Matrix Games Forums

How does one raise experience of AA units?

AT and FA units can gain experience by taking part in ground combat. I guess AA units can do the same (AA guns have anti-soft and anti-armor ratings). AA units can also shell invasion forces ( Port Moresby's 40 mm Bofors will hit Japanese amphibious ships in Coral Sea scenario). Yet AA units are to valuable to let them die in some ground combat. I want to park them in major bases and fire at incoming bombers.

So, do AA units raise their experience by shooting at bombing aircraft or by participating in land combat?

AA units don't get any experience by shooting bombers, I think that's pretty sure. Some of my AA units have been shooting bombers almost daily, and after several months they have not learn anything. Stupid.

I have to check if any of my AA units get any experience during enemy landings and land battles after that.

Considering Jap AA units are patethic (standard equipment is 13.2 mm machine guns and 8 cm guns with no medium guns), I thought you could at least up their experience. LCU, aircraft, ships - they all get better experience by fighting. Seems AA units are stuck with same experience levels they get when once they enter the game.

Flak used against planes is a sum/factor of all flak devices in a hex. As a result, a specific LCU unit does not fire at the planes. Would probably be nice for some experience gain when shooting down planes, but not really designed for that.

[edit]
Wouldn't normal training increase experience?

Once they hit their maximal national experience level there will be probably no progress. So, a IJA AA unit maxes at 55 exp, gets shipped to Magwe and defends it for i.e 2 years with little or no experience gain.

ORIGINAL: michaelm

Flak used against planes is a sum/factor of all flak devices in a hex. As a result, a specific LCU unit does not fire at the planes. Would probably be nice for some experience gain when shooting down planes, but not really designed for that.

Thanks Michael, that'll explane it. If it's not designed for that, no need to complain. [:)]

If flak is just a sum of all devices, does unit experience have any effect?

Uhm, if an Allied bomber unit bombs at 6000 feet, and in the hex there is a Japanese LCU with 7.7mm machine guns and an AA unit with 8cm guns, only the second unit shoots at the bombers, right?

ORIGINAL: michaelm

Flak used against planes is a sum/factor of all flak devices in a hex. As a result, a specific LCU unit does not fire at the planes. Would probably be nice for some experience gain when shooting down planes, but not really designed for that.

[edit]
Wouldn't normal training increase experience?

I just did a check of some AA units in Tracker. Yes, normal training does increase experience.

A couple of different questions:
1) Does experience affect AA units' performance against aircraft?
2) Does target planning percentage affect AA units' performance against aircraft?

These are all great questions, as AA is a big unknown in the game. I certainly can add to the questions, but sadly not to the answers. My question centers on the "Flak" number a base gets. Is this number used a ALL altitudes? As pointed out above is a base has lots of machine guns but no large AAA that can reach, does the number still apply? Why are there not numbers that equate to altitude bands? So many questions, so little time! Hal

AA guns have a max range value. If the attack is above it, then that device isn't factored. In stock, exp made no difference to AA effectiveness. Not sure if thats the case in AE. Don't recall it being on any agenda list. However a big change that was tested was disruption by flak to bombing accuracy, which also used to not be impacted in Stock. That is in the game.

SO, the AAA results of American AA units at Pearl Harbor are routinely about 1/10 of what actually occurred (29 shot down, 77 damaged beyond repair) AND they will never get any better. Just like real Japanese pilots are so sharp they can see the bullets coming and avoid AAA. Yup, just like real.

U.S. AA fire at Pearl Harbor is drastically reduced by the game if you have Dec 7 Surprise on. AA fire the next day should be a lot worse {for the IJN player}. And a reason for the IJN player to NOT hang around for a second day's attack on Pearl.

U.S. AA fire at Pearl Harbor is drastically reduced by the game if you have Dec 7 Surprise on.

HOW ABOUT THAT!!!! And the logical reason for that is what? The IJN suffered 30% losses (IRL) after they'd managed to pull off complete surprise. Reconsidering sticking around for more when the guns are actually supplied with ammunition and orders to shoot seems pretty dicey unless the war ends tomorrow.

Nagumo's always the goat for sailing away. Maybe the cyber-heroes ought to be the real goats in the game.

I probably would have sailed away once it was clear the USN CVs were away from port..

... not even launch the second wave.. just run.. away .. far far away

the war could have ended on the first day if 2 or 3 USN CVs
surprised the KB while all their planes are away

ORIGINAL: spence

U.S. AA fire at Pearl Harbor is drastically reduced by the game if you have Dec 7 Surprise on.

HOW ABOUT THAT!!!! And the logical reason for that is what? The IJN suffered 30% losses (IRL) after they'd managed to pull off complete surprise. Reconsidering sticking around for more when the guns are actually supplied with ammunition and orders to shoot seems pretty dicey unless the war ends tomorrow.

Nagumo's always the goat for sailing away. Maybe the cyber-heroes ought to be the real goats in the game.

I always thought the Japanese attacked with around 350 planes and lost 29. Thats hardly 30% loses but what do I know.

ORIGINAL: Gräfin Zeppelin

ORIGINAL: spence

U.S. AA fire at Pearl Harbor is drastically reduced by the game if you have Dec 7 Surprise on.

HOW ABOUT THAT!!!! And the logical reason for that is what? The IJN suffered 30% losses (IRL) after they'd managed to pull off complete surprise. Reconsidering sticking around for more when the guns are actually supplied with ammunition and orders to shoot seems pretty dicey unless the war ends tomorrow.

Nagumo's always the goat for sailing away. Maybe the cyber-heroes ought to be the real goats in the game.

I always thought the Japanese attacked with around 350 planes and lost 29. Thats hardly 30% loses but what do I know.

Always trying to use facts in your arguments. What are we going to do with you, Grafin? [:D]

ORIGINAL: USS America


Always trying to use facts in your arguments. What are we going to do with you, Grafin? [:D]

I am sorry [:(] Ah I like the green planes because they are pretty ? Better ?

[:D]

ORIGINAL: Gräfin Zeppelin

ORIGINAL: USS America


Always trying to use facts in your arguments. What are we going to do with you, Grafin? [:D]

I am sorry [:(] Ah I like the green planes because they are pretty ? Better ?

ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THE JAPANESE PLANES WERE BETTER?!? [:@]


[;)]

ORIGINAL: dr.hal

These are all great questions, as AA is a big unknown in the game. I certainly can add to the questions, but sadly not to the answers. My question centers on the "Flak" number a base gets. Is this number used a ALL altitudes? As pointed out above is a base has lots of machine guns but no large AAA that can reach, does the number still apply? Why are there not numbers that equate to altitude bands? So many questions, so little time! Hal

Michael posted on that a while back. I forget the exact way they are counted, but the "Flak" value shown on the lower left of the base display is just a sort of count of all the flak guns there. It's not a straight count, so if you put 100 guns there do not expect the value to be shown as "100", it will be a much smaller value. The usefulness of it is when you compare one base to another, it gives you a quick reference number. AFAIK or remember altitude might not be considered. It's more of just a count, but it's not a straight sum.

Hope that helps.