Wow, MIA pilot can be rescued!

[Tcao]

May 24th 1943, Battle of Kiska Island, I am reading the last turn's report and find out a message
Pilot Westbrook R B is reported as having been found.

MIA pilot.jpg (515.56 KiB) Viewed 573 times

I checked the top pilot list on May 23rd save file, he was listed as MIA.

pilot MIA.jpg (474.23 KiB) Viewed 573 times

And looks like he is back to his squadron on the 24th list. Wonderful!

[Platoonist]

It's funny how the Japanese MIA equivalent message always states they evaded capture. More samurai-like then simply being found, I guess.

Matsuyama.jpg (9.25 KiB) Viewed 565 times

[btd64]

Happens all the time....GP

[Tcao]

It's funny how the Japanese MIA equivalent message always states they evaded capture. More samurai-like then simply being found, I guess.


Matsuyama.jpg

lol, that's funny.

So does the pilot rescue always happen during land battle phase? When your land force attacking the enemy land base?
Or it could happen in other circumstances?

[Platoonist]

So does the pilot rescue always happen during land battle phase? When your land force attacking the enemy land base?
Or it could happen in other circumstances?

The manual states that when a pilot goes missing in action there is a very small possibility that he may return. What those odds are it doesn't say. I figure it's some sort of random number generator event that takes place at the conclusion of the 12 hours of the day resolution phase and he's available on the roster again. It seems to occur about the same time as reinforcements and repairs. The vast majority of the MIAs eventually end up being KIAs so it's nice to get the odd one back.

The messages seem to read a bit different for Japanese and Allied pilots in the ops report but it's basically the same event. He's no longer MIA and he can make up any story about it he pleases.

[BBfanboy]

The algorithm probably takes into account the presence of friendly subs or ships in the area the pilot went down. Heck, it might even allow for Naval Search patrols to increase chances of "being found/evading sharks"!