air upgrades and production questions

[frankycee]

Hi

I have a few (okay a lot) of questions on Japanese aicraft production and upgrades etc. I’m kinda confused as this is my first game.

Lets start with the A6M2 Zero, which I’m currently building about 180/month for now. From the editor, I see that it upgrades to the A6M2 Sen Baku in febuary 1944. This means that the factories will automatically change production to the Sen Baku without ‘taking damage’ and dropping production right?

For the A6M3, WITP tracker shows that I am building 35(with 20-some more repairing), but I have no groups that fly it now. So when the group show up in 25 days, it’ll be able to use the planes I have in the pool for replacements and upgrading A6M2 groups. But if I decide to retool plants from A6M2 to A6M3, the plants will take damage since it’s not the same upgrade path right?

As for the Tojo, right now I have just one group flying them (I think there wont be more…?) so why am I building about 30 of them /month at 2 plants…maybe I should retool one?

For the Lily IIa, which I’m building34 of, it upgrades to the IIb in January 1943…do the planes ‘magically upgrade’ to IIb, or will I have some IIa in the pool left (assuming I have em) and also produce new IIbs ? So that I’ll use the last of my IIa’s before I upgrade groups to the IIb when I’ve produced enough?

Maybe I shoud switch My Lily production to Helens, which will have 11/13 range in September 1942, plus armor and more guns… ? Ditto for the Sally IIa

And about R&D plants, when the aircraft bescmes available, the plants that are researching (for example) 2 points/month start building 2 planes/month?

Thanks for any help you can offer…I read the manual a couple of times, but i’m still confused…

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: frankycee

Hi

I have a few (okay a lot) of questions on Japanese aicraft production and upgrades etc. I’m kinda confused as this is my first game.

Lets start with the A6M2 Zero, which I’m currently building about 180/month for now. From the editor, I see that it upgrades to the A6M2 Sen Baku in febuary 1944. This means that the factories will automatically change production to the Sen Baku without ‘taking damage’ and dropping production right?

Yes. It may happen on it's own, but you can also do it manually without taking any damage.

ORIGINAL: frankycee
For the A6M3, WITP tracker shows that I am building 35(with 20-some more repairing), but I have no groups that fly it now. So when the group show up in 25 days, it’ll be able to use the planes I have in the pool for replacements and upgrading A6M2 groups. But if I decide to retool plants from A6M2 to A6M3, the plants will take damage since it’s not the same upgrade path right?

Correct. I assume the A6M3 is producing and not in R&D. If you have planes in the pool, you can upgrade some A6M2 groups now. And yes, if you convert an A6M2 factory to the A6M3, the factory will be completely damaged and you'll have to repair it at 1 point per day max costing 1000 supply. Note that you'll need at least 10k supply in the hex to repair it, just like with any industry.

ORIGINAL: frankycee
As for the Tojo, right now I have just one group flying them (I think there wont be more…?) so why am I building about 30 of them /month at 2 plants…maybe I should retool one?

It depends. If you're playing with PDU on, you can upgrade any IJA fighter unit to the Tojo. If PDU is off, then you're much more limited. You'd have to check each unit to see which can upgrade.

ORIGINAL: frankycee
For the Lily IIa, which I’m building34 of, it upgrades to the IIb in January 1943…do the planes ‘magically upgrade’ to IIb, or will I have some IIa in the pool left (assuming I have em) and also produce new IIbs ? So that I’ll use the last of my IIa’s before I upgrade groups to the IIb when I’ve produced enough?

The planes in the pool do not upgrade. You keep them as they were produced. There are several options here. You can keep them and use them as Kamikazes at the end of the war. You can use them as trainers if they are obsolete. You also can keep some of your sentai using this model until they are gone. If possible, I try to use obsolete models if they can be used effectively. Consider using them in a backwater theater (China).

ORIGINAL: frankycee
Maybe I shoud switch My Lily production to Helens, which will have 11/13 range in September 1942, plus armor and more guns… ? Ditto for the Sally IIa

That's a long discussion. Look at each type and upgrade path and decide for yourself. I prefer to build 40 Sallys and 80 Helens. Just my choice though. Everyone will probably give you a different answer, all for good reasons too.

ORIGINAL: frankycee
And about R&D plants, when the aircraft bescmes available, the plants that are researching (for example) 2 points/month start building 2 planes/month?

Yes.

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: frankycee

Hi

I have a few (okay a lot) of questions on Japanese aicraft production and upgrades etc. I’m kinda confused as this is my first game.

Lets start with the A6M2 Zero, which I’m currently building about 180/month for now. From the editor, I see that it upgrades to the A6M2 Sen Baku in febuary 1944. This means that the factories will automatically change production to the Sen Baku without ‘taking damage’ and dropping production right?

That right, unless you use the "keep" switch or change production (obviously).

For the A6M3, WITP tracker shows that I am building 35(with 20-some more repairing), but I have no groups that fly it now. So when the group show up in 25 days, it’ll be able to use the planes I have in the pool for replacements and upgrading A6M2 groups.

Are you using PDU ON or OFF ? I'm sure there are some groups that could upgrade with PDU ON...

But if I decide to retool plants from A6M2 to A6M3, the plants will take damage since it’s not the same upgrade path right?

That's correct.

As for the Tojo, right now I have just one group flying them (I think there wont be more…?) so why am I building about 30 of them /month at 2 plants…maybe I should retool one?

Once again Tracker can tell you which groups upgrade to this. (Air Groups -> Filter)

For the Lily IIa, which I’m building34 of, it upgrades to the IIb in January 1943…do the planes ‘magically upgrade’ to IIb, or will I have some IIa in the pool left (assuming I have em) and also produce new IIbs ? So that I’ll use the last of my IIa’s before I upgrade groups to the IIb when I’ve produced enough?

The planes don't magically upgrade unless you have Auto upgrades on & they are sitting in a base with the upgrade requirements. I do it manually though. The pools don't magically change. Well there's being efficient and then overstocking for late war.

Maybe I shoud switch My Lily production to Helens, which will have 11/13 range in September 1942, plus armor and more guns… ? Ditto for the Sally IIa

Search for LB production thread in here(War room) or Mike Solli's AAR.

And about R&D plants, when the aircraft bescmes available, the plants that are researching (for example) 2 points/month start building 2 planes/month?

Yes.

There are plenty of other places beside the manual that contains good info too ...
Newbie FAQ
WIKI
ECON 101 DOC
AAR's

But keep asking and we'll keep telling

[n01487477]

Mike beat me to it - while cooking breakfast and typing no less!

[Mike Solli]

[:'(]

[obvert]

Look at any of Mike Solli's AARs, even if this does make sense. There is much more info there that will help you.

But yes, stop making Lilys and go Helen IIa. You can keep Sallys if you have a factory going. The Helen IIa is better though.

[frankycee]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help
one more question...

what happens to ariframes that dont have engines (NOT ENOUG PRODUCED) to build into completed planes... is that why i get some 'failed' at some AC PLANTS?

[obvert]

Yep. Airframes require engines to be made. A Mavis is expensive for this reason, needing four of them.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: frankycee

For the Lily IIa, which I’m building34 of, it upgrades to the IIb in January 1943…do the planes ‘magically upgrade’ to IIb, or will I have some IIa in the pool left (assuming I have em) and also produce new IIbs ? So that I’ll use the last of my IIa’s before I upgrade groups to the IIb when I’ve produced enough?

Maybe I shoud switch My Lily production to Helens, which will have 11/13 range in September 1942, plus armor and more guns… ? Ditto for the Sally IIa

Also, the Lily IIb is not a free upgrade from the IIa, your factories will have to completely retool as the IIb is a divebomber. I just learned this out myself.

[perkinh]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

ORIGINAL: frankycee

For the Lily IIa, which I’m building34 of, it upgrades to the IIb in January 1943…do the planes ‘magically upgrade’ to IIb, or will I have some IIa in the pool left (assuming I have em) and also produce new IIbs ? So that I’ll use the last of my IIa’s before I upgrade groups to the IIb when I’ve produced enough?

Maybe I shoud switch My Lily production to Helens, which will have 11/13 range in September 1942, plus armor and more guns… ? Ditto for the Sally IIa

Also, the Lily IIb is not a free upgrade from the IIa, your factories will have to completely retool as the IIb is a divebomber. I just learned this out myself.

Me too dang it! I am hoping the IIb's make a good ASW Platform, we shall test the waters.

[Knyvet]

Me three! Ug - hope it is worth it.

[obvert]

Lilys are okay for ASW, but only drop 100kg bombs, which usually only damage a sub. I'm using them a lot right now and they're finding a lot of subs, hitting a few, but no idea if any are really damaged or in danger.

You'd have to check with my opponent JocMeister on that one![:)]