Flak units, how do they function?

[vmxa1]

Ok, I had thought I used a flak unit to shot down a bomber the week I got C3C. Now I am not so sure. I had 4 in a town that had 8-10 bombers hit it every turn and they did nothing. I tried putting some on sentry for enemies and some on fort.

Is there something I need to know or was it just an rng issue?

[Sarxis]

No idea. I haven't had a chance to see them used vs. enemy aircraft. They do well at scratching their tanks though. :P

[Risa]

An rng issue, I guess.
Based on tests I have done, 4 flaks in a town should be able to shoot down about 1 bomber in every 3.

[Kuciwalker]

I've seen the AA on ships in the WW2 Conquest.

I think the AA value makes a roll against the aircraft's defense value. If it makes the roll, the plane dies. I've never seen one lose HP's, just die.

[vmxa1]

SO I did see it in that first game. OK I will keep my eye on it.

[Inverse Icarus]

dutch flak is a constant nuisance in my mayan game.

[CerberusIV]

I'm really not sure about flak units. I've been playing the WWII Pacific Conquest. I played 47 turns as China (won on emperor) with lots of Japanese bombing of cities with flak units in them (fortified, sentry, not doing anything - I tried them all) and never shot down one attacking plane.

I just started again as the US and the battleships in Pearl Harbor shot down 3 of the attacking Japanese planes on the first turn.

I did play as Japan (monarch - won on turn 14!) and I am sure I lost some planes to flak.

Damned RNG! - or maybe flak only works for the AI.

[steven8r]

I've seen AI v AI Flak shoots-down bombers. I've never been bombed by AI or I have Fighters defending.

In the later game it seems that the Governors sure do like to build Flak or Mobile SAMs. I can't tell you how many times I've had to change MS to MA. Don't they (governors) understand that wars ar fought on the ground?!

Steven

[Risa]

Our tests have shown that 1 flak, 2 flaks, or 5 flaks in the same tile makes big difference in firepower. However, more than 5 flaks don't improve the odd of shooting down bombers significantly.

[Kuciwalker]

Does it look like each flak gets to make a roll? That would explain why after several flaks, more aren't too useful.

[Chemical Ollie]

I've only used flak once, but the AI did not use many aircraft. They took a free shot at attacking ground units though, IIRC. Would SAM work the same way?

[vmxa1]

SAM is a structure and cannot do that. Flak doesn't have ZoC or bombardment, so I doubt it took a free shot. It does have attack of 1 and defense of 6, so it can attack or defend.

[Cookie Monster]

My experience with flak/sam units is to use them in number. I've had one flak shoot down one bomber out of six. But have gotten better results with more than 2 AA units in a heavily bombed city. Same goes for cruisers. The more you have in a stack the better.