Disbanding / Withdrawing Squadrons

[The Red Baron]

[font="Tahoma"][/font]Hi All,

I'm new to WitP and am currently making my way through the manual a second time to drill the game rules into my head; however, I still have some questions despite my second read. What's the difference in strategy between withdrawing a squadron vs. disbanding the squadron? The manual explains what happens when you execute either of those actions (although the I think the explanation is still a little vague) but not why you would want to do it. Any help much appreciated. Thanks.

[n01487477]

Red Baron, you seem to be in the wrong time frame, but welcome to WITP.
This is from the top of my head, so excuse any false info ...
 
Disbanding = The planes and pilots are placed into another group of the same plane and nationality at the same base. You get the option to reform the original group in 90 Days.  
 
Withdrawing = The planes go into the pool and pilots go back into the reinforcement schedule for 60 days.
 
I never Withdraw grps, but I do a lot of disbanding, and especially fragment disbanding into depleted units (there are a number of threads concerned with this), so you can fill them out with good pilots and then train up a new batch...

[Barb]

If you have plenty of pilots, but not planes - withdraw
If you have no pilots and some planes - disband

[The Red Baron]

Thanks for the help. I'm glad I asked the question because I was under the impression that disbanding a squadron returned both planes and pilots to their respective pools. Am I to understand then that a withdrawn group will return in 60 days with a full complement of pilots and planes (assuming enough of each in the replacement pools)?

[Quixote]

Yes, you are correct in assuming that. They will appear on your reinforcement track the following turn. Note that they won't return to the base you disbanded them from, but will show up in one of your main rear bases (Tokyo, SF, Sydney, Karachi, etc depending on their nationality.)

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: The Red Baron

Thanks for the help. I'm glad I asked the question because I was under the impression that disbanding a squadron returned both planes and pilots to their respective pools. Am I to understand then that a withdrawn group will return in 60 days with a full complement of pilots and planes (assuming enough of each in the replacement pools)?

Full complement of planes assuming that you have enough planes in your pool.

Training methodology

The training function takes FOREVER.....

There are 2 training methods to gain experience MUCH more quickly.

The Mogami method (use search function) and one that is a variation on that method I like better.

The Mogami method works, but has the drawback of loosing a group for 90 days before you can even start retraining it again.

This way you do not loose a aquadron for 90 days:

1 Fill out depleted squadron with new pilots
2 Assing leader with high inspiration (85+) to squadron
3 Let crews attack poorly defended targets in china, or allied dot base behind your lines, to train them up
4 Watch the weather, flying in bad weather costs you precious pilots
5 Once you think training level is high enough, put squadron on transport and unload on base with minimal aviation support.
6 Next turn 1-2 planes will have repaired, move these to other base (fragment of x planes will stay behind).
7 Transport other depleted squadron to base with damaged planes (rest of squadron) and disband fragment x into new squadron bringing this upto strenght again.

This method lets you continiously train op squadron without having to wait 90 days for COMPLETELY disbanded squadrons to return.

[The Red Baron]

Thanks to everyone for the tips. I did not realize withdrawn air groups return in 60 days but to a rear area. I've only worked my way through the tutorial once, and I did it very quickly. I especially appreciate the training methodology since I want to avoid feeding untrained replacements into my air groups at all costs.

[Misconduct]

ORIGINAL: The Red Baron

Thanks to everyone for the tips. I did not realize withdrawn air groups return in 60 days but to a rear area. I've only worked my way through the tutorial once, and I did it very quickly. I especially appreciate the training methodology since I want to avoid feeding untrained replacements into my air groups at all costs.

N01 said it best, simply use your squadrons to attack a lightly defended target, perhaps 800 man ground target or airbase/port thats empty. You will have some operational loses, but a handful rather then throwing a 50Exp unit up against anything Japanese has, which will garentee your squadron depleted of pilots/planes in no time.