Limiting Losses to Air Attack

[Suhiir]

Not useless ... just not worth the unit cost

[Imp]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

Not useless ... just not worth the unit cost

Off topic but I would disagree with that statement.
Used piecemeal they are no good I never purchase Air unless I can have a minimum of 6 planes. 8-10 & a SEAD section now we are talking.

1) Cost of plane is generally cheaper than a MBT
2) Decent AAA is expensive & vulnerable, ground battle is easier due to build points used towards it, if they haven't got much Wahooo decimation ensues.
3) Makes the ground battle far easier
a) Restricts operations as air threat has to be allowed for.
b) Gives you battlefield information you would never have had.
c) Combined arms the plane normally stands a lot less chance of getting hit than my armor.
I just did this 4 planes attacked a MBT company followed by 3 MBT opening up on suppressed targets. Outcome 1 plane down 1 damaged 1 MBT destroyed - 9 tanks & several APC destroyed before smoke hindered play. My low MBT losses were due to suppression of enemy forces & knowing exactly where they were.
4) For overkill once you manage to drain/destroy most AAA bring out the scout helo,
in my view game changers due to the battlefield info they gather so don't be impatient & use it in a rich AAA environment.

Air assets are therefore worth a lot more than simply the units they destroy.

One final point if the AAA is very effective against the air it probably cost more than them to. Add up your AAA assets if your talking radar or even decent MANPADS they are not cheap.
You cut your losses by giving up buying say an additional platoon of MBTs or an additional rifle company.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Imp

Off topic but I would disagree with that statement.
Used piecemeal they are no good I never purchase Air unless I can have a minimum of 6 planes. 8-10 & a SEAD section now we are talking.

Agreed, less then 6 aircraft is generally a waste of time. 10+ tends to be almost overwhelming.

[Imp]

I remember this scenario now you were unlucky the Gepards are very effective, low ammo load though. It wouldn't be worth including the air if you had more AA.
I buy my AAA exactly as Andy mentioned normally 2x SPAAA & 1x SPSAM section for a battalion in a typical side battle/campaign.
Defending, delaying I might buy extra AAgun SAM or MANPAD sections.
My view my SAMs are 1st defence vs planes with stand off weapons
AAA guns are good all rounders main defence vs helos.
MANPADS efficiency varies depending on time frame & conditions, main use probably bothering helos to stop them getting a good shot.

On the occasions you find yourself facing a dozen planes & often supporting attack helos dealing with the air hampers operations drastically & requires a lot of thought. That's when I do things like restricting MBT AA.

[RetLT]

Give them something else to shoot at.

Hide your MBTs and have your trucks and cheap APCs move around in the open. Every LGB they soak up is one less fired at a high value unit.

Also set the range on your AAA to 1/2 to avoid wasting ammo at targets when there is a low hit chance.

[Steves308]

Originally Posted by RetLT

Also set the range on your AAA to 1/2 to avoid wasting ammo at targets when there is a low hit chance.

How do you set the range on AAA units? I've found they always seem to shoot at their maximum range at aircraft targets, would love to have them hold their fire until the aircraft are close enough to have a decent chance to hit them.

Steve

[Imp]

Originally Posted by Steves308

How do you set the range on AAA units? I've found they always seem to shoot at their maximum range at aircraft targets, would love to have them hold their fire until the aircraft are close enough to have a decent chance to hit them.

Steve

Use the Y key or 3rd Icon from the top

[Steves308]

Originally Posted by Imp

Use the Y key or 3rd Icon from the top

I've set the range using the Y key, and also through the OP filter, but that only seems to affect AAA units firing on ground units, not air units. Do you know for sure that it affects firing ranges on air units? Is it in the manual?

Thanks,

Steve

[RetLT]

I have done it and it works. No use having ZSUs or Vulcans waste ammo on long range shots.

Just remember that if you later fire at a helo or other target beyond this range it resets to the longer range.

[RetLT]

[quote=Steves308;831972][quote=Imp;831970]

Originally Posted by Steves308

Is it in the manual?

Thanks,

Steve

Manual? We don't need no stinking manual!