentage of the attacking aircraft. I suspect the closer the AA is to the aircraft target hex, the greater the neutralization of attacking aircraft. In the Arracourt scenario, American aircraft are devastating vs German tanks in the open. AA helps but only to a certain extant. Best to stay in cover as much as possible.