Aircraft Training

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: pompack


I got some as high as 77 when I ran out of replacement pilots and just let the training roll on.

Wow [X(]
How long did it take?

Also, how do you run out of pilots? [&:]

I switch training type when I hit 70 avg. For fighter I switch to escort to increase the exp, then at 70 I switch to general to increase defense.
With bombers I switch between the various skills at 65: strafing, ground, ...

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: Arigoth

When we train them up at what exp level do we consider them trained and start yanking them out? 50? 60? 70?

That's a choice you have to make. I pull them out when their experience is 50+ and the skill they're training is 70+. I look at them twice a month.

50+ Exp 60+ Skill but it's on a needs basis. As Japan I suspect you do not have this luxary.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: mc3744
Also, how do you run out of pilots? [&:]

Well, both IJNAF and IJAAF only get a certain number of trained pilot replacements 'pulled' through the system every month. It's a pretty small number. I want to say ~150/month for IJAAF (don't have the game-I'm at "work")

In addition to their trained pilot replacement, there's a nearly limitless pool of untrained replacement pilots. These guys stink, but you can still fill your training groups with 'em. Expect incoming experience levels between 6-14 or so, same with the respective skills. It will take longer to bring them up to snuff re: training than the trained replacement pilots obviously.

[mc3744]

Thanks Chickenboy [:)]
I knew that, but pompack seems to refer to a total lack of any type of pilot (it can happen - it did to me - with USSR).
If he had super green rookies [:D] he could still begin the training process, rather than keep a pilot - already over 70 - in training for what I assume must be several months.

I was therefore wondering if Japan or the Allies could run completely out of pilots like I've seen happening with USSR.

Thanks [:)]

[pompack]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

ORIGINAL: pompack


I got some as high as 77 when I ran out of replacement pilots and just let the training roll on.

Wow [X(]
How long did it take?

Also, how do you run out of pilots? [&:]

I switch training type when I hit 70 avg. For fighter I switch to escort to increase the exp, then at 70 I switch to general to increase defense.
With bombers I switch between the various skills at 65: strafing, ground, ...

There is a limit (high but I am not sure what it is) to the total number of pilots (Japanese + Allied) that can exist. In 1945 I had pilots in the replacement pool, but when I tried to pull one I got an out-of-slots error message. Michael has a possible fix for it, but right now it is in an alternate beta series so very few people use it. Apparantly it is not an issue if you kill enough pilots, but if you try to build up a 12,000 pilot/aircraft reserve for "Downfall" kamikazes you can easily hit it if the Allies also keep every unit with the max allowed pilots.

Anyway, since I could no longer train new pilots and I had an adequate number of pilots in reserve I just left the pilots in the training units (the Japanese get a LOT of them in the late war period, the training units are most easily converted to kamikaze when the time comes). I was normally pulling pilots at skill 70, but it didn't take more than a couple of additional months to get them to 77 (the thought of a well-trained kamikaze pilot makes my head hurt [:D] but they are effective)

We ended the game in Fall 45 without a Downfall invasion, but a test with only a couple of thousand kamikaze available proved rather devestating to the Allies. What I learned from it was do not approach the Home Islands in late 45 until you have laid waste to every possible airfield with 4E bombers (from memory the Allies lost about five fleet carriers and 40 CVE, losses to an invasion fleet would have been far worse I suspect)

[mc3744]

Wow, Interesting.
I never got to '45.
Even in WitP I only got as far as the end of '44 and eventually someone (not me [;)]) would give up.
With AE I'm in June '42, hence a long way before I'll encounter kamikazes. But it sounds like they can give some serious chances to Japan to even some odds.

Thanks for the clarification [:)]