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HMSWarspite -> Allied aircraft issues at 1943 start (12/26/2014 12:16:07 PM)
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I am not happy with the Allied aircraft pools in the 1943 campaign… it just doesn’t hang right with the unit changes in aircraft in RL. I don’t have access to all the necessary production data, but I have used what I do have. In the main I have back calculated from aircraft introduction and usage (which in the case of aircraft types used extensively abroad - the PTO for example, is the better way).
I don't think these are bugs, rather scenario set up issues. I suspect I have misunderstood a few points, so comments welcome (especially from testers)
In no particular order.
1. 305th BG has no aircraft at start. I cannot see any reason for this, as the group became operational in Nov 42, and appears to have been in continuous action. Suggest group has a ‘normal’ amount of B17F added
2. The Spitfire XII has 32 a/c in units, and 100 in pool. There were only c 100 built. Suggest pool is dropped to 68, or slightly less to account for operational losses.
3. The P47 initial pools and allocations seem very odd. No units have P47C when I think almost all USAAF units flying the P47 should still be on the C. The D is in production in RL but I don’t think any had yet gone operational. For example 56th FG crashed a P47C (41-6216) in Aug ’43. I can’t find definitive records but P47C aircraft are still in combat at the turn of 1944, and I do not see any P47D-5 series events prior to November 1943. Thus all units should be P47C at start of scenario, and pool should be c75 (from a guestimate). Assuming the P47C actually also represents early model P47D (pre D-5/no water injection), production should probably still be under way for a few months (the first 960 odd D series are pre D-5). Alternatively add another few hundred Cs to the pool.
4. P47D-5 should be just about in production but with minimal pools. There should be about 100 in (accessible) pool by October, allowing the first groups to convert about then. At the current 32/week (I have no figures for production rates or proportion sent to Europe) this means we should have deliveries starting maybe late Sept, or earlier with a ramp up. If starting in July (as now) this needs to be an average of no more than 6-7 week., but could well be running at 32/week at the end of the ramp in October.
5. P51B has too many in pool. At game start, there are more in pool than the P47D-5, and higher production. The 3 month delay helps but the P51 should not be able to operate in groups until Jan 44 (one group). By End Feb, 8AF was operating c150 P51 on a mission (3-4 groups in game). Whilst in production in RL at game start, I think the pool should be zero, and production very low (but ramping up). The problem of US manufacturing pools seems common. After the 3 month delay, the entire production becomes available, so hundreds of aircraft effectively cross the pond in a week.
6. For the Beaufighter, Wiki states USAAF was sent 100 MkVIF (NF) in 1943, which would imply 36 left in the pool (less losses). I do not know how many were subsequently available to US, and I guess there is an issue with the type being split CW/US. Can’t the pool be cut to 36, but the US Beaufighter be set to convert/import from CW one? If not, it is difficult to judge how many are needed, so probably best left alone.
7. A36A appears to have too small a pool. According to wiki, 300 were deployed to Europe, and so the pool should be close to 200 (maybe 150 allowing for losses).
8. There are too many B17G. 70% of B17Fs in Europe can be changed out overnight once the 3 months delay expires. 8AF BG should not start converting until say Sept 1943. At 71 per week, that means a bomb group per week can convert, which is probably about right. So I suggest a pool of about zero, rising from Sept.
9. The B17 issues also seem to apply to the B24. The D was in service into 1944, but given the shortage at start, and the large pools of H/J, all B24D would be changed out overnight if the player wanted. There isn’t much difference between the two models, but they are in game so the changeover should be right.
10. What is the US Baltimore V? It seems to be a duplicate to the Baltimore in the CW list?
11. A 4 week conversion period would be very nice though (although probably not justified for B17 F to G…)
12. I haven’t looked at the Stirling I, as it is not really important. A pool of 499 for the Stirling III seems high, especially in conjunction with 110 in units. I have 875 total Stirling IIIs built, including conversions. At 16 per week, this means the total Stirling III production would be available in only 16 more weeks, and this disregards previous losses. Production change over to MkIV (not in game), should be in Q4 1943 so this is about right. But, as losses should be high, I think the pool needs to be reduced by the losses. According to UK MoD there were 67 losses of MkIII in the first 5 months of ops! Thus I think the Stirling III pool should be reduced by at least 150 (to say 250 or less).
13. Stirling reliability seems anomalous. At 16, it is better than Lancaster and Halifax (22). From what I read, availability of Stirlings was poor, and certainly the RAF availability reports (http://www.scribd.com/doc/85616206/RAF-Strength-1939-45-Fighter-Bomber-Coastal-Commands-AIR-22) show a poorer percentage of flyable aircraft than the others. (or have I got reliabilty back to front? The a/c and AFV gets me confused!)
14. 138 Sqd should not be in Bomber Command in the game. Whilst it appears in BC’s order of battle it was not (I believe) ever used for bombing, being far too busy doing cloak and dagger ops. As these aren’t modelling in game the sqd should be deleted, and appear as a reinforcement in Jan 1945.
15. Halifax BII pools seem high again. I have production of BII together at 1977, and the game has 1386 available at start, and production at 7/week (for the rest of the war If I understand the game data correctly – or does the factory convert?). This accounts for most if not all of the 1977. I am not sure MkII production continues so long, and there is no allowance for losses. I think the pool should be similar to the Lancaster (say 150). I have not got data to evaluate it more accurately.
16. Halifax BIII production deliveries seem to start too early (Sept ’43). I have first deliveries Nov ’43. Production numbers seem to be 2092 made. The game seems to stop them in Dec ’44, which may be correct but the somewhat similar BVI continued in to 1945 (457 made, making c2550 of what the game calls BIII). At the max production rate of 18, the game will make about half that number. Halifax BIII production should be November 1943 – end, with production at 33 per week once maxed out. Incidentally I have not checked the factories generally, but BIII/VI should be manufactured: 452 (18%) at Handley Page in St Albans, 1225 (48%) at English Electric in Salmesbury (Preston), 260 (10%) at the London Aircraft Production Group in London, 280 (11%) at Rootes in Coventry – a separate factory to the Mosquito plants, and 326 (13%) at Fairey Aviation at London (separate factory to LAPG). Most of these factories produced other marks or aircraft earlier. I think all factories of a type may be forced to the same production rate? In which case the factory simplification in game may be necessary…
17. What is with the Lancaster B1(Special)? On turn 2 (1943 campaign) I suddenly get 300 of these. Not bad for a variant that had 32 made (if I am correct). Any B1 Specials should be netted off the BI-III Lanc pools). Oddly, when I look in the generic data in the editor, it says max import is 33. I do not know if this is a bug or I misunderstand the data.
18. The pool of Mitchell IIs is zero which doesn’t seem right. The RAF received 538 aircraft and there are 88 in game. Where are the others? The pool should be at least a couple of hundred.
19. The pools of UK Spitfire VBs and Cs are zero, which doesn’t make sense. In game terms the player will rotate them out, and build a pool, but I think there ought to be a nominal pool of 100 or so for each. In fact, Castle Bromwich (Birmingham) was still building VCs on a contract that didn’t start deliveries until July 1943 – but only built less than a week’s worth, so probably VC production stops in July ’43 at that factory. Either way, the player shouldn’t be forced to change from MKVs, it should be a pure choice/upgrade availability.
20. The pool of Spitfire IX/XVI seems high. Whilst Castle Bromwich (alone) was building c50 per week from early 1943, to have equipped c 250 in Europe/NA and built a pool of 1341 in only 6 months seems high. 1600 in 26 weeks is 61 a week without counting losses! Again there are enough to equip all Spit V (CW) units on Turn 2. Whilst I have been unable to determine when the MKV left front line ops in UK/Med I am sure it wasn’t the week of Husky. We should find out when it was and trim the pool accordingly.
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