Hello commanders!
Today, we want to share an important update about a change coming soon to the game, AA Guns. Following recent adjustments, AA Guns have proven to be extremely effective, perhaps a bit too effective? Let’s take a closer look at the situation together.
Why this change?
Originally, anti-aircraft guns (AAG) did not have a ground support role in the game. However, in reality, these weapons have often been used for ground fire support, which is why we decided to give them this capability.
That said, AAGs can prove extremely powerful at short engagement ranges, especially in forests. While they are not unbeatable, countering them requires significant micro-management and can disrupt the balance of infantry combat.
Our goal is to address the overperformance of AAGs at short range while preserving their value as anti-air weapons and as ground fire support, while limiting their effectiveness against infantry at very close distances.
The Role of AA Guns
Before we discuss the upcoming changes, let’s take a moment to review the intended role of AAGs.
Due to their vulnerability, these units whether towed or self propelled are meant to serve as second or third line support, covering the front from aerial threats or protecting against flanking maneuvers.
Ideally, AAGs should not be used alone, they are most effective when combined with other anti-aircraft units, either of the same type or equipped with missiles, to counter helicopters and planes.
It is therefore normal that, in some situations, a lone AAG cannot deal with aerial units by itself. Conversely, it is also normal for a lone infantry unit charging an AAG to be destroyed.
We want to make changes while respecting these core principles.
Our Work
We are working to find a solution that fits both our technical and gameplay constraints. AAGs are not designed to fire at ground targets, especially not at close range, yet this has become their most common use because of their effectiveness.
- The first step would be to introduce a minimum firing distance for these weapons. Currently, there is none. The goal is to allow infantry to destroy AAGs at close range. In reality, these weapons are difficult to use accurately against ground targets, especially at short distances, and can be dangerous to operate up close. It therefore makes sense that AAGs should not be able to fire below a certain range.
- Alternatively, if needed, we could make towed AAGs targetable again by AT weapons and ATGMs. This would make them more vulnerable when used on the front line and would allow infantry to engage them with rocket launchers, addressing part of the problem.
- Another possible approach would be to adjust the damage, accuracy, or splash radius separately for ground and air targets. This would allow us to fine-tune their effectiveness, for example by giving AAGs very low accuracy against ground targets. While this approach is being considered, it would require technical development and ongoing maintenance, and would introduce different stats for the same weapon depending on its target, which could be confusing for players. For these reasons, it is considered, but not prioritized.
Of course, we are exploring and testing other solutions for this issue.
The Change
At this stage, we cannot announce any definitive changes. As always, thorough testing phases are necessary to ensure the best possible balance for these units. These adjustments could affect several units, including both towed AAGs (such as the ZPU-4) and self-propelled AAGs (like the SHILKA). We are actively working with our QA team and Strike Team to evaluate the impact of these changes and will continue refining them based on their feedback and gameplay data.
Here is the list of divisions affected by these changes:
NATO: 4e Divisie, 152e DI, 5e DB, 11E DP, 16de PD ; 24th (N.G.), 3RD AD, 8TH ID, 6th ID, 9th ID, 35th ID, 82ND, 101ST AD ; 11th ACR ; 2. PzGD, 5.PzD, TKS ; MNAD & Berlin Command.
PACT: 27-ya Gv.MD, 79-ya Gv.TD, 39-ya Gv.MD, 25-ya Gv.TD, 119-y OTD.TP, 56-ya OG.DSB, 35-ya OG.DSB, 76-ya Gv.VDD, 6-ya Gv.OMSB, 157-ya MSD ; 4. MOT-SCHÜTZEN, 7. PANZERD., 9. PANZERD., KdA, Berliner Gruppierung, Rügener Gruppierung ; 20 D.Pancerna, Korpus DESANT. & 4 DYW.ZMECH.
What are your impressions of these upcoming changes?
Please feel free to discuss or ask any questions, we will do our best to answer them.
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