Did I read this right? AAguns have effectively been nerfed?
Let me get this right. You get to fire 3 times per aagun, but you are maxed out on rolls by the number of aircraft correct?
So unless you buy and build stacks of aaguns, it takes 2 aaguns to give you a likely hit on 1 air unit?
As an added bonus, the air units can now destroy the aaguns and thus have no fear later rounds?
Riddle me this:
Whats to stop the US from building bombers only, obtain a stack of 15 bombers and start clearing land units?
Once you have 15 bombers, you will clear 10 units a combat round on average:) Imagine what one UK transport and 1 inf can do, if the US clears all the land units that can counter attack in Europe.
Typically, 1 old fashioned aa gun prevented this approach, 15 bombers would lose 2-3 plus land unit hits and the aagun never goes away.
15 bombers gives you 10 hits a round-enough to clear a factory’s builds. Continue with a round 2 and you clear the factories aaguns. This is sub par, however you just cleared 30 IPCs for 36….US has the money to burn. Imagine Germany trying to build units in Russia only to see their reinforcements cleared in the rear by US bomber forces.
Never bomb factories in mass, directly assault the land units built out of those factories; aaguns are worthless in Alpha 3 now (they have to spend 10-12 ipcs-are they 5 or 6 ipcs each?-to kill one bomber a turn and now they can be destroyed by the bombers themselves…bonus). Plus bombing factories kills potential units and is capped, bombing units: kill units and their current position (turn is wasted) and is unlimited.
So: At 52 IPCs the US can build 4.3 bombers a turn while neutral….in 3 rounds (13+1starting), you have an air force able to clear stacks of 10 when you enter war, using your newly built bombers as replacements to fuel the fire. In addition, not desirable, but you can defend key areas with the bombers as casualties for London in a pinch.
If you get that force, and supplement it with starting navy or you build 3 bombers a round and other pieces, you should be ok in Europe…Now Japan is another story, maybe you still have to hit them first and only do bombers when Germany leaves London alive.
Italy and Germany could never build a navy:
15 bombers=10 navy hits
carrier, 2 fighters, Battleship, Cruiser, 3 Destroyers, 3 transports-a reasonable Italian fleet.
1 combat round: Italy hits 4 times, US hits 10 combat ends
Italy lost 113 IPC’s, US 48 IPC’s or 60 if they hit 5 times.
In reality, US can amass only 14 bombers by turn 3 (start with 1, build 13)
To clear Japan’s starting fleet, 2 BB, 3 carriers, 6 ftrs, 2 cruisers, 4 destroyers= 22 hits you would need 21 bombers and 2 combat rounds:
US 21 units= 14 hits, Japan 17 units/22 hit taking to die = 9 hits
US 12 units = 8 hits, Japan 8 units = 6 hits
Total bombers lost=9+6=15=180 ipcs for Japan’s 204…21 is the minimum size you would need and that assumes 6 hits instead of 5 round 2 for Japan’s 8 units.
You could use that force in China to clear Japan’s land units (or air units when they land away from a stack of 14 or more) if they hide their fleet.
Is this crazy?