<t> I accept the argument that "the pool" doesn't mean a field full of planes sitting around doing nothing, and represents the whole "system" including aircraft in transit and rear maintenance depots etc. <br/>
<br/>
But I can only accept it to a certain extent. For example, if I took the staffel ...

<r> I've been thinking about how pilots are trained, and taking on board some recent comments about flying missions that are not combat related etc. Also thinking about my earlier question about if there are not enough (serviceable) aircraft for the number of pilots available when a sortie is ...

Macbeth: Thank you for the pointer toward the aircraft stats page, I hadn't seen that table before and will add it to the data I already have.

Nicholas: Thanks for the suggestion for using these. I hadn't considered going after the recons, I'll give it a try!

<t> 1 March 44 and the first Me 262 arrives. Just one that is. Next day I get another one. Does this carry on daily at one a day? Does the supply stop at any time?<br/>
<br/>
Thinking the best units for these small numbers are the experienced Stabs. Any other thoughts? Incidentally if you think I ...

<t> I'm going to stop reporting on Escadrilla 61 now. Since I first mentioned it they've lost five pilots all with over 90 experience! Oddly enough the FNG is still alive and has 50xp. <br/>
<br/>
My top Romanian guy (14 kills) was just KIA by a Mosquito of all things! They've only got 9 pilots ...

<t> I was thinking about this new Romanian guy gaining experience* and this led me to wonder who actually gets to fly? For example in the staffel in question they would rarely have 12 aircraft available to fly, so that some of the pilots won't get to fly either. But how is it decided... is it by ...

<t> Hard Sarge - no, the odd thing is that my game isn't going so badly overall. My fighter losses have stepped up dramatically since the P-51B arrived but I'm still getting to the bombers. I think I'm benefiting from having killed so many heavies earlier on, because for the moment at least the ...

<t> Turn 180 (12 Feb 44) in my German game and I thought I would report on my two cunning plans:<br/>
<br/>
1. Throwing my interceptors in the way of the P-51Bs so they waste fuel and ammunition shooting them down, and therefore not be able to escort the bombers all the way to the target. This is ...

<t> I really do take your point about this sort of thing happening, particularly specifically hunting down fighters returning to base. However, my point is if the program makes any attempt to let the returning aircraft avoid accidental interception. So once they've finished their combat at 25,000 ...

<t> 2 February 1944. Today I had 3 pilots killed in action. Quite a modest number... except thatI didn't fly a single sortie today. They were lost to strafing even though the whole Luftwaffe was effectively stood down the whole day. Seems they spend their days off sitting in the cockpit waiting to ...

<t> Having a lot of aircraft shot down returning to my bases (mainly twin engine fighters it seems) by allied aircraft also returning to theirs. With so many allied aircraft on so many raids, it is not surprising that a lot of German aircraft will "cross the streams" (please excuse Ghostbusters ...

<r> These suggestions are based on playing the 1943 long campaign on the German side. The Allied player may dispute my assessments!<br/>
<br/>
I've so far played to February 1944 and it doesn't get any easier. Quite the opposite in fact with more and better allied fighters covering the skies... so ...

<t> You're right. My mistake. The difference was all Fw190D assemblies that were not online yet. I had accounted for those small changes from other production that was happening in a short timescale, but completely forgotten a size 6 assembly that was some way off (at least it was originally, so I ...

<t> Looking at my "show requirements" screen I see that my requirement for this engine is 31. <br/>
<br/>
However, as far as I'm aware the only two types using it (or will be using it later in my case) are Fw190D-9 and Ta154A. <br/>
<br/>
I have 10 assemblies for Fw190D and 3 for Ta154A. Since ...

<t> Not quite turn 200 yet and I'm already getting quite attached to some of my pilots. Obviously their just lumps of data there to wipe out other bits of data, but I like the scorecard element. Got a few in the 20s of kills (mainly Me410 pilots), so no idea what is good but I like to keep an eye on ...

Yeah, I've seen one of these (the one that looks like a big curved wall). Was an idea that wasn't developed given the adoption and increased effectiveness of radar.

Thanks, helpful stuff guys. Will try and get to the escorts before they form up with the raid. Wasn't aware of the drop tank thing, makes sense of course and glad to hear that its been modelled.

<t> Now coming up against increasing numbers of P-51B and overall kill ratios are dropping off a bit. Interested to know how people manage them. What seems to be the problem is that the fighters targeted to "bounce fighters" don't do so, and often end up attacking bombers and getting bounced ...

<t> This is the more objective analysis.<br/>
<br/>
Turn 147, 10 Jan 44.<br/>
500+ heavy bomber raid on Schweinfurt (with vast amounts of escorts).<br/>
Due to the route taken, a large amount of action takes place over St Trond which is my most forward airfield, and a sort of salient in my ...

<r> ... and back to my original point.<br/>
<br/>
I just had a mad few minutes where over a single location I had four 109s shot down and 12 damaged BY MY OWN FLAK <B><s>[b]</s>and not a single allied plane damaged<e>[/b]</e></B>.<br/>
<br/>
ARE THEY ACTUALLY AIMING ONLY FOR MY AIRCRAFT ...