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I'm sure this has already been hashed and/or to be uncovered on my own as I make my way through the manual so forgive the pre-emptive question here, but what's the best use for AA in KP?

CAS doesn't seem to be much of an issue given the weather and available air assets, but it is available just the same. So where is AA most effective, up with the troops or back in anticipated areas of interdiction?

In KP, AA units do not effect air interdiction. They are provided as support units only.

So, basically, throw 'em in your stack?

I find them usefull for plugging gaps in quiet parts of the line. Air Interdiction can be a very powerfull tool to hinder enemy offensives and disrupt supply. If you spot an enemy bottleneck, and place your air attacks carefully, you can cause the enemy a headache or two!

Regards

Skie wrote:So, basically, throw 'em in your stack?

My favourite use is to put them in equivelent size stepped stacks so that they can take the hits first and hopefully save my more prized formations.

Also good for use with non guard inf in clear hexes as they give some anti shock protection too.

Well if they have no value relevant to their intended purpose (read: shooting down aircraft), then using them to absord losses as so much cannon fodder is certainly a creative use for them. Thanks for the tip Pawlock.

Winterhawk wrote:Well if they have no value relevant to their intended purpose (read: shooting down aircraft), then using them to absord losses as so much cannon fodder is certainly a creative use for them. Thanks for the tip Pawlock.

Don't get used to doing that. The patch will change the nature of many AT and AA units. They will become one step Support units, which means that if they're caught on their own, they will be annihilated, since they use they same CRT as artillery and supply units.

Post patch, you will have to use these units in their intended role, i.e. to support real combat units, not as a substitute for them.

Gregor

I would think each country's AA units should reflect their actual effectiveness. What I mean by that is specifically German AA units should have a fairly significant defensive value since they normally were composed of some mix of 88's and other sky buster weapons. When 88's were used for defense they were lethal. i.e., Normandy around the town of Cagney (spelling? something like that), Hans von Luck turned a reluctant group of 88 AA guns into a small (6 or 7 tubes) but lethal group of tank busters that effectively stopped a big British Armored push through that area. Romell also used his AA units very effectively in a defensive roll. The stories are numerous of and legendary concerning the famous 88.

The Allied units were not as lethal as the German units but they were usefull when forced into helping infantry against assaults. I particularly feel the German AA units should have significant defensive value.

But, its just MHO

hank

hank wrote:I would think each country's AA units should reflect their actual effectiveness. What I mean by that is specifically German AA units should have a fairly significant defensive value since they normally were composed of some mix of 88's and other sky buster weapons. When 88's were used for defense they were lethal. i.e., Normandy around the town of Cagney (spelling? something like that), Hans von Luck turned a reluctant group of 88 AA guns into a small (6 or 7 tubes) but lethal group of tank busters that effectively stopped a big British Armored push through that area. Romell also used his AA units very effectively in a defensive roll. The stories are numerous of and legendary concerning the famous 88.

The Allied units were not as lethal as the German units but they were usefull when forced into helping infantry against assaults. I particularly feel the German AA units should have significant defensive value.

But, its just MHO

hank

We recognise all of that. What we're saying is that an AT or AA unit is incapable of defending a regimental frontage on its own, and that the game shouldn't allow that. If you stack an German 88 unit with a real combat unit, then you get the benefit of its high defence strength and its very high anti-tank values.

The 88 was a lethal weapon, but owed a lot of its success to faulty Allied doctrine i.e. head on attacks by tanks unsupported by infantry or artillery.

Gregor

Gregor_SSG wrote:Don't get used to doing that. The patch will change the nature of many AT and AA units. They will become one step Support units, which means that if they're caught on their own, they will be annihilated, since they use they same CRT as artillery and supply units.

Post patch, you will have to use these units in their intended role, i.e. to support real combat units, not as a substitute for them.

Gregor

Ok, just to clarify, will AA units help against interdiction after the patch? Or, is the patch simply going to change them to one step support units? Just so I know whether to use 'em to help prevent supply problems or put them in stacks.

Skie wrote:Ok, just to clarify, will AA units help against interdiction after the patch? Or, is the patch simply going to change them to one step support units? Just so I know whether to use 'em to help prevent supply problems or put them in stacks.

You'll have to wait for Battles in Normandy, the next game in the series, before AA units will have an effect on air interdiction, the patch just changes their status.

Gregor

Thanks for the input folks, that does clarify it. BTW, I admit to knowing squat about this next game in the series Battles in Normandy - you mentioned. Where can one get some dirt?

Not a great deal has been released about it yet Winterhawk.. but it is being developed by SSG - the same guys who have done KP, using the same Engine - although it is being completely rewritten and therefore will have some enhancements..

When SSG get closer to release then Im sure we will hear some more info about it.. something to look forward to though!