Lily IIa?

[Tanaka]

I don't see it on map, in production, or in research? Don't see a way to change production or research to it? So how do I get it or upgrade to it? PDU OFF.

[RangerJoe]

You should be able to change a research factory to it if you want to. If it is the dive bomber version, that is not an upgrade from an earlier version.

[fcooke]

If you are really PDU off, you get what you get - no ability to go outside the lines.

[geofflambert]

You'll get them available to mfg in April (of '42) if you do nothing. It isn't the dive bomber version and not very useful except for training, because of the bomb load. The DB Lily IIc is very useful both at attacking freighters and as ASW. I get good results against subs from 10k.

[Tanaka]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

You should be able to change a research factory to it if you want to. If it is the dive bomber version, that is not an upgrade from an earlier version.

Ah that's it. I was clicking on the producing planes and not the researching planes. I guess my next question is why is it not already being researched? And are there any other Japanese planes that are not already being researched that I need to look into? I always thought they were all on the research board at game start...

[Tanaka]

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

You'll get them available to mfg in April (of '42) if you do nothing. It isn't the dive bomber version and not very useful except for training, because of the bomb load. The DB Lily IIc is very useful both at attacking freighters and as ASW. I get good results against subs from 10k.

Ok gotcha thanks! So it is not better than the current IIb either? Why is the b version already out before the a version? So what was the point of the a?

[RangerJoe]

Check your game. Is it the Lily 1b that is out and you are waiting for the Lily IIa?

But it is more important to research your main fighters including some night fighters plus certain bombers.

[Tanaka]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Check your game. Is it the Lily 1b that is out and you are waiting for the Lily IIa?

But it is more important to research your main fighters including some night fighters plus certain bombers.

Yes I see now. Lily Ib and LilyIIa. So the LilyIIa has to be better than the Ib in some way right?

[Trugrit]

ORIGINAL: Tanaka

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Check your game. Is it the Lily 1b that is out and you are waiting for the Lily IIa?

But it is more important to research your main fighters including some night fighters plus certain bombers.

Yes I see now. Lily Ib and LilyIIa. So the LilyIIa has to be better than the Ib in some way right?

[Tanaka]

ORIGINAL: Trugrit

ORIGINAL: Tanaka

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Check your game. Is it the Lily 1b that is out and you are waiting for the Lily IIa?

But it is more important to research your main fighters including some night fighters plus certain bombers.

Yes I see now. Lily Ib and LilyIIa. So the LilyIIa has to be better than the Ib in some way right?

Yep much better in many areas. Seems worth building and upgrading to me. Wonder if there are any other Japanese planes not being researched at start or not in production until you change it yourself?

[geofflambert]

The main thing is the armored cockpit. That's huge. You lose a lot fewer pilots with them.

[Insano]

I would build some in the early game but not more than about 100. As you saw, they are much better than the Lily Ib but only really useful until you get enough Sallies or Helens to do what you want as far as bombers go. The medium to long term use of the Lily IIa is that several squadrons are set to upgrade through this model to the Lily IIb and IIc which are the only dive bombers the Army gets. I would recommend to build the dive bomber Lilies if only to share some of the naval strike burden with the Navy. It is much easier to train, accumulate, and subsequently get killed Army pilots than it is Navy ones. Don't be put off by the 100 kg bombs - they will hurt everything less armored than a cruiser just fine which is the vast majority of ships. Every ship in an enemy amphibious task force will be vulnerable. The only drawback is that they are expensive in that they take 2 engines and thus twice the airframe Heavy Industry as a result. I justify this to myself by saying they carry 2 bombs and get another chance to hit as compared to a Val or Judy which carry only one (admittedly larger) bomb and thus only get one chance per sortie to hit.

[Tanaka]

ORIGINAL: Insano

I would build some in the early game but not more than about 100. As you saw, they are much better than the Lily Ib but only really useful until you get enough Sallies or Helens to do what you want as far as bombers go. The medium to long term use of the Lily IIa is that several squadrons are set to upgrade through this model to the Lily IIb and IIc which are the only dive bombers the Army gets. I would recommend to build the dive bomber Lilies if only to share some of the naval strike burden with the Navy. It is much easier to train, accumulate, and subsequently get killed Army pilots than it is Navy ones. Don't be put off by the 100 kg bombs - they will hurt everything less armored than a cruiser just fine which is the vast majority of ships. Every ship in an enemy amphibious task force will be vulnerable. The only drawback is that they are expensive in that they take 2 engines and thus twice the airframe Heavy Industry as a result. I justify this to myself by saying they carry 2 bombs and get another chance to hit as compared to a Val or Judy which carry only one (admittedly larger) bomb and thus only get one chance per sortie to hit.

Thanks for the tips!!