Air Combat

“He who controls the skies controls the battlefield.”

Air power arrives in the late game with the research of Flight and Advanced Flight, introducing a new dimension to warfare. Fighters and Bombers operate differently from land and naval units – they are based at cities rather than positioned on the map, project force at long range, and are countered by a dedicated air defence network of interceptors and anti-aircraft systems.

Air Unit Types

Fighter

The Fighter is a versatile air unit that serves both offensive and defensive roles. With 6 range and a +75% attack bonus against Bombers, Fighters are the primary counter to enemy air power. They can also perform air strikes against ground targets and intercept incoming enemy air attacks.

Bomber

The Bomber is the heavy hitter of the air force. With 24 attack, 16 range, and a lower defence of 8, Bombers deal devastating damage but are vulnerable to interception. Their long reach – well beyond a Fighter’s – makes them a true deep-strike weapon: from a forward Airport a Bomber can hit cities and armies far behind the front line. Use them to soften city defences before a ground assault or to attrit enemy armies from a distance.

Basing and Airports

Air units are based at cities that have an Airport building. Each city with an Airport can host a maximum of 3 air units. Air units do not occupy hex tiles on the map in the traditional sense – they exist at their base city and project power from there.

An Airport costs 80 production, requires the Flight technology, and has a maintenance cost of 2 gold per turn. Plan your airport network to provide overlapping air coverage across your territory and the frontlines.

Air Strikes

To perform an air strike:

1. Select an air unit at its base city.
2. Choose a target hex within the unit’s range (measured from the base city).
3. The air unit attacks the target and returns to base.

Air strikes follow the standard combat formula. The air unit must have movement remaining (it gets one action per turn). After an air strike, the unit’s movement is set to 0 for the turn.

Important: Air units can only target hexes containing enemy units. They cannot attack empty tiles.

Interception

Interception is the primary defence against air strikes. When an enemy air unit performs a strike, any eligible interceptors within range have a chance to engage the attacker before the strike resolves.

Interception Sources

The game checks for interceptors in the following priority order:

How Interception Works

1. All eligible interceptors within range of the target hex are gathered.
2. They are sorted by priority (AA Battery first, then Mobile SAM, AA Gun, Fighter).
3. Each interceptor has a 50% chance to fire. The system rolls through the list until one fires or all decline.
4. If an interceptor fires, combat is resolved between the interceptor and the incoming air unit. The air unit takes damage before its strike.
5. If the air unit survives interception, it proceeds with its air strike at reduced health (and therefore reduced combat effectiveness).
6. If the air unit is destroyed by interception, the strike is cancelled entirely.

Each interceptor can fire only once per turn. An Anti-Aircraft Battery, Fighter, or ground AA unit that has already intercepted an air strike this turn will not fire again until the next turn.

Unit Type Bonuses vs Air

The Anti-Aircraft Battery (building) has an effective attack of 12 with +50% vs both Fighters and Bombers.

Rebasing

Air units can be rebased from one Airport to another within their range. Rebasing moves the air unit to a new base city, allowing you to shift air coverage as the front lines move.

To rebase:

• The target city must have an Airport.
• The target city must belong to you.
• The target Airport must have room (fewer than 3 air units stationed).
• The target city must be within the air unit’s range of the current base city.
• The air unit must have movement remaining.

Rebasing consumes the unit’s action for the turn.

Air Defence Network

A comprehensive air defence strategy combines multiple layers:

1. Anti-Aircraft Battery – Build this in cities likely to be targeted. It provides automatic interception with no unit cost, protecting your garrison and buildings.

2. Mobile SAMs – Position these near your front lines. With 3-hex interception range and +100% vs Fighters, they are the strongest ground-based interceptor. Their 4 movement lets them reposition quickly.

3. Anti-Aircraft Guns – Cheaper than Mobile SAMs but with only 2-hex range. Good for covering secondary positions.

4. Fighters – Station Fighters at front-line Airports. Their 6-hex interception range covers a wide area, and their +75% bonus vs Bombers makes them the best counter to heavy air attacks.

Strategic Tips

1. Bombers soften, ground forces capture. Air units cannot capture cities. Use Bombers to damage defenders and reduce their health, then send in your melee army to finish the job.

2. Build AA Batteries in exposed cities. They are cheap (50 production), require no unit slot, and provide reliable air defence. Every city near a potential frontline should have one.

3. Concentrate your air power. Three Bombers at one Airport can devastate an enemy army in a single turn. Spreading them across distant cities wastes their potential.

4. Protect your Bombers with Fighters. A Bomber intercepted by an enemy Fighter with its +75% bonus can be crippled or destroyed before it even attacks. Station Fighters at the same Airport to intercept enemy air strikes and deter attacks on your Bombers.

5. Mind the 3-unit limit. Each Airport holds only 3 air units. If you need more air power in a region, build Airports in multiple nearby cities.

6. Rebase to follow the front. As your army advances, rebase your air units to newly captured cities with Airports. Air power that cannot reach the battle is useless.

7. Mobile SAMs are excellent escorts. Attach a Mobile SAM to your invasion force. Its 3-hex interception range and 4 movement speed make it an ideal anti-air umbrella for advancing armies.