Production and use of Soviet AA

[rmonical]

I have not found much discussion on the optimal production and use of Soviet AA. Now that I have some spare armament points, what role should AA units play in my thinking of what to build?

I my game with Toidi, most Axis air losses are to flak.

Thanks

[hfarrish]

I started producing and adding AA regiments to infantry corps (along with a pair of sapper regiments) just because of that same understanding - that flak can really rip up German air. No idea whether that is a smart strategy or not.

[hfarrish]

Would also be helpful to know if those units serve any kind of anti-tank role at all. Seems like there was some discussion on the subject a while back, but not sure what the conclusion was.

[loki100]

my logic is that every corps that is likely to be beyond effective fighter range gets an integral AA formation - ie cavalry, tank and mech corps. They are often bait for German air attacks and can yield a lot of shot down bombers even if they get seriously beaten in a counterattack.

Beyond that, I'm now trying to get to a stage where every army gets at least 1 AA in 41 and 2-3 by 42.

As you say, flak is the best killer of the Luftwaffe, and more flak seems to be a good idea.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

I started producing and adding AA regiments to infantry corps

I think that's a bad idea. You are basically wasting a spot in your Corps that should be reserved for a combat unit. Put AA in the Army HQ. Fill infantry and cavalry corps with sappers. In 43 take out one sapper and replace it with a tank regiment. It's not the most exciting approach but very efficient.

[Mehring]

ORIGINAL: Bozo_the_Clown

I started producing and adding AA regiments to infantry corps

I think that's a bad idea. You are basically wasting a spot in your Corps that should be reserved for a combat unit. Put AA in the Army HQ. Fill infantry and cavalry corps with sappers. In 43 take out one sapper and replace it with a tank regiment. It's not the most exciting approach but very efficient.

Sounds about right to me, I'd try to get 2 AA regt per Army HQ. When defending against tanks though, just for the hell of it I'll sometimes swap out a sapper for an AT regiment.

[swkuh]

Any thoughts in re plans for German units? Divisions & corps?

[hfarrish]

ORIGINAL: Bozo_the_Clown

I started producing and adding AA regiments to infantry corps

I think that's a bad idea. You are basically wasting a spot in your Corps that should be reserved for a combat unit. Put AA in the Army HQ. Fill infantry and cavalry corps with sappers. In 43 take out one sapper and replace it with a tank regiment. It's not the most exciting approach but very efficient.

Not sure about that - heavy production of tank regiments is a huge drain on trucks, even in 43. Not sure how helpful the third sapper is either vis a vis anything else (and it gets boring just producing sappers anyway). At least the AAA accomplishes something and is mass buildable assuming you evacuated ARMs well. Never clear on whether it takes a role in ground combat though.

[M60A3TTS]

One fact that doesn't get mentioned is that starting with the '42C Soviet rifle division, those units lose their organic AA weapons. So your flak defense starts disappearing in the rifle armies and has to be made up with AA regiments. The weapons contained in the '43 AA regiment arriving Feb '43 is a combination of low level MGs and high level 85mm guns. That solved the previous issue where the PVO units had the then 76mm flak guns while standard AA units had 37mm and 12.7mm weapons against low level aircraft. I'd suggest 2-4 AA regiments per army. I doubt the AA regiment will fight ground units, so attaching them to a corps I wouldn't suggest. The AA guns probably only fire in the air-to-ground and ground-to-air phase of the combat sequence.

The benefit of using more AA regiments is you can get away with fewer aircraft which in turn helps your truck and supply situation overall.