CAP and small bases ....

[Cavalry Corp]

Hi Guys ,
If you have say 50 zero at a base set on 50% CAP will 25 always be up , appears not . I have a size one base , supply is OK and less than 50% seem to fly , should that be expected ? What size base will ensure the correct % fly ??

Am I missing something like morale , leaders etc ?


Kind regards

Michael

[Sardaukar]

CAP % means % of planes available for CAP. They do not fly all same time, but take turns to provide CAP.

For example, mission Escort, CAP 60 % means 60 % of your planes *rotate* on CAP, rest will either escort your bombers (if any flyiong attack missions) or rest. You can set the CAP % up to 90 %, but it'll cause fatigue to pilots.

[Xargun]

Also remember that the number of planes  launching on any mission is reflected on the  leader of the air group. So if your leader fails his checks, less then max planes will fly. Also Air HQs help in this as well.

So for 50 planes set at 50% cap, at best you will ever get up in the air will be 25 - providing all checks are passed. Also, having a ground unit at the base with radar will aid in launching full CAP as well if the incoming raid is picked up.

Xargun

[dtravel]

Actually, if none of the unit's planes fly escort (or some other mission) it is possible for all of its planes to intercept incoming planes even if only set to 50% CAP.

[Sardaukar]

Yes. And if base have radar (sound detector helps a bit too, but radar is way better), there is better chance that more fighters will scramble to meet incoming raid. In this good climb rate is said to be helpful for fighters to reach altitude before attack releases bombs etc.

[AmiralLaurent]

If you have 50 fighters at 50% CAP, that means that 25 will fly CAP during the day but you will have 12-20 at any time.

But there are other factors affecting it. If you have no Air HQ and are not in range of one, number is reduced by 25%.

Supplies, leader and so on will also have on effect on the number of AC on CAP.

The report will give the number of AC on CAP when the raid arrives. If the base/TF has radar, more AC may scramble and engage the raiders, but won't be included into the numbers (so sometimes the losses of defending fighters are higher than the number of AC shown in the report).

By the way flying 90-100% CAP will not set the fatigue of an unit higher to 5-10 and is perfectly doable "at vitam eternam". It is less tiring (in WITP) than raiding a base 4 hexes away. And it is far better than having AC at 50% CAP and lose tens of them on the ground.