ORIGINAL: wwengr
Japan's total aviation support squads is only a little more than the total number of land-based aircraft. Given, as others have noted,many players would choose to make efficient use of their AV ships. Doing so will:
- excess aviation support is required to keep all aircraft operational at base,
- the aircraft can change bases much faster than the aviation support, and
- the necesity to man bases for effective transfer of aircraft;
- maximize the number of ready aircraft,
- minimize operational losses,
- help maintain a higher operational tempo, and
- make most effective use of air resources.
There are a variety of things you can do to utilize AV ships depending on style of play. I'm with John Lansford on this. When I set up a forward scouting base with an AV it is highly mobile. When the scouts spot a TF inbound and there are no firendly TF operations nearby, the AV can steam away whiile the aircraft transfer away. My experience in moving a base force in is that the squads do not last long if they are not properly supported. Additionally, the squads eat additional supplies.
The tactic of an AV operating at a remote base is a somewhat exceptional case. I use them to operate patrol planes in the sea lanes between the front and the Home Islands and I use them to operate remote patrols on the margins. More often than not, they augment operations at a base that has a base force and other assets performing missions including CAP. The principle purpose being to reduce the resource demand on the precious aviation support squads.
Regardless, judicious use of assets while keeping everything employed in a usefull manner is a key to success. Everything must serve a purpose.
Not even remotely true. 250 av support is maximum needed at any base regardless of number airplanes present so any level 5 or larger airbase only need 250. level 9 base means unlimited airplane stacking. smart players use this. i find i have 2,5 to 3 times as many av support as aircraft. also not really need 1 to 1 av support to airplane in slow area. can get by easily with much less. i typically operate around 100 engines worth of aircraft from bases with only 24 av support. trick is how many fly. if outpost with zero and betty on naval attack with 20% search and 10% train for example all airplanes always ready to fly. i operate 12 plane lilly asw groups with 8 av support at base [1:3 on engines] with 80% fly each turn. and if use fragment at forward base you not use any 'real' av support as if killed it replaced. as for keeping things employed in useful manner for success this too not true really. how many amc do players get? in game you get more of these ships [both sides] than you get mines in game. so players use for other things other than what they were really for as 1 example. ag another useless 'tender' better to use as ak. the only 'useful' tenders are the same tenders that witp had. the new ones added have no 'real' function and really could be eliminated from game with no bad effect.
ed: besides supreme commander should not have to worry about tender and what ship is in what repair mode. in this witp was better game. search arc same thing. supreme commander should not have to tell each squadron commander where to look for enemy each day. and how many airplane to fly. should he have option to? sure or at least probably. should he HAVE to? no.
