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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> The War Room >> TRACOM

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TRACOM - 10/19/2017 10:13:30 PM

Aurorus

Posts: 1314
Joined: 5/26/2014
Status: offline

Does anyone have a good understanding of how effective pilots in TRACOM are at improving new pilot skills and experience? I have a game as Japan in May 1942, and I am thinking about moving 40 or so pilots to TRACOM. How many pilots would I have to put in TRACOM to notice any marked improvement in new pilot skills and experience? Would 40 IJN pilots in TRACOM for 1 year make a marked difference? I would want to keep them there for approximately 1 year or so until the A6M8, Jacks, and Georges are available. I also wonder how much this would reduce training time for Betty and Nell pilots since these pilots need so many skills: Search, Grndbombing, Naval Torp., and so forth. That is my question.

< Message edited by Aurorus -- 10/19/2017 10:16:22 PM >

Post #: 1

RE: TRACOM - 10/20/2017 12:23:55 AM

Chickenboy

Posts: 24520
Joined: 6/29/2002
From: San Antonio, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

Does anyone have a good understanding of how effective pilots in TRACOM are at improving new pilot skills and experience? I have a game as Japan in May 1942, and I am thinking about moving 40 or so pilots to TRACOM. How many pilots would I have to put in TRACOM to notice any marked improvement in new pilot skills and experience? Would 40 IJN pilots in TRACOM for 1 year make a marked difference? I would want to keep them there for approximately 1 year or so until the A6M8, Jacks, and Georges are available. I also wonder how much this would reduce training time for Betty and Nell pilots since these pilots need so many skills: Search, Grndbombing, Naval Torp., and so forth. That is my question.

Aurorus,

TRACOM doesn't really improve pilot skills or experience in a measurable manner, like you're thinking. Instead, the number of pilots 'graduating' from one monthly training ('in school') bracket to the next has a random chance of increasing per TRACOM instructor assigned. More instructors=greater possibility that more pilots, at the end of the month, will be moved from (for example) IJN Month 3 to IJN Month 5 (get pulled forward by a month). They will go through school faster, but graduate with noob graduate stats, akin to any other newly minted rookie flier.

With this in mind, the value of TRACOM is somewhat debatable. Many players choose not to tie up their most experienced pilots in this manner and forego any TRACOM. Others (myself included) use TRACOM as a temporary store of their best pilots so that they don't die in subpar airframes in the first year of the war. Any training acceleration is bonus.

< Message edited by Chickenboy -- 10/20/2017 12:24:31 AM >

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(in reply to Aurorus)

Post #: 2

RE: TRACOM - 10/20/2017 1:23:54 AM

Aurorus

Posts: 1314
Joined: 5/26/2014
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

Does anyone have a good understanding of how effective pilots in TRACOM are at improving new pilot skills and experience? I have a game as Japan in May 1942, and I am thinking about moving 40 or so pilots to TRACOM. How many pilots would I have to put in TRACOM to notice any marked improvement in new pilot skills and experience? Would 40 IJN pilots in TRACOM for 1 year make a marked difference? I would want to keep them there for approximately 1 year or so until the A6M8, Jacks, and Georges are available. I also wonder how much this would reduce training time for Betty and Nell pilots since these pilots need so many skills: Search, Grndbombing, Naval Torp., and so forth. That is my question.

Aurorus,

TRACOM doesn't really improve pilot skills or experience in a measurable manner, like you're thinking. Instead, the number of pilots 'graduating' from one monthly training ('in school') bracket to the next has a random chance of increasing per TRACOM instructor assigned. More instructors=greater possibility that more pilots, at the end of the month, will be moved from (for example) IJN Month 3 to IJN Month 5 (get pulled forward by a month). They will go through school faster, but graduate with noob graduate stats, akin to any other newly minted rookie flier.

With this in mind, the value of TRACOM is somewhat debatable. Many players choose not to tie up their most experienced pilots in this manner and forego any TRACOM. Others (myself included) use TRACOM as a temporary store of their best pilots so that they don't die in subpar airframes in the first year of the war. Any training acceleration is bonus.

Thanks for clarifying. I always thought that TRACOM pilots added a minor boost to pilot experience and skills. Like you, I have used TRACOM only as a transfer and temporary storage location for pilots. In general, I keep my 80+ exp. pilots that I do not want in front-line units scattered throughout training squadrons. I hate having these pilots in front-line fighter units, however, once P-38s begin to appear in numbers, so I was looking for some alternative. I guess I will stay with what I normally do.

(in reply to Chickenboy)

Post #: 3

RE: TRACOM - 10/20/2017 4:58:22 PM

nashvillen

Posts: 3836
Joined: 7/3/2006
From: Christiana, TN
Status: offline

I am with CB on using the TRACOM to store my really good pilots in for use later when the better aircraft are available.

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Post #: 4

RE: TRACOM - 10/20/2017 6:54:40 PM

GetAssista

Posts: 2732
Joined: 9/19/2009
Status: offline

I have only found TRACOM useful for elite storage while waiting for a better airframe.
And for slightly more Chinese pilots in my AI game

(in reply to nashvillen)

Post #: 5

RE: TRACOM - 10/24/2017 5:19:37 PM

Lowpe

Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
Status: offline

Generally speaking you can search for these kind of questions and include Alfred or TheElf (with respect to air questions). There are others to search for, but these two authors are spot on and the others are usually in the same thread.

TRACOM: instituted to help Japan. Functions, I think still, on groups of 10 (i.e. 9 make no impact, but 10 will). There is diminishing returns so to speak...

It will do two things primarily...help increase the experience gain of the pilots in the training school (but not above the training norm for that country), and sometimes accelerate those pilots to the next monthly training class.

To my memory, there is no AAR where Japan stuffed TRACOM. It could be beneficial to do so depending upon playstyle. At least until the point of diminishing returns is reached (which might be impossible). Aurorus, your playstyle, with limited resizing of float planes might make it very attractive.

Typical Japanese usage is what is posted above, usually saving the pilots for better air frames, or special air units, or simply as a convenient holding pen.

In my game with Tiemanj, where I was hopelessly outclassed in the air war in July of 1942...I stuffed TRACOM and the results were more than gratifying....helping me to eventually do half decent in the air before losing to AV on Jan 1, 1945.

< Message edited by Lowpe -- 10/24/2017 5:24:14 PM >

(in reply to GetAssista)

Post #: 6