Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units

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Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> The War Room >> Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units

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Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/9/2010 4:37:05 PM

seydlitz_slith

Posts: 2036
Joined: 6/16/2002
From: Danville, IL
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I am posting this because I am certain that others may find this of value. I had previously never caught this, but when I did I realised that it could be significant for a player.

If you go through your air units and check the pilots, several units will have pilots that are listed in light gray instead of white. These pilots are inactive, and are not flying missions, training, or anything else other than being assigned to a desk in the unit. I believe that inactive pilots also show on the unit screen in parenthesis next to the pilots number.

To make an inactive pilot active, you right click on the pilot's name.

Why is this important?

Well, in several units, especially on the allied side at game start, many of the best pilots in the units are inactive. This leaves the lesser skilled pilots in the group flying while your "honcho" flies a desk. For example, two of the best AVG pilots including Smith were inactive at game start. The Dutch units have significant blocks of their fighter units with good inactive pilots.

Catching this on turn one could significantly impact how well your air forces fight and could increase victories while reducing losses.

Post #: 1

RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/9/2010 4:40:46 PM

Nomad

Posts: 5905
Joined: 9/5/2001
From: West Yellowstone, Montana
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ok

< Message edited by Nomad -- 5/9/2010 5:59:16 PM >

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RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/9/2010 5:45:46 PM

jetjockey

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Joined: 11/23/2009
Status: offline

Note the pilot's fatigue level. Under section 7.1, p.146 in the manual, a pilot may be 'removed from flight duty due to excessive fatigue or shortage of aircraft.' "Excessive Fatigue" is not defined, though, if removed for a lack of aircraft, he may be assigned another if one becomes available.

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RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/9/2010 9:21:17 PM

seydlitz_slith

Posts: 2036
Joined: 6/16/2002
From: Danville, IL
Status: offline

Good point Jet Jockey.

I wonder, however, if the scenario designers also used this to represent pilots on leave at the start of the game. In several of the units there were plenty of planes and none of the pilots had fatigue. It means that you have to manually go through your units and recall your pilots to active duty on turn 1.

(in reply to jetjockey)

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RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/9/2010 10:07:31 PM

Mistmatz

Posts: 1399
Joined: 10/16/2005
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I believe inactive pilots still benefit from training.

Also I doubt that pilots are set to inactive by the engine, I rather believe those fatigues pilots are simply not picked when it comes to finding crews for the next mission.

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If you gained knowledge through the forum, why not putting it into the AE wiki?

http://witp-ae.wikia.com/wiki/War_in_the_Pacific:_Admiral%27s_Edition_Wiki

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RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/10/2010 5:45:17 AM

erstad

Posts: 1944
Joined: 8/3/2004
From: Midwest USA
Status: offline

What I've found consistently puts extra pilots in reserve is if you have more than (air group size)*4/3 pilots. You would think it would just put the excess pilots in reserve (the ones above 4/3) but it puts a lot more in.

So it is worth checking periodically. Assuming it's important enough to you.

(in reply to Mistmatz)

Post #: 6

RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/10/2010 5:40:03 PM

LoBaron

Posts: 4776
Joined: 1/26/2003
From: Vienna, Austria
Status: offline

Btw. I posted a comment in tech support on the coloring of different pilot status.
I always get a headache when trying to discern the different shades of gray...

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RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/13/2010 6:18:09 PM

kbfchicago

Posts: 359
Joined: 10/17/2009
From: NC, USA
Status: offline

quote:

Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/9/2010 4:37:05 PM

You don't need to go into the pilot screen to activate...if you have inactive pilots when you select "get a new pilot" it will always activiate your inactive pilots before drawing from the designated pool (reinforcement, reserve, etc...). Much, much quicker vs. going into the pilot screen and selecting individual activation. Can't recall if I picked up this tid bit from the patch readme or a post...

Since I try to keep my units maxed on pilots they do frequently inactiviate. As noted earlier and my recollection from other postings this is from fatigue and more often due to not enough planes/pilots, etc..

Have not done any science on impact but I will go through and make a point to (re)activate a couple of times a month. One thing I have noticed is changes in overall sqdn fatigue, especially when on RCAP and drop tank missions when I have the full compliment of pilots activated.

KBF

(in reply to seydlitz_slith)

Post #: 8

RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/13/2010 6:26:14 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

If you assign a Veteran pilot to a unit, you will ALWAYS have to manually activate them eventually. You need to stay on top of that.

You don't need to if you drew from the RESERVE pool, but in doing that you can't select specific pilots

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RE: Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units - 5/13/2010 8:43:35 PM

SuluSea

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Joined: 11/17/2006
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I found the best thing for me is to stay at or below the pilot roster limit. Say a unit has a limit of 33 pilots, if I add more than 33 it's just too much managing of inactives. Once I have the rosters set it's a fine tune every 8 days to the previous set units unless someones in the thick of it, then its daily and I will add more pilots to the roster to take some heat off the unit.

< Message edited by SuluSea -- 5/13/2010 8:45:51 PM >

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> The War Room >> Tip: Check for inactive pilots in units

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