ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
I'm looking for suggestions on (of all things) IJAAF transports. I really like the Helen transport, but that means more Ha-34 engines for the duration of the war. What do you guys think?
Mike, I run wild with Thalias. I absolutely love them. They're available immediately and use HA-35, an engine you're plentiful of in late game (especially if you don't go for Oscar).
Personally, I keep a 20 or 25 factory for the Thalia since I lose many of them (I use them a lot even if they're supply-intensive). Pool kept at 40 +/-10. If you don't lose tons of TRs like me, you can get away with 15/month I think.
Their big assets are: very good range for imperial standards, immediate availability, HA-35. It also depends very much on how you do use them. F.ex. Type-C Divisions are fully air-transportable.
In line of principle, I go very very very heavy with the Oscar line and ditch altogether the Tojo one (or produce a token amount), which messes up a little bit the engine planning.
I'm very keen to have the lowest possible amount of different models, so the immediate availability of the Thalias is another positive aspect for me.
Initially there are some Topsy-equipped groups around but it uses the HA-5, which used also by the Ann, a plane I do love immensely (together, bizzarrely enough, with the Mary). Thus, Topsy and Sally transports are used until pool are exhausted and that's it. The short-legged ones (I don't have the game in front of me: I think they're the Theresa but I might be wrong) are not used at all and they are probably the only planes I let rust in the warehouses (I use even the Jeans!).
Hope it helps