Noob Air Group Withdrawal Question

[Flicker]

The 'Group Withdrawal Schedule' requires the 47thBG to 'withdraw by 15 Jan, 1942 P'. The 47thBG (HQ and four BS flying B-18A Bolo with 1 plane per squadron) is located at Los Angeles. It is now 11 Jan, 1942.

The group shows up red on the airplane at LA screen, indicating that action is required, but the 'Withdraw Group' option is grayed out, leaving only the 'Disband Group' option.

Is that normal? Do I just disband the squadrons?

Also, is it better to 'disband' a threatened air group or allow it to be captured by the enemy?

It's almost time to start withdrawing ships; are ships required to be in certain ports to withdraw. For example, does a US ship need to go to a US port or a British ship to a British port? IIRC I read a post on ship withdrawal ports once but since have forgotten the info and can't find the post.

[HansBolter]

yes it's normal and the only way to "remove" many of the squadrons required to withdraw

forgetting to state it as "withdraw or disband" in the manual was an oversight that has led to this question having to be answered many times

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Flicker
Also, is it better to 'disband' a threatened air group or allow it to be captured by the enemy?

No. Don't let it be captured by the enemy. You'll lose those aircraft (destroyed) and the enemy will gain VPs for these destroyed aircraft. Furthermore, many withdrawn units 'come back' on map later in the war, so they're not really gone for the war. Lastly, you can gain some Political Points if you withdraw a unit a little earlier than the very last day. You'll get no such benefit if the enemy destroys this unit.

Before withdrawing the unit, go through it and ensure that all your quality pilots are sent to "General Reserve" and replaced with rookie replacements.

[jcjordan]

The option to disband or withdraw depends on whether the unit is permanently gone (could be transfer to Europe or became basis for stateside training group) or comes back at some point. If it comes back at some point you can w/d or disband & it will come back but if disband is only option, then more than likely it represents a unit that was historically transferred to Europe or the Med which was the case for the 47thBG. The biggest difference is what happens w/ the pilots & planes. If transfer was historical, then you lose both pilots/planes. If it comes back, normally they go into the pools so could be used in other units.

[ckammp]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

yes it's normal and the only way to "remove" many of the squadrons required to withdraw

forgetting to state it as "withdraw or disband" in the manual was an oversight that has led to this question having to be answered many times

The manual is, and always has been, quite clear about withdraw/disband of air groups.

Read section 7.2.2 WITHDRAWING AND DISBANDING AIR UNITS, page 168-169.

[eloso]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
Before withdrawing the unit, go through it and ensure that all your quality pilots are sent to "General Reserve" and replaced with rookie replacements.

This is unnecessary if the unit is permanently disbanded indicated by the "P" after it's withdrawal date. The pilots go to the pool automatically.

[msieving1]

ORIGINAL: OSO

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
Before withdrawing the unit, go through it and ensure that all your quality pilots are sent to "General Reserve" and replaced with rookie replacements.

This is unnecessary if the unit is permanently disbanded indicated by the "P" after it's withdrawal date. The pilots go to the pool automatically.

If that's true, the message displayed in the user interface should be changed. It says that all planes and pilots will be lost.

[Flicker]

Thanks for the responses.

ckammp - now that I know what the manual was talking about, I see that the manual is quite clear:

"The assets of units subject to forced withdrawal are returned to the pilot and aircraft pools. This is not the case for of [sic] units subject to forced disbandment... A unit subject to forced disbandment can be identified by only having the "Disband" option in the unit menu."

I guess I should reread the manual now that I've played the game a bit and learned some of the vocabulary and the circumstances under which the guidance applies...

OSO - thanks for explaining the "P" after the withdrawal date.