Carrier Wildcat replacements

[Bella]

Getting a little frustrated with the almost complete lack of replacements for fighters on carriers. Sitting in Noumea for days and days doing minor repairs, supplies at 250K+, yet no budging at all. VF squadrons sitting at 5 Wildcats out of max 27, and 6 out of max 36. Meanwhile, new Marine fighter squadrons filled with Wildcats are generating on the West Coast and Pearl. I have every Marine fighter squadron in existence on ‘no replacements’.

What am I missing? Am I obliged to having to use Marine fighter squadrons on my carriers for the rest of this year (it’s August 13, 1942)

[Chris21wen]

I can only be lack of replacements.

You haven't said what version of the wildcat are on the CVs From a quick check the VMF groups have the F4F-4, the CV have the F4F-3/3a.
The replacement rate fro the F4F-3/3a are abysmal, the -4 around 45.
Air groups arrive with a set number of aircraft already alocated so turn off replacement isn't going to stop that.

[btd64]

Getting a little frustrated with the almost complete lack of replacements for fighters on carriers. Sitting in Noumea for days and days doing minor repairs, supplies at 250K+, yet no budging at all. VF squadrons sitting at 5 Wildcats out of max 27, and 6 out of max 36. Meanwhile, new Marine fighter squadrons filled with Wildcats are generating on the West Coast and Pearl. I have every Marine fighter squadron in existence on ‘no replacements’.

What am I missing? Am I obliged to having to use Marine fighter squadrons on my carriers for the rest of this year (it’s August 13, 1942)

What is the Airfield size at Noumea? If it is below 7 you won't get replacements. What is in your pool for F4F-4's? Are the ships docked? Is the port big enough to dock the CV's? Bella, These are some of the requirements and questions that you need to answer. Look forward to your answers....GP

[RangerJoe]

I think that you need to make sure that your incoming air units are not taking replacements, they may be depleting your stockpiles before you even get to see them.

A picture of a unit with any problem would help, also in this case a picture with the potential upgrades could also show your stockpile situation.

You may need to "downgrade" some Marine air units to free up some F4F-4s for your carrier air units. The earlier Wildcats work fine for the land based air units, even the Buffaloes work will enough for some things including training.

You will get "extra" F4F-4s in with your VR groups. I like to think of these showing the increased production that does not show up as replacements but something like the CD units that give extra squads and devices. Make sure that your VR units have decent pilots because those might also get sent to Naval air units, also keep those VR units training.

[BBfanboy]

The big obstacle to downgrading is that most of them cost 50 or 100 political points per squadron! Early in the game, this is just not affordable! (one of my pet peeves - it should not cost to change models if PDU is ON).

[Chris21wen]

What is the Airfield size at Noumea? If it is below 7 you won't get replacements. What is in your pool for F4F-4's? Are the ships docked? Is the port big enough to dock the CV's? Bella, These are some of the requirements and questions that you need to answer. Look forward to your answers....GP

This is incorrect. Carrier based aircraft can get replacements if the base they are at has an AF >=1 and >20K supply + the cost of the aircraft. It does not matter if the cv is dock, undocked or disbanded. See here https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3&t=405854

[btd64]

What is the Airfield size at Noumea? If it is below 7 you won't get replacements. What is in your pool for F4F-4's? Are the ships docked? Is the port big enough to dock the CV's? Bella, These are some of the requirements and questions that you need to answer. Look forward to your answers....GP

This is incorrect. Carrier based aircraft can get replacements if the base they are at has an AF >=1 and >20K supply + the cost of the aircraft. It does not matter if the cv is dock, undocked or disbanded. See here https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3&t=405854

OK, I was thinking of VMF squadrons that are not CV trained. I've run into this problem before....GP

[HansBolter]

See my detailed response with screenshots in one of the other versions of this thread.

[Chris21wen]

What is the Airfield size at Noumea? If it is below 7 you won't get replacements. What is in your pool for F4F-4's? Are the ships docked? Is the port big enough to dock the CV's? Bella, These are some of the requirements and questions that you need to answer. Look forward to your answers....GP

This is incorrect. Carrier based aircraft can get replacements if the base they are at has an AF >=1 and >20K supply + the cost of the aircraft. It does not matter if the cv is dock, undocked or disbanded. See here https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3&t=405854

OK, I was thinking of VMF squadrons that are not CV trained. I've run into this problem before....GP

They do not have to be carrier trained to receive carrier based replacement, just on a carrier. Once y0u take any aircraft off a carrier they become land based.

[Bella]

This is incorrect. Carrier based aircraft can get replacements if the base they are at has an AF >=1 and >20K supply + the cost of the aircraft. It does not matter if the cv is dock, undocked or disbanded. See here https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3&t=405854

OK, I was thinking of VMF squadrons that are not CV trained. I've run into this problem before....GP

They do not have to be carrier trained to receive carrier based replacement, just on a carrier. Once y0u take any aircraft off a carrier they become land based.

This would have been good to know. That’s the problem with reading too much into the historical aspect. I knew that anytime a carrier was laid up for any kind of repair, the air groups would temporarily re-locate to a nearby air base (I guess to prevent damage to a/c and make it easier for repair crews). Okay, point taken. Never remove your air groups from your carriers for any reason except sinking, and the game does that for you, anyway.

[BBfanboy]

Not quite right Bella - removing the Carrier's air group can be a very good move. If you look at the aircraft fatigue/damage rate on the ship and how fast it repairs if the aircraft are on the ship in port, it is very slow. But if you transfer the aircraft to a land airfield with good Air Support, they will repair way faster. If the airbase does not have enough Air Support to handle the whole air group, send a squadron or two at a time.

You can fly them off and on the carrier, but I find there is a chance of losing aircraft and pilots in that operation. I dock the carrier for loading and unloading the aircraft and never lose any. If the carrier is under repair it is considered docked for aircraft transfer purposes.

[Platoonist]

When a carrier is undergoing a lengthy upgrade in a shipyard I'll often shore base it's air groups in other locations to do additional fighter cover or ASW/Search.

[Bella]

When a carrier is undergoing a lengthy upgrade in a shipyard I'll often shore base it's air groups in other locations to do additional fighter cover or ASW/Search.

That’s exactly my point! Thank you! That’s what SHOULD happen. I did that, transferred three of my air groups from Saratoga at Noumea (while docked) to keep training while Saratoga went to LA for repairs, and then the air groups vanished. Noumea is a level 8 airfield now, with only four other squadrons there, one of them a ASW PBY squadron. 250,000+ supply. So no problems with space or supply.

There are now no extent Saratoga squadrons in existence except the one I left on board the carrier for the trip home, the torpedo squadron doing ASW, 15 Avengers. Two turns after I did that, I’m checking air groups at Noumea, trying to do everything every turn, you know, not miss anything, and there they are at Noumea: a Marine fighter squadron, and two Marine SBD squadrons, one set to naval search, the other to naval attack. Were not there before. No notice at end of turns of them arriving at Noumea. Both SBD squadrons are at 9 operational aircraft and no damaged or reserve, exactly half the number both Saratoga squadrons had before the transfer. The fighter squadron is at 5 operational a/c, what Saratoga’s VF3 had before I transferred them.

I think it’s a glitch. The algorithm forgot they were Saratoga’s and just made them Marines. It’s too uncanny a coincidence. I’ve used the search tools to find Saratoga’s missing squadrons and they no just longer exist. I asked for advice and been told that since I have not posted a screenshot of …..whatever, I’m un-helpable.

By the way, many thanks to Platoonist for his help on this; he’s been a patient and informative guide. Also thanks to others trying to help me suss this out. I’m playing the Grand Campaign right out of the box, the physical copy I bought from Matrix like, 5 years ago. I realize there are updates on it and next game I play will be the updated version. But right now I just want to know if this has happened to anyone else, and is there a fix. Do I have to just plug in and re-stock Saratoga?

[GivingUpTheGhost]

Not quite right Bella - removing the Carrier's air group can be a very good move. If you look at the aircraft fatigue/damage rate on the ship and how fast it repairs if the aircraft are on the ship in port, it is very slow. But if you transfer the aircraft to a land airfield with good Air Support, they will repair way faster. If the airbase does not have enough Air Support to handle the whole air group, send a squadron or two at a time.

You can fly them off and on the carrier, but I find there is a chance of losing aircraft and pilots in that operation. I dock the carrier for loading and unloading the aircraft and never lose any. If the carrier is under repair it is considered docked for aircraft transfer purposes.

This

[Platoonist]

I think it’s a glitch. The algorithm forgot they were Saratoga’s and just made them Marines. It’s too uncanny a coincidence. I’ve used the search tools to find Saratoga’s missing squadrons and they no just longer exist. I asked for advice and been told that since I have not posted a screenshot of …..whatever, I’m un-helpable.

I am at a loss for this issue. I wonder if looking back at prior operational reports for around the mid-August 1942 turn when this happened would provide any clues. Like maybe a Marine air group entering the game at Noumea at that time as a reinforcement. Just out of curiosity what are the group names or designations of the Marine air units that seem to have taken the place of the Saratoga's groups?

[RangerJoe]

When a carrier is undergoing a lengthy upgrade in a shipyard I'll often shore base it's air groups in other locations to do additional fighter cover or ASW/Search.

That’s exactly my point! Thank you! That’s what SHOULD happen. I did that, transferred three of my air groups from Saratoga at Noumea (while docked) to keep training while Saratoga went to LA for repairs, and then the air groups vanished. Noumea is a level 8 airfield now, with only four other squadrons there, one of them a ASW PBY squadron. 250,000+ supply. So no problems with space or supply.

There are now no extent Saratoga squadrons in existence except the one I left on board the carrier for the trip home, the torpedo squadron doing ASW, 15 Avengers. Two turns after I did that, I’m checking air groups at Noumea, trying to do everything every turn, you know, not miss anything, and there they are at Noumea: a Marine fighter squadron, and two Marine SBD squadrons, one set to naval search, the other to naval attack. Were not there before. No notice at end of turns of them arriving at Noumea. Both SBD squadrons are at 9 operational aircraft and no damaged or reserve, exactly half the number both Saratoga squadrons had before the transfer. The fighter squadron is at 5 operational a/c, what Saratoga’s VF3 had before I transferred them.

I think it’s a glitch. The algorithm forgot they were Saratoga’s and just made them Marines. It’s too uncanny a coincidence. I’ve used the search tools to find Saratoga’s missing squadrons and they no just longer exist. I asked for advice and been told that since I have not posted a screenshot of …..whatever, I’m un-helpable.

By the way, many thanks to Platoonist for his help on this; he’s been a patient and informative guide. Also thanks to others trying to help me suss this out. I’m playing the Grand Campaign right out of the box, the physical copy I bought from Matrix like, 5 years ago. I realize there are updates on it and next game I play will be the updated version. But right now I just want to know if this has happened to anyone else, and is there a fix. Do I have to just plug in and re-stock Saratoga?

I suggest that you go back a few turns to just before this happened and see if there were reinforcements coming to Noumea. If you are not saving every turn, I suggest that you do so.

I also suggest that you upgrade to .1126a or .1126b ASAP. You will continue to have questions and the answers that you get might not be correct due to the upgrades with a lot of changes. This will not change any data for your game, you can continue your current game. Look at the list of changes in the upgrades to see just what they are.

[Dewey169]

When a carrier is undergoing a lengthy upgrade in a shipyard I'll often shore base it's air groups in other locations to do additional fighter cover or ASW/Search.

I think it’s a glitch. The algorithm forgot they were Saratoga’s and just made them Marines. It’s too uncanny a coincidence. I’ve used the search tools to find Saratoga’s missing squadrons and they no just longer exist. I asked for advice and been told that since I have not posted a screenshot of …..whatever, I’m un-helpable.

Sorry, I have never seen anything like what you claiming and I've never lost an air group when transferring it/them off a carrier. Not to say it couldn't happen, but this why you need to post screen shots showing the details that you're basing your issue on.

[BBfanboy]

Just a stab in the dark, but sometimes when you have used the ALL AIRCRAFT buttons (land based and ship based) at the top of the screen and filtered the list by turning off display of certain types, if you do not turn those types back on they don't display in game either.

[Chris21wen]

As Dewey said, I have never seen anything like this. From a different post you are playing an earlier version and it is entirely possible there maybe a bug in it that I've forgotten that no longer exists.

A pic of the units of the Saratoga immediately prior to the transfer is what is needed.

You can also check the reinforcement and destroyed list, both on the intel screen.

[Dewey169]

Just a stab in the dark, but sometimes when you have used the ALL AIRCRAFT buttons (land based and ship based) at the top of the screen and filtered the list by turning off display of certain types, if you do not turn those types back on they don't display in game either.

Now that is something I’ve seen and done..