Increasing Carrier complement of aircraft

[Bella]

I’m noticing that my American carriers are cruising with only partial aircraft loads (eg. Enterprise has only 76 a/c out of a maximum of 96). Question 1: What do I do to max out their a/c complements?

Question 2: my impression is that AE replenishment convoys will replenish armaments and ammunition, as long as they carry supply. Do they replenish ALL forms of ammunition? Do they also replenish torpedoes?

[Platoonist]

Well, assuming there are adequate numbers of the carrier aircraft you need in the pools then your carrier just needs to be a largish port with plentiful supplies. Then you can usually fill out the air group by clicking the arrows. Your task force doesn't have to be disbanded either.

AE replenishment convoys can't do underway replenishment until 1945. Prior to that they have to be disbanded in port with the ships they are meant to replenish. Torpedoes are usually replenised by sub/DD tenders or port supply if it's a major port.

[btd64]

I’m noticing that my American carriers are cruising with only partial aircraft loads (eg. Enterprise has only 76 a/c out of a maximum of 96). Question 1: What do I do to max out their a/c complements?

Question 2: my impression is that AE replenishment convoys will replenish armaments and ammunition, as long as they carry supply. Do they replenish ALL forms of ammunition? Do they also replenish torpedoes?

1. Fill out the squadrons on board. You can also assign a Marine squadron to the CV's but make sure that you pick the squadrons that can be resized. There's only a couple at first. I Fill out to 98 to 99 aircraft..
2. Was answered by my forum brother. I'll add one thing. In January 45 you can replenish any weapon, most aircraft and fuel from replenishment TF's....GP

[BBfanboy]

As GP (btd64) indicates, AEs can only replenish at sea starting in 1945. Prior to that they must be in port, usually disbanded but they can work while they have steam up too. AKEs do the same duties, and yes, if the ship is big enough and has enough supply they can replenish torps.
Purpose-built tenders like AS for subs and AGP for PTs/MTBs can also replenish torps for their specific customers.

Aerial torps can be bought by Air HQs using supply available at the base, in batches of up to 20 at a time. So by repeating the process 5 times you could stock 100 torps, and if you then set the HQ to take replacements, it will replenish the torps as they are used (assuming enough base supply). The Air HQ can provide torps to any air unit within its range (or maybe 2X its range), provided the base/Airfield the Air Unit is flying from is large enough to handle that ordnance.

[RangerJoe]

As GP (btd64) indicates, AEs can only replenish at sea starting in 1945. Prior to that they must be in port, usually disbanded but they can work while they have steam up too. AKEs do the same duties, and yes, if the ship is big enough and has enough supply they can replenish torps.
Purpose-built tenders like AS for subs and AGP for PTs/MTBs can also replenish torps for their specific customers.

Aerial torps can be bought by Air HQs using supply available at the base, in batches of up to 20 at a time. So by repeating the process 5 times you could stock 100 torps, and if you then set the HQ to take replacements, it will replenish the torps as they are used (assuming enough base supply). The Air HQ can provide torps to any air unit within its range (or maybe 2X its range), provided the base/Airfield the Air Unit is flying from is large enough to handle that ordnance.

A player can also adjust the TO&E fr an Air HQ to automatically have so many torpedoes as well.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Carrier air unit sizes are hard-coded and the number of planes allowed per air unit will change over time. A Yorktown class carrier will start the war with a max size of 27 fighters, 2x18 dive bombers and 15 torpedo bombers for a total CAG size of 78 planes, although the carrier capacity is 90. In June 1942 the VF fighter squadron can resize to 36 fighters, and there are more resizes for both fighters and bombers throughout the war. If there is unused capacity, you can put another air unit on board the carrier. Many players like to add a 18-plane Marine fighter squadron until the first fighter unit resize happens.

[RangerJoe]

To be realistic, until the aircraft with folding wings were on the aircraft carriers, their capacity was not as high. So if there was a 0 day and 0 level shipyard "upgrade" then the lower capacity should be used for most operations. But that is up to the players unless/until someone makes a modification to denote that change.

[BBfanboy]

I've seen pictures of a Yorktown class CV hanger with aircraft suspended from the overhead beams. That would allow carrying more aircraft but they would not be easy to get ready for a mission!

[Chris21wen]

I’m noticing that my American carriers are cruising with only partial aircraft loads (eg. Enterprise has only 76 a/c out of a maximum of 96). Question 1: What do I do to max out their a/c complements?

Question 2: my impression is that AE replenishment convoys will replenish armaments and ammunition, as long as they carry supply. Do they replenish ALL forms of ammunition? Do they also replenish torpedoes?

1. What others have said, plus when war started all carriers including Japan were on peace time complements. The capacities listed are their full war time capacities but can be exceed. At 110% can still operate normally, at 115% cap they can take off and fly combat mission but not land and above that upto 200% all they can do is take off.

2. Again what others have said. Yes they replenish all forms of ordnannce however size and type of vessel (different tenders) also play an important part. For size, each weapon has a rearm cost. If an AE/AKE has a cargo capacity >= than this rearm cost then the ship can rearm from it if it has supply. See 20.1.2.2 on size.

[RangerJoe]

I've seen pictures of a Yorktown class CV hanger with aircraft suspended from the overhead beams. That would allow carrying more aircraft but they would not be easy to get ready for a mission!

I think that those are considered the Reserve aircraft in game terms.

[btd64]

I've seen pictures of a Yorktown class CV hanger with aircraft suspended from the overhead beams. That would allow carrying more aircraft but they would not be easy to get ready for a mission!

I think that those are considered the Reserve aircraft in game terms.

Correct RJ. ....GP

[bradfordkay]

Okay, I have an issue. It is March 1944 and the Wasp's squadrons have resized to a total complement of 94 a/c (they're actually 2 short at 92) but her stated capacity is 76. How can I reduce their numbers so that she can operate normally?

[Chris21wen]

According to the editor in scenario #1, Wasp has 4 air units at the start, one withdraws 2/10/43 the other three resize at various times in 43 to a total of 90 which does exceed the ships air capacity. This is probably an error in the scenario data.

You only option is to fly a group off or resize one if possible.

[btd64]

Okay, I have an issue. It is March 1944 and the Wasp's squadrons have resized to a total complement of 94 a/c (they're actually 2 short at 92) but her stated capacity is 76. How can I reduce their numbers so that she can operate normally?

Fly off a dive bomber or a Torpedo squadron. A picture would of been helpful....GP

[RangerJoe]

Okay, I have an issue. It is March 1944 and the Wasp's squadrons have resized to a total complement of 94 a/c (they're actually 2 short at 92) but her stated capacity is 76. How can I reduce their numbers so that she can operate normally?

The excess might go into the reserves which you can remove to lower the number of aircraft.

Also make sure that no air units are using non-carrier aircraft, the first F4U Corsair was a non-hooker aircraft.

[bradfordkay]

I am sorry, but I have long forgotten how to take a screenshot in this game. The Wasp has only the following squadrons aboard: VF-71 (40 max a/c), VB-72 (36 max a/c) and VT-71 (18 max a/c). Interestingly, all the Essex class carriers at this time have a VB squadron with a maximum of 34 aircraft, but all of the earlier fleet carriers have a VB squadron with a maximum of 36 aircraft (all squadrons with the same numbers as shown for the Wasp). This is a DaBabes scenario 29 game.

[RangerJoe]

I am sorry, but I have long forgotten how to take a screenshot in this game. The Wasp has only the following squadrons aboard: VF-71 (40 max a/c), VB-72 (36 max a/c) and VT-71 (18 max a/c). Interestingly, all the Essex class carriers at this time have a VB squadron with a maximum of 34 aircraft, but all of the earlier fleet carriers have a VB squadron with a maximum of 36 aircraft (all squadrons with the same numbers as shown for the Wasp). This is a DaBabes scenario 29 game.

(Windows) + "prn sc"

Press and hold down the windows key and then the print screen key. Then paste it to a program like Paint 3D. If you use the "crop" command to remove unnecessary parts of the picture and then increase the magnification to 150%, then it should be very readable when you post the picture.

[dmaramba]

Okay, I have an issue. It is March 1944 and the Wasp's squadrons have resized to a total complement of 94 a/c (they're actually 2 short at 92) but her stated capacity is 76. How can I reduce their numbers so that she can operate normally?

Assuming the procedure in a DaBabes scenario is the same as in stock, bring your carrier to a port hex, access the information screen for the carrier's squadrons one by one, and then click the No resize allowed link at the top until a prompt box appears, as illustrated below. Enter the desired number of aircraft for the squadron, and then click OK. At the next turn cycle, aircraft in excess of the number you specify will become reserves, which you can immediately offload.

See Section 7.3 in Chris21wen's excellent Air War Guide.

[bradfordkay]

Assuming the procedure in a DaBabes scenario is the same as in stock, bring your carrier to a port hex, access the information screen for the carrier's squadron one by one, and then click the No resize allowed link at the top until a prompt box appears, as illustrated below. Enter the desired number of aircraft for the squadron, and then click OK. At the next turn cycle, aircraft in excess of the number you specify will become reserves, which you can immediately offload.

See Section 7.3 in Chris21Wen's excellent Air War Guide.

Thank you. This is exactly the information I needed. She is at sea and so the ability to resize is not available. I'll get that taken care of.

[bradfordkay]

Hmmm... apparently in the version I am playing (1.7.1124) that option to manually set the carrier group size does not exist, at least not in the size 4 port into which I just moved the Wasp's TF. However, the AI automatically put the excess aircraft into reserve on that ship so she can now operate normally.

I will keep my eye on further developments with this matter.