44 Air Combat

[trhinz]

Can someone help me understand these combat results? This sort of thing is happening over and over in my game with zuluhour (a great opponent incidentally) in late 43, early 44. The Japanese pilots were not raw recruits. Please see attached screenshot.

Afternoon Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 125 NM, estimated altitude 31,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 42



Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 16
Spitfire VIII x 16
P-40N5 Warhawk x 8


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 9 destroyed

No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 31000 feet

CAP engaged:
No.607 Sqn RAF with Spitfire VIII (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 11 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 26000 , scrambling fighters between 25000 and 36000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
No.615 Sqn RAF with Spitfire Vc Trop (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 11 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 18000 and 37000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
51st FG/25th FS with P-40N5 Warhawk (2 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 31000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes

[Dan Nichols]

Look at the vast difference in aircraft stats:

A KI-43-IIa is no match for a Spitfire VIII

[Fallschirmjager]

I think sweeping at that altitude at long range also causes massive amount of pilot fatigue.
I have also started paying attention to MVR bands. One of the few advantages of the Oscar is it is more maneuverable than most allied fighters. But when you run them at 31,000 feet you are wasting almost every bit of your advantage there.

[CaptBeefheart]

That result doesn't surpise me. IMHO, the Spit VIII is the best point defense fighter in the game. Also, I don't know about your game, but my Allied Burma-theater pilots are always top-notch within a few months.

Also, note that only 19 of your Oscars showed up to the party. His Spit 8s and P-40s were there within the 31-minute warning time. Only some of the Spit 5s were late, and by 4 minutes.

Cheers,
CC

[JocMeister]

Agree with the others. The Oscar is just outclassed by the spitfire.

[JeffroK]

Planes with paper armour v the 20mm Hispano & 50cal Browning.

[moonraker65]

Indeed by 1944 the Oscar was totally outmatched by most Allied fighters of the day. Maybe a few expert pilots flying them might produce better results but quite honestly it's a no contest

[LoBaron]

Well, thats simply the stuff that happens when THIS:




tries to compete with THIS:







Nuff said...

[JocMeister]

Spitfire is an awesome Ale! You can even find it here in Sweden! Love it! [:)]

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Spitfire is an awesome Ale! You can even find it here in Sweden! Love it! [:)]

British beer? No offense but most of what I have tried on the island wasn't really coming close to what I would call beer.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Spitfire is an awesome Ale! You can even find it here in Sweden! Love it! [:)]

British beer? No offense but most of what I have tried on the island wasn't really coming close to what I would call beer.

Woot?! [X(] They make great Ale! Fullers, Spitfire, Hogoblin, Bishops Finger, Newcastle and Old empire to name a few! I havn´t tried any of the british lagers. But all lagers tastes nothing imo!

[Banzan]

ORIGINAL: castor troy


British beer? No offense but most of what I have tried on the island wasn't really coming close to what I would call beer.

+1

A nice name doesn't turn a strange beer into a nice beer. [;)]

[Sardaukar]

As to OP, defending fighters were also staggered at different altitudes (aka "split cap"), which can cause attacker being caught by higher CAP when attacking lower CAP.

[crsutton]

Well, you have already heard enough about the relative merit of the Oscar. In game terms I think that the most critical factor for a fighter is speed, and all three types of Allied fighters are faster than the Oscar. Then you factor in better firepower, armor and obviously a set of unfavorable die rolls and you have a problem. I really don't think maneuver is that important.

At this stage of the war, if I am the Japanese player then I would not use Oscars for sweeps. Put your best pilots in your best planes and use them for sweeps. Use the Oscar to escort bombers and put you average pilots in them. They (Oscars) are going to die anyways and there is no sense squandering top pilots in them.

[LoBaron]

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Spitfire is an awesome Ale! You can even find it here in Sweden! Love it! [:)]

British beer? No offense but most of what I have tried on the island wasn't really coming close to what I would call beer.

Yeah thought this too a long time ago.

But I soon found out that Austrians, as well as Germans (ask Historiker [:D]), are much too proud of their breweries. Theres so much beer around the world
that can easily hold its own, British ale included. Different, maybe, worse, no way.

Funnily best I recently found was in NY while on vacation: an ale called Moose Drool. From a brewery in Montana. A US brewery!
Really nice taste. [X(]

[zuluhour]

Heres the Allied part of the equation:

[TheLoneGunman_MatrixForum]

Well there you have it. Highly experienced pilots flying a vastly superior aircraft means lots of kills with 0 losses.

[Cribtop]

Moose Drool is awesome. Had it on vacation in Whitefish Montana. Same brewery makes a great IPA.

As to the planes, I recall GreyJoy saying Spit VIII and Thuds were his favorite planes against Rader.

[zuluhour]

ps Still a NewCastle man, man I never get tired of it and always use a stone mug.

[TheLoneGunman_MatrixForum]

Oh and since we're also talking beer, I've found a few good brews at a local store that stocks all sorts of goodies from across the pond.