Jpn planes

[gmtello]

Could someone explain the best use for Sonia's , Lilis nells and betties naval/ ground or whatsoever and loads

[Yaab]

Lilly - dives into pockets
Sonia - takes pictures
Nell and Betty - ride torpedo

[geofflambert]

The following are as good as anything for trainers: Sonya, Ida and Nate. I like to use Ann and Mary for ASW, but if not that bombers in China.

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Lilly - dives into pockets
Sonia - takes pictures
Nell and Betty - ride torpedo

Lilly is good for ASW once you have crews trained, also naval attack. Nell and Betty should be training Kate and Judy crews to deliver torpedoes, otherwise delivering them themselves. A huge hole for the IJN to fill is naval search, which carrier air crews must be adept at to succeed, but you'll likely use floatplanes to train for that.

[geofflambert]

It's not a bad idea to have IJA bomber crews adept at naval attack, that will come in handy later on. Two thirds of your active aircrews should be training for something else rather than wasting themselves bombing land targets. Just not very effective and losses come with that. Sinking ships (and subs) is the best payoff.

[PaxMondo]

For me:
IJA 1E's => training aircraft after about 2/42.
Lilly => beached. 400ks load for 2E is just too $$$ for me.
Sally/Helen = build all game. Use all game. It is what you get. Early war they are competitive, by mid '43 they are outclassed badly by allied MB's, but you still have to use what you have.
Nell/Betty = night bombers as they were used historically. the second Nell in particular build all game. Great as 2E patrol/recon. Great night bomber.

Night bombing requires high EXP pilots to be effective (+80), so you need to use your bombers a LOT to get a good pool of high EXP pilots. Night NAV attacks with Nell/Betty are also very effective against allies all war.

[Aurorus]

I will take a different tack than the others. I use Sonias, Lillies, Anns, Sallies, Helens... all of them... in front-line duties. You want to try to match payload and supply use to target. With 4 x 50 KG bombs, Sonias are effective against soft targets in open ground. As 1-engine light bombers, they also use half the supply of the level bombers. With 1 x 800 Kg bomb, Anns are very effective against hard targets, such as tanks, or as ASW platforms, since an 800 Kg bomb is often enough to sink a sub outright. The initial Lilly is not very helpful, because 4 x 100 KG bombs are only marginally better than the 4 x 50 KG for the Sonia at twice the supply. However, the Lilly is the first plane to upgrade to armor, in April 1942. The Lily IIa is a very helpful plane. As Japan, you will often encounter your opponent flying his planes, including CAP, very high. With armor, the Lilly IIa is less susceptible to light ground fire and can be used at low altitudes. A single raid at low altitude will often come in under high-flying CAP without being intercepted. Used appropriately, this can also force your opponent to drop his CAP down to altitudes that better suit Japanese early war aircraft. Sallies are your best all-purpose bomber. They are best used against soft targets in more difficult terrain and in areas of heavy flak, because of their higher durability. Helens are similar in every respect to Sallies.

Nells and Betties are all-purpose aircraft and can be used as torpedo bombers, ground attack aircraft, and search planes. They shine in airfield attacks because of their mixed payload that includes both 250 KG bombs and 50 Kg bombs. The larger number of bombs often will result in more damaged planes. Sometimes, especially when attacking ports, both Nells and Betties will change their payload to 800 KG bombs, which are effective against any ship, even heavy armor.

In short, use your bomber selection to make your payload fit your target.

[Chris21wen]

Not mention here is light bombers can use level 2 a/f with full effectiveness.  MB/HB require level 4 or greater depending on bomb load.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

I will take a different tack than the others. I use Sonias, Lillies, Anns, Sallies, Helens... all of them... in front-line duties. You want to try to match payload and supply use to target. With 4 x 50 KG bombs, Sonias are effective against soft targets in open ground. As 1-engine light bombers, they also use half the supply of the level bombers. With 1 x 800 Kg bomb, Anns are very effective against hard targets, such as tanks, or as ASW platforms, since an 800 Kg bomb is often enough to sink a sub outright. The initial Lilly is not very helpful, because 4 x 100 KG bombs are only marginally better than the 4 x 50 KG for the Sonia at twice the supply. However, the Lilly is the first plane to upgrade to armor, in April 1942. The Lily IIa is a very helpful plane. As Japan, you will often encounter your opponent flying his planes, including CAP, very high. With armor, the Lilly IIa is less susceptible to light ground fire and can be used at low altitudes. A single raid at low altitude will often come in under high-flying CAP without being intercepted. Used appropriately, this can also force your opponent to drop his CAP down to altitudes that better suit Japanese early war aircraft. Sallies are your best all-purpose bomber. They are best used against soft targets in more difficult terrain and in areas of heavy flak, because of their higher durability. Helens are similar in every respect to Sallies.

Nells and Betties are all-purpose aircraft and can be used as torpedo bombers, ground attack aircraft, and search planes. They shine in airfield attacks because of their mixed payload that includes both 250 KG bombs and 50 Kg bombs. The larger number of bombs often will result in more damaged planes. Sometimes, especially when attacking ports, both Nells and Betties will change their payload to 800 KG bombs, which are effective against any ship, even heavy armor.

In short, use your bomber selection to make your payload fit your target.

In stock Ann is 1x250 as is Mary.

[rustysi]

With 1 x 800 Kg bomb, Anns are very effective against hard targets,

Don't think Ann will carry an 800kg.

both Nells and Betties will change their payload to 800 KG bombs,

Never seen this either. Doesn't mean no, just never seen it. Maybe someone else could add.

Not mention here is light bombers can use level 2 a/f with full effectiveness.

Single best reason to use 1E bombers early in the game. Operate effectively from small airfields.

[Grfin Zeppelin]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

[

both Nells and Betties will change their payload to 800 KG bombs,

Never seen this either. Doesn't mean no, just never seen it. Maybe someone else could add.

They do that surprisingly sometimes within the first turns of a new game. Its rare and only a few do it.
Like there is a hidden stockpile somewhere.

[Lowpe]

Bomb ports with Nells and Betties and they will drop the big girl every now and then. Kates will to. Not restricted to the first few turns.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: Gräfin Zeppelin

ORIGINAL: rustysi

both Nells and Betties will change their payload to 800 KG bombs,

Never seen this either. Doesn't mean no, just never seen it. Maybe someone else could add.

They do that surprisingly sometimes within the first turns of a new game. Its rare and only a few do it.
Like there is a hidden stockpile somewhere.

Pretty common for the first turn, and happens now and them with port attack mission and high xp pilots. Starting-level monster pilots (80+ xp) will use those very often on port bombing

[Grfin Zeppelin]

So many years and I still dont know everything........

[rustysi]

ORIGINAL: Gräfin Zeppelin

So many years and I still dont know everything........

Who does?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

ORIGINAL: Gräfin Zeppelin

ORIGINAL: rustysi

Never seen this either. Doesn't mean no, just never seen it. Maybe someone else could add.

They do that surprisingly sometimes within the first turns of a new game. Its rare and only a few do it.
Like there is a hidden stockpile somewhere.

Pretty common for the first turn, and happens now and them with port attack mission and high xp pilots. Starting-level monster pilots (80+ xp) will use those very often on port bombing

From looking at the Editor and the device pools in the Intel Report area I know there are pools for the standard 250KG bombs as well as the others. I assume that the Nells and Bettys would only load the bigger bomb if they have used the pool of 250KG bombs - most likely to happen at game start when new production has not increased the pools yet.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
From looking at the Editor and the device pools in the Intel Report area I know there are pools for the standard 250KG bombs as well as the others. I assume that the Nells and Bettys would only load the bigger bomb if they have used the pool of 250KG bombs - most likely to happen at game start when new production has not increased the pools yet.

Bombs never worked like this. You cannot run out of bombs

This is start of the long list of Allied AI ships that were sunk by 800 AP bombs in my recent game. Those that are listed not in port probably sunk when fleeing, or is it FOW. Note that dates are all over the place.

[decourcy2]

I approve of the tuna boats getting hit by an 800kg bomb! Kaboom! There would be nothing to clean up.

[Lowpe]

The 800 kg is another gift to the Empire...like Norms.

[BBfanboy]

We know that Kates carried the 800 kg bomb when they did not carry torpedoes. Same for Jills I presume. The surprise was having Nells and Bettys drop them.

As for never running out of bombs - that would be true for the Allies I guess, but would if be the same for the Japanese? Why have bomb pools in the database at all if they never run out?

Have you another explanation for why 2-EBs drop them early in the game but not often in the later game? Or why they would load them at all when they normally fly with 250kg bombs?