Planes and pilots of permanently withdrawn squadrons?

[Arnhem44]

Don't know if this applies to Japan but anyone playing Allies will know you have a substantial number of squadrons which are permanently withdrawn in the course of the campaign game. These squadrons cannot be withdrawn or disbanded in the traditional manner, once they're gone it's permanent.

For the record, my approach to the pilots is to max out the pilot complement and put any extras into the Reserve pool before they are withdrawn. I take the lowest experience of the lot when I do this.

When it comes to the airframes I haven't had to make a decision yet as most of the squadrons withdrawn so far have not had a significant number of airframes to start with, however, there are a few squadrons which have a good sized complement of advanced planes, ie. P-38, B-26. I'm probably not going to replace them with B-18s and P-26s before they withdraw but given the replacement rates of most planes in AE the planes in the squadrons in question represent a sizeable boost to my inventory if I were to "reassign" them.

What people do with these squadrons? Do you strip them of their equipment and pilots and replace them with outdated airframes and trainee pilots before withdrawing them?

What's your stand on this? Gamey? Or do you take the stand the system doesn't distinguish between pilots of restricted and unrestricted squadrons and as long as it's within my AO they're mine to do with as I please?

If my PBEM opponents are reading this, can I have your thoughts please?

[KenchiSulla]

Since I use several Home Island squadrons to train replacement pilots and do quite a lot of microing myself I can't blame you if you did... I don't think those squadrons have large enough numbers to be a threat.

[freeboy]

well, afte patch2 you are not ab le to replace these good airframes with crap, and if withdrawn they go away... so no more p38s in Oz in December

[ckammp]

If you really want the P-38s, you can replace them with P-39Ds or P-40Es. This will, however, suck up all your P-39/P-40 replacements, since the at-start pool is very small and replacement rates very low.
 
As for pilots - since you can't really do anything with the units except train, might as well train and take the good pilots before you lose the units.
 
Whether or not this is 'gamey' is up to you and your opponent; if I had to choose, I'd say yes to the pilots before the planes.

[freeboy]

I was told, now don't yell, that you could not replace the planes in the locked plane units and get the planes into your pools.. if u can I will be poissed as I have spend 7 weeks moving p40s around when my oponenet has air suppieriority and would have loved some 38's

[freeboy]

I cannot check this in my pbem game, but will try to test in a play against ai game.. will report

[khyberbill]

If you really want the P-38s, you can replace them with P-39Ds or P-40Es. This will, however, suck up all your P-39/P-40 replacements, since the at-start pool is very small and replacement rates very low.

I have not been able to do this after with games started after Patch 2 with squadrons that have to be disbanded. The upgrade now buttons stays grey.

[ckammp]

You can replace the P-38Es with either P-39Ds or P-40Es; all other planes are greyed out. The problem with using the P-40E is your at-start pool is 0, and you get a lot of new units that have to be filled-out. For this reason, it would be better to use P-39Ds, the first new unit doesn't come in until mid/late Jan 42.
The good part is the P-38E units don't disband until the end of May 42, so you do have time to build up a pool of P-39Ds before replacing the P-38Es.
 
Please note that not all of the replaced planes will not show up in your pool right away; check your OPs Report every day to see how many arrived.
 
Again, I would suggest discussing plane/pilot replacement with your PBEM opponent before starting, as doing this can easily be seen as 'gamey'.
 
Hope this helps.