TM, RA, and BTS Re-Write

[John 3rd]

Changed/Fixed a bunch of nagging things:

1. Checked to make sure airframe and engine arrivals are matched up better.
2. Fixed Japanese CS to have a unit of 12 Jakes and a unit of 12 Pete. The Float Fighters were seen as useful to Japan so they'll start that way and the player can decide if they work going Pete--Rufe--Rex.
3. Added conversion time to most of the Japanese conversions. Feel that it happens a shade too fast so I added 30--60--90 days pending...
4. FIXED a major issue in conversions where CS Chitose/Chiyoda INSTANTLY converted with no delay. Ooops.
5. The Judy D4 does not get an 800 Kg Bomb. I did move it back to the D5 since that is set for 1945 and will be a suicider.
6. Fixed the Aoba conversion from CL to CLAA.
7. CLAA Tenryu 25MM ammo issue fixed.


Went through the Opening deployments of Japanese and Allies and made several small changes.

There sure are a lot of additional RN ships in these Mods! Think the Royal Navy starts with about 18-24 additional warships on December 7th.

Will look again in the morning. Michael is checking for other issues as well.

[John 3rd]

OK. Back up and working.

Michael caught a big boo-boo that I just corrected. Somehow CL Pasadena was coming in with THREE air units (Fighters, TB, and its normal FP group). Nope. Fixed.

Had mentioned to Sean a few months ago that I caught some doubled up work on Naval LCUs. AS noted, all Naval Guard units reform into CD units as the Japanese ships are upgraded (mainly gaining the scrapped 5" guns from secondary conversion to 3.9" AA) and I accidentally doubled up ten CD units. Those have been pulled and eliminated. Another oversight corrected.

Will let this sit for a bit and then do a final look through.

[BillBrown]

Patiently waiting. [:)]

[krishub1492]

While you’re updating, please fix Oro Bay. It has 2 location numbers when you hover the mouse over its hex.

[BillBrown]

Good call kris, location 994 should be deleted.

[BillBrown]

Still waiting for updates.

[John 3rd]

Oro Bay fixed. Files are sent. This is now BTSL 6.0.

[BillBrown]

It does show as version 5.8 when you load it.

[ny59giants]

NZ bomber - Any reason my Kiwi friends run out of airframes late in the war? The PV-1 Ventura goes from 6/43 to 6/44, but nothing afterwards. Would access to the plentiful American PV-1 & 2s be appropriate?

[BillBrown]

Or just continue the Kiwi ones.

[Cavalry Corp]

May I add in RA 7.9 Japan FEB 1944 is or I think is outbuilding the allies on planes . I a the allies and very short of bombers especially but also most fighters except Helcats and Wildcats and old Hurricanes. I can send you the file if you want to take a look. I maybe to do witrh the fact as well that Japan has accelerated may types of fighters - the best ones.

[ny59giants]

American CV in Jan '45 and beyond

I have just reached Jan 1st, 1945. The American CVs get a 4th air group, which doesn't fit.

Dec '44 has the VF = 42 fighters (Hellcats or Corsairs-1A), VB = 36 DBs (SBD or Helldivers), and VT = 18 Avengers for 96 total (6 over 90 capacity).

Jan '45 has the VF = 36 (lose 6), VBF = 36 (Corsairs-1D which are new and more FB than F), VB = 15 (which is major loss in striking power vs KB), and VT = 15 (only 3 loss) for 102 planes.

Since this is a mod, we shouldn't be totally restricted to historical in which the new air groups did lots of ground attack missions. In these mods with stronger IJN, the American CVs should have some flexibility in 45/46.

So, my BIG question is what should the CVs look like going forward? John and I will need to adjust the next version to reflect this.

John 3rd - Check the Editor for all of these VBF groups as they come in WITHOUT any pilots.

[Ian R]

Guys,

The 1945 reorganisation reflects Admiral Mistcher's recommendations - the best source I have on these is Clark Reyonalds' The Fast Carriers. At pages 356-357.

I think what we have lost in all our modding is the "resize to fit ship" function. I think Don, the Elf, et al took this into account and if you are in port, it sorts itself out.

Basically, you are looking at (pre Olympic) a CAG of:

48 VF - F6F or F4U
24 VBF - F4U to replace SB2C
18 VT - TBF to replaced by BT2D (aka AD Skyraider) or BTM
2 F6FP
6 x F6F-5N
6 x TBM-N

The CVLs would initially spot 36 x F4U, and "ASAP" 48 x F8F which had a much smaller "footprint" on the carrier.

As an interim measure, carriers in operational theatres would transition to:

32 VF - (24 day, 4 night, four PR)

24 VBF - (F4U)

24 VB (SB2C)

20 VT (Turkeys)

The CVLs were to immediately to land their VTS and embark 36 F6Fs, with the intention these transition to F4U ASAP - and then to the smaller Bearcat, which they could spot 48 of.

As stated, my gut says that Elf was all over this and if you leave them in port for few days the CVs will sort themselves out.

On the other hand, you'll need to:

(a) Offload the VTs from the CVLs

(b) edit in, in say August 1945 (when the F8F is operational), a further upgrade to the CVLs.

I suggest you set it to -

- minimum shipyard 5

- minimum delay say 2 days

- Aircap increase to 48.

I put some of this in my Mod.

[Gridley380]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

American CV in Jan '45 and beyond

I have just reached Jan 1st, 1945. The American CVs get a 4th air group, which doesn't fit.

Dec '44 has the VF = 42 fighters (Hellcats or Corsairs-1A), VB = 36 DBs (SBD or Helldivers), and VT = 18 Avengers for 96 total (6 over 90 capacity).

Jan '45 has the VF = 36 (lose 6), VBF = 36 (Corsairs-1D which are new and more FB than F), VB = 15 (which is major loss in striking power vs KB), and VT = 15 (only 3 loss) for 102 planes.

If you look at the USN's "Location of US Naval Aircraft" reports, you'll find that the Essex's started carrying groups of well over 90 birds as early as late '44. By late '45 groups of 103 aircraft were common, but I've only found one instance of 104 and nothing larger. I suggest that the Essex class in the game should have an aircraft capacity of 94, which at the 110% operating limit will let you have 103 operational aircraft.

[Ian R]

The limit is 115%.

An Essex (90 cap) will operate 103 aircraft.

[Gridley380]

ORIGINAL: Ian R

The limit is 115%.

An Essex (90 cap) will operate 103 aircraft.

A carrier with 115% embarked will still operate aircraft, true... just not all of them. If you load a carrier to 115% and leave it, you'll see birds drop into reserve even if the capacity of each individual squadron isn't exceeded.

At 110%, all aircraft are available (assuming no damage, grounded for maintenance, etc.).

I seem to recall issues pulling in replacements if the carrier is at or above 110%, but its been a while.

[Ian R]

Does it make a practical difference though? I ask because whether launching a strike package, or maintaining CAP, not all operational aircraft launch anyway (in game).

I did give the Essex's a capacity increase to 100 machines with their '45 AAA upgrade in my mod to test it out. The temptation to put 115 aircraft on board is overwhelming though.

[ny59giants]

Thanks for the brief history lesson. [8D]

For purpose of this mod/game, what size would you want for EACH of the four airgroups (VF, VBF, VB, & VT)?? Right now I'm resizing them to 42, 18, 18, 18 = 96. I haven't thought about NFs yet, but should going forward.

Thanks in advance.

[Gridley380]

ORIGINAL: Ian R

Does it make a practical difference though? I ask because whether launching a strike package, or maintaining CAP, not all operational aircraft launch anyway (in game).

I did give the Essex's a capacity increase to 100 machines with their '45 AAA upgrade in my mod to test it out. The temptation to put 115 aircraft on board is overwhelming though.

I have seen "full squadron" strikes (when search and such is set to 0) from time to time, but it certainly won't be a huge change either way (4 planes out of a group of over a hundred). However it bugged me to have aircraft in reserve that "should" have been ready (again, allowing for maintenance, damage, etc.), so it was worth it to me to change.

I hear you on the temptation - I've considered adjusting some of the USN carriers DOWN so that their maximum historical groups are 110% of rated capacity just to remove any temptation while playing. However that would reduce their ferry capacity which is already too low in some cases.

On that note BTW I never saw an Independence with more than 35 operational aircraft embarked - granted those were Hellcats and Avengers, but they were really going to cram *48* Bearcats on board?!?

[Ian R]

I just tested what happens if you set all four to 'resize to fit ship'. You get 21/21/18/18 = 78 aircraft. If you push 3 reserve machines into each group you actually go to sea with 90 on board.

That is probably unsatisfactory to most Allied players.

For setting some sizes, the "in-theatre reorganisation", based on what was actually planned is probably -

24VF/24VBF/24VB/20VT = 92 machines with room to add some -Ns and -Ps, or just upsize the VF to 32.

Your proposal of 42/18/18/18 is only +/- 6 VF/VA compared to that.

So it looks fine to me.