Mephiston wrote:
Here is Nealhunts latest stab at a FAQ for the umbrella flak
Quote:
4.2.4
Q: The rules state "Note that aircraft carrying out a ground attack mission that are armed
with AA weapons may shoot at enemy interceptors that fall within the AA weapon’s fire arc." This sounds as if only aircraft on ground attack missions may use their flak attacks. Also, it seems to imply that the ground attack formation can only fire at interceptors targeting that formation. Can aircraft on ground attack missions fire at interceptors other than those attacking it? For example, if Bomber Flight 1 ends in the AA arc of Bomber Flight 2 and is intercepted by enemy fighters, can Bomber Flight 2 fire, even though it is not the target of the interceptors? Can aircraft on missions other than ground attack make flak attacks at all?
A: Yes to all the questions. If aircraft end their approach move within range and fire arc of AA weapons, the enemy get flak attacks regardless of the missions of any of the aircraft.
The definitive statement of how flak attacks work is in the first sentence, "[flak attacks may] shoot immediately after an enemy aircraft formation makes an approach move but before it makes its attack." The sentence quoted is explanatory, intended to point out a particular situation that might not be immediately obvious (that's why it begins with "Note..."). It is not intended to create an additional restrictions on the basic flak attack mechanic.
As a side note, this has been a common point of contention. This is the NetEA answer and it is the ruling used by the Epic UK tournament organizers. Some groups house rule aircraft versus aircraft flak attacks differently.
So if you end your approach move in range/arc of a flyer's flak then you will get shot, regardless of target and mission. This is how I rule when asked at tournaments.
I was told that AA is fired at the aircraft after it has completed all it's movement, but before it fires, and that any AA cover that it flew through
at any point in it's movement can shoot. So you wouldn't actually have to
end your approach move in range/arc of a flyer's flak, just fly through it aat some point??