AA when defending

[Karts222]

Hi,
When defending with a minor against majors, should I use both support AA and province AA? Or is it too expensive?
I've usually used both but been thinking if it's efficient to do so.
F.e. when defending, as divisions don't move I could just use province AA. But is it cheaper to have it in each province and are there big effect of having both?

 

[Evethor]

Support AA is almost always worth it.
Province AA, atleast a few levels are really good to help prevent logistical losses when you are under red air.

 

[Karts222]

OK, thanks.
Have i then used province AA wrong if I usually put it in border provinces?
Should I apply it equally to all or maybe just supply hubs?

 

[Herennius]

Welcome to the forums!

It is important to understand that divisional and provincial AA protect vs. different threats - the former help in land battles (by reducing enemy air superiority and taking down planes attacking your ground forces), the latter (only!) against strategic bombardment and logistic strikes. Divisional AA is for me a must-have (unless you fight an opponent with no planes at all), state AA a situational thing (is strategic bombing happening).

Finally, another question is if you need it at all or if you your own air force can do the job alone. Advantage of defending with aircraft is that the downed planes give war score, while that isn't the case for any type of AA due to a confirmed bug ( https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...om-planes-shot-down-by-aa-and-trains.1566325/ )

 

[DaddySugar331]

the latter (only!) against strategic bombardment and logistic strikes

Well, not only. Static AA also reduces enemy air superiority by -5 per 1 building level.

 

[Herennius]

Well, not only. Static AA also reduces enemy air superiority by -5 per 1 building level.

Ok, I wasn't aware of that. That's one of the reasons I like this forum and the game - still learning new stuff. Thank you

 

[TheHostName]

Ok, I wasn't aware of that. That's one of the reasons I like this forum and the game - still learning new stuff. Thank you

While true. The info itselfs is useless. 5 small airframe planes have 5 air superiority. Even a full air region with 5 levels in each state will not manage to get more superiority then 150 planes. The modifier is kinda pathetically low.

 

[Karts222]

But is it then more economical to have AA just in provinces with cities/supply hubs or should all provinces have it? Like does bombardment do same damage in all provinces or more to supply hubs or provinces where there are more buildings?

 

[UrbanBanner]

I am surprised! Nobody thought to point out that obviously AA also helps you to protect your bunkers that are VERY useful to your defense! I have lost several good defenses due to overlooking my pile of broken bunkers due to bad anti air!

 

[Sig3349]

AA is always usefull, especially when you play a minor against a major. You could not compete in air with them.
But additionally, AA is also provides a bunch of piercing and heavy attack, even by putting them on support company in divisions. It's a cheap way to fight against the IA armored divisions.

And for the province AA, they can also help to prevent raids (but not enough, you will need some airplane though). So, not only on your border, but also and all provinces where there is landmarks, mines, dams, etc. that could be damaged by raids.

 

[Zenbeast]

I find province/state AA useless (I only play SP). I would rather use that construction to build something else. It only shoots down strat bombing and port strike missions. Yes it reduces enemy air superiority, but it doesn't actually shoot those planes down.

 

[vermicious knid]

Ok, I wasn't aware of that. That's one of the reasons I like this forum and the game - still learning new stuff. Thank you

I have good news. You will never, ever get to a point where you fully understand how every feature actually works. I've played 5071 hours of the game and I still don't...and believe me I've tried. The game doesn't have anything like the Civilopedia in the Civ games. The official wiki is hit or miss. In some cases features have either never worked or never been fully explained...and the only way to figure this out is trial and error + a healthy dose of guessing.

After 10 years and a fair bit of team turnover I'm not convinced any person currently walking the planet completely understands how the game actually works. Including the design team. If they do they'll never admit it lest they be kidnapped and forced to write a manual.

 

[Gort11]

Provincial AA's fine to have, but I don't think I'd ever build any.

Maybe if I was some kind of tiny minor nation that has already filled up every factory slot.

Support AA, always, especially versus the AI that uses tanks that are so thinly armoured even infantry with support AA can pierce their armour.

 

[Eruth]

But is it then more economical to have AA just in provinces with cities/supply hubs or should all provinces have it? Like does bombardment do same damage in all provinces or more to supply hubs or provinces where there are more buildings?

Note that AA is a state building, not a province building.
The answer here really depends on where you're being bombed. If you're fighting the Soviets/Japan/Germany, you probably won't get strategically bombed so it would make no sense to build AA in your industrial cores.