A few questions

[Pete]

Hi, I'm new to the game and have a few questions about things the manual isn't clear on or that I've read in old posts on this forum.

1. The "Beau" type planes can attack enemy TFs even when not set to Naval Interdiction. Are there any other planes with undocumented features?

2. What is the difference between fighters and fighter-bombers? Take the F4F Wildcat (fighter) and the P-40 Warhawk (fighter-bomber); the Warhawk has 4 more durability but other than that they are statistically the same. Can they perform all the same functions?

3. The numbers next to a plane factory, is that the number of planes built per turn by that factory?

4. What determines if you'll be able to switch plane production at a factory? On 1/4/42 sometimes I'm able to change all 3 tac-bomber factories in LA to B-25s and sometimes I can only change two of them with the third being stuck on Hudson's. I have noticed I can't change it when the prod. number is 1, so what can you do to get it to increase faster?

[IntellWeenie]

1. Any plane capable of attacking TF's can do so even if not set to NI. Setting a unit to NI simply limits it to attacking TFs (so it won't attack airfields, land units. etc.)

2. Fighter-bombers are able to attack surface targets (sea and land) and aircraft. Fighters are suited only to escorting bombers and intercepting enemy planes.

3. Yes. It is a combination of the factory's output divided by the cost of the plane. Planes appearing later in the game have lower costs to reflect the huge increases in production facilities later in the war without adding having to add more factories to the game. British/Commonwealth a/c cost more not because they're better (most aren't), but because of the difficulties in shipping these planes and parts halfway around the planet.

4. Not totally sure on this one, but I think it might be related to PPs somehow (or maybe resource points?) Also note there are some a/c types you cannot change production to (like TBDs, B-18s, P-35s, etc.) You also cannot change production while a factory is switching to another type. This is denoted by an asterisk next to the production number. (like 16*)

[Pete]

Hmm... The reason I asked #1 was because of quotes like these-

"You see, the Beaufort, and later the Beaufighter as well, has one great advantage which does not show up in the docs: it does NOT have to be assigned the "Naval Interdiction" mission to attack enemy ships. These are the planes to use when your airbase is in range of a staging area for Japanese shipping."

-found in a few different threads on this forum.

And #2 - So if a fighter-bomber has better stats and a higher load there is no reason to pick a plain vanilla fighter? FBs can do everything they can and better.


Thanks for the answers.

[Jeremy Pritchard]

Originally posted by Pete
Hmm... The reason I asked #1 was because of quotes like these-

"You see, the Beaufort, and later the Beaufighter as well, has one great advantage which does not show up in the docs: it does NOT have to be assigned the "Naval Interdiction" mission to attack enemy ships. These are the planes to use when your airbase is in range of a staging area for Japanese shipping."

-found in a few different threads on this forum.

And #2 - So if a fighter-bomber has better stats and a higher load there is no reason to pick a plain vanilla fighter? FBs can do everything they can and better.


Thanks for the answers.

Fighters have something that Fighter Bombers do not. Fighter bombers go in with the bombers to drop their load on target. This makes them targets to FLAK (airbase and task force). This weakens your fighter escorts as they take attrition not only from enemy CAP, but from AA, which could really weaken your ability to escort bombers (your opponent only suffers air-air losses, while you suffer air-air and air-ground). So, Fighter-Bombers are not quite the uber-plane as they appear. They are good when you want the role of a fighter and bomber in one aircraft, but suffer for it.

So, sometimes it is useful to keep some of those A6M2's around, when your A6M5's are being whittled to pieces by enemy aircraft and enemy flak.

[CynicAl]

Originally posted by IntellWeenie
1. Any plane capable of attacking TF's can do so even if not set to NI. Setting a unit to NI simply limits it to attacking TFs (so it won't attack airfields, land units. etc.)

Not exactly. Though that is how the NI setting works for fighter-bombers, Marine bombing squadrons, and "Beau- " squadrons, other LBA groups will not attack TFs unless you specifically order them to do so by setting them to NI. It's frustrating to watch enemy TFs sail right up to your major bases and bombard with impunity because your B-25s and A-20s aren't set to NI. (But it's fun the next turn, when 200+ tac bombers - now set on NI - rip the guts out of the cheeky bastitch.)

The G3M and G4M are the Japanese equivalent of the Beaus, longer ranged but more fragile.

[Capt. Harlock]

" ... I do rejoice to see ye profit of my lessons!"

--"The Black Arrow", Robert Louis Stevenson

(I am the author of the original quote on the Beaufort and Beaufighter.) The thing that determines whether a medium- or "tac-" bomber will attack ships without being set to Naval Interdiction is primarily whether it carries torpedoes. Check the list of aircraft in the 3.0 and 3.1 releases. I personally think that the B-26 Marauder should also be in this category; they actually executed a torpedo attack at Midway.

As to fighters versus fighter-bombers: each has their advantages. Fighters, as well as escorting bomber raids, will also launch "fighter sweeps" of their own, at the beginning and end of the Combat Resolution. This makes the A6M2 a potent weapon for clearing the skies of Allied fighters. Fighters will also attack enemy ships--BUT--they will generally use strafing only. Fighter-bombers will put bombs into enemy hulls, which is much more effective.

[Denniss]

Fighter seem to attack only small ships up to dd - never seen them attacking bigger ships or TF with bigger ship in it .
Fighter bombers may attack some bigger ships up to CL or CA - I rember p40 attacking a TF with some CL and smaller but can't remember attacking a TF with CA or bigger.

[CynicAl]

Originally posted by Denniss
Fighter seem to attack only small ships up to dd - never seen them attacking bigger ships or TF with bigger ship in it .
Fighter bombers may attack some bigger ships up to CL or CA - I rember p40 attacking a TF with some CL and smaller but can't remember attacking a TF with CA or bigger.

I have. Fire up Campaign '41 with Historic First Move, and watch the Oahu-based P-40s get torn up trying to attack the Japanese PH strike force.

[IntellWeenie]

P-40s are Fighter-Bombers, so they would attack the larger ships anyway.

[henhute6]

I have seen A6M2 Reisens strafe Essex class carrier!
It was alone and had no CAP present.