Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Zigurat666

ORIGINAL: Terminus

So what? There's PA-LENTY more to come, and he just put one of his carriers into port whilst waiting for suck-tastic air group replacements. No thanks; losses too heavy.

If he's doing his pilot training properly he can replace lost pilots with 70 exp ones.

Should have 70 XP pilots in the pools, not just in the training groups. I've never had problems keeping good pilots into mid war.

It is not endless pool of 70+ experience pilots ofcourse.. but I have some reserves in that category. Most of my trained pilots have around 50 experience... When the shit hits the fan the elite pilots go down just as easy so it doesn't really matter that much..

I have never played as Japan, but I do know the US can puke out carriers like no ones business.... I am not sure how great of a trade off this is..

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

It is not endless pool of 70+ experience pilots ofcourse.. but I have some reserves in that category. Most of my trained pilots have around 50 experience... When the shit hits the fan the elite pilots go down just as easy so it doesn't really matter that much..

I actually tend to fight with the 70 experience guys, the really good ones go into training command until the end game. So when 1945 roles around, I've got a bunch of 80+ guys waiting for planes. [;)]

In mid 1943 it is an excellent trade off for the Japanese player. Not going to win the war mind you but I would take it. The whole purpose of Japanese pilots is to sink ships. If not now, when. Besides with the Japanese player's control of production and training the loss is fairly insignificant.

As an Allied player, losing one carrier and having another one take a torpedo without scoring any hits on the opponent's carriers is pretty demoralizing, even in mid 43.

In July 1943? Yes. By that point I should be able to replace pilot losses as soon as carriers return to port. Depending on intensity of combat experienced by Japanese carriers before, replacements might be not as good as the old crews, but only in Scen 2 starting KB pilots are so radically better than Exp 50, Skill 70 reserve pilots, that losing them is a big blow. And they likely will be mostly expended by that point anyway. As about mere plane losses, they should be immaterial compared to sinking a carrier.

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: Terminus

So what? There's PA-LENTY more to come, and he just put one of his carriers into port whilst waiting for suck-tastic air group replacements. No thanks; losses too heavy.

Termy,

Respectfully have to disagree. By 6/43 the IJ player should have hundreds of trained up replacements as well as ample plane inventories for his CV's. I'll take any battle result where I sink enemy CV's with no CV losses of my own as a win. Not only one sunk (I agree, 4 torps will usually do it. But to verify you need to see planes losses as ground losses ... ) but a couple of more out of action for a few months.

Now, if he really doesn't have replacements and planes ready .... well that's a separate issue.

I grow tired of finding these threads after PaxMondo. I sound like a dittohead saying that I agree completely with what he adds, but it's the truth. I agree with PaxMondo.

It's not only the sinking of one Allied CV and damaging another CV, but the other ships in that TF got whacked hard too. All told-worth it providing that airframe pool replacements and pilot replacements are (or will soon be) replaceable.

Also, don't equate airframe losses with pilot losses. You may have lost 200 planes, but I doubt that you lost 200 pilots. There are likely some WIAs that you get back after a while, but-in my experience-your pilot losses are usually < airframe losses in total.

So, maybe you only lost 100-150 pilots. That skews the arithmetic further in your favor, in my opinion.

Nice shootin', Tex.[8D]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

ORIGINAL: inqistor

I seriously doubt you actually lost (KIA) 200 pilots. Maybe 50, rest should be WIA/MIA. It is posible to check daily loses on one of the screens.

Also, date is quite fortunate. It seems you already began rearming into B6N2, and should be around availability date of new ZERO model, so F/TB planes are in upgrade queue anyway.

ORIGINAL: Insano

Actually I would take that. It's messy to be sure but I count

CV Saratoga sunk
2 x CA sunk
2 x CLAA sunk
1 x DD sunk

plus others out of action

Well I would say 1xCV, and 1xCA confirmed sunk, and probably:
2xCA, 1xCL, 2xCLAA, 3xDD. Also, cripples can be caught by submarines in the area.

Some wia but the pilots were lost above enemy controlled hexes.. also, japanese aircraft burn easy... Pilot casualties checked would confirm around 80 KIA and 80 MIA (which is in game terms, apart from 1-2 who return, the same as KIA)...

Another post I should have read before replying...[8|]

This is an excellent exchange. Full stop.

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

It is not endless pool of 70+ experience pilots ofcourse.. but I have some reserves in that category. Most of my trained pilots have around 50 experience... When the shit hits the fan the elite pilots go down just as easy so it doesn't really matter that much..

Again, the EXP levels don't matter as much as their respective skills (NavT, NavB, Sweep, etc.) Your 50 EXP pilots may have quite sufficient skills to contribute to the reformed carrier groups.