Base Air Search Help

[PresterJohn001]

Hi,

Could someone throw a few pointers my way as to how to set up a good air search
around bases. For example how many air groups and what sort of search arcs would
you use. I know that this is very situation sensitive but I'm struggling a bit with this. I
play Japan in a couple of grand campaigns (still in Jan 42).

An example base might help

thanks!

[EUBanana]

[;)]

[DivePac88]

Hi PresterJohn.

What I do is use all My Cats and B-17s to setup an all around search of Pearl Harbor after 7 December. I set them on 7000-8000 feet, 70% search- 30% rest. I then count up how many Aircraft that gives me, and give them each a 10 degree search arc.

Here is a shot from witpStaff to give you an idea.

Edit: Those arcs that you can see to the right of PH, are from a Carrier TF coming in from the West Coast.

[Graymane]

Did I read somewhere that a plane will cover 2 arcs per single day turn? One in the morning and one in the evening? So each plane does a 10 degree arc with both phases or could do 20 degrees half as well?

At any rate, I do something similar to DivePac.

• Count how many planes you have for searching (or alternatively, how big of an area you need to search.
• Shorter distance means better chances of detection
• Maximum detection range from anecdotal evidence seems to be 12 hexes.
• Determine the area that needs to be searched (do you really need all around or just certain areas?)
• Do you also need to do ASW?
• Remember that you can set search arcs for naval search and ASW even with other types of missions.
• I use 6,000 for naval search and 2,000 for ASW. I don't know what the optimals are, but those seem to work for me.

What I will do is configure one squadron (say patrol plane squadron) to the search parameters I need, then use one of the set all buttons to set everything else to the same settings. Then I go through and set search arcs individually with the spinner. I find it easier to use 90 degree arcs if I use the map and then fine tune it. For each squadron, do the math on how many planes will be flying search (20% of a 12 plane squadron would be 2 planes. I round down to be safe). You need 36 planes to cover a 360 degree area safely.

I use lots of LB for naval search. You don't need to use only patrol planes. The other thing I do is make use of those float planes and float plane tenders on dot bases. Spread your assets around and you can generally cover more area cheaply while reducing overstacking. Lots of level 1 AFs or dot base float plane tenders are great to minimize damage from strikes.

As allies, I focus more on naval search and manage ASW with escortes TFs. As Japs, you probably want more ASW in the air, but the same general rules would apply I'd think.

[PresterJohn001]

Thank you for the replies, that helps.

Will naval search spot docked ships?

[Graymane]

No idea if naval search does. Recon missions will as will port/AF/naval attack after a while as your intel level increases.

Not sure if you are playing pbem or AI, but if you are playing against the AI, pretend that it can see the same witptracker map that DivePac shows and will send bad things to your ports. So in places you really care about, make sure to have an undocked, standing surface TF with a 6 hex react or have your convoys with more than just DD in them.

[PresterJohn001]

PBEM all the way.

Mr EUBanana recently raided Rabual with the above ship i believe [8D]

[Cathartes]

With patch2 you will be able to view ([&o] to wdolson)  your search arcs on the map if you choose.  Then it will be clear exactly where you are searching with the settings you have chosen given the % of aircraft you have set to search. For example, if you have a group of 10 aircraft, and you set them on 60% search, the max you will cover is 60 degrees of arc in a clockwise direction from what you chose, even if you choose more than 60 degrees. Someone who is more knowledgeable please correct me if I'm wrong, but that is how I currently understand it.

For now, don't rely on witpStaff to paint a reliable picture of what's exactly going on for every search arc.