Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

While I wait for my wife to get ready. What questions do you have on the game?

The only questions I have, are the ones I don't know I need to ask. I understand how the game works, the strategy, training, attrition, LBA, China, etc. from the old WitP, what I am unfamiliar with is the updated engine. Understanding will come with time, and mistakes. [8|]

[ny59giants]

I appreciate that. I just typed up a very long post, and lost it all on a time out.

I will re-type in a little bit, I need to start dinner.

I always use the "Post Reply" when doing my AAR. BEFORE hitting the "OK" button to try to post it, hit the "Ctrl+A" to select all the text. Then, double hit the "Ctrl+C" to copy all. I hit it twice to ensure I do copy text. If and when you get the error message, you can pull up a fresh "Post Reply" and just "Ctrl+V" to copy it. All these are just "Word" shortcuts many have been using for years.

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I appreciate that. I just typed up a very long post, and lost it all on a time out.

I will re-type in a little bit, I need to start dinner.

I always use the "Post Reply" when doing my AAR. BEFORE hitting the "OK" button to try to post it, hit the "Ctrl+A" to select all the text. Then, double hit the "Ctrl+C" to copy all. I hit it twice to ensure I do copy text. If and when you get the error message, you can pull up a fresh "Post Reply" and just "Ctrl+V" to copy it. All these are just "Word" shortcuts many have been using for years.

Yes, that would have been nice to do.... Anyway, I am typing it up in word now, and will paste it in when done. Actually I am doing a better job with it than I did before.

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

My grand strategy has three parts: 1) Consolidation, 2) Wait and See, & 3) Annoyance

Essentially I will be playing more conservatively than I normally like to do because of my inexperience with AE – I want to lessen the chances of a catastrophic mistake.

Consolidation:
A) In Burma I will set up some defensive lines, speed bumps if you will, on the roads and trails leading upcountry. Of course I will do large supply dumps in Rangoon, and attempt to make it a fortress. Along with this, I want to build up some airfields north of this to provide support for the place.
B) India will receive air reinforcement via off-map, and LCU’s as I can buy them out. The coast will be fortified.
C) Diego Garcia will have a priority for reinforcements – I want it to be a bastion for defending the off-map wormhole.
D) In China I will be doing a partial Sir Robin as I withdraw strength to defend the industries upcountry in advantageous terrain. The multitude of starving Chinese divisions will be running hither and yon mucking up supply routes, if practicable, and defending selected hexes. Very possibly I will buy out a few Chinese units to join the Burma effort as garrison forces.
E) In the DEI I will attempt a fortress Palembang, if the Allies get the time to do it, it can put a hurting on Japanese expansion.
F) The PI is Dugout Doug’s bailiwick – not much I can do there other than fortify Bataan and slow the advance as much as possible. The place is a write off anyway. However, I will be buying out the B-17’s ASAP and sending them elsewhere. Where I send them will depend on what my worthy opponent does his first turn. I will probably get some transports out also, I will need them for the Burma Road.
G) Oz is going to fortify Perth and to a lesser extent Geraldton. I intend to focus on off-map convoys for Down Under. PM is not going to be a priority.
H) CENTPAC and SOPAC are not going to get a lot of attention from me, although I may do some head fakes like I am going to defend it.
I) NORPAC will REDACTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE AAR'S AUTHOR
J) The US will be keeping engineers as home for the foreseeable future, except for those going to NORPAC, to build up bases there. Considering my lack of experience, it is very possible I will suffer a catastrophe somewhere and need those VP’s to prevent an Auto-victory. (Again thanks to ******** for discussing this in his AAR)
K) The surviving BB’s will be heading to the states for repair and upgrade. Until they get some decent AAA they are nothing more than big slow targets IMO. Eventually they will be tasked for Amphibious Bombardment duties.


Wait and See:
I will, by necessity, be reacting to Skyros’ actions, and when I determine his Schwerpunkt, I will try to come up with a plan. He will have the initiative for a while.


Annoyance:
A) I will be concentrating a great deal on submarine warfare, using the S boats and Dutchies for interdiction where possible.
B) The fleetboats, at least early on, are little more than underwater scouts, so I will use them as such to try to determine what Skyros is up to. I will also be using fleetboats for some limited minelaying in places I don’t think the Japanese will be expecting them.
C) As part of the fleetboat scouting, I want to keep an eye on some out of the way ports, and maybe combined with other intelligence, I can utilize small fast TF’s for quick bombardment strikes. Also, I have an idea for possibly setting some Nell/Betty traps – something to play with. Anyway, taking a page from the Shenandoah campaign, I want to use speed for quick strikes around his perimeter. I will set up some small replenishment bases in places like the Tongas and Cook Islands from which I can base them. Sure I will take losses, but war means fighting, and fighting means killing.

Lastly, Skyros has allowed me to change the orders of my aircraft on the first turn – I just can’t move them, and I just did a little sandboxing. I believe I will be able to really limit the damage I take in aircraft that first turn.


I welcome your comments and suggestions. I have a thick skin, so if you see me being an idiot, please call me out on it!

Thanks!

[geofflambert]

Clearly you don't need a lot of strategy help, but help with game particulars. There is nothing more important than pilot training. Rather than give a primer on it, perhaps you could express what you have in mind and we can point out the weak spots. Be glad to help.

Now immediately critical is that you load up every cargo ship in the DEI immediately with all the fuel they can carry and take it to Perth. If you're lucky, he'll leave you the possibility of going back for another bite from the apple. A contrary consideration is you might think about evacuating the few Dutch units that are unrestricted for later use. You will of course be evacuating Dutch air squadrons (over time, and you should have a lot of that) to Oz or simply withdraw them when the time comes and they'll reappear later in India or Aden.

I reccommend you set up Aukland as your theatre base of operations with some improvements to Wellington and Dunedin in the event of raids that you're not able to deal with. In addition to the fuel coming from the DEI to Oz you will need to get some fuel coming from the WC, as well as fuel from there going to NZ. Pearl is a fuel dump and a place to repair ships. You need to set up some AO TFs to serve as a fueling link to Oz/NZ. These can refuel at Pearl while you supply Pearl with fuel via xAKs from SF. The rendezvous point for these AOL TFs needs to be fixed (if possible) somewhere around Starbuck Island in my view. Keep one TF there with the others waiting for their turn somewhere not too far away, but far enough that if his subs or surface raiders find the rendezvous, your others will escape. Eventually you need to develop Christmas Island as an alternative refuelling point.

You should probably take your CVs to the WC and focus on flight crew training for quite some time. Once you have 4 CVs you may sally forth if you wish, but make sure you have fuel reserves developed at NZ and Oz beforehand.

[witpqs]

1- As a favor to geofflambert, at the earliest opportunity evacuate the dragons from the island of Komodo before they are captured by the enemy. They will evolve into fierce warriors that know how to make plasma torpedoes.

2- Looking at your now 'rear' areas, build forts every place you can. Sydney, Melbourne, Bombay, and on and on. If he goes deep you won't have enough warning when that happens to get it done. And yes, Pearl Harbor too. You have to decide where the boys build airfields or ports instead to support operations, but neglect the forts at your peril.

3- Only build one thing at a time to build it faster. Switch back and forth after achieving levels of building if you wish, but forts 1 + 99% and airfield 1 + 99% and port 1 + 99% is the same as forts 1/airfield 1/port 1.

4- This is the link for the WITP-AE wiki (http://witp-ae.wikia.com/wiki/War_in_the_Pacific:_Admiral%27s_Edition_Wiki). People put various articles in there that you might find helpful. I put up one on surface combat intercepts.

5- Search is darn near everything in the naval side of this game. Search will help your subs kill ships. Search will help your surface intercepts, air attacks, and early warning. And search is very porous in AE - things will slip through undetected. If you want solid search it has to be overlapping from multiple bases. And do use search arcs, you have better chances of seeing things when focusing the search to the needed vectors.

6- FOW is far superior in AE (to WITP), and is even better in the latest Beta (as opposed to the latest official). Rarely you will even have an enemy LCU in the same hex that you don't see yet.

7- I think others mentioned this, but you must focus big time on getting enough fuel and supply forward.

Lots of other stuff, but this should help.

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

1- As a favor to geofflambert, at the earliest opportunity evacuate the dragons from the island of Komodo before they are captured by the enemy. They will evolve into fierce warriors that know how to make plasma torpedoes.

Don't forget those salamanders on Guadalcanal, those things are huge.

I'm in concurrence with witpqs as far as search goes, your 4Es should spend the first year of the war either doing search or for transport missions if necessary.

[ny59giants]

Burma - You will find this area in particular that keeping bases supplied is very difficult. When you pull up a base, you will see the daily max supply pull next to the Supply. Keeping troops supplied in a base once you lose Rangoon will be very difficult.

China - Do a "Sir Robin" for your troops in the clear to the forest/rough/jungle hexes. Japanese LBA will eat up your troops in the clear terrain if you leave them there.

Diego Garcia - You have three brigades afloat along the western coast of India. Decide where they will go very soon.

Port Blair - This base is important early as you will probably need it to shuttle your short legged fighters from Malaya to Burma/India. Beware of a para drop on it in the first few weeks.

Dutch - Even though many of the troops are Restricted (cannot load and ship them out to another place), you can move them via transport planes. Along this line, I would upgrade some of your LBA to the PBY-5s ASAP. I also send down the Chinese air transport plane unit in western China.

Clemson Class DDs - You have them in SRA and Philippines at start. You will have to weigh using them and getting them sunk vs your need to have them to convert to APDs. Unlike Japan, the Allies have limited ships that can carry troops in Fast Transport TFs.

Sydney's Heavy Industry - I and others turn off the HI here to save on fuel. Australia can easily run out of fuel early in war.

Since I have mentioned it before, AE focuses more on ports and their size for many things. All those small xAKL/xAPs that are Dutch are nice to save as they can get in and out of all those many small ports (size 1 or 2) that you will encounter. Some of the small xAKL that are Dutch and in Australia can convert to xAPs. I do so ASAP.

American CVs - What I do is place a 18 plane US Marine fighter unit on each CV as you are short on fighters there until the July '42 upgrade that allows you to resize/expand to 36 fighters. I like having 45 fighters on them even if it is with the old Wildcats. Its called survivability!!

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Clearly you don't need a lot of strategy help, but help with game particulars. There is nothing more important than pilot training. Rather than give a primer on it, perhaps you could express what you have in mind and we can point out the weak spots. Be glad to help.

Can you tell me more about the pilot training? Or give me a link to a thread that does?

I know I only posted a general outline of my intentions, but I am still trying to clarify exactly how I am going to carry it out. I will make more detailed posts as I am working on my first turn. I am pretty good at "X's & O's", but the minutiae is where I tend to get ahead of myself, thus the PBEM as opposed to an AI. Against a human player I am much more focused on the details.

ORIGINAL: witpqs

1- As a favor to geofflambert, at the earliest opportunity evacuate the dragons from the island of Komodo before they are captured by the enemy. They will evolve into fierce warriors that know how to make plasma torpedoes.

2- Looking at your now 'rear' areas, build forts every place you can. Sydney, Melbourne, Bombay, and on and on. If he goes deep you won't have enough warning when that happens to get it done. And yes, Pearl Harbor too. You have to decide where the boys build airfields or ports instead to support operations, but neglect the forts at your peril.

3- Only build one thing at a time to build it faster. Switch back and forth after achieving levels of building if you wish, but forts 1 + 99% and airfield 1 + 99% and port 1 + 99% is the same as forts 1/airfield 1/port 1.

4- This is the link for the WITP-AE wiki (http://witp-ae.wikia.com/wiki/War_in_th ... ition_Wiki). People put various articles in there that you might find helpful. I put up one on surface combat intercepts.

5- Search is darn near everything in the naval side of this game. Search will help your subs kill ships. Search will help your surface intercepts, air attacks, and early warning. And search is very porous in AE - things will slip through undetected. If you want solid search it has to be overlapping from multiple bases. And do use search arcs, you have better chances of seeing things when focusing the search to the needed vectors.

6- FOW is far superior in AE (to WITP), and is even better in the latest Beta (as opposed to the latest official). Rarely you will even have an enemy LCU in the same hex that you don't see yet.

7- I think others mentioned this, but you must focus big time on getting enough fuel and supply forward.

Which LCU's are best for Komodo wrangling? I have heard that the Burmese infantry units are adept at that.

Some of that I have heard from others. I do like the advice of concentrating builds one at a time at a base. Your comments about search and FOW has been duly noted. That strikes me as a key point worth concentrating on, and I will. After this post I will be heading over to the Wiki. Thanks

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Burma - You will find this area in particular that keeping bases supplied is very difficult. When you pull up a base, you will see the daily max supply pull next to the Supply. Keeping troops supplied in a base once you lose Rangoon will be very difficult.

China - Do a "Sir Robin" for your troops in the clear to the forest/rough/jungle hexes. Japanese LBA will eat up your troops in the clear terrain if you leave them there.

Diego Garcia - You have three brigades afloat along the western coast of India. Decide where they will go very soon.

Port Blair - This base is important early as you will probably need it to shuttle your short legged fighters from Malaya to Burma/India. Beware of a para drop on it in the first few weeks.

Dutch - Even though many of the troops are Restricted (cannot load and ship them out to another place), you can move them via transport planes. Along this line, I would upgrade some of your LBA to the PBY-5s ASAP. I also send down the Chinese air transport plane unit in western China.

Clemson Class DDs - You have them in SRA and Philippines at start. You will have to weigh using them and getting them sunk vs your need to have them to convert to APDs. Unlike Japan, the Allies have limited ships that can carry troops in Fast Transport TFs.

Sydney's Heavy Industry - I and others turn off the HI here to save on fuel. Australia can easily run out of fuel early in war.

Since I have mentioned it before, AE focuses more on ports and their size for many things. All those small xAKL/xAPs that are Dutch are nice to save as they can get in and out of all those many small ports (size 1 or 2) that you will encounter. Some of the small xAKL that are Dutch and in Australia can convert to xAPs. I do so ASAP.

American CVs - What I do is place a 18 plane US Marine fighter unit on each CV as you are short on fighters there until the July '42 upgrade that allows you to resize/expand to 36 fighters. I like having 45 fighters on them even if it is with the old Wildcats. Its called survivability!!

Nice tips. I printed that out. Question about the Marine F4F's. Doesnt that get into the carrier "capable" vs. "trained" thing? Are the Jarheads bright enough for that?

[ny59giants]

Your Marine fighters on your CVs will go from capable to trained in 3 months. You don't suffer much from op losses while they train up.

CV Lex and Yorktown - I usually head them NW at start for a few days to pick up the fighters from Wake (recombine them with the rest at Pearl eventually and keep on that CV). I like to have one TF follow the other so you don't get surprised. You may surprise your opponent by flying off the old Devastators and base hop to the SRA. They only need a size 2 AF and they can wreck havoc on any non-LRCAP transport TF due to their range and payload.

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Your Marine fighters on your CVs will go from capable to trained in 3 months. You don't suffer much from op losses while they train up.

CV Lex and Yorktown - I usually head them NW at start for a few days to pick up the fighters from Wake (recombine them with the rest at Pearl eventually and keep on that CV). I like to have one TF follow the other so you don't get surprised. You may surprise your opponent by flying off the old Devastators and base hop to the SRA. They only need a size 2 AF and they can wreck havoc on any non-LRCAP transport TF due to their range and payload.

Good idea with those TBD's. They are sure worthless sitting on a carrier. Question about running towards Wake for the F4F's, wouldn't that put me in range of LBA from the Marshall's? It seems like a big risk for small gain.

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

This is kind of funny to me. We are on page 2 of my AAR, and I haven't even received the first turn yet. [X(]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Your Marine fighters on your CVs will go from capable to trained in 3 months. You don't suffer much from op losses while they train up.

CV Lex and Yorktown - I usually head them NW at start for a few days to pick up the fighters from Wake (recombine them with the rest at Pearl eventually and keep on that CV). I like to have one TF follow the other so you don't get surprised. You may surprise your opponent by flying off the old Devastators and base hop to the SRA. They only need a size 2 AF and they can wreck havoc on any non-LRCAP transport TF due to their range and payload.

Devastators? A short-range torpedo plane?
I have heard this advice in regards the Banshees which have a very good transfer range but need an intermediate stop to get to Aus from PH. Some players use the CVs as a temporary airfield on their hops SW.

A lot of players do swap the Devastators onto land in exchange for fighters, such as the Buffalos at Midway. It isn't a great fighter but can be the sacrificial escort to a strike while the Wildcats protect your CVs.

[ny59giants]

Sorry, got my obsolete airframes mixed up. [:D]
She can reach Canton Island right away and then get over to Australia and beyond in a few more days. Oops!!
A second group is at Eastern USA which can head for San Fran or head them over to Cape Town. This group has 5 extra airframes which you can pull back into the pool.
Here is what I meant....

[ny59giants]

OK, one more short post that you can think on. How aggressive do you want to be with CV Lexington and Yorktown?? I've sent them both together to go above Wake Island to the west and then come south between Truk and Kwajalien before heading to Townsville and then the SRA. There are no Zeros and only some Jakes (FPs with max range of 10) in this area. Thus, you have two choices if you go this way.

1) Slide down just to east of Truk (11 hexes) and then make your way to Australia to refuel. Options are then to surprise a non-KB supported invasion of Rabaul OR my preference is to pop up in SRA and seriously hit an invasions somewhere. This is a good choice if your opponent lingers around Pearl for extra days. Also, in a non-historical turn 1 in which Japan does send all 6 CVs there.

2) Strike at the shipping at Truk before heading south. Besides sinking transports, you may get a chance at the 4 older CAs. However, KB may go hunting for you aggressively if he has not stayed at Pearl. But, a lack of shipping will postpone any moves south of Truk.

I would ensure that 2 PBY groups are at Midway and Johnson to watch KB leave.

This move is out side of normal, but does have some benefits. [;)]

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

OK, one more short post that you can think on. How aggressive do you want to be with CV Lexington and Yorktown?? I've sent them both together to go above Wake Island to the west and then come south between Truk and Kwajalien before heading to Townsville and then the SRA. There are no Zeros and only some Jakes (FPs with max range of 10) in this area. Thus, you have two choices if you go this way.

1) Slide down just to east of Truk (11 hexes) and then make your way to Australia to refuel. Options are then to surprise a non-KB supported invasion of Rabaul OR my preference is to pop up in SRA and seriously hit an invasions somewhere. This is a good choice if your opponent lingers around Pearl for extra days. Also, in a non-historical turn 1 in which Japan does send all 6 CVs there.

2) Strike at the shipping at Truk before heading south. Besides sinking transports, you may get a chance at the 4 older CAs. However, KB may go hunting for you aggressively if he has not stayed at Pearl. But, a lack of shipping will postpone any moves south of Truk.

I would ensure that 2 PBY groups are at Midway and Johnson to watch KB leave.

This move is out side of normal, but does have some benefits. [;)]

This thought process falls in line with my intentions:
First of all, Skyros has zero idea of what to expect from me, and is probably thinking I am going to play with the old WitP scripts. With this in mind, I DO intend to make a quick initial raid(s) with my carriers based on his first turn, and then retire them to wait training, upgrades, etc. I want him thinking that I am capable of doing the unexpected, and possibly something really stupid. I hope this will cause him to beef up LBA and Patrol planes in CENTPAC, because I will be effectively vacating it. I don't mind running the CV's full out for a while because the SYS damage will be irrelevant with my plans. I will be sending AO's full speed Southwest (EDIT: AND from OZ in case I have to retreat that direction) to meet the CV's on their return. If he chases me, fine. I will be running towards re-supply and he will be running away from it.

[Lokasenna]

Looking forward to lurking here. I'm only on Turn 6 of my own Allies PBEM and will be looking to compare our moves...

Happy playing -

[topeverest]

I'm in and will try to follow. good luck admiral from someone who usually plays allies.

I personally favor active defenses, setting up early naval ambushes. they are so very worth the attritional losses you will receive

One easy one at the start is to aggregate the 3CA and 4CL between Fiji, NZ, Johnston and NG. Push CV's and strip a few dd's towards Tarawa. You will be able to smash any invasion either by air or naval.

Alternately, with a bit more risky behavior, move same forces to New Britain island and counterpulse the push to Rabaul. You can slow that invasion up considerably and probably save Port Moresby for early marching towards Tokyo.

DEI is tailor made for counterpulse invasions. Dump your fleet into a few ports nearby likely targets but behind your lines where tough to spot, and strike as soon as he moves on them. Very frustrating for empire when you do this. Make the empire feel has to escort all attacks with carriers.. be sure to pick good squadron and ship commanders.

Don't forget DD's and Pt's in and around Luzon can wreak havoc. You will eventually lose most of them, but not before you exact a tall toll.

reinforce Fiji and Oz

Start planning your first invasion now! You can do a big one by February.

[CaptBeefheart]

In terms of logistics, I find setting up an East Coast to Cape Town supply run, with a Cape Town to Perth run (or safer Oz port such as Adelaide if necessary), works great and allows you to scoff at any deep SoPac incursions. Also, you can either do fuel on the same route or do Abadan to Karachi and then Karachi to Cape Town. That's healthier than Karachi to Perth, which is much more vulnerable to Indian Ocean interdiction. By the way, hat tip to the Moose for these ideas.

EDIT: Grammar.

Cheers,
CC

[geofflambert]

Here’s some training tips:

First off switch all the Seagulls off of your cruisers and BBs for Kingfishers. Any additional squadrons of Kingfishers you get should be switched to Seagulls, thus putting the Kfs in the pool as replacements and using the Sgs as trainers. Remember to keep making these upgrades every time a cruiser/BB enters a major port.

Before I get around to those training tips, take my advice and fly the P-40’s and B-17’s out of the Phillipines to Oz. The P-40s will have to make several hops. Do this immediately before it’s too late. You will be in desperate need of those fighters and may use them for a while at Port Moresby. You will badly need those B-17’s as search planes.

The Seagull (and Kingfisher) squadrons can be used to train in escort. Early on you badly need Navy/Marine fighter pilots more than anything else. You will have to remember when you finish training them in air (combat) they will be going into the Patrol Reserve and you will have to look for them there when you put them onto active squadrons. Do not put them on Catalinas. Only train N/M fighter pilots in air, don’t bother with ground attack or naval attack or anything else, EVER. Take my advice and don’t bother attacking enemy airfields with your carrier planes, they will be poor at it and you will lose a lot of pilots you can’t afford to lose. When in the presence of the enemy keep everything on Naval Attack/Escort with some doing some Search/Recon/ASW as needed. Enemy ships of any type are too valuable not to attack. If you must do a port attack, do it once and get everything back to protecting your carriers (troop ships etc.) from both air attack from the land or the sea, and from enemy surface squadrons. If you must put your carriers in range of Bettys, give them something else to chew on such as a surface squadron.

Once you have sufficient N/M fighter pilot reserves (trained to 70 or better in air combat) switch the float planes to training other types. The float planes can train pilots in anything you want (except torpedo attack). Your greatest early need will be Naval Search as your DB pilots must be proficient in that and you’ll also need Catalina pilots. Now, just keep in mind that Catalinas can carry torpedoes and you can use them to train in torpedo attack (as well as actually attacking ships). When your PBYs are being used to search, though, always set them to use bombs, as they need those to attack subs and they can’t carry torps to their full search range anyway. Much of the time there won’t be any torps available where they are based anyhow, but if you’re using them to train in torpedo attack, set them to use torps (they won’t train unless you do) regardless of whether torps are available or in fact the base you are using is inland, they’ll train just dandy anyway even if “use torpedoes” is in red. You can train any type of aircraft in Naval Search, ASW and the various types of Naval Attack at an inland base nowhere near water. I don’t actually know if you can base pure float planes (PBY4 & 5 but not 5A) inland where there’s no river, never tried it.

Most of the time your training squadrons should be set to 100% train with the range set to zero. Also, always keep the maximum number of pilots in each group whether they are training or active.

Following is a list of N/M aircraft types and the types of training required for them in the order of priority. Early on you won’t be able to afford to train in ASW but later on get those TB pilots trained in it. All training should be done to level 70, if possible.

F – Air

DB – Naval Bombing, Naval Search, Recon (maybe)

TB – Naval Torpedo, Naval Bombing, ASW (later)

FP – Naval Search, ASW, Recon, Transport (maybe) Catalinas make excellent transport planes and you will be using them to move MAG headquarters from island to island. MAGs have no heavy equipment but will keep torpedo inventory (air only) for you taken from your supply level. Invaluable units.

TR – Transport - train these up good, all the way to 70 and beyond, these are the planes you will eventually be using to drop Marine paratroops. Do not do drops with untrained crews.

Rec – Recon – eventually you’ll get some Navy Liberator recon planes. These are outstanding. Have some pilots trained up on recon (use FPs) and ready to go when these planes arrive. They will come with some crews trained to 50 or so. Take these off and train them up to 70 while replacing them with your well-trained crews.

Remember that your US N/M crews and USAAF crews are kept in a separate pools and you cannot move them from one to the other. All other nationalities have only one pool each.

You will have great difficulty keeping enough good TB crews. Remember to never use TB training squadrons to train for anything other than Naval Torpedo attack. Train your TB crews in Naval Bombing and ASW on DBs and FPs. When they reach 70 put them back into the pool and when a spot opens in a TB training squadron, hunt them up for that. Remember they very much need to be proficient in Naval Bombing for those occasions when the target is out of torpedo range or your carrier runs out of torpedo inventory.

I’m going to take a break now and will return with tips on USAAF and other nationality air crews.