Any signs from requested specific pilot coming from reserve?

[Crazypantoufle]

Hello!

In my guadalcanal scenario, there's many thing i don't understand about the pilot pool. I would be grateful if you could enlight my present state of ignorance about pilot managament.[:(]

1) When i try to recrut one specific pilot from the reserve by going through the "request veteran" option, i choose one pilot form the list, then i can see this pilot is no more in the list, ok.
But then i cannot see any sign of the coming pilot on the squadron's screen. Even the number in parenthesis next to the number of pilot did not change.
Maybe the arrival takes a few days, but how can i know and remember some requested pilots are coming if there's nothing about this on the squadron's screen?
When i use simply the "Get 1 pilot" option (from that same reserve), then i can see that arrival in the squadron's information screen.

2) When i use the "Get new pilot" and i want this pilot to be from the TRACOM, even though i have many pilots in TRACOM and many free places in the squadron, it replies "there's no room" or something like that, so i have to take the pilot from the reserve. Did i miss something about recruting pilots from the TRACOM (specific rules?)

3) In the pilot's replacement option, there are Replacement, Reserve list, Group list and TRACOM list. What is this "Group" list?[&:]

Bonus question: how to bombard any ground target protected by a CAP with Betties wihtout loosing at least half of them? These bombers are really flying matchsticks. Even with strong escorts against a few old australian fighters they get ripped appart. Do i have to totally clean the skyes with fighter sweeps when i want my Bettys to bombard ground targets or is there a secret trick to prevent the lost of 80% of my bomber fleet in 3 days of airfield attack?

[leehunt27@bloomberg.net]

1) you should see on the list of pilots for your squadron the new pilot and to the far right a measure of how many days it will take for him to arrive. It can take a week. Also when you click on the "Request a veteran" from the Reserves, you should see the pilot's info change to that squadron when you click on him as a request.
2) don't know
3) I believe the "Group" reserve is the reserve pilots for that particular squadron-- I guess guys just hanging out in the officer's club on base. Someone may know more about this though

[Quixote]

Lee has this just about right. When you request a veteran, if you use the keys at the bottom of the screen (release one, release five, etc.) you'll get the pilots immediately (officially it's a one day delay, but you can then go the unit itself and activate all of those pilots that same turn.) If you want to hand pick your pilots from the list, you can still get them, but there will be a delay (of from 1 to 7 turns.) The best way to learn how this works is to save a turn when playing the AI, then try several different styles for selecting new pilots. See what works for you, and also what doesn't, then go from there. A little experimentation in this game is priceless for understanding how everything works.

[Crazypantoufle]

Thank you for your answers!

Lee, you're right, i didn't look at the far right of the screen. It would be easier to manage, though, if there was something on the squadron's general information screen when pilots are expected. As it is a small scenario i can remember i took specific pilot for that particular squadron, but i imagine it would be quite more difficult to remember it in a grand campaign if i have to look in detail on the pilot's specific screen for each pilot.

Quixote, i guess i have to experiment more, and "get pilot" system seem more simple. But it may works only for generic recon or fighter squadron, which need the same developped skilled for pilots.
For bomber squadrons, as the skills needed can be very different depending on the plane and the type of mission (NavB, NavT, Ground Bombing, ASW, LowNav...), i think the complex "request veteran" option may be compulsory to choose pilots who followed the accurate training.

[leehunt27@bloomberg.net]

Yes, I use "Request Veteran" nearly every turn now in 1943 as the Japanese. Its absolutely necessary to ensure your key squadrons are filled with crack pilots. Its also very necessary for the carrier squadrons-- and you can request these veterans in port, send the fleet out to sea, and the pilots will still magically arrive days later. That's a quirk of the game I guess for both sides.

[inqistor]

ORIGINAL: Crazypantoufle

Thank you for your answers!

Lee, you're right, i didn't look at the far right of the screen. It would be easier to manage, though, if there was something on the squadron's general information screen when pilots are expected. As it is a small scenario i can remember i took specific pilot for that particular squadron, but i imagine it would be quite more difficult to remember it in a grand campaign if i have to look in detail on the pilot's specific screen for each pilot.

Yup, strange solution. What is more important - those pilots do not count into pilots number in group, until they are close to arrival day, so you can easily overload airgroups with extra pilots (and then they seem to be sometimes released into reserve in some random way)