Adak has an airfield size of 2 and is not within the command radius of any HQ.
If I give all 4 squadrons a combat mission instead of “rest” or “training”, it should immediately trigger an asterisk in front of the name air field in the lower game window because the number of squadrons or “groups” is 4, which exceeds the allowable “groups” by 2. This does not happen. See the attached game screen.
If I transfer out all units and move in 3 squadrons of 12 B-24 bombers assigned to “training”, the excess “group” does not trigger an air field overstack asterisk on the lower menu and the aircraft engine count is 16 + 16 + 16 = 48 (due to 1/3 engine count for “Training”), which is less than the allowable air field size of 100. If I assign 2 squadrons to combat missions, the overstack asterisk is shown. This is because the aircraft engine count ( 48 + 48 + 16) exceeds the allowable 100 aircraft engines, based on air field size = 2. See the attached game screen Therefore, it seems that the overstack rules are not being implemented or at least displayed properly on screen in regard to overstack “group” rules. It appears to be functioning properly, at least for the on screen display relative to aircraft engine size. It is impossible to tell if this is just a display problem or if overstack penalties are invoked since the game overstack penalty rules are totally useless for computation, even in a general approximation. (Please don’t give me any BS about using B-24 bombers on a size 2 airfield. I understand the rules! I am only putting them there to illustrate the overstack computing problems. Also Aviation Support, “bean counting” and other issues have nothing to do with this problem!)
From testing the aircraft at Dutch Harbor, I have discovered that the seaplanes at Dutch Harbor, even though they may be in the water 39 miles away from the air field with their own AV ship support, do add to the airfield aircraft engine count. Understanding the philosophical reasons aside, this can have a huge and undeterminable effect on overstack penalties:
Let us assume a size 1 air field with no HQ combat radius support and 3 squadrons of 9 each of 2 engine seaplanes with their own AV ship support. If not in “Training” or “Rest” the rules state that the air field is already overstacked by 2 “groups” and 3 X 9 X 2 = 54 aircraft engines versus the air field allowable 50 aircraft engines. Before an aircraft is even landed the commander is faced with possibly large and unidentifiable launch, air attack and repair penalties. The rules do not identify these penalties with other air field penalties such as “Aviation Support” or “bomber size” in any manner relative to any degree of magnitude or effect!
Well there it is! GO AHEAD – Accuse me of being determined (stubborn), “newbie”, bean counter, overly precise, disrespectful, inconsiderate of the need for “game mysteries”, etc………..
