Operation Losses:

[pad152]

Operation Losses:

After playing the Japanese for two months, the operation losses are about 100 per month. When I was playing the allies I always thought the higher operational losses were do to the AI. Even when the Allies fly more missions, the Japanese still seem to suffer higher operational losses.

I keep my patrol aircraft at 50% search and stand down airgroups with low moral. This seems like a game balance issues, pilot replacements don't cover non-combat losses.

Other than standing down half the Japanese airforce every other day, what can I do to reduce operational losses?

[Feinder]

Exp levels play a big part of this, so it can really depend on what scenario you're playing, and how badly your squadrons have been mauled.

In my game vs. the AI, I had recently (litterally) obliterated an entire Nell squadron. The thing must have filled out (with far sub-standard pilots), and then I suppose they all decided to take their new rides for spin. The next day, there was 15 Ops losses for Nells.

I'm guessing those guys only came in with about 30 exp each, and tried flying a combat mission. As they never even showed over target, but there was still 15 ops losses for Nells, that these idiots crashed on take-off and landing.

-F-

[tsimmonds]

As they never even showed over target, but there was still 15 ops losses for Nells, that these idiots crashed on take-off and landing.

They could also just have gotten lost on the way there. Longer max range = higher op losses. Set those max ranges lower. Or they might have flown into a cloud and never come out; op losses go up in bad weather. Read the weather forecast, don't fly so much in bad weather.

[Mr.Frag]

General rule:

Japanese aircraft fly farther then Allied aircraft early in the game. As a result of this, operational losses which are geared to distance travelled are generally higher for Japan early in the game.

All you can do to fight this effect is move your forces closer. Just because your A6M2's & Nell/Betty have large ranges does not mean you have to fly them that far.

This over any other factor will reduce your Operational Losses.

[Feinder]

They weren't mine Irrel, they belonged to the AI...[:'(]

I noticed on the AirLosses screen the next day, that there was 15 Nell Ops losses. But the planes (and worthless pilots) belong to the AI, not me. I could care less what he does with his planes. I treat my pilots beer and strippers after every sortie, pilots are gold.

Seems to me, it was just Darwinism at work.

-F-

[tsimmonds]

They weren't mine Irrel, they belonged to the AI...

I should have guessed. The AI cares little for the fate of his human assets...

[pad152]

Answer me this

Has anyone seen a scen#15 game where the Japanese aren't losing 100+ aircraft a month to operational losses?

It seems no matter what you do, limit aircraft range, reduce the % flying missions, this 100 a month lost doesn't get any better.

This seems like a game balance issue, no matter what you do, the Japanese lose more pilots than they produce to non-combat losses.

The Japanese lose the air war before it begins[:(]

Yes, I know Japan will lose but they should not be losing the air war in the first couple of months of the war.[:-]

[Feinder]

"This seems like a game balance issue"

I think reducing the range is an excellent suggestion. As the Allied player, you'll get higher Ops losses for you B-17s, if you try bombing targets at their max range (which really irks me, because it's my own d_mn fault).

Like he said, just because you -can- bomb at 14 hexes out, doesn't mean you -should-.

Reign in your Bettys to a range of 8 or whatever, and I'd bet you see a dramatic drop in Ops losses.

-F-

[Toro]

As noted, longer range means more fatigue and greater chance of damaged planes going down on the way home. Morale has an effect, too, as well as fatigue in general.

[MengCiao]

ORIGINAL: pad152

Answer me this

Has anyone seen a scen#15 game where the Japanese aren't losing 100+ aircraft a month to operational losses?

It seems no matter what you do, limit aircraft range, reduce the % flying missions, this 100 a month lost doesn't get any better.

This seems like a game balance issue, no matter what you do, the Japanese lose more pilots than they produce to non-combat losses.

The Japanese lose the air war before it begins[:(]

Yes, I know Japan will lose but they should not be losing the air war in the first couple of months of the war.[:-]

I'm running Japan in a #15. It's February and my total op loses are about 170. I've been trying to keep op loses down by avoiding flying fatigued units, keeping ranges short if possible and limiting the flying from small or damaged airfields.

[Zeta16]

In my Scen 15 PBEM in 8 months I have lost 300 total to Op loses.

[Xargun]

In my current PBEM game it is mid Jan 42 and the op losses are as...

Japan: 132
Allies: 136

Currently in the past week that I have been watching this I have been scoring little to no op losses where as the allies are getting 3-5+ a day.. I do agree that alot of it has to do with which planes fly - while I am hitting merchies in the DEI with Nells / Betties the op losses are higher... But now I am hitting close targets and doing a lot of training so my op losses are low by comparison.

With some patience and practice I'm sure I'll get my op losses below 100 a month.

Xargun