Cowardly Marine Pilots?

[ILCK]

I've built up Lunga to a size 6 airbase. I've got 2 F4F, 1 P30, 1 P38 and 2 SBD squadrons there. The IJN has parked their carrier battle groups in the slot for about 5 days pounding Lunga. I've got plenty of fuel, supplies and aviation support and ther SBD's are set to Naval Attack. Despite all this my Marine pilots will not launch any strikes on the IJN carrier battle groups. The P39's continue doing their best to kill barge after barge in the area but the SBD's refuse to fly.

What gives?

[decaro]

How's the moral of the SBDs? If it's too low, they won't fly.
Do they have enough escort? W/o enough escort, they won't fly either; you may have to reduce your F4F CAP if you want a sortie vs. the KB.

[Ike99]

The IJN has parked their carrier battle groups in the slot for about 5 days pounding Lunga.

I would think your runway is too damaged for your aircraft to operate from.

[decaro]

ILCK's P-39s are flying, and I assume they're flying from Lunga; if so, it's not airfield damage. Maybe the IJN CV's a/c are hitting his ships/port? I wonder how many IJN CVs are parked off Lunga?

Besides, ILCK said, "I've got plenty of fuel, supplies and aviation support," and I know from experience that Allied engineers can get an airfield back in operation in no time.

I still think it's either a morale issue, not enough escort, or both that's stoping his SBDs.

[ILCK]

I think the escort problem is the issue since I checked and my F4F pilots were cruising on a morale of 10 and 11(yikes) so I'm assuming they don't want to fly into the IJN cap. I guess the Rabaul strikes were wearing them down and not them wearing Rabaul down.

At this point I'm just about shot out of ideas on how to deal with the IJN Carrier mass and/or Rabaul. Anything that gets near either of them just dies a horrible death since my fighters can't keep their bombers away and they always have a mass of 4 CV's and 3 CVL's everywhere they go. It feels like I'm just stuck waiting for P38's and F6F's to even have a hope. Thing is I never realized that that F4F was so useless for fighting the Japs.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: ILCK

I think the escort problem is the issue since I checked and my F4F pilots were cruising on a morale of 10 and 11(yikes) so I'm assuming they don't want to fly into the IJN cap. I guess the Rabaul strikes were wearing them down and not them wearing Rabaul down.

A moral of 10? I can only imagine what their fatigue is; it's a long flight as escort duty to Rabaul, pull CAP, and launch against IJN CVs. You've got to pick and choose your battles, then rotate your aircrews.

ORIGINAL: ILCK
At this point I'm just about shot out of ideas on how to deal with the IJN Carrier mass and/or Rabaul. Anything that gets near either of them just dies a horrible death since my fighters can't keep their bombers away and they always have a mass of 4 CV's and 3 CVL's everywhere they go. It feels like I'm just stuck waiting for P38's and F6F's to even have a hope. Thing is I never realized that that F4F was so useless for fighting the Japs.

Why so many CVs? Are you playing a hypothetical scenario? PBEM?
F4F is not a bad plane and does a decent job as CAP, esp. if the IJ air has to travel long distances. Over time, this wears them down as well, but if your fighters squadrons get mauled, rotate them back to Lungaville.

[ILCK]

ORIGINAL: Joe D.
Why so many CVs? Are you playing a hypothetical scenario? PBEM?
F4F is not a bad plane and does a decent job as CAP, esp. if the IJ air has to travel long distances. Over time, this wears them down as well, but if your fighters squadrons get mauled, rotate them back to Lungaville.

I thought it was the historical scenario that started in June 42. I haven't seen any of the Midway carriers so I don't think I goofed that way.

Yeah, I just wasn't rotating my planes often enough. I've got a better rotation and the P-38's really do help a ton.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: ILCK

I thought it was the historical scenario that started in June 42. I haven't seen any of the Midway carriers so I don't think I goofed that way ...

Yes, that must be Yamamoto's Prophecy; it's a historical scenario, and just by coincidence, I'm playing it as the IJ in a PBEM game! We've only recently begun, so I haven't any CVs yet.

[Ike99]

A moral of 10?

A morale of 10!!!

[:D]

They won´t even look at their planes with a morale of 10.

[Ike99]

I'm playing it as the IJ in a PBEM game!

Really Joe. I didn´t think you played PBEM.

[tocaff]

Oh yes he does.

[decaro]

After years of putting it off, I finally broke down and got schooled by Todd. My biggest concern was dial-up, but it isn't a problem for UV files.

Besides, I think everyone's at v. 2.5, so were all PBEM compatible.

[tocaff]

...and he's very adept.......clocked the KB good!

[decaro]

It was a case of a desperate situation giving rise to a desperate response.

I was getting the full-court press from Todd all at once on PNG: troops advancing from Lae, PM bombarded, GG invaded and Buna reinforced, so I canceled all CAP and used them as escorts for everything that could fly, sending them all off on a wing and a prayer.

And did I mention my CVs were out of position on the other side of the map.

[Ike99]

After years of putting it off, I finally broke down and got schooled by Todd. My biggest concern was dial-up, but it isn't a problem for UV files.

Besides, I think everyone's at v. 2.5, so were all PBEM compatible.

It is much, much funner than playing against the AI no? You never know what a human is going to do...

[decaro]

Yes, people are more unpredictable, but even the UV AI would sometimes surprise me. However, human players do things "smarter" and usu. avoid foolish moves.

On the down side, PBEM moves much slower -- so slow that some WitP players play UV between turns; I play CaW between UV turns -- but it makes you really think about your moves because you have to take into account what your opponent is up to.

[Hornblower]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

...and he's very adept.......clocked the KB good!

B is good untill the first line pilots are dead.. then................

[tocaff]

By the time the KB pilots are dead the Japanese should've accounted for 4-6 USN CVs or else they're in deep stuff.  When '43 rolls around and the USN is getting new CVs they're better than what was lost and the planes are better too so the KB becomes obsolete.  Use it while it works, before Corsairs and Hellcats.

[bigbaba]

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

ORIGINAL: ILCK

I think the escort problem is the issue since I checked and my F4F pilots were cruising on a morale of 10 and 11(yikes) so I'm assuming they don't want to fly into the IJN cap. I guess the Rabaul strikes were wearing them down and not them wearing Rabaul down.

A moral of 10? I can only imagine what their fatigue is; it's a long flight as escort duty to Rabaul, pull CAP, and launch against IJN CVs. You've got to pick and choose your battles, then rotate your aircrews.

ORIGINAL: ILCK
At this point I'm just about shot out of ideas on how to deal with the IJN Carrier mass and/or Rabaul. Anything that gets near either of them just dies a horrible death since my fighters can't keep their bombers away and they always have a mass of 4 CV's and 3 CVL's everywhere they go. It feels like I'm just stuck waiting for P38's and F6F's to even have a hope. Thing is I never realized that that F4F was so useless for fighting the Japs.

Why so many CVs? Are you playing a hypothetical scenario? PBEM?
F4F is not a bad plane and does a decent job as CAP, esp. if the IJ air has to travel long distances. Over time, this wears them down as well, but if your fighters squadrons get mauled, rotate them back to Lungaville.

I can only imagi

thats very true. wildcats can slaughter rabaul-raids (even escorted by zeros) if they only have enough moral and if the base force has a radar.

[RGIJN]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

By the time the KB pilots are dead the Japanese should've accounted for 4-6 USN CVs or else they're in deep stuff.  When '43 rolls around and the USN is getting new CVs they're better than what was lost and the planes are better too so the KB becomes obsolete.  Use it while it works, before Corsairs and Hellcats.

You CAN indeed win a carrier battle even later on as IJN. Have won one in late March 1943, though the XP values of my crews were 45...75 at best. Result was overwhelming - USN lost five fleet CVs for one IJN CVE and one CVL in return.
However, when Corsairs and Hellcats come into play its suicidal to wage battle against them.