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Don't forget to put fighters on a low percentage of LRCAP at lower levels at the enemy air bases. This will help to increase OPs losses.

Consider attacking Manila's port the first turn with your Betties/Nells set at 1000 feet. With surprise on and no low level AAA there, with the ordinance set to torpedoes, they will drop a full load of bombs with little to no interference from flak. The Sallies can bomb the airfields.

Consider have your Zeroes going to Oahu set to "airfield attack" at 9 or 10 k. If they meet interference, they will drop their bombs and dogfight. Also consider some LRCAP there as well the next turn along with sweeps if you will still be in range.

If allowed, consider attacking Lahaina with two Zero units at 100 feet along with a group of Vals dive bombing the port.

Redirect the Wake Island invasion force or just unload it so you can replace the commander to someone who knows what is going on.

Sending your carriers with their oilers to rearm is a good idea instead of all of the way back to Japan.

You should be able to redirect a magic move force to take Midway Island and even Dutch harbor.

Send you midget sub carriers back to get more midget subs. You can leave those in the ocean even where they can still sink ships . . .

To help protect your Luzon landings, you can either paradrop on a base with a Level 2 or higher airfield, FT or fly in any air support and supplies needed, then bring fighters in for CAP to protect any landing. Go for the bases that generate supplies, then bomb and bombard the Allied units to reduce their supplies as well as bombing the airfields/ports to reduce supplies and create damage for the engineers to repair before building forts. Small bombers will work quite nicely for this during the day when the enemy fighters are gone. Until then, they can work the night shift.

To protect against mosquito boats, fighters and float planes on low naval at 100 feet will cause damage as well.

So as to keep the balance in the WITP-AE Universe, I will submit a counterweight to the post I made in your opponent's AAR. Your very own seagoing wench ...[8D]

Well, I think every plane model works...it just depends how you use them and what energy you put into them.

Too many JFBs are looking for that one model to do everything (simplify)...and I think that makes the game poorer.

For example, the Dinah Fighter is really looked down upon, and yet I have had very good success with them as an early night fighter, deep area anti bomber defense, and with their range as a LRCAP fighter over enemy bases. They are a must build for me...but not more than a size 30 factory.[;)]

Also, I am a big fan of the Jack used defensively. Great climb, comes earlier than George, easier to get the later models, engine available at game start. I just don't sweep with them. If you can ever swing it they make great short range escorts for a plane like the Grace or Frances.

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Ok, 0 for 2 on the Helen as a Kamikaze. Was just thinking to save 360k supply on that Ha-34 factory. Guess that ain't happening. Now when do I change it and what do I change it to? Gotta figure that out...

Ki-74 Patsy all the way. Range of a B-29, respectable speed. Armour. Good durability.

It's the massive range that will really let this airframe shine and give you both some real defence in depth and long reach.

With 29 hexes normal range, you can be staging out of bases in Manchuria and flying against beach-heads in Hokkaido or Kyushu. Alternatively, draw a 29 hex circle around Truk. All those are potential targets.

Don't get me wrong, it's a bit hit or miss to get consistent attacks over those long ranges, but it's a real step change while the Helen is a comparatively minor incremental improvement.

I'm considering the Patsy. Again, more on that later.

Wonderful, looking forward to seeing your thinking.

If allowed, consider attacking Lahaina with two Zero units at 100 feet along with a group of Vals dive bombing the port.

Better in my view to redirect the Zeros to conduct port bombing of Pearl at 8k. The 60kg bombs will not really do much to anything with armour, but they'll make a mess of the thin-skinned ships and add to fires on the larger combatants.

Regarding paratroopers, I am quite fond of conducting a Dec 7th paradrop on to Luzon, if just to rattle the Allied cage and potentially catch a few units that might try to run for cover at Clark.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Well, I think every plane model works...it just depends how you use them and what energy you put into them.

Too many JFBs are looking for that one model to do everything (simplify)...and I think that makes the game poorer.

For example, the Dinah Fighter is really looked down upon, and yet I have had very good success with them as an early night fighter, deep area anti bomber defense, and with their range as a LRCAP fighter over enemy bases. They are a must build for me...but not more than a size 30 factory.[;)]

Also, I am a big fan of the Jack used defensively. Great climb, comes earlier than George, easier to get the later models, engine available at game start. I just don't sweep with them. If you can ever swing it they make great short range escorts for a plane like the Grace or Frances.

That's a fair position to take.

I suppose I look at my R&D from the perspective of thinking what airframes give the biggest changes in capability for their respective roles. That narrows down the options are there are several planes that are undoubted improvements over their predecessors, but don't actually bring much improved capability. On the other hand, there are some that are completely different beasts.

The A6M8 vs the Sam is probably the best example I can think of to show this.

A different aspect that leads me to try and have as few models as possible is for resilience in the late game. Aircraft pools can't be bombed, and having fewer types of engines and airframes in production should (in theory anyways) mean more factories producing. That gives you a bit more resilience when the strategic bombing campaign rolls around, on top of any surplus that you've built in the pools.

A suggestion, especially if you remove a float plane unit from your cruisers that have two, resize the Jakes and train them on Low Naval. Even with trainees early on, they can get decent hits on Low naval. Then use them for ASW to get their experience up and you will have trained naval kamikaze pilots.

You're going to need Jake's to search your extended empire and training them for anything other than search and ASW is a moot point. BTW, once they have attained their other air skills, get their experience up by, sweep, range 0, cap 100%. Then with even a half way decent air leader watch their experience climb.[8D] FYI, if you're unaware, this works for all fighter units as well. Take those 50 experienced pilots, put them in a training unit together, sweep, range 0, cap 100%, and watch their experience increase as well.

Clever idea for the ships that have 2 FP units. Very sneaky actually.

If you think that's sneaky keep in mind that all your CS ships also have two FP units, each of which may become 24 plane unit. Of course one will become land based. In addition transfer those 9 plane units on your AV's to the CS's to make them 24 FP units. Some of which may then break down into three units of eight, which can man those AV's, others become land based as well. And after all that you may convert those CS's to CVL's.[8D]

Why I suggest you need lots of Jake's.[:D]

ordinance

This is a local law about something or another. Ordnance is what your planes will carry.[;)]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

So as to keep the balance in the WITP-AE Universe, I will submit a counterweight to the post I made in your opponent's AAR. Your very own seagoing wench ...[8D]

She can walk my plank.[:D]

Well, I think every plane model works...it just depends how you use them and what energy you put into them.

This is so true. Just remember you can't produce every one, and the ones that you do produce need to compliment each other.

Ah, aircraft R&D, another topic we could all debate ad infinitum.[:D]

I could say more, but I gotta go.

Now doesn't that make you all happy.[:D]

Why don't I get pics like this in my AAR? None of them. Ever.

Ya do now.[:D]

My experiment in a supersized Jake Force is now into Jan 1944.
If you upsize every FP-2 unit and fill them you can have about 1000 Jakes.
If you do that you’ll need to build more than 3/day or 90/month to fill those units out and replace ops losses.

Apart from NavS and ASW, Jake units can train almost everything, but most importantly they can train Air and Def skills so you don’t have to use as many Fighter units for fighter pilot training.

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

Apart from NavS and ASW, Jake units can train almost everything, but most importantly they can train Air and Def skills so you don’t have to use as many Fighter units for fighter pilot training.

Very true, but don't you lose some experience when you put a FP pilot into a fighter? I know that happens at times, but I can't remember when. Maybe someone can enlighten me.

ORIGINAL: rustysi

I could say more, but I gotta go.

Now doesn't that make you all happy.[:D]

About time [:D][:D]....GP

Expanding the FP squadrons and staffing with Jakes comes with cons too, especially in a scenario 1 limited economics game. The supply cost is large, and the VP loss can be too.

I can remember an Obvert/Jocke game where I think the Jake losses approached 4000 frames for the game...but it is the supply cost that concerns me the most.

If used for naval search when the deathstar is around they get shot down at alarming numbers. That is why I always train up some Dinah III squadrons for naval search...to keep an eye on the Deathstar.

You can overstuff a squadron with pilots for training without supersizing them.

M-M has far more experience with this, perhaps he will chime in.

PS: I like using Petes as a night time CAP...they do surprisingly well at disrupting the bombers without getting shot down.

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

Apart from NavS and ASW, Jake units can train almost everything, but most importantly they can train Air and Def skills so you don’t have to use as many Fighter units for fighter pilot training.

Very true, but don't you lose some experience when you put a FP pilot into a fighter? I know that happens at times, but I can't remember when. Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Yes, this happens when you transfer a pilot from it's original type training (ie, FP) to another type (ie, fighter or whatever that is not a FP - including PAs). In my memory it always happens but nothing that would keep me up at night.. (couple of points). A good practice is to train up to roughly 70 and then switch them to reserve and pull them into an appropriate unit for final operational training.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Expanding the FP squadrons and staffing with Jakes comes with cons too, especially in a scenario 1 limited economics game. The supply cost is large, and the VP loss can be too.

I can remember an Obvert/Jocke game where I think the Jake losses approached 4000 frames for the game...but it is the supply cost that concerns me the most.

If used for naval search when the deathstar is around they get shot down at alarming numbers. That is why I always train up some Dinah III squadrons for naval search...to keep an eye on the Deathstar.

You can overstuff a squadron with pilots for training without supersizing them.

M-M has far more experience with this, perhaps he will chime in.

PS: I like using Petes as a night time CAP...they do surprisingly well at disrupting the bombers without getting shot down.

Supersizing the squadrons for frontline use is a bit of a dead end from my experience. Yes, you get more airframes and pilots on the frontline, but supply cost increases as do losses (both in airframes and pilots) that are hard to replace. Especially airframes, as you're limited to the 12/week replacement maximum.

Far better in my opinion to backload the supersized squadrons for the training programme. If you're training more pilots for fewer slots, you can build up deeper pilot pools or increase the training threshold. I've had some substantial success with this. Gone is the 50/70/70 benchmark for fight pilots. Instead I'm throwing a month or so of CAP on top at taking pilots out of the training programme with EXP in the mid-60s. Makes a massive difference in terms pilot survivability, especially in their first few combats.

Jake squadrons are well worth supersizing as they can train just about everything an IJN pilot will need to do bar NavT. There's a few variations of training regimes I'll use in floatplane squadrons:
- General duty/future kamikaze (NavS/Recon/LowNav)
- Dive bomber (NavB/NavS/GrnB)
- IJN 2E/torpedo bomber prep school (NavB/NavS - then into torpedo capable squadrons for NavT training).

On the actual tactical use of Jakes, I think as the IJ you just need to accept that you'll pay the price for sufficient naval search. There are too few dedicated patrol squadrons, and even with the IJA recon squadrons on NavS duty there's still a lot of ocean you'll want covered. The Betty and Nell can fill the gap to some extent, but they're already doing a lot of other roles and the IJA don't get a level bomber with similar range until the Peggy or Patsy.

The other aspect of it is that with the Allied tech advantage, particular in radar (both air and naval) means that swarms of Jakes is an expensive way ensuring good DL levels in combat zones without drawing on other assets.

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

Apart from NavS and ASW, Jake units can train almost everything, but most importantly they can train Air and Def skills so you don’t have to use as many Fighter units for fighter pilot training.

Very true, but don't you lose some experience when you put a FP pilot into a fighter? I know that happens at times, but I can't remember when. Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Yes, you'll lose a few points experience, but its not a whole lot. Also you can use those pilots for you're FF's. Some of which can now be 24 aircraft. Some may even be split, useful on your AV's. Probably only for a short time, and in limited locations, but is better that nothing.

If you do that you’ll need to build more than 3/day or 90/month to fill those units out and replace ops losses.

Well that's what's worked for myself. Don't get me wrong, my FP training units use the many Dave's and Pete's to do that job. Also I use the range 5 FP (can't recall their name) at certain locations. So that somewhat reduces the burden for Jake's.