German Buying Extra AA?

[Wa rChild USMC]

Would it ever be wise for Germany to buy extra AA for Europe?

[Mallery29]

In this version of 1942, it’s useless for Germany to buy an AA.  Typically, a new complex (say India, FIC, Borneo, etc) would need it more because someone is trying to use it as a FOB for their troops to cut down transit time.

[Wa rChild USMC]

the way we play you can put more than on AA in a territory.  So, say you stack 3 or so in europe.  Would that be worth it to maybe get a few planes, or just build def units?

[ch0senfktard]

Isn’t it already possible to have more than 1 AA gun in a territory, just that it won’t really matter much since 1 AA gun shoots at all enemy aircraft?

And from what I can remember, doesn’t Germany start with 3 AA guns? If so, then it REALLY has no need to buy more.

[Wa rChild USMC]

Yeah, but if you put say 3 AA per a territory, then each air craft gets 3 shots taken at it, so, with 3  each plane has a 1/2 chance of getting hit.  However, after that first roll, they are useless for the rest of the battle.  I was just wondering if anyone thought it was a worthwhile buy or not.

[ch0senfktard]

Only 1 AA gun shoots, regardless of the amount in a territory.

[Mallery29]

If this is the rule you have set up, this makes the battle for Russia nearly impossible for Germany on its own without way more fodder.  All Russia has to do is hold the line for as long as possible while buying an AA here and there (along with UK FTR reinforcements).  This eliminates Germany from even taking the time to send its planes to the Front lines and keeps all his planes in France protecting the Atlantic.  This rule would force me to go KJF EVERY time.  So with a KJF, your German planes sitting there in Europe are utterly useless except for hit and runs on the Russians to wear them down.

So, no, don’t buy an AA for Germany under your rules.  It’s useless.  Now Moscow and India (when you get the IC there and send the Caucus AA there), I would most definitely be looking at AA guns.

My question is why aren’t you just following the rules?  They’re easy.  And if you use the FTR escort/scramble (which I recommend), you deter IBs.  I know the game is favored towards the Axis, but there are better ways to balance the game out.  And why would you want to be stuck into a KJF strat every time (since KGF will be very difficult).

[Wa rChild USMC]

it was just the way we’ve always played it.  Never really considered overall planing outcomes of it.  None of us are pros and it just felt like a realistic possibility that a nation could mass AA power.

[ch0senfktard]

Yeah, but the problem with that is… Well, it becomes overpowered.
Using the rule that you said… If you were to have a couple of AA guns in a territory, who in their right mind would send planes to attack there if each AA gun can shoot at each aircraft?

The idea for the AA gun in this game was to have a chance to hit the enemy’s attacking planes without the hits being soaked on infantry, not totally destroy their attacking air force before the main part of the battle even begins.

[Dylan the Canadian]

Using original rules, Germany has no real need for AA guns, especially with the 3 it already starts with. Russia will only have 2 planes for a while, since they will only be able to afford ground troops for the longest time. If it gets to the point where the Allies are attacking Berlin, Rome, or Paris the AA gun is irrelevant. I think the best is to keep one in Germany, one in either Southern or Western Europe (it can move around depending on the situation), and one out somewhere on the Eastern Front.