Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

I would keep the navy recon and instead use a small land-based FP squadron to train recon pilots
I like to recon as much as I can, specially since experienced Allied players like to ambush

I avoid using IJA for naval search or ASW, but that is more for role playing reasons

otherwise, I agree. I definitively want experienced pilots out of Nates and Claudes

quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I've put a lot of thought into how to manage the initial pilot pools and training programme for to provide Japan with the best start. You might already be doing some of this, however. So far, my process has been:

1. Dump everyone flying a Nate with decent EXP (60+) into the reserve and use them to feed your frontline Oscar squadrons. Backfill with rookies and make the Nates training squadrons (except where needed for rear area CAP).

2. Dump all the decent IJA bomber pilots in China, Manchuria and Japan into the reserve. They'll feed the IJA bomber formations on the frontline, and act as a cadre for ASW training. The squadrons in Manchuria start the training programme, the China squadrons get rookies for on-the-job learning. The squadrons in Japan get the good EXP pilots to start building ASW skill.

3. Take one Betty/Nell squadron off the frontline to start IJN 2E training regime, and use the pilots as a reserve. This hurts operationally, but I think it's worthwhile to have the reserve and jump start the training process.

4. IJN land-based floatplane units need stripped of pilots to serve the ship-based squadrons and the patrol squadrons. Replace the lot with rookies and start a crash course ASW/NavS training regime. This hurts a bit, but there's not enough Jakes to go around before 6/42 and I don't rate the capability of the other IJN floatplanes. By the time you get Jakes enough for the land-based squadrons, your pilots should be in reasonable condition.

5. Move all recon squadrons in China, Manchuria and Japan off the frontline, bar one squadron in China for operational purposes. Let them train the existing pilots with NavS, then rotate to training a fresh batch. As the IJA recon pilot pool builds, you can rotate the squadrons back into operational duties (timed so they'll be shifting over to the Dinah rather than the Babs at this point).

6. Pull all the IJN recon squadrons off the frontline, train existing pilots with NavS for a bit, then start a fresh Recon/NavS regime with rookies. By the time the Judy-C rolls off the lines, you should have a nice pool of weathered pilots, backed up by a solid cadre of trained ones, and enough floatplane squadrons to shift Recon training to them.

7. Any IJN fighter pilots in Claudes get pulled off the frontline, replaced with rookies and set to train. IJN fighter pilots are like gold-dust until the squadrons get resized and training ramps up.

Essentially, the theme is to draw down some of Japan's Dec 7th advantages in terms of pilot quality to provide some depth to the pilot pools, stalling for better airframes and using the reduced frontline capacity to jumpstart the training programme on day one.

This plan does have the impact of drawing down Japan's frontline capacity by a good margin, but Allied starting assets in the DEI are so weak that it shouldn't be serious.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I've put a lot of thought into how to manage the initial pilot pools and training programme for to provide Japan with the best start. You might already be doing some of this, however. So far, my process has been:

1. Dump everyone flying a Nate with decent EXP (60+) into the reserve and use them to feed your frontline Oscar squadrons. Backfill with rookies and make the Nates training squadrons (except where needed for rear area CAP).

2. Dump all the decent IJA bomber pilots in China, Manchuria and Japan into the reserve. They'll feed the IJA bomber formations on the frontline, and act as a cadre for ASW training. The squadrons in Manchuria start the training programme, the China squadrons get rookies for on-the-job learning. The squadrons in Japan get the good EXP pilots to start building ASW skill.

3. Take one Betty/Nell squadron off the frontline to start IJN 2E training regime, and use the pilots as a reserve. This hurts operationally, but I think it's worthwhile to have the reserve and jump start the training process.

4. IJN land-based floatplane units need stripped of pilots to serve the ship-based squadrons and the patrol squadrons. Replace the lot with rookies and start a crash course ASW/NavS training regime. This hurts a bit, but there's not enough Jakes to go around before 6/42 and I don't rate the capability of the other IJN floatplanes. By the time you get Jakes enough for the land-based squadrons, your pilots should be in reasonable condition.

5. Move all recon squadrons in China, Manchuria and Japan off the frontline, bar one squadron in China for operational purposes. Let them train the existing pilots with NavS, then rotate to training a fresh batch. As the IJA recon pilot pool builds, you can rotate the squadrons back into operational duties (timed so they'll be shifting over to the Dinah rather than the Babs at this point).

6. Pull all the IJN recon squadrons off the frontline, train existing pilots with NavS for a bit, then start a fresh Recon/NavS regime with rookies. By the time the Judy-C rolls off the lines, you should have a nice pool of weathered pilots, backed up by a solid cadre of trained ones, and enough floatplane squadrons to shift Recon training to them.

7. Any IJN fighter pilots in Claudes get pulled off the frontline, replaced with rookies and set to train. IJN fighter pilots are like gold-dust until the squadrons get resized and training ramps up.

Essentially, the theme is to draw down some of Japan's Dec 7th advantages in terms of pilot quality to provide some depth to the pilot pools, stalling for better airframes and using the reduced frontline capacity to jumpstart the training programme on day one.

This plan does have the impact of drawing down Japan's frontline capacity by a good margin, but Allied starting assets in the DEI are so weak that it shouldn't be serious.

As always thanks for the insights.

I do do a fair bit of this...but I just can't see myself taking off a Betty or Nell squadron this early. I generally will use only torpedo bombers to train pilots for them, and then graduate them into the Nell squadrons I use for search to gain experience and then into attack squadrons.

quote:

I usually end up transferring some of the Betties/Nells out of the SRA to cover other areas early...I fully expect Lok to come calling somewhere unexpected early on. Perhaps Guam, Perhaps Makin, Marshalls, Rabaul etc., etc. Need to cover my bases...

quote:

I do not want to end up using 3000 Jakes over the course of the game as a vp gift to the Allies from naval search, and would much rather use Dinah II and III in the naval search role. Jakes can do recon at 28K, but I fear they will need really strong skills to do so with any degree of accuracy. Gonna give it a try.

quote:

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

The IJA Babs ad the IJN Babs should use different engines so they should be different air frames and pools.

quote:

ORIGINAL: scondon87

quote:

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

The IJA Babs ad the IJN Babs should use different engines so they should be different air frames and pools.

Correct, they are different airframes in game.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

I guess if you don't use the IJN Babs for front line service, you wouldn't need to add a production line for them, which is good;

I think I would start with using them for a few turns to maybe a week, in lower risk places, within normal range, then when the need for recon is reduced, make them trainers

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

I guess if you don't use the IJN Babs for front line service, you wouldn't need to add a production line for them, which is good;

I think I would start with using them for a few turns to maybe a week, in lower risk places, within normal range, then when the need for recon is reduced, make them trainers

I have no production line for babs

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Okay, you min maxers….how in the world does Chichi get to select Southern Army for a change?

I want to change quite a few bases this game, so fly off some of the air mobile troops to garrison these islands and Hokkaido, maybe some of the Kuriles, etc., etc.

Normally I would free up a small unit with AV, ship it to the desired base, convert it to say General Defense and then convert the base to General Defense...

Obviously I am missing something here that lets Chichi change...anyone know what it is?