p-38E in 9/42

[scalp]

Is there any chance to stop them for Jap player in september 42?! They wipe out my best pilots and squadrons with score 1 to 6 at least. They re better as an escort, on a sweep missions...everywhere. Any advice to halt those ace killers?!

[mbatch729]

Nope. I've had the same thing happen over and over and over and over again. I can't find anyway to stop them. I've broken units up, stacked them at various altitudes, mixed fighter types, etc., and nothing can halt the slaughter. Two turns ago, over 60 fighters on CAP got attacked by 18 P-38's. I lost 24 planes to 1 P-38. IMO, something is broken w/fighter sweeps, but the Matrix line is WAD...I'm seriously considering surrendering in my current game.

[crsutton]

We are talking about the 38-E, right? It has a service rating of "4" and the Allies only get a handful of them before production stops. A totally useless fighter for the Allies. Not even good for training as half of them will be broken all the time. Find out what base they are flying from then sweep and bomb em like heck. You will eventually kill most of them on the ground due to the extreme amount of time it takes to get one repaired once damaged. You should not be worried about these planes.

[CV Zuikaku]

I don't know what are you talking about. I have a mix of Ki-44s and Ki-43IIs in Port Moresby. Average pilots in 50-70 exp. All in all some 50 planes. And they have no problems with P-38 sweeps and escorted strikes. Losses are in range 1:1 to 3:1 in favour of PM defenders. The range is blessing and a killer for P-38 [:D]

[scalp]

well question is about september 42

[CaptBeefheart]

I find the P-38 to be a hangar queen. I prefer those P-40Ks for that time period myself.

Cheers,
CC

[EUBanana]

You might be up against a P38 flying circus - as the Allies get so few P38s at that time its very possible to create an all-ace or mostly all-ace squadron with the single P38 squadron you have at that time.

If that is the case, then god help you until the Tojo arrives. [:D]

That said, there are quite a few things you can do. Bomb the airfields the P38s are taking off from, their service rating is so bad any damaged planes will be damaged for a long time. Make sure the P38s are flying as far as possible before they get into combat, range is a two edged sword in this game. Decline to engage him by standing down, and every so often lay a massive CAP trap for them.

[DeriKuk]

+1

The P-40K is a decent work horse for fighter missions. The P-38s are real hangar queens, and away from large airbases they have to shuttled out after one mission to replenish their numbers . . . after getting back to flying condition. They are vulnerable to OPS losses.

The P-38E has a brutal service rating of 4. The F and the G are better, but a 3-rating is hardly impressive.

[Puhis]

If P-38s are flying CAP, low level Oscar sweep (10-15k) seem to work. Last turn I shot down 3 P-38s and 2 Hurricanes, and I lost just 1 Oscar.

[Misconduct]

ORIGINAL: hjalmar99

+1

The P-40K is a decent work horse for fighter missions. The P-38s are real hangar queens, and away from large airbases they have to shuttled out after one mission to replenish their numbers . . . after getting back to flying condition. They are vulnerable to OPS losses.

The P-38E has a brutal service rating of 4. The F and the G are better, but a 3-rating is hardly impressive.

P-38 units have to have higher experience before you even bother with them, an entire squadron with 70exp is preferably best, after all you only get a short supply of aircraft, secondly you can't have them as a front line unit either, for example in my game the Japanese took Moresby and Milne Bay, I was flying P-38s out of Cairnes and Cooktown, both bases were being bombed daily before I moved a few squadrons in to CAP so the P-38s don't get grounded.

Watch your aces however, I racked up some crazy experience in the P38 units, I believe I rotated more then 30 back home before the squadron got caught up in a Bombardment group and I dissolved the unit.

[crsutton]

I agree with Misconduct. The p 38 (other than the E type) is a valuable plane for the Allies. However, the high service rating and very limited replacement rate dictates how you will use them. I use them for all situation but avoid most if I can. I don't use them much for point defence (CAP) but do use them for LRCAP missions where they are quite effective. Using drop tanks the P38 has excellent range for an Allied fighter. I rarely use them for escort missions as escorting fighters qet punked by any sort of CAP that is higher and you can afford to piss them away in this kind of mission.

Primary mission is sweep and then sometimes I use them for long range cap over important bases or ships. (Basically, looking to ambush) You have to rest them frequently. Due to the limited numbers, it is best to put some of your best pilots in them. Keep them at at your big bases and give the a protective CAP just like you would your valuable 4E bombers. (Hint, they are best used at a base with a rail line so you can whisk them away if they are targeted)

You should at no time put them into a small advance base. It is tempting to do this (same applies to corsairs) as they are the best you got, but a smart Japanese player will just mass on your base and end up killing lots of them on the ground. And, they present no threat to anybody if they are broken and sitting on the ground.

I am in mid 1943 and my top squadrons for kills are my P38 squadrons, so I do like them.

Look at the stats of all of them. The F model is fine and they just get better. I am currently on the G version and just about to convert production to the H. I suspect the H is going to be a monster plane as not only is it fast but it has an amazingly good climb rate. So, good that I don't know if I will convert my factories to later versions.....I am beginning to think that speed and climb rate are the most important stats for fighters in game.

[Misconduct]

Yeah You have to used them to your advantage, CAP is a waste of time - however LRCAP and Sweep missions are its most valuable resources for the 38 period, hence why you want aces in the squadron. Its a nice stop gap till you can switch over to P-47 squadrons, but again you need to find a squadron with decent experience and put some aces in it and see what results you can get.

One thing I don't know if most allied players do this, but I start rotating aces back to train as early as possible, I know this leaves some squadrons still under experienced, however there is no sense is wasting an Ace with a P-40e squadron when he is better served training up other pilots, then switching him to a P38 unit later on with a dozen other aces.

I am doing the same thing now as a Japanese Player, most of my aces are rotated home to train as well as I want to keep them prepared for Ki-84, Ki-61, N1k2 Squadrons.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Misconduct

Yeah You have to used them to your advantage, CAP is a waste of time - however LRCAP and Sweep missions are its most valuable resources for the 38 period, hence why you want aces in the squadron. Its a nice stop gap till you can switch over to P-47 squadrons, but again you need to find a squadron with decent experience and put some aces in it and see what results you can get.

One thing I don't know if most allied players do this, but I start rotating aces back to train as early as possible, I know this leaves some squadrons still under experienced, however there is no sense is wasting an Ace with a P-40e squadron when he is better served training up other pilots, then switching him to a P38 unit later on with a dozen other aces.

I am doing the same thing now as a Japanese Player, most of my aces are rotated home to train as well as I want to keep them prepared for Ki-84, Ki-61, N1k2 Squadrons.

I do the same thing, particularly with with fighter aces. Once I get a IJN or IJAAF pilot with 80+ XP and 10 kills (double ace) back to TRACOM he goes. 1. To help train and 2. To save him for later when I have better planes.

[Lecivius]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

So, good that I don't know if I will convert my factories to later versions.....I am beginning to think that speed and climb rate are the most important stats for fighters in game.

Ok, this caught my eye. I didn't think you could convert allied A/C production. What do I not understand, here?

[Misconduct]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

ORIGINAL: crsutton

So, good that I don't know if I will convert my factories to later versions.....I am beginning to think that speed and climb rate are the most important stats for fighters in game.

Ok, this caught my eye. I didn't think you could convert allied A/C production. What do I not understand, here?

You can't change anything in the allies production, what he is referring to, is there is a time and date when P-38G is being built and when it stops, the P-38H starts being built.

Only Japanese can modify/change/convert factories.

[stuman]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

ORIGINAL: crsutton

So, good that I don't know if I will convert my factories to later versions.....I am beginning to think that speed and climb rate are the most important stats for fighters in game.

Ok, this caught my eye. I didn't think you could convert allied A/C production. What do I not understand, here?

As the Allied player you at least have the ability to upgrade or not an airplane factory.

[PresterJohn001]

You have to fight them asymetrically. Bomb their bases, disperse (allied 4E's = nightmare with allied control of air), spread the battles (they can't be everywhere), pray for the patch (so your radar works and you can get into the air) and fight ony when you have to. Mind you they killed me, totaly reversed the air war, only now in Jan 43 with early Tony's do i feel its more even.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: PresterJohn

You have to fight them asymetrically. Bomb their bases, disperse (allied 4E's = nightmare with allied control of air), spread the battles (they can't be everywhere), pray for the patch (so your radar works and you can get into the air) and fight ony when you have to. Mind you they killed me, totaly reversed the air war, only now in Jan 43 with early Tony's do i feel its more even.

Wait until you face P-47s. Hi Tony, Bye Tony.

[PresterJohn001]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: PresterJohn

You have to fight them asymetrically. Bomb their bases, disperse (allied 4E's = nightmare with allied control of air), spread the battles (they can't be everywhere), pray for the patch (so your radar works and you can get into the air) and fight ony when you have to. Mind you they killed me, totaly reversed the air war, only now in Jan 43 with early Tony's do i feel its more even.

Wait until you face P-47s. Hi Tony, Bye Tony.

Typically allied talk, bring it on.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: PresterJohn

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: PresterJohn

You have to fight them asymetrically. Bomb their bases, disperse (allied 4E's = nightmare with allied control of air), spread the battles (they can't be everywhere), pray for the patch (so your radar works and you can get into the air) and fight ony when you have to. Mind you they killed me, totaly reversed the air war, only now in Jan 43 with early Tony's do i feel its more even.

Wait until you face P-47s. Hi Tony, Bye Tony.

Typically allied talk, bring it on.

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