ORIGINAL: geofflambert
ORIGINAL: blueatoll
I also feel this is the most frustrating aspect of the game, especially to new players. I have sent many a 55 EXP pilot to the front to get blown out of the sky trying to figure things out.
I have some pure training squadrons flying in various parts of the theater but my most effective training has been taking squadrons into areas where the Japanese units are basically isolated and out-of-supply (like Rabaul and parts of Micronesia) and just flying bombing missions with CAP and Sweeps to build up ground attack. I set the squadrons to not upgrade and they basically resupply whenever a frontline unit upgrades to a better model (like P-38 upgrades or Bolo upgrades). It seems like skills go up faster on actual missions. Tougher on airframes but who cares how many Bolos or P39s you lose in 1943.
I try my damnedest not to send any fighter pilots under 70 exp air to the front. Occasionally I will break down and send someone in the high sixties, but 55? Keep training them and save the planes. If you don't have enough pilots that's an indication you've got too many squadrons at the front. Pull one out and put those 50+ or 60+ guys in it and get them training.
When he says 55 EXP I think 55exp 70 air skill. But there are a lot of pilots with less air skill and higher exp in the beginning pools. (Flying hours no combat?)
When I get em out of training they're all 50exp, 68-72 air skill, 65-70 strafing skill, 65-70 defensive skill. The last two are trained together at 100ft sweep, and it's really important in my experience to have that defensive skill. Especially for a CAP or escort pilot. I've had very skilled and experienced pilots and up double aces with 55 def skill, but they're in the best airframes and they only sweep.
