adiekmann posted about it in the
Dunkirk reaction thread. That's where I first learned about it. Here's the relevant passage:
A trick or tip I would like to share is this: I quickly realized that the enemy's AA guns were unlikely to inflict significant kills on my aircraft. Therefore, I began deliberately sending my fighters in particularly to attack enemy units that were squarely parked in the middle of a hornet's nest of enemy AA guns. The defensive fire triggered from my attack, coupled with the AI's turn quickly garnered defensive awards. Within a couple of turns, I had maxed out my ""Heroic Defense" award of +2 defense and survivor on the majority of my fighters! The only reason not more of my aircraft did is because I still had the scenario objectives to meet to win, so there was a limit to how many of these kind of moves I could afford to do.
There are at least two other spots covered by three AA guns; they're to the south of the spots you have indicated. Those can only be hit when units are between them, but there is at least one infantry sitting in fortified terrain on one of those spots.
If you're going for higher levels of the award, it's important to be sure that only one of your aircraft is in range of each of the three guns, because sometimes they'll get distracted and shoot at a plane you don't want them to.
Also, counter attacks and support fire count for the award, so if you have Double Attack heroes, you can get these awards easily on the units that have them. It goes like:
- Fly plane to an enemy unit covered by three guns.
- First bombing run, receives three support fire attacks.
- Second bombing run, receives three more support fire attacks, and gets the first award.
- Note that this is a bug: the plane qualifies for the second award (six attacks received in one turn), but only receives the first award (five attacks received in one turn).
- On the enemy turn, if two enemy AAs attack the plane, then it will get the third award (seven attacks received in one turn). If only one attacks it, it will get the second award.
- Enemy AA seems not to attack at all if your planes in range are all totally suppressed, so even the Double Attack approach isn't a guarantee of the third award. Using an Unyielding hero to prevent suppression helps here.
Without Double Attack, the sequence is:
- Fly plane to an enemy unit covered by three guns.
- First and only bombing run, receives three support fire attacks.
- On the enemy turn, if two enemy AAs attack the plane, then it will get the first award (five attacks received in one turn). If three AA attack it, it will get the second award (six attacks received).
- In this case, the only way I have seen for planes to pick up the third award is if an enemy plane also attacks them.
