One really important thing!!!!! First thing you do- go to all the land based squadrons screen and switch off all upgrades. Do this on the sea based screen as well. Never let the computer decide what to upgrade to or when. It's almost always wrong. It will cost you pol points to upgrade to something else some of the time, but it's well worth it... which brings us to another topic.
Early on you will be desperate for every little political point you can scrounge up. Eventually you'll have plenty. When you are called upon to withdraw squadrons, oftentimes you will be awarded pol pts. Actually it will offer you those pts. Later on when you don't need them so badly, refuse them - that way the pilots and planes will go to the pools instead of you losing them to the ETO. So when it says get xx pol pts for withdrawing the squadron, click NO, it will then ask if you wish to send the pilots and planes to the pools - click YES.
Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
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geofflambert
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
Further on Pilot Training, wneumann has done a series of very detailed posts for training every type of mission. This includes stuff like transition from training squadrons to front line units and further training missions there.
The posts are scattered through his very detailed AAR, but you can find them by searching for "pilot training" with wneumann as author. The first couple are here:
tm.asp?m=2462965&mpage=26&key=pilot%2Ctraining&#
The posts are scattered through his very detailed AAR, but you can find them by searching for "pilot training" with wneumann as author. The first couple are here:
tm.asp?m=2462965&mpage=26&key=pilot%2Ctraining&#
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
One addition to geofflambert's advice on pilot training:
Survival [Defensive] is a vital skill to learn, especially early on when plane and pilot pools are low and you need to "bring 'em back alive"!
The fastest way to train defensive skill is to fly very low-level missions. I put my fighter pilots on a couple of weeks of "Strafe" training @ 100 feet or "Low Ground" at 1000 feet to build the skill. Air Combat skill does not seem to build as fast if you fly it low level, so I do not use that.
All the other skill training can be done at 1000 feet too and build Defensive Skill. This will put your bomber pilots in Low Naval or Low Ground mode for a while, but worth the time it takes. When they have Defensive skills in the 60's, switch them to 5000 feet to train in NavB or GroundB, while gaining further defensive skills more slowly.
Survival [Defensive] is a vital skill to learn, especially early on when plane and pilot pools are low and you need to "bring 'em back alive"!
The fastest way to train defensive skill is to fly very low-level missions. I put my fighter pilots on a couple of weeks of "Strafe" training @ 100 feet or "Low Ground" at 1000 feet to build the skill. Air Combat skill does not seem to build as fast if you fly it low level, so I do not use that.
All the other skill training can be done at 1000 feet too and build Defensive Skill. This will put your bomber pilots in Low Naval or Low Ground mode for a while, but worth the time it takes. When they have Defensive skills in the 60's, switch them to 5000 feet to train in NavB or GroundB, while gaining further defensive skills more slowly.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
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geofflambert
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geofflambert
- Posts: 14887
- Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2010 2:18 pm
- Location: St. Louis
RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
I neglected to say that all search planes (whether army or navy) of any type will attack submarines and ships when the opportunity arises, so search air crews will always benefit from ASW and Naval Bombing training.
On searching, I like to have overlapping search fields whenever possible, and in such cases sometimes mix it up a bit as far as altitude goes. Normally most players use 6k feet but on clear days I suspect a higher altitude may improve detection, say 15k or higher. On cloudy, rainy or stormy days you better stick to 6k though.
Back to turning upgrades off, in one of my games I just had a carrier squadron on board the Hornet upgrade to Liberators. Boy was I p***ed off. Good thing I was in port. Whenever you manually upgrade a squadron, it will automatically provide an upgrade path to another model (usually) with upgrade ON. Automatically manually turn it back OFF.
On TRACOM, put pilots there only for safekeeping. Their effect on training is negligible. You want to save them up for use on your best fighters (usually) for special operations sometimes. Otherwise, once you have the luxury to, put them back in training squadrons to get even better. Don’t just leave them at the front to get killed when a 70 level pilot will do.
Whenever you have a squadron go from training to active duty, do not forget to reset the range from zero (if appropriate). I can’t count on my fingers how many times (even in base 2) I’ve messed that up and wondered why my planes aren’t getting their missions done.
Now, on to the USAAF
First, for the first year of the war perhaps, you will need to train bomber crews to do Naval Search as you will have nowhere near enough Navy planes for the job. You may need to use them for transport on occasion, but do not train them for it. The Army is going to have to do the bulk of the ASW protection for ports, so get some training in that too. Initially keep ASW trained crews separate from Search crews as you will dedicate squadrons to one or the other. Eventually merge these crews (cross train them) since search planes do attack subs when they see them. Don’t use those Bolos for anything other than training. It’s less efficient to train with squadrons that do not have a full complement of aircraft, but in the end I think you’re better off with more squadrons training with the maximum number of pilots even so. You should have a minimum of 1/3 of your air fleets training, ½ is better.
Another general note on training, if you have a wide range of skill levels, only the lowest skill level pilots may train, and the higher ones stagnate. Try and keep the range to 10% if possible. If you have a squadron in the sixties and you’re graduating each of them that reaches 70 to the pools, try and replace them with pilots in the 60’s or 50’s if you must so that everyone is training together. As a matter of course you will have stray pilots in the pools who are not trained to 70 but are not rookies either, due to releases to the pools because of withdrawals and taking training squadrons active.
Eventually you will have a hard time coming up with enough bomber pilots trained well in Ground Attack you may have to field units with scores in the 60s. The crews that survive will have their scores improve through experience. Once the Navy takes over more of the Search/Recon functions you will have more bombers available to training squadrons and for other duties. I usually use Havocs, Marauders and some of the B-25s to handle the ASW work. You will find the HE bombers too valuable to use in training squadrons and the B-25s are not as durable so try to use as many of those as you can for training. Once you have a large pool of fighter pilots, you can start using fighter training squadrons to train bomber crews.
You will start out with some squadrons of single engine recon planes that aren’t worth a crap but use them to train recon crews who you will absolutely need once you start getting your Lightning recon squadrons and you’re going on the offensive. Use those carefully as you will not receive replacement planes for the ones you’ll lose.
Fighter pilots: eventually you will want to train them in strafing and low Ground but it’s not a high priority and you should only use them that way very carefully. Whatever damage they do will not make up for the losses you suffer if the target has significant flak. Plus, they’ll be plenty busy fighting other fighters and bombers.
Fighter operations early in the war – If at all possible, keep your fighters doing CAP over their home base with a range setting of zero. Your cockpits are armored and your pilots’ chances of surviving shoot down and not being captured are much better over territory you control. It’ll be a long time before you have a sufficiently large fighter force, either in terms of pilots or aircraft, to take any risks. Sometimes you’ll just have to stand them down to stop the attrition.
Following I will summarize the training priorities, but to clarify something, I don’t mean to say don’t train any bomber crews in Ground Bombing, you want to have some training and opportunities will arise where you will need them. They will be very good for Airfield attacks and for Port attacks. Note that Port attacks are considered ground attacks and the Airfield/Ground attack training level applies. If the enemy leaves ships disbanded in port within range of your bombers, he will regret it. As for attacking LCU’s, unless they’re in clear , rough, desert, cultivated or developed hexes, I don’t think it’s worth it. Attacking them in forest, jungle, mountain or base hexes (usually) will yield poor results.
F – Air Combat, Strafe, Low G
LB – Naval Search, ASW, Ground Bombing, Recon *when I use LB I mean level bombers, not light.
2E LBs – add Naval Bombing
DBs – Naval bombing only. You’ll have some Banshees early but by the time you get pilots sufficiently trained on them, you’ll have to withdraw them. Eventually you’ll get some more (6/43) and they can be devastating when defending a forward port.
TR – Your crews will have to learn by doing, you never get enough of them and you’ll mostly need them flying supplies into China and at times Burma. Late in the war you may want them for para drops so train up some crews later, or leave it to the Marines to handle.
RC – Recon. Don’t use these planes for anything else (like search). Much too valuable.
Many players use a house rule of no 4E bombing below 10k, (in your case Naval Bombing) and I’m OK with that, it’s largely historical but not completely, and some feel the game is borked if you use them lower. Of course you can do search and recon and transport and anything else at whatever altitude turns you on.
I’ll take another break, and when I return I’ll handle the other nationalities.
On searching, I like to have overlapping search fields whenever possible, and in such cases sometimes mix it up a bit as far as altitude goes. Normally most players use 6k feet but on clear days I suspect a higher altitude may improve detection, say 15k or higher. On cloudy, rainy or stormy days you better stick to 6k though.
Back to turning upgrades off, in one of my games I just had a carrier squadron on board the Hornet upgrade to Liberators. Boy was I p***ed off. Good thing I was in port. Whenever you manually upgrade a squadron, it will automatically provide an upgrade path to another model (usually) with upgrade ON. Automatically manually turn it back OFF.
On TRACOM, put pilots there only for safekeeping. Their effect on training is negligible. You want to save them up for use on your best fighters (usually) for special operations sometimes. Otherwise, once you have the luxury to, put them back in training squadrons to get even better. Don’t just leave them at the front to get killed when a 70 level pilot will do.
Whenever you have a squadron go from training to active duty, do not forget to reset the range from zero (if appropriate). I can’t count on my fingers how many times (even in base 2) I’ve messed that up and wondered why my planes aren’t getting their missions done.
Now, on to the USAAF
First, for the first year of the war perhaps, you will need to train bomber crews to do Naval Search as you will have nowhere near enough Navy planes for the job. You may need to use them for transport on occasion, but do not train them for it. The Army is going to have to do the bulk of the ASW protection for ports, so get some training in that too. Initially keep ASW trained crews separate from Search crews as you will dedicate squadrons to one or the other. Eventually merge these crews (cross train them) since search planes do attack subs when they see them. Don’t use those Bolos for anything other than training. It’s less efficient to train with squadrons that do not have a full complement of aircraft, but in the end I think you’re better off with more squadrons training with the maximum number of pilots even so. You should have a minimum of 1/3 of your air fleets training, ½ is better.
Another general note on training, if you have a wide range of skill levels, only the lowest skill level pilots may train, and the higher ones stagnate. Try and keep the range to 10% if possible. If you have a squadron in the sixties and you’re graduating each of them that reaches 70 to the pools, try and replace them with pilots in the 60’s or 50’s if you must so that everyone is training together. As a matter of course you will have stray pilots in the pools who are not trained to 70 but are not rookies either, due to releases to the pools because of withdrawals and taking training squadrons active.
Eventually you will have a hard time coming up with enough bomber pilots trained well in Ground Attack you may have to field units with scores in the 60s. The crews that survive will have their scores improve through experience. Once the Navy takes over more of the Search/Recon functions you will have more bombers available to training squadrons and for other duties. I usually use Havocs, Marauders and some of the B-25s to handle the ASW work. You will find the HE bombers too valuable to use in training squadrons and the B-25s are not as durable so try to use as many of those as you can for training. Once you have a large pool of fighter pilots, you can start using fighter training squadrons to train bomber crews.
You will start out with some squadrons of single engine recon planes that aren’t worth a crap but use them to train recon crews who you will absolutely need once you start getting your Lightning recon squadrons and you’re going on the offensive. Use those carefully as you will not receive replacement planes for the ones you’ll lose.
Fighter pilots: eventually you will want to train them in strafing and low Ground but it’s not a high priority and you should only use them that way very carefully. Whatever damage they do will not make up for the losses you suffer if the target has significant flak. Plus, they’ll be plenty busy fighting other fighters and bombers.
Fighter operations early in the war – If at all possible, keep your fighters doing CAP over their home base with a range setting of zero. Your cockpits are armored and your pilots’ chances of surviving shoot down and not being captured are much better over territory you control. It’ll be a long time before you have a sufficiently large fighter force, either in terms of pilots or aircraft, to take any risks. Sometimes you’ll just have to stand them down to stop the attrition.
Following I will summarize the training priorities, but to clarify something, I don’t mean to say don’t train any bomber crews in Ground Bombing, you want to have some training and opportunities will arise where you will need them. They will be very good for Airfield attacks and for Port attacks. Note that Port attacks are considered ground attacks and the Airfield/Ground attack training level applies. If the enemy leaves ships disbanded in port within range of your bombers, he will regret it. As for attacking LCU’s, unless they’re in clear , rough, desert, cultivated or developed hexes, I don’t think it’s worth it. Attacking them in forest, jungle, mountain or base hexes (usually) will yield poor results.
F – Air Combat, Strafe, Low G
LB – Naval Search, ASW, Ground Bombing, Recon *when I use LB I mean level bombers, not light.
2E LBs – add Naval Bombing
DBs – Naval bombing only. You’ll have some Banshees early but by the time you get pilots sufficiently trained on them, you’ll have to withdraw them. Eventually you’ll get some more (6/43) and they can be devastating when defending a forward port.
TR – Your crews will have to learn by doing, you never get enough of them and you’ll mostly need them flying supplies into China and at times Burma. Late in the war you may want them for para drops so train up some crews later, or leave it to the Marines to handle.
RC – Recon. Don’t use these planes for anything else (like search). Much too valuable.
Many players use a house rule of no 4E bombing below 10k, (in your case Naval Bombing) and I’m OK with that, it’s largely historical but not completely, and some feel the game is borked if you use them lower. Of course you can do search and recon and transport and anything else at whatever altitude turns you on.
I’ll take another break, and when I return I’ll handle the other nationalities.
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geofflambert
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
Before I get back to the tips, remove the Royal Navy HQ from Columbo and ship it to Karachi. You will not be using Columbo as a major base unless you want it to be a carrier raid magnet and get your stuff sunk. Karachi will be receiving troop shipments from Aden and Cape Town as well as aircraft transports and will need that naval support to unload them quickly. You may be vulnerable to carrier raids or from surface flotillas and raiders whilst unloading, so load them in the first place in amphibious mode. You'll also be receiving millions of tons of fuel at Karachi (from Abadan) but the naval support will not help there except to get the troop ships unloaded and out of the way quicker. Increase the port sizes at both Abadan and Karachi to increase volume and speed.
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geofflambert
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
RAAF training
I am continuously stunned at both the size and quality of the Australian forces, both land, sea and air. For such a small population it’s amazing. Oz has also been historically the US’s most reliable ally, not the UK or Canada. One area they are lacking in though is engineers and the Allied player needs to get the US engineers to the Coral Sea theatre as well as the India/Burma theatre as quickly as possible.
Wirraways – These aircraft are not much good for anything other than training. Eventually you will upgrade these squadrons to better planes. I suggest using them to train in the categories that will take the best advantage of the aircraft types you will be getting later. There are two very valuable types you will be getting plenty of: first the Vengeance. This is a dive bomber who should be tasked primarily or exclusively for Naval Bombing. I don’t like putting Aussie crews in high attrition jobs unless the target value is very high and the crew and the aircraft are exceptional in that type of mission. Vengeances are great for protecting ports, straits (as between Oz and New Guinea, or at Finschaven) and for blockading nearby enemy ports (as in the SE New Guinea area). Next is the Beaufort. A wonderful plane. It carries torpedoes (the Brit version V does not) so it is useful in the same way as the Vengeance, but has longer legs. I recommend you use your Wirraways mainly to train for Naval Bombing and Naval Torpedo and ASW. Remember to have your future Beaufort VIII crews trained in both NavB and NavT.
You may wish to have some Wirraway pilots trained in LowN and based at Port Moresby to attack cargo and troop ships coming in to Buin, Lae etc., but if you send them against warships they’ll just get shot down.
Fighters – I recommend you use your Aussie fighters for base protection and perhaps ground attack but no escorting. The Spitfires you will eventually get are too short ranged for anything else anyway. The Beaufighters should probably just be used to train fighter pilots at first, but later you will want to use them as attack planes because of their tremendous firepower. LowG and Strafe are appropriate.
Bombers – I generally use the Hudsons mainly for Naval Search. They don’t seem to make very good bombers, though you probably should use some of them for ASW work. Train up some extra searchers for when you get your Empires and Catalinas. I wouldn’t use bombers for airfield suppression because of the attrition rate (leave that to the Americans) but one shot port attacks may be worthwhile, so train some for Ground Bombing. Ansons I just use for training or for ASW work.
Transports – the Dragons and the Lodestars are too short ranged to be of much use, but you could use your Hudsons, Empires and Catalinas in that role so go ahead and train up some transport crews with them. Otherwise use them for general training.
New Zealand
Most everything same as RAAF except:
Vildebeests –torpedo planes, you know what to do with them, but they probably won’t see much action so you might use them for ASW. Do train up some TB crews for when you get your Avenger squadron.
Vincents – trainers mostly, you may want to help with that Avenger squadron by training in NavB and ASW, and in the meantime use them for ASW. Train up some in NavB and NavSearch for the Dauntless squadron you will be getting.
Fighters – train, train, train. You will be getting quite a few very nice fighters in the future, many carrier trained so build up a good pool of them.
Filipinos
You’ve got one fighter squadron and one recon squadron. Neither can escape conventionally as they are restricted. Even if you could escape with the fighters, they will never be issued better planes than the P-35s they have, which are total crap. The Beech recon planes are nice, you might try withdrawing them at the last minute and they might return somewhere like the US or Oz in 60 days, I don’t actually know.
Dutch
Some of the planes can fly to Australia, but I believe they can never leave there once they do. The rest can escape by withdrawing at the last minute and they will reappear at Aden if there are no suitable bases left in the DEI. Be sure to load up on recruits by sending all the trained pilots to the pools and putting in all the recruits you can before withdrawal, because you won’t get any replacements after the DEI falls until you retake it. Only train the pilots for the planes they have and for low attrition missions as there will be no replacements. The fighters can protect rear area bases. You can use the rest for recon, search and ASW and maybe a little transporting.
Now you Japanese players who shouldn’t be reading this anyway (tsk, tsk) [:-] can try to mess them up by leaving a DEI base open where they can return and do little harm. Very gamey though. [:-]
India
In this theatre, both for Indian, US and UK squadrons, replacement planes come very slowly for some reason and often you have to place them in Calcutta to get any replacements or to upgrade the squadron. I don’t know why this is or if I’ve been doing something wrong there. The US is very active in this theatre, but mainly USAAF and some Navy. I don’t like putting Marines (either LCUs or air) there, but restrict them to the Pacific. Otherwise you very much need to send to this theatre engineers of every kind (except combat, which the US never has an excess of) including units that provide air support and naval support as well as construction engineers. I also recommend sending a lot of US Army troops there as they will just be sitting on their hands otherwise. You won’t have enough support to be making amphib landings in the Pacific every week and just won’t need them til you reach the Phillipines. All of the Marines and a roughly equal amount of Army troops will be all you need there in the early going. You also need to send most of your transports there (not the Marine ones though), more fighters than arrive there anyway but you should be ok with the amount of bombers scheduled to go there. You may want to fly some B-17s there early on from Oz to help out with Naval Searching, but just a few, and probably the sqds scheduled to withdraw before long.
Wapitis, Audaxes and Lysanders – basically trainers, they can do everything except air combat and torpedo attack. Upgrade to better planes ASAP. The IAF can draw some models from the Brit pools but also get some of their own. Look ahead at what you think you will need and train for that. I would recommend fighters when allowed. Also, the Brits need most of the planes in their pools, so consider that as well.
Britain
Pretty straightforward, but you will need a lot of sqds training fighter pilots. The air war over Burma gets very intense early. The RAF handles both land based and carrier based units, and the pilots interchange, but I would suggest you use the carrier trained squadrons to train pilots for land based squadrons, and save your carrier capable aircraft for the time when you get some real carrier capacity, which is a long way in the future.
China
Pretty simple. You won’t be using your bombers for anything other than transport and training. The important thing is to train fighter pilots. You can use the bombers to do general training, so they’re better than raw recruits as future fighter trainees. Do some of this at 1,000 feet altitude. Do Not use your Soviet planes in combat. Use them to train fighter pilots only. Eventually you will get some nice fighter planes from the US and you need your fighter pilots to be ready for them. Use them wisely.
That’s all folks.
I left out Canada, but there's not much to that. Have them defend the Pacific Northwest.
I am continuously stunned at both the size and quality of the Australian forces, both land, sea and air. For such a small population it’s amazing. Oz has also been historically the US’s most reliable ally, not the UK or Canada. One area they are lacking in though is engineers and the Allied player needs to get the US engineers to the Coral Sea theatre as well as the India/Burma theatre as quickly as possible.
Wirraways – These aircraft are not much good for anything other than training. Eventually you will upgrade these squadrons to better planes. I suggest using them to train in the categories that will take the best advantage of the aircraft types you will be getting later. There are two very valuable types you will be getting plenty of: first the Vengeance. This is a dive bomber who should be tasked primarily or exclusively for Naval Bombing. I don’t like putting Aussie crews in high attrition jobs unless the target value is very high and the crew and the aircraft are exceptional in that type of mission. Vengeances are great for protecting ports, straits (as between Oz and New Guinea, or at Finschaven) and for blockading nearby enemy ports (as in the SE New Guinea area). Next is the Beaufort. A wonderful plane. It carries torpedoes (the Brit version V does not) so it is useful in the same way as the Vengeance, but has longer legs. I recommend you use your Wirraways mainly to train for Naval Bombing and Naval Torpedo and ASW. Remember to have your future Beaufort VIII crews trained in both NavB and NavT.
You may wish to have some Wirraway pilots trained in LowN and based at Port Moresby to attack cargo and troop ships coming in to Buin, Lae etc., but if you send them against warships they’ll just get shot down.
Fighters – I recommend you use your Aussie fighters for base protection and perhaps ground attack but no escorting. The Spitfires you will eventually get are too short ranged for anything else anyway. The Beaufighters should probably just be used to train fighter pilots at first, but later you will want to use them as attack planes because of their tremendous firepower. LowG and Strafe are appropriate.
Bombers – I generally use the Hudsons mainly for Naval Search. They don’t seem to make very good bombers, though you probably should use some of them for ASW work. Train up some extra searchers for when you get your Empires and Catalinas. I wouldn’t use bombers for airfield suppression because of the attrition rate (leave that to the Americans) but one shot port attacks may be worthwhile, so train some for Ground Bombing. Ansons I just use for training or for ASW work.
Transports – the Dragons and the Lodestars are too short ranged to be of much use, but you could use your Hudsons, Empires and Catalinas in that role so go ahead and train up some transport crews with them. Otherwise use them for general training.
New Zealand
Most everything same as RAAF except:
Vildebeests –torpedo planes, you know what to do with them, but they probably won’t see much action so you might use them for ASW. Do train up some TB crews for when you get your Avenger squadron.
Vincents – trainers mostly, you may want to help with that Avenger squadron by training in NavB and ASW, and in the meantime use them for ASW. Train up some in NavB and NavSearch for the Dauntless squadron you will be getting.
Fighters – train, train, train. You will be getting quite a few very nice fighters in the future, many carrier trained so build up a good pool of them.
Filipinos
You’ve got one fighter squadron and one recon squadron. Neither can escape conventionally as they are restricted. Even if you could escape with the fighters, they will never be issued better planes than the P-35s they have, which are total crap. The Beech recon planes are nice, you might try withdrawing them at the last minute and they might return somewhere like the US or Oz in 60 days, I don’t actually know.
Dutch
Some of the planes can fly to Australia, but I believe they can never leave there once they do. The rest can escape by withdrawing at the last minute and they will reappear at Aden if there are no suitable bases left in the DEI. Be sure to load up on recruits by sending all the trained pilots to the pools and putting in all the recruits you can before withdrawal, because you won’t get any replacements after the DEI falls until you retake it. Only train the pilots for the planes they have and for low attrition missions as there will be no replacements. The fighters can protect rear area bases. You can use the rest for recon, search and ASW and maybe a little transporting.
Now you Japanese players who shouldn’t be reading this anyway (tsk, tsk) [:-] can try to mess them up by leaving a DEI base open where they can return and do little harm. Very gamey though. [:-]
India
In this theatre, both for Indian, US and UK squadrons, replacement planes come very slowly for some reason and often you have to place them in Calcutta to get any replacements or to upgrade the squadron. I don’t know why this is or if I’ve been doing something wrong there. The US is very active in this theatre, but mainly USAAF and some Navy. I don’t like putting Marines (either LCUs or air) there, but restrict them to the Pacific. Otherwise you very much need to send to this theatre engineers of every kind (except combat, which the US never has an excess of) including units that provide air support and naval support as well as construction engineers. I also recommend sending a lot of US Army troops there as they will just be sitting on their hands otherwise. You won’t have enough support to be making amphib landings in the Pacific every week and just won’t need them til you reach the Phillipines. All of the Marines and a roughly equal amount of Army troops will be all you need there in the early going. You also need to send most of your transports there (not the Marine ones though), more fighters than arrive there anyway but you should be ok with the amount of bombers scheduled to go there. You may want to fly some B-17s there early on from Oz to help out with Naval Searching, but just a few, and probably the sqds scheduled to withdraw before long.
Wapitis, Audaxes and Lysanders – basically trainers, they can do everything except air combat and torpedo attack. Upgrade to better planes ASAP. The IAF can draw some models from the Brit pools but also get some of their own. Look ahead at what you think you will need and train for that. I would recommend fighters when allowed. Also, the Brits need most of the planes in their pools, so consider that as well.
Britain
Pretty straightforward, but you will need a lot of sqds training fighter pilots. The air war over Burma gets very intense early. The RAF handles both land based and carrier based units, and the pilots interchange, but I would suggest you use the carrier trained squadrons to train pilots for land based squadrons, and save your carrier capable aircraft for the time when you get some real carrier capacity, which is a long way in the future.
China
Pretty simple. You won’t be using your bombers for anything other than transport and training. The important thing is to train fighter pilots. You can use the bombers to do general training, so they’re better than raw recruits as future fighter trainees. Do some of this at 1,000 feet altitude. Do Not use your Soviet planes in combat. Use them to train fighter pilots only. Eventually you will get some nice fighter planes from the US and you need your fighter pilots to be ready for them. Use them wisely.
That’s all folks.
I left out Canada, but there's not much to that. Have them defend the Pacific Northwest.
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AU Tiger_MatrixForum
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
Holy crap guys! I have my work cut out for me.....
"Never take counsel of your fears."
Tho. Jackson
Tho. Jackson
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Bullwinkle58
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
Before I get back to the tips, remove the Royal Navy HQ from Columbo and ship it to Karachi. You will not be using Columbo as a major base unless you want it to be a carrier raid magnet and get your stuff sunk. Karachi will be receiving troop shipments from Aden and Cape Town as well as aircraft transports and will need that naval support to unload them quickly. You may be vulnerable to carrier raids or from surface flotillas and raiders whilst unloading, so load them in the first place in amphibious mode. You'll also be receiving millions of tons of fuel at Karachi (from Abadan) but the naval support will not help there except to get the troop ships unloaded and out of the way quicker. Increase the port sizes at both Abadan and Karachi to increase volume and speed.
OK, sorry, but everything you say here is wrong except the last sentence. [:)]
The Moose
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geofflambert
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
Perhaps I should have added the qualification "early on" but Columbo is totally exposed and unprotected. If the Americans send a substantial carrier force there, it would be different, but that would not be a wise play in my view. You can always send the HQ back when it's safer. So sorry back. Karachi operations are far more important. Also, the next sentence before the last is indisputable, naval support does not speed unloading of tankers. Edit, I should say of oil or fuel and not just in tankers.
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AU Tiger_MatrixForum
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
Before I get back to the tips, remove the Royal Navy HQ from Columbo and ship it to Karachi. You will not be using Columbo as a major base unless you want it to be a carrier raid magnet and get your stuff sunk. Karachi will be receiving troop shipments from Aden and Cape Town as well as aircraft transports and will need that naval support to unload them quickly. You may be vulnerable to carrier raids or from surface flotillas and raiders whilst unloading, so load them in the first place in amphibious mode. You'll also be receiving millions of tons of fuel at Karachi (from Abadan) but the naval support will not help there except to get the troop ships unloaded and out of the way quicker. Increase the port sizes at both Abadan and Karachi to increase volume and speed.
OK, sorry, but everything you say here is wrong except the last sentence. [:)]
It seems to me that I would want that HQ where I really do need to unload fast, like in Columbo.
"Never take counsel of your fears."
Tho. Jackson
Tho. Jackson
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geofflambert
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
If you can come up with some reinforcements quick, do hold it there for a bit. You might consider sending some of the troops already headed to Rangoon there instead. They'll be lucky to make Rangoon and after that they'll be running for their lives. Otherwise, an awful lot of troops and materiel will be unloading at Karachi (safest place) and especially if the Japanese capture Addu, Diego Garcia and especially Ceylon itself, you can be expecting attempts to interdict your shipments to Karachi. If you keep cruisers there to deal with surface raiders etc. they could use the support. Especially early, when search planes are non-existant or at a premium, the Japanese could sneak up on Columbo and sink anything there. I would.
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Bullwinkle58
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
Perhaps I should have added the qualification "early on" but Columbo is totally exposed and unprotected. If the Americans send a substantial carrier force there, it would be different, but that would not be a wise play in my view. You can always send the HQ back when it's safer. So sorry back. Karachi operations are far more important. Also, the next sentence before the last is indisputable, naval support does not speed unloading of tankers. Edit, I should say of oil or fuel and not just in tankers.
OK, the second-to-last is fine too. Good?
The idea that Colombo can't be defended, shouldn't be used, isn't a major, major RN base? Ridiculous. I hope and pray he comes close to Colombo. There is plenty of air power available very quickly, if you move it properly, to defend there, and the whole RN is there too, close to fighter cover and a huge shipyard. Colombo needs fast fuel and fast supplies, true. Consolidation of the Ceylon LCUs is a consideration. And getting some help down from India in the first weeks is good too. But a Japanese player who moves on Ceylon in the first month? Nope. Dumb, dumb, dumb. First, routes. He either runs past Singers, or he runs the Sunda Strait and then hopes and prays he wins up there because he's bone-dry otherwise. Similarly that he doesn't incur any flooding. Second, subs. The RN has good ones and Japanese ASW in December is Level 2 everywhere. Third, mines. They aren't just for harbors anymore.
IOW, by the time he can get there in force the island is a fortress. Now, you may not do that building. But to tell newbies it can't be done? Tsk, tsk.
And it doesn't take USN carriers to do anything. The RN is very, very capable.
The Moose
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AU Tiger_MatrixForum
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
Skyros has promised that I will get the turn today, but unfortunately The Cruise Director has decreed tonight is "Date Night".....
[8|]
[8|]
"Never take counsel of your fears."
Tho. Jackson
Tho. Jackson
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Bullwinkle58
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
ORIGINAL: AU Tiger
Skyros has promised that I will get the turn today, but unfortunately The Cruise Director has decreed tonight is "Date Night".....
[8|]
S'OK. You'll be playing for years and years. Give her one last night out. [:'(]
The Moose
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AU Tiger_MatrixForum
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
ORIGINAL: AU Tiger
Skyros has promised that I will get the turn today, but unfortunately The Cruise Director has decreed tonight is "Date Night".....
[8|]
S'OK. You'll be playing for years and years. Give her one last night out. [:'(]
BUT I WANNA PLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!
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"Never take counsel of your fears."
Tho. Jackson
Tho. Jackson
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ny59giants
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
If the wife/GF/significant other (Female Type 1) is happy, everybody is happy. [:)]
If the wife/GF/significant other is not happy, nobody is happy. [:-]
If the wife/GF/significant other is not happy, nobody is happy. [:-]
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AU Tiger_MatrixForum
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
ORIGINAL: ny59giants
If the wife/GF/significant other (Female Type 1) is happy, everybody is happy. [:)]
If the wife/GF/significant other is not happy, nobody is happy. [:-]
Dang man, here is the South we say it much better: If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
"Never take counsel of your fears."
Tho. Jackson
Tho. Jackson
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Bullwinkle58
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RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
Perhaps I should have added the qualification "early on" but Columbo is totally exposed and unprotected. If the Americans send a substantial carrier force there, it would be different, but that would not be a wise play in my view. You can always send the HQ back when it's safer. So sorry back. Karachi operations are far more important. Also, the next sentence before the last is indisputable, naval support does not speed unloading of tankers. Edit, I should say of oil or fuel and not just in tankers.
OK, the second-to-last is fine too. Good?
The idea that Colombo can't be defended, shouldn't be used, isn't a major, major RN base? Ridiculous. I hope and pray he comes close to Colombo. There is plenty of air power available very quickly, if you move it properly, to defend there, and the whole RN is there too, close to fighter cover and a huge shipyard. Colombo needs fast fuel and fast supplies, true. Consolidation of the Ceylon LCUs is a consideration. And getting some help down from India in the first weeks is good too. But a Japanese player who moves on Ceylon in the first month? Nope. Dumb, dumb, dumb. First, routes. He either runs past Singers, or he runs the Sunda Strait and then hopes and prays he wins up there because he's bone-dry otherwise. Similarly that he doesn't incur any flooding. Second, subs. The RN has good ones and Japanese ASW in December is Level 2 everywhere. Third, mines. They aren't just for harbors anymore.
IOW, by the time he can get there in force the island is a fortress. Now, you may not do that building. But to tell newbies it can't be done? Tsk, tsk.
And it doesn't take USN carriers to do anything. The RN is very, very capable.
Re-reading this after a bourbon, I think my tone was harsh. I stand by my points, but I sounded like a jerk. Sorry.
The Moose
RE: Western Civilization in Grave Danger - AU Tiger (A) vs. Skyros (J)
Early on you will be desperate for every little political point you can scrounge up. Eventually you'll have plenty. When you are called upon to withdraw squadrons, oftentimes you will be awarded pol pts. Actually it will offer you those pts. Later on when you don't need them so badly, refuse them - that way the pilots and planes will go to the pools instead of you losing them to the ETO. So when it says get xx pol pts for withdrawing the squadron, click NO, it will then ask if you wish to send the pilots and planes to the pools - click YES.
Actually, I am almost positive that you get the planes/pilots AND the political points, if you withdraw those groups early. That is, whether the planes and pilots in a given squadron stay or go is coded into the data; it does not depend on whether you click "yes" or "no" in response to the withdrawal question.