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ORIGINAL: obvert

Question: In pilot training what is best level of XP and skill to send pilot to reserve

There are a lot of threads about this, but it seems most players use 50 exp 70 skill. Sometimes you need skill in several areas, so you might compromise at 60 skill in each. Skill goes up slowly after pilot experience reaches 50.

There is no hard and fast answer here.

TWo things to consider.

1. What ability do you have to train? Meaning, how strong is your demand for pilots?
2. What skill/exp level are you facing? If you put lower skill/exp pilots that your opponent into battle, not only will you lose those pilots, but worse: you will give further exp to the opponent making the next battle that much more difficult.

Since the answer to these two questions changes through the course of a game, there is no static answer. Management of pilots was a key "logisitic" in WWII. First "discovered" by the Brits in the BoB. For IJ it is critical. The allies can be far more sanguine.

Good Luck!

I am using now training doctrine 50-55 XP and two major skill 60+
After that i am sending pilots to reserve. I am also have all front line units filed in 1/4 with pilots after initial training. All my first line units are set to 20-30% of training level. All active units are using 133% pilots space.

My losses are now 184 pilots in 50 days so it is 3.5 pilots/day. Most of them are Army pilots. IJ Navy lost 12 fighter pilots and 29 bomber pilots. 50% of those losses was in landing accidents. Score is very good because i have lost almost 100 Navy bombers

25 JAN 42

Good turn.

KB attack port in Christmas Island IO. 3xAKL, 3xAK, AVP and 8 HDML`s out o game.
KB also attack and score one 250kg hit on TK ( heavy fire, fuel explosion) running away from KB.

DMS send to Palembang to sweep mines attack and sunk two last 2 HDML`s. One mine cleared. Good news is that there is no active CD units there. He will stay there and sweep minefield.

I have send my SS to shallow waters around Pago Pago they score hits on xAK and AK. No ASW presence. Subs will stay there. I think that only combat ship there is CL so my subs should be save for now.

BB Nevada+5DD`s spotted 2 hexes north east of wake.

I have 27 G4M1, and 15 6HK4 in Kendari. Torps are available. I have spotted CA TF near Ambon. Tomorrow i will focus search planes in this direction. Bombers will be waiting for any sigh of Enemy fleet.

Lots of "Allied torpedo bomber spotted" around Ambon area. Maybe Docup have Torp bombers in Ambon. They probably can`t use torp but i have to be careful. He is searching in night so i think he will tray night attacks.

I have lost FP plane today. Pilot survive.

26 JAN 42

Subs near Christmas Island sunk allied xAK and AG north of Soerabaja.

DMS`s in Palembang clear 22 mines but they have been attack by CD guns and now retiring to Singer with medium damage. I will send next 4 DMS`s there i need to clear as many mines as passable before invasion. I have land in Medan. Tomorrow i will attack.
I am bombing Palembang AF to stop them of building fortifications.
Sumatra Operation will start in 2 days from now. Units are loading in this moment and they going to be reedy tomorrow.

News of a day
South east of Timor my search planes spotted CV TF. I do not think that tis is big US CV but it can be Hermes.

27 JAN 42

Allied xAKL sunk by sub near Pago Pago. Docup have now few ASW ships there.
My 2xCL SAG 18 hexes north of Pago Pago. He is 8/8 detection but i do not think think that allies have something to stop me in area. I will decide tomorrow to attack or not.
CA spoted in Christmas Island hex.

Medan captured. Oil field 175(35). Refinery 166(34). I will send cargo TF with supplies to start repairs.

Chines units on full retreat from Chengchow. I think that Docup realize that i want to encircle city.
I will not tray to close city. I only use 1 division in flank maneuver.
I do not think that Docup is aware that Chinese 140k man is running from 15K Japan soldiers[:D]. Main goal of this operation was to take city, and if i can take it without fight it even better.

After that i will send my units to Changsha area.
I want to open Singer - Port Arthur road ASAP

Palembang invasion -1 day. Units 99% loaded. I will land with force of 4 divisions (2100AV). 6 DMS`s will sweep minefield tomorrow. I hope they will clear all.

28 JAN 42

Air trap over Bataan. I have lost 26 2E bombers. Docup is good with that. 11 pilots killed 23 MIA[:@]I am making stupid mistakes. I have lost 50 bombers i those traps

Night B17 ride to Singer. No damage.

Palembang clear of mines. Invasion will start.

Sweeps over Rangoon. Around 20 enemy fighters shotted down. I have lost 5.

Plan to use SAG in Pago Pago canceled i must hit return to home port button and SAG in full retreat.

29 JAN 42

Fighters from KB sweep Soerabaja 42[:D] enemy fighters shot down
My own loses are 6 A62M`s and 3 pilots. KB will sail to Singer now he have only 35 endurance left. KB also need few days for repairs

Palembang invasion on move. 2 more hexes and landing will start.

Docup send six bombers against landing TF, all shot down by LCAP.

Day air losses are
57 to 13 in Japan favor.

Looks like your offensives are progressing fairly well. Care for a map screenshot or 2? [:)] Any idea where the Allied CV went?

About allied CV.

I have confirmed information that Hermes is somewhere around Darwin. First time he was spotted by patrol planes around Ambon, two day later 3 hexes north of Darwin by my SS.

I am also suspecting that maybe Docup send US CV or CVE (one or two max) to east cost of Australia. I am planing to test my theory soon but not have any details now.
I am not telling that he will use those CV in offensive but he can use them to hunt my SAG`s in PM area when they go to deep south or even tray to attack baby KB if he have two big CV there. I thinking about trap and i will nedd for this all my CV`s, CVL`s, and CVE`s(demonic laugh!!!!)

I think that Big E can be still i dry dock after torpedo hit.

About pictures.
After 31 JAN 42 i am planing post pictures and summary of first weeks of war.

My progress is average I think. I make some mistakes. Ambon invasion, two Docup`s air traps etc, but i learning fast. My biggest problem is lack of experience. every mistake i make cost me time and amphibious bonus will stand for 2 more months only.

Next days going to be exciting. I will land in Palembang tomorrow. I have 2100AV(70k man) on ships. Enemy forces are 350-450AV+tree hex+forts so it will be difficult battle.

I am also sending 500 guns to Bataan. I need to end this fast. I will not wait 5 months before they will be out of supplies.

30 JAN 42.

Most important news is Palembang invasion. 60k men have landed 8k more still waiting on ships.
Coastal guns score hits on two my xAKL. I have lost 1000 soldiers today. Estimated enemy forces are 521AV, 60 guns. My forces 2200AV, 600 guns, 400 vehicles.
I will wait one day before attack. Most of supplies is till on ships.

Good news from Christmas Island. Last day i have send 3 SS to shallow waters around island. They manage to sunk two big TK`s (10k+ capacity each). I have also sunk AK.



Tomorrow i will give you summary how war is going. As Erkki wish I will give pictures.

31 JAN 42

No much to report.

Quiet day.All troops in Palembang on ground. Supplies are unloading. I will attack tomorrow.
G4M`s from Kendari attack and sunk xAKL near Ambon.
Docup now know about them so he will be cautious.
I will have 27 Oscars there i will CAP in day and night to try defend AF vs. B17

koniu

War - Big Picture

Lower you have screenshots from most important war zones

Chiana
I going slow here. China is`t important to me. Most fights are around Chengchow. Docup is on retreat from city. City is surrounded from tree sides. I will not attrit my units trying to capture fortified city. In south i am sieging Kukong and in few day i will attack Wuchow.

Burma
Another quiet area. Mostly air war. I will send there my units when Palembang fall.
One brigade is moving to Moulmein. This will by landing base to main forces when attack on Burma start

DEI
Two days ago i have landed in Palembang. I have there 4 divisions and few regiments. After Palembang capture i will send two divisions to Burma. One div will pursuit retreating allied forces i will also use one or two regiments to land in Oosthaven.

On Java allies are preparing to repel japan invasion. I will attack Java when Sumatra will be secured.

Borneo except few south bases in my hands.I need few day to capture Balikpapan.

On Celebes i have base in Kendari. Patrol planes and torpedo bombers present. Tomorrow i will send there 27 Oskars. In Boela i have 100AV force. They are there because in beginning of game accidentally i have broke HR "only dot and base hexes invasion" and I landed south of Boela. I have agreement that i can move them when one of bases in Ceram will be in my hands. It took almost 10 days to march to Boela from jungle hex. I am planing to pick them up in few days.

Salomons

Rabul is building AF, a have there 30 torpedo bombers and 40 zeros. In next few days i will capture bases on east cost of Papua. Baby KB is in Truk waiting to support invasion.
I have one division preparing to PM i want to land i PM in February. I will not start PM invasion util i will have proper LBA support in area.

Philippines

Bataan under siege. I waiting for 500 guns from Singer to arrive. I will not attack earlier. I have try few time and he slaughtered my troops. For now i will bomb AF to stop fortification expend. Artillery will arrive i 7 days.

On Mindanao i have surrounded 15k man in Cagayan. I will take them later, My forces are to small to attack now.

And few technical informations

I have 1100 PP`s on what i should spend them??

1 FEB 42

Great day

First i do not know why but Docup send CVL Hermes to Ambon area although he konw about Bettty`s in Kenderi. So there is result. No allied CAP present.
When attack animation start and a saw CVL i was almost scream from happiness:)

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,111

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Cornwall, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Carrier support unable to supply air cover.. Lucky me
Ammo storage explosion on CVL Hermes
Fuel storage explosion on CVL Hermes

Hermes is 99.99% death (no listed in sunk ship list). There is also big chance that Cornwall also sunk (listed as sunk)



Another good news. Palembang captured i day one assault.

Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 62051 troops, 577 guns, 378 vehicles, Assault Value = 2173

Defending force 14382 troops, 147 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 510

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 1421

Allied adjusted defense: 298

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Palembang !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Do-24K-1: 1 destroyed
139WH-3: 1 destroyed
B-339D: 1 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3103 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 255 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 42 disabled
Vehicles lost 32 (4 destroyed, 28 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
6455 casualties reported
Squads: 170 destroyed, 121 disabled
Non Combat: 146 destroyed, 78 disabled
Engineers: 59 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 99 (84 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (6 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 17

Industry in great condition:
Oil (53)847 [:D]
Rafineries (60)960 [:D]
Reosurces (0)20

I have also capture 160k of fuel



Bad news is that KB is 3 hexes south of Singer without fuel. They need 3 days to arrive to port. I protect KB and will set all deck bomber to ASW duty. Rookie mistake. Lesson learned.
I am sending 3 BB`s from Singer to merge with KB i hope that CV`s will use fuel from BB tanks.

ORIGINAL: koniu

I have 1100 PP`s on what i should spend them??

ABout 500 more, you can buy out a division in MAN. There are several that have good exp.

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: koniu

I have 1100 PP`s on what i should spend them??

ABout 500 more, you can buy out a division in MAN. There are several that have good exp.

I have already buy one so i will wait 10 more days and buy another one

After 1 FEB turn (2 post up) i need to change my plans I was excepting long battle for Palembang a and now i need to sped up some things so extra DIV will be great for that.

Pax do you have your own AAR i can fallow??

I planing to convert few xAK`s to AKE`s. I have chosen Lima class ships. Is this good chose or there are better one`s.

Do AKE need to be loaded with supplies or i need only supplies in port to rearm ships?

2 FEB 42

It is now official first CV of this war sunk.
Those British ships are hard do kill. It took 6 Torps to sunk Hermes.
CA Cornwall still alive.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 42 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 18
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 15

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 15


Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Jupiter
CA Cornwall, heavy damage

17 swordfish reported to be destroyed with Hermes


I have also capture Balikpapan.
Oil field (41)259
Refinery (41)259

KB merge with BB an adjust fuel from BB`s tanks. and now CV`s have 25% fuel.[:D] They will arrive to Singer tomorrow, take replacements and sail to Ambon, if a will have luck i will find CA Cornwall in Ambon port

In china i have capture Chengchow.

3 FEB 42

KB arrive to Singer. He is now refueled and tomorrow will sail south to support Oosthaven invasion. All KB squadrons are using max plane capacity now.

I had problem to transfer pilots to KB squadrons.
"No pilots slots" I have no free pilots in reserve.[:@]now squadrons are full of good pilots so it is no problem.
Good new is i have almost 50 pilots in TRACOM. I will use them when i need them.

I have lost two xAP`s in Kendari from one Dutch sub.

Almost 30 DD`s is sailing to HI to refit.

Docup send B17`s to attack airfields in Kenderi and Palembang.
No damage to both airfields