Any one play with PDU off? How does it affect game play?

[walkerd]

I guess most people play with PDU on, greater control, ability to manage aircraft better.

I was reading an AAR the other day and noticed the massive Japanese air building program, losing 3 aircraft for every 2 allied aircraft and it was clear this was a great victory and the Japanese air force was huge. The ability to bring forward some frames and then mass produce them just seems, well, silly - at least to me.

Was wondering about playing the next game (as Japan) with PDU off.


So, does it really affect long term Japanese production and strategy?


Is it a good thing? Bad thing? Or just a thing?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Barb]

PDU-OFF really brings more "hardship" for both players - though a little more to the Japanese. It adds more "real-feel" to the game.
Allies cannot freely swap their Lightnings from WC units for few P-26s... Some units (especially marines) had actually to downgrade their Wildcats to Buffaloes to keep CVs supplied with Cats...
Japs on the other hand had to spread their production a little more, producing few more models to keep units supplied or at least to swap them along the upgrade paths. They can still produce 10000 Georges/Jacks, but only so many units will be able to deploy them.

[Pilsator]

PDU Off is really enjoyable, makes the game "feeling" much better.
As the Japanese you really have to thing about what you are producing, not just mass produce the best planes.



As the Allies, you have to choose which Squadrons you place where, always keeping in mind, how they are able to upgrade,
No changing from 2Es to 4es at your free choice.

In both cases even obsolete planes have to be used a while longer.

I really enjoy my game with PDU off as i personally thing it makes the game better.
And you learn that Sonias and Marys are not that bad.

[Alpha77]

It is more realistic but requires also more micromanaging.

[Alpha77]

ORIGINAL: Pilsator

And you learn that Sonias and Marys are not that bad.

For which purpose ? Dont get me wrong - I thought the same for a while. However everyone of these planes has huge drawbacks. Most can be only used for short range ground bombing. Now there is a use for that, but the effect is almost zero. At least as long the target arent troops in the open. Yes, it might add a bit of supression to the target in eg. cities, digged in good terrain etc. but I found it isnt even worth the effort to handle those missions (timewise). Now if the target is defended they will suffer heavily. You can prevent that be sending huge escort groups. You cannot prevent Flak losses (except setting them quite high but then they do not hit). Send 50 Oscars or Tojos on a mission to escort 50 Sonja ? They rain their 50kg ones down and the enemy is digged in and he just laughs about your bombs. Now in real life this would still have an effect on morale eg. If troops are bombed daily even if they do not get hurt physically certainly it will affect them from the psyche point of view.

Yes, I have them also on ASW, but their short range and low bombload makes them pretty useless for this role.

The best one I found is Ann and produced it for a while. I may put it back in to build even. Cause even in PDU "ON" games, you cant upgrade 1E light bombers to 2E or eg. Nicks without paying huge PP cost for it. 2E cost 75 and FBs 150 iirc in the version/mod I play. BUT even Ann can only deliver 1 250kg bomb to 6 hexes. 2E bomber (Sally,Helen) delivers 4x250kg to a longer range. And is mostly still quite useless against the hard targets. But they can be used for patrol and asw too.

[Yaab]

You can fly them from level 2 airfields with full bomb loadout. Also, if you have no house rule against strat bombing in China, you can destroy lots of LI/HI since bomb size doesn't matter in those missions. You can fly ASW with them too. In RHS mod you get several bomb loaduts for different missions for them, and you can fly pretty effective ground bombing missions against LCUs.

[Alpha77]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

You can fly them from level 2 airfields with full bomb loadout. Also, if you have no house rule against strat bombing in China, you can destroy lots of LI/HI since bomb size doesn't matter in those missions. You can fly ASW with them too. In RHS mod you get several bomb loaduts for different missions for them, and you can fly pretty effective ground bombing missions against LCUs.

Agreed, but this is only the case for a period of time (small AF size). I would build AFs I wanna use more to at least 4. More useful planes for small AFs are floatplanes or torp/dive bombers which have better bomb load and better chance to also hit ships.

But I agree the planes have uses, in fact every single one in the game has uses. [:)] Guess we can agree on that one...

[Pilsator]

and they dont burn supplies in the quantity "bigger" planes do.

[Encircled]

Any plane that can spot a sub and attack it isn't useless.

As has been said, excellent ground attack plane in China and as an ASW platform, it keeps your major ports clear of Subs so you have a chance to avoid allied subs with your supply convoys.

With PDU-on, its much more a thinking ahead, what do I need where type of game and you have to remember there is only a finite member of planes that you can produce. Its much more fun to be honest, but I can fully understand if it isn't for everyone.

[JocMeister]

PDU OFF is the way the game is meant to be played.

Personally I wont play PDU ON again.

[Lowpe]

Japan can still build a lot of planes....

PDU off lets you experiment with planes that are inferior. Perhaps it slows the game down some, the pacing that is although I think more effective AA does that too.

It does add a layer of complexity the first time around.

Overall, I think the advantage very slightly goes to the Allies for reasons I won't elaborate here since I am enmeshed in a PDU off struggle.[:)]

[Fallschirmjager]

50 KG is 110 imperial lbs

A USN 6" HE shell weighed 101 lbs

So you are dropping essentialy 6 inch naval shells. I know it is not a direct comparison but 50 KG is not insignificant.

[rustysi]

To this point I've been playing as Japan. For me its more of a management thing. I have enough to deal with and watching all these A/C models is just one more level of complexity. Quite frankly I don't wish to do that. So PDU On simplifies things. This option works both ways so I don't really feel its an edge for either side. Anyway JMHO.

[catwhoorg]

I play PDU off.

But I only play the AI (at least until I retire ...) so it doesn't affact anyone else.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
Overall, I think the advantage very slightly goes to the Allies for reasons I won't elaborate here since I am enmeshed in a PDU off struggle.[:)]

Do tell! [:D]

I do agree though that PDU OFF is probably an allied advantage compared to PDU ON. Its an extremely complex calculation though so I wouldn´t say its a crystal clear advantage. But a probable.

[rustysi]

PDU OFF is probably an allied advantage compared to PDU OFF

This is not quite

crystal clear

either.[:D]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

PDU OFF is probably an allied advantage compared to PDU OFF

This is not quite

crystal clear

either.[:D]

OOPS! [:D]

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: walkerd

I guess most people play with PDU on, greater control, ability to manage aircraft better.

I was reading an AAR the other day and noticed the massive Japanese air building program, losing 3 aircraft for every 2 allied aircraft and it was clear this was a great victory and the Japanese air force was huge. The ability to bring forward some frames and then mass produce them just seems, well, silly - at least to me.

Was wondering about playing the next game (as Japan) with PDU off.


So, does it really affect long term Japanese production and strategy?


Is it a good thing? Bad thing? Or just a thing?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Read this thread for the ramifications of PDU OFF/ON.

tm.asp?m=3689727&mpage=1&key=aircraft%2Cwithdraw

Alfred

[fulcrum28]

i think it can mainly help Japanese player because this side has a more detailed control on production.

[Numdydar]

Interesting thread. [:)]

I've played Japan with both PDU On and Off. PDU off takes a lot more work as Japan. While more realistic, you will find that there are very limited squadrons that can upgrade to better planes. When I started the game I was forced to use Nates as escorts and CAP on the front lines. Made things very interesting [:)]. You are also required to build almost every plane type if you want your squadrons to upgrade.

While the Allies are also restricted with PDU Off, which their late war production, it does not hurt them the way it does Japan.

Having said that, when I play against the Allied AI, I use PDU Off. When I play PBEM, I use PDU On. I would never play a PBEM game with PDU Off as against a human Allied player, it would make the game very 'un-fun' for me. Either way I know I'm going to lose in a PBEM game, so I at least want to lose doing it 'my way' versus the real life version [:)]