Japanese CS: The Case for Not Converting

[Dili]

The problem with CS is that they benefit of having no speed hit despite recovering more than a dozen planes, also not affected by sea state. There is reason that floatplanes disappeared at end of war.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

In WITP I found the CS especially useful for scouting the lanes from India to OZ or from the West Coast to OZ. I would think that with the ease of ocean intercepts that they would be very effective in combination with surface raiders in AE.

I think the AVs with integrated air groups are better for this task, but a good idea. The problem is that if a CV comes along, it's bye bye CS, and they are too valuable to get killed off like that.

AVs, though, are more expendible, and there really isn't another good role for them, other than parked at a base providing support.

[d0mbo]

I like these CS's a LOT. Park a group of 20-24 jakes on them and you have your scouting covered. You canuse the scoutplanes on your larger screening vessels on ASW duty. Finaly, you can use all your strike aircraft for striking the enemy, not on naval search (yes i am aware of the naval search technique that makes your bombers uberkillers but i think thats an exploit). They have their purpose and losng those ships for over a year to convert whilst not adding that muchCVwise i'd say no.
 
So: no.
 
 

[FatR]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
3. You lack airgroups to load on the CVLs anyway: You already have to find airgroups for Ryuho. Do you have enough for 4 CVLs if you convert them all? You can probably scrape them up, but it's not like Zeros on land-bases are useless. Plus, KATES aren't really a good choice, since they are pretty much a one-shot deal on a CVL.

I thought airgroups convert with their ships...

[Mynok]

Don't forget you can split most CS air groups. This is far more useful in AE as each can get a separate search arc. Critical, in fact.

[Miller]

I coverted all the CS into CVLs, the extra 84 Zeros and 36 Jills they carried helped tip the balance in a big carrier battle.

[PzB74]

Really depends on the situation; in 42-43 with the KB intact I'd say the CS' are valuable as scouts and search plane platforms.
I tend to put a unit of Rufe's on em to increase CAP capacity - quite handy.

However, if you loose a few key carriers early on I'd definetly consider converting them to bring the rebuilt KB back into the fold [:)]

[packerpete]

How do you split airgroups?[&:]