Replacement for Val production

[Uncivil Engineer]

Another Japanese aircraft production question -

It's October 1942. My first generation Vals are being replaced by first generation Judys. I skipped the second generation Val, as do most. My question is what to do with the 60(0) Val production? I will need some Vals to fill out replacement squadrons as they come in, but (I assume) they can be upgraded to whatever generation of Judy is in play at the time (assuming again that there are enough of them). And I should have a very substantial inventory of Vals coming off the carriers.

A two engine bomber would be my first choice, as production of most of those was stopped at 30 per month. The G3M3 Nell is producing at 50 per month and is the only 2-engine bomber with a double digit inventory (well, it was double digit until I used them to replace a 36 plane Betty squadron).

Any suggestions?

[IdahoNYer]

PDU-off or PDU-on?

[Uncivil Engineer]

PDU-off or PDU-on?

ON

[GetAssista]

Whatever you will need and are not researching already. Like 2E bombers, transports etc. Depends on your research profile and goals.
Leaving as Vals is also an option, you might later want to rebuild the factory(ies) into modern fighters. Location also matters, a more secure one (from late war 4E raids) should definitely do fighters

[Uncivil Engineer]

Whatever you will need and are not researching already. Like 2E bombers, transports etc. Depends on your research profile and goals.
Leaving as Vals is also an option, you might later want to rebuild the factory(ies) into modern fighters. Location also matters, a more secure one (from late war 4E raids) should definitely do fighters

Can't revert back to research. PDU is ON, but we're also using realistic R&D. I have to change to something producing (or was producing, or skipped producing) like Betty, Nell, Sally, Helen, Judy, A6M2, A6M5, Oscar, Tojo, Nick, or some float or transport. I also have a 30(0) A6M2 factory that can be changed, while the 60(0) stays in production. Or vice versa. I also need to consider the engine needed, so 60 Ha-33 engines that won't be needed for Vals leads me to Nell or Mavis.

The Oscar IIa becomes available next month, which is a free upgrade from the Oscar Ic. There are 90 per month in production. The Sally IIb becomes available in Dec, which is a free upgrade from the Sally IIa. There are only 30 per month in production, along with 30 Helens and 34 Lilies.

Looks like it will be the G3M3 Nell, which can replace the Betties, even as that 30(0) factory keeps producing.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

60(0) is a nice production; I would advice you just turn it off but keep it

maybe you will suffer, later in the game, some terrible losses after a carrier battle and will need to quickly replace airframes; having 60 dive bombers a month can help you there

[IdahoNYer]

I'm with GetAssista on this. Leave it alone right now, toggle the Val production on and off as you need Vals. Once you get a good fighter airframe researched - Tony, George, Frank etc, swap to produce a good second or third generation fighter.

If you want a bomber, Helen at least has armor compared to the Sally.

Also, don't waste time on the Oscar IIa, go for the IIb with armor if you can - by with PDU on, why are you building Oscars? I'm just curious - wouldn't Tojo be better until better fighters come avail?

[Uncivil Engineer]

I'm with GetAssista on this. Leave it alone right now, toggle the Val production on and off as you need Vals. Once you get a good fighter airframe researched - Tony, George, Frank etc, swap to produce a good second or third generation fighter.

If you want a bomber, Helen at least has armor compared to the Sally.

Also, don't waste time on the Oscar IIa, go for the IIb with armor if you can - by with PDU on, why are you building Oscars? I'm just curious - wouldn't Tojo be better until better fighters come avail?

I have 90 Tojos per month producing right now with 72 in inventory. I'm not researching Oscar IIa; it comes when it comes. There are 3 Oscar squadrons in the fight; 1 in Thailand, 1 in DEI, 1 split in China, the others are training in Manchukuo. I guess I should change the 3 to Tojo, and advance the Oscar Ic to IIa, but not build any, waiting for the IIb and armor (May '43). Or change the Oscar production to something else.

Having the Val production continue on and off is also a good idea. Having 120 Vals in inventory along with the 90 per month production of Judys would be good "insurance". Or changing 60(0) Vals to Judys would start at 0(42), which could be repaired to 30(12), waiting for something else.

Helen with armor would be my first choice for a bomber, except when engines are considered Nell makes more sense since it uses the same engine as the Val. I could change 90 Ha-33 engines to another type and spend another 90,000 supply to repair the factory, but I will need Ha-33s for Judy 3 and 4 (and others). So, letting the inventory of Ha-33s increase is also desired.

Other than replacing the Oscars with Tojos I'm still undecided on Val.

[GetAssista]

Whatever you will need and are not researching already. Like 2E bombers, transports etc. Depends on your research profile and goals.
Leaving as Vals is also an option, you might later want to rebuild the factory(ies) into modern fighters. Location also matters, a more secure one (from late war 4E raids) should definitely do fighters

Can't revert back to research. PDU is ON, but we're also using realistic R&D. I have to change to something producing (or was producing, or skipped producing) like Betty, Nell, Sally, Helen, Judy, A6M2, A6M5, Oscar, Tojo, Nick, or some float or transport. I also have a 30(0) A6M2 factory that can be changed, while the 60(0) stays in production.

I was not talking about switching to R&D of course. What you are currently researching will give you production factories when R&D ends. So switching is for those airframes you don't research, but their arrival time came already. Bottomline is you can afford waiting and not using/switching this factory - you don't have many modern airframes arrived yet, and it is supply that matters for switching.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Whatever you will need and are not researching already. Like 2E bombers, transports etc. Depends on your research profile and goals.
Leaving as Vals is also an option, you might later want to rebuild the factory(ies) into modern fighters. Location also matters, a more secure one (from late war 4E raids) should definitely do fighters

Can't revert back to research. PDU is ON, but we're also using realistic R&D. I have to change to something producing (or was producing, or skipped producing) like Betty, Nell, Sally, Helen, Judy, A6M2, A6M5, Oscar, Tojo, Nick, or some float or transport. I also have a 30(0) A6M2 factory that can be changed, while the 60(0) stays in production.

I was not talking about switching to R&D of course. What you are currently researching will give you production factories when R&D ends. So switching is for those airframes you don't research, but their arrival time came already. Bottomline is you can afford waiting and not using/switching this factory - you don't have many modern airframes arrived yet, and it is supply that matters for switching.

Yeah, sometimes doing nothing is the best option! I need to increase the number of Ha-33 engines, so producing Vals half the time will do that. Vals coming off carriers as they are replaced by Judys will increase the Val inventory (target 120).

[RangerJoe]

I don't know if you are supersizing the naval air units for training purposes, but having those units full of Vals would seem to help with their training.

A player also needs to see what airframes upgrade to a useful one as that can be changed in the scenario.