How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your transports over the Hump?

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How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your transports over the Hump?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your transports over the Hump?

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How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your transp... - 1/19/2019 8:33:24 PM

bradfordkay

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Joined: 3/24/2002
From: Olympia, WA
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We all know that when you have them flying in bad weather your ops losses skyrocket, but since SE Asia seems to be nearly always showing a forecast of "thunderstorms" this means that you'd be standing them down almost every day. Obviously, this means that few supplies will actually make it into China unless you risk high losses.

Well, I have been doing something slightly different recently. I have been checking the weather forecast for the individual air bases involved, and not flying out of or into ones which forecast anything worse than "light rain". This means double checking every day as well as using several different Chinese bases as destinations - but it seems to be working. Pilot fatigue has been remaining at reasonable levels (they don't fly when their own base is socked in by weather) but I have been getting them to fly far more often than when I just grounded them all when the area forecast was bad.

Has anyone else been doing something similar?

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/19/2019 8:40:53 PM

geofflambert

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From: St. Louis
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Historically, few supplies did make it into China. Have good commanders with your transport squadrons. They won't fly in bad weather. Don't check the weather. You're Allied, you're going to build lots of transports. Suck it up.

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/19/2019 8:53:32 PM

apbarog

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I've done the same bradfordkay, not flying transports in bad weather. Someone on the forum suggested setting them to 20% rest and flying them every day, and that has worked better for me than manually resting them. They fly more often now and seem to have fewer ops losses.

< Message edited by apbarog -- 1/19/2019 8:54:23 PM >

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/19/2019 9:04:35 PM

Korvar

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I don't worry about the weather. The Gorn is right, the 'mail' must be delivered rain, sleet, or Himalayas. I'm not sure if it is optimal, but here's how I approach it:

1. Train all pilots in the squadron to a TRANSPORT skill of 70+ before flying supply missions.
2. Build up the departure and destination airfields as much as possible.
3. Make sure there is enough aviation support at the departure airfield; I'm not sure if the destination aviation support matters.
4. Fly at 20k ft or similar altitude.
5. Set squadrons to 50% rest - you can get away with a lower % for a time, but fatigue will of course build more quickly. 50% makes sense to me for long-term ops because each aircraft/pilot essentially flys one day and rests the next.
6. Stand down any squadrons which reach "X" fatigue level - I usually do this at fatigue of 7+, but this can be adjusted as needed.
7. Set range for regular radius only; only fly extended radius if absolutely needed and only for short durations.
8. Fill the squadrons up with aircraft, including maximum reserve aircraft as availability allows.
9. I haven't been diligent about it, but high Inspiration leaders allow faster regain of morale and high Leadership leaders are good for training squadrons (faster exp gain).
10. If possible (and there aren't higher priority assignments for it), locate an air HQ at the departure airfield and assign all transport squadrons to it (also, if the political points are available and there aren't higher priorities for them).
11. Use the older C-33s for training squadrons as much as possible, and save the newer C-47s and C-46s (when available) for the operational squadrons.

Even with all this, losses will still be regular. In mid-43, all my full size (i.e. 25 aircraft) C-47 squadrons flying the hump have total OPS losses in the twenties and one is as high as 36. Also, suspending all construction, LCU replacements/upgrades, and base repairs in China and then selectively turning them back on goes a long way towards conserving the few supplies that trickle in via air transport. Also, be very selective about deciding to attack with your LCUs in China - even when successful, they will eat up supply.

< Message edited by Korvar -- 1/19/2019 9:08:05 PM >

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/19/2019 9:20:50 PM

bradfordkay

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in my present game which has reached Feb '43 none of my C47 squadrons (no C46 available yet - DBB) have an average experience rating much over 50 - most are in the upper 40s. I do not have any set for a resting percentage as I have been manually handling this. However, no squadron has had more than 11 ops losses to this point in the war. There is one with zero losses after several months of flying the hump.

I have not been sending them on flights longer than their extended range - so that has limited me to flying them into Chengtu, Kunming, Tsuyung and Paoshan so far (it is possible to fly supply missions into bases beyond extended range at a cost of some of the delivered supplies). I did turn off construction at all bases except those four and Chunking - changing that occasionally for operational purposes (building some forts and one forward airbase at Kweiyang).

what can I say... this seems to be working so far

< Message edited by bradfordkay -- 1/19/2019 9:24:55 PM >

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Brad

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/19/2019 9:27:25 PM

Korvar

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Yeah, you seem to be doing well with the OPS losses. Like with most things, the game will reward you for taking the time to micromanage. In my game, I've set up the transports to be more hands off. I suppose I'd have to reconsider if I started running out of aircraft.

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/19/2019 9:33:20 PM

bradfordkay

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From: Olympia, WA
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Since OPs losses count towards VPs, i try to limit them to the best of my ability. Keep in mind that it is only a few bases that need to be checked each day - Dimapur, Jorhat and Ledo at one end and the four aforementioned Chinese bases at the other. All others are beyond the range of the C47s at this point.

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fair winds,
Brad

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/20/2019 3:30:26 PM

sanch

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I pay close attention to airframe fatigue - the 'Planes' tab on the air unit screen. To me, the numbers represent wear and tear on the airplanes themselves. If the numbers start getting into the 30's or higher, I will stand down the unit until then numbers drop to under 20.

IOW, let the mechanics deal with the minor problems that have been accumulating, so the minor problems don't turn into big problems like op losses.

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/21/2019 6:08:05 PM

anarchyintheuk

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From: Dallas
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I fly them everyday no matter the weather from Ledo to Tsuyun with 20% rest. The ops losses are more than tolerable.

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/22/2019 7:21:06 AM

Barb

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I try to stand transports down during Thunderstorms forecast... but from time to time I will set them to fly even then when the home base/target base have nice weather.

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RE: How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your tr... - 1/22/2019 12:41:28 PM

Macclan5

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From: Toronto Canada
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quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Someone on the forum suggested setting them to 20% rest and flying them every day, and that has worked better for me than manually resting them.

quote:

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

I fly them everyday no matter the weather from Ledo to Tsuyun with 20% rest. The ops losses are more than tolerable.

+1

Yes this is my experience

1) Higher percentage of rest i.e. 20%

2) Automatically select pilots (replacement) ; automatically add replacement air frames.

Auto upgrade air frames is off but that is likely personal choice as opposed to rule.

3) Don't fly 'as far' nor 'over the hump' to Chunking.

Fly to a base in the pass between Burma and China if possible and you control road networks.

I am somewhat certain with the quality of the road network and supply movement rules in the engine this delays supplies arriving to the front line... but it is a trade off.

If more supplies consistently arrive because of fewer plane operational losses its a win.

Either way there is still never really enough till you open the Burma road.

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> How do you guys ameliorate OPs losses among your transports over the Hump?

Page: [1]