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Air Commander - 5/6/2019 6:57:09 PM

Flicker

Posts: 229
Joined: 11/24/2011
From: Rocket City USA
Status: offline

Even though I've been playing for years, I just started to trade-out Air Squadron Commanders. I read about it an AAR and decided to try it, and it works - in the first turn after I swapped out commanders, I shot down 70 aircraft, as opposed to the usual 20. So, I'm a believer!

Yes, just like so many things, the more effort you put in, the better the results. I don't know why I never tried this, because I'm good about choosing good LCU commanders and I'm fanatical about choosing good submarine commanders (thank you, Bullwinkle).

Well, the aircraft numbers have settled down, but still produce results. In the AAR (which I can't remember else I'd credit the person), they mention that Squadron Commanders should have good "air" numbers, which I then try to combine with good "Aggres" then "Admin". For some reason, which I also don't remember, the AAR suggested not using pilots (noted with an asterisk *) as commanders, perhaps due to risk of loss through combat.

I find myself with an abundance of good commanders in the pool from which to choose, however many are pilots (*). Can I tell the game that these guys flying days are over? Or to put it another way, is there a way to manage the command pool so that the potential commanders are not pilots? Should I just assign these guys to a squadron as a regular pilot? Will a non-commander Wing Commander feel like he's been by-passed if he's under the command of a Squadron Leader?

Post #: 1

RE: Air Commander - 5/7/2019 1:04:10 AM

geofflambert

Posts: 14863
Joined: 12/23/2010
From: St. Louis
Status: offline

You can't afford to have substandard commanders running anything including training squadrons. The most important thing in this game is sinking ships, and aircraft are going to do most of that. You must spend PPs beginning almost immediately on replacing crappy commanders. Remember if you divide a squadron into 3 you better look at replacing the commanders in /B and /C squadrons. I'm not kidding, even in training squadrons crappy commanders lead to crappy results. Use a memnonic like Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance, such as Crappy Commanders Commit Comical Catastrophes.

(in reply to Flicker)

Post #: 2

RE: Air Commander - 5/7/2019 1:16:27 AM

geofflambert

Posts: 14863
Joined: 12/23/2010
From: St. Louis
Status: offline

When looking for a squadron commander, I begin by sorting them by Air skill. I have never had to settle for anyone below level 60 in skill. Almost always, such an officer will also be level 60 or better in aggressiveness. After that I want +50 on both leadership and inspiration. If you're Japanese, I wouldn't hold your submarine search plane commander to those standards, but I do not like and eventually eliminate flying commanders and replace them with desk jockeys. If you lose one in the field what are you left with?

(in reply to geofflambert)

Post #: 3

RE: Air Commander - 5/7/2019 3:36:32 PM

Kull

Posts: 2625
Joined: 7/3/2007
From: El Paso, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flicker

Even though I've been playing for years, I just started to trade-out Air Squadron Commanders. I read about it an AAR and decided to try it, and it works - in the first turn after I swapped out commanders, I shot down 70 aircraft, as opposed to the usual 20. So, I'm a believer!

Yes, just like so many things, the more effort you put in, the better the results. I don't know why I never tried this, because I'm good about choosing good LCU commanders and I'm fanatical about choosing good submarine commanders (thank you, Bullwinkle).

Well, the aircraft numbers have settled down, but still produce results. In the AAR (which I can't remember else I'd credit the person), they mention that Squadron Commanders should have good "air" numbers, which I then try to combine with good "Aggres" then "Admin". For some reason, which I also don't remember, the AAR suggested not using pilots (noted with an asterisk *) as commanders, perhaps due to risk of loss through combat.

I find myself with an abundance of good commanders in the pool from which to choose, however many are pilots (*). Can I tell the game that these guys flying days are over? Or to put it another way, is there a way to manage the command pool so that the potential commanders are not pilots? Should I just assign these guys to a squadron as a regular pilot? Will a non-commander Wing Commander feel like he's been by-passed if he's under the command of a Squadron Leader?

The Gorn has some good points, but specific to a few of your comments:

1) While "air" is an important skill for air group leaders, "Agression" and "Admin" have no known impact. If you haven't seen it yet, please take a look at the Leader Skills chart, in particular the four "group" types.

2) The reason some players prefer not to have air leaders as actual pilots is that if the pilot-leader dies in combat, his replacement might have terrible skills, and you'd need to replace him (if you remember). Having a non-flying Group Leader eliminates that area of micro-management. Personally I like the uncertainty, but that's a luxury you get when playing the AI.

3) As to using pilot-leaders purely as pilots, no problem. Just be sure to add them as pilots after you've chosen your non-flying leader. And no, there isn't an "in-game effect" from having senior ranks reporting to lower ones (unlike say, Ageod's CW2)

_____________________________

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(in reply to Flicker)

Post #: 4

RE: Air Commander - 5/7/2019 8:30:24 PM

AleRonin

Posts: 125
Joined: 4/30/2019
Status: offline

quote:

"Agression" and "Admin" have no known impact.

Interesting, I thought they can increase offensive missions and available aircrafts respectively.

(in reply to Kull)

Post #: 5

RE: Air Commander - 5/7/2019 9:26:29 PM

obvert

Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: AleRonin

quote:

"Agression" and "Admin" have no known impact.

Interesting, I thought they can increase offensive missions and available aircrafts respectively.

The Leaders chart Kull links is a decent start, but isn't complete and doesn't give a lot of info for certain things.

I choose aggressiveness for air leaders in sweeping groups and 4E commanders mostly. Agressiveness in bombing can lead to unescorted bombers continuing to target rather than turning back in the face of CAP.

Admin in most things is about repairing disabled devices. So fixing airplanes maybe with group leaders, but that isn't as important as air and inspiration and leadership. It's usually a tradeoff. Especially late, but 60+ air skill is a must in fighter groups.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to AleRonin)

Post #: 6

RE: Air Commander - 5/7/2019 10:51:42 PM

Flicker

Posts: 229
Joined: 11/24/2011
From: Rocket City USA
Status: offline

Thanks to you all for commenting.

I guess I should have stated that fairly high inspiration and leadership are givens for me, especially since I have to pay PPs for them. It made sense to me that Aggression and Administration would be good, just as AleRonin said. Interesting.

I'm frugal with PPs, and there aren't many PPs available yet anyway, but I've been spending a bit here and there on front-line commanders (unless they are scheduled to be permanently withdrawn). Eventually, I'll get around to all my air groups. Currently, I just don't have that many good air commanders - I guess they'll make more...

PS Kull - I enjoyed playing AGEOD's ACW and ACW2. I also have BOA, TEAW, and many more. Sadly, ACW2 crashes for me now.

(in reply to obvert)

Post #: 7

RE: Air Commander - 5/8/2019 12:30:47 AM

Kull

Posts: 2625
Joined: 7/3/2007
From: El Paso, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

The Leaders chart Kull links is a decent start, but isn't complete and doesn't give a lot of info for certain things.

I choose aggressiveness for air leaders in sweeping groups and 4E commanders mostly. Agressiveness in bombing can lead to unescorted bombers continuing to target rather than turning back in the face of CAP.

Admin in most things is about repairing disabled devices. So fixing airplanes maybe with group leaders, but that isn't as important as air and inspiration and leadership. It's usually a tradeoff. Especially late, but 60+ air skill is a must in fighter groups.

On the one hand it *sounds like* "aggressiveness" would be helpful for airgroup leaders, but it's absent from the group leader skills in the How to Choose Leaders thread, which is the basis for the chart.

There was some back and forth discussion on that, but the same thread had this post (excerpted & bolded) from JWE:

quote:

ORIGINAL: JWE

The sidebar crap doesn't matter much in the combat environment. Aggression helps mostly in responding to detection and reaction thingys. It does not help for airplanes, it does not help for gunnery, it only helps for things that require a response to something; is the dude aggressive? will he "hie to the sound of the hounds"? It's really that simple.

As for Admin, the chart indicates it only helps for Land Units, and specifically through reduction of Fatigue and Disruption. The second is not an issue with air units, and I've never seen any data which indicates that Group Leader skills affect the fatigue levels of individual pilots or airframes.

_____________________________

AE-Japan Setup

AE-Allied Setup

Japan Air-Engine Plan

(in reply to obvert)

Post #: 8

RE: Air Commander - 5/8/2019 6:43:50 PM

rustysi

Posts: 7472
Joined: 2/21/2012
From: LI, NY
Status: offline

quote:

I'm frugal with PPs, and there aren't many PPs available yet anyway,

Always remember there are many demands for these and few of them. You only get 50/day for the entire game. It'll cost you 2k or more to 'buy' out a fully equipped division, that's at least 40 days worth of PP's. Just sayin'.

_____________________________

It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Hume

In every party there is one member who by his all-too-devout pronouncement of the party principles provokes the others to apostasy. Nietzsche

Cave ab homine unius libri. Ltn Prvb

(in reply to Kull)

Post #: 9

RE: Air Commander - 5/8/2019 6:58:25 PM

AleRonin

Posts: 125
Joined: 4/30/2019
Status: offline

quote:

On the one hand it *sounds like* "aggressiveness" would be helpful for airgroup leaders, but it's absent from the group leader skills in the How to Choose Leaders thread, which is the basis for the chart.

Maybe I'm missing something but your link open this one: Pilot Training Groups

(in reply to rustysi)

Post #: 10

RE: Air Commander - 5/10/2019 2:39:18 PM

Kull

Posts: 2625
Joined: 7/3/2007
From: El Paso, TX
Status: offline

Oops! I had several pilot-related threads open and linked the wrong one! Here's the link for How to Choose Leaders

_____________________________

AE-Japan Setup

AE-Allied Setup

Japan Air-Engine Plan

(in reply to AleRonin)

Post #: 11

RE: Air Commander - 5/10/2019 4:04:20 PM

AleRonin