Pilot Training

This new stand alone release based on the legendary War in the Pacific from 2 by 3 Games adds significant improvements and changes to enhance game play, improve realism, and increase historical accuracy. With dozens of new features, new art, and engine improvements, War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition brings you the most realistic and immersive WWII Pacific Theater wargame ever!

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krb3
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Pilot Training

Post by krb3 »

I'm a newbie and trying to learn about pilot training. Was wondering if anyone has assigned a pilot with an experience level of 80 or above to TRACOM to train new pilots. Did it help them to train faster or become better pilots, compared to no one being assigned to TRACOM.
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sprior
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by sprior »

I don't think anyone's done any empirical testing but the rules do state (somewhere) that pilots added to TRACOM produce better replacements.
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LargeSlowTarget
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by LargeSlowTarget »

If I am not mistaken, every batch of 10 elite pilots put into TRACOM have a chance to accelerate the training of a class in the off-map training program, but they will not produce better replacements.
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sprior
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by sprior »

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

If I am not mistaken, every batch of 10 elite pilots put into TRACOM have a chance to accelerate the training of a class in the off-map training program, but they will not produce better replacements.

That's correct, it accelerates the training
"Grown ups are what's left when skool is finished."
"History started badly and hav been geting steadily worse."
- Nigel Molesworth.

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rustysi
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by rustysi »

TRACOM pilots are supposed to give a chance of advancing rookie pilots through the 12 month training cycle. You'll get a message something like this: "TRACOM advances 43 pilots in the 10th month cycle." Which advances 43 pilots from the tenth month in the queue to the eleventh month. For me I seem to have a problem with it not working right now, but that's me. You need to have at least 10 TRACOM pilots of each nationality/type before it'll have any effect. Nationality is self explanatory. By type I mean 10 IJA pilots, 10 IJN pilots, 10 USN pilots, etc.

There's also this from the 'Pilot Training Addendum';
7. Training
Skill and experience training has been changed slightly. They both increase
incrementally.
Points are accumulated for each skill/experience and once a certain level is reached, a
point is added to the actual skill/experience level.
The cutover level is based on the current skill/experience level with some randomness
thrown in. So as the skill/experience level increases, it takes more accumulated points
to reach the next level.
Combat gains points faster than straight training, and combat is generally required to
reach 70+ skill/experience levels.
Experience levels behave like skill levels with the one exception.
If the Experience level is higher than the best skill by more than 5, then a skill, based
on the group’s mission, might gains the accumulated points instead.
Groups can fly normal Training missions (with a training percent) which occur in the
AM and PM air phases. These gain both skill and experience points.
Groups will also gain skill and experience (after passing a training check against the
training percent of the group) at the end of each day:
1. if the pilot’s experience is less 50 (plus pilot’s missions and kills) and less
than the overall group experience level
2. if the pilot’s experience is less 50 (plus pilot’s missions and kills) and less
than the leader’s skill
3. if pilot is in a dedicated Training group with some Instructors (adds higher
increments to accumulators)
4. if pilot is in a dedicated Training group without Instructors (higher success
and slightly higher increments than a normal group)
5. if pilot is in a group with some training percent (number of veteran pilots
(experience of 80+) increases chance of successful training)

If you look a number 5 it seems that they can also help with training within a group that has a training % set.

Oh, and ignore the references to dedicated training groups, it never made the final cut.
It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Hume

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BillBrown
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by BillBrown »

The existence of training groups is scenario dependent. There are a number of user designed scenarios that have them.
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geofflambert
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by geofflambert »

I don't do TRACOM. If I were playing the Allied side I'd consider it, but would probably opt out. When I want to give aces a rest or protect them from combat I add them to on-map training squadrons and have the impression that they do help. You might have the opportunity to (though I've never done it, being against it in principle) to make them a flying commander of a squadron, and I think in that case they do have an impact on training. Tracom seems like a black hole with unquantifiable results so I just don't do it. There are times when I want to take certain pilots off the front line, use them to help train, but mainly to hold them in reserve until they are truly needed at the front.

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AW1Steve
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by AW1Steve »

In TRACOM those "resting pilots" are doing some good. It's shore duty for God's sake! I'm not going to say "take 6 months and go drink beer!". "No you've just had a terrible combat experience, so I'm going to give you a job to make you want to go back on a combat tour. I'm not going to let Japanese pilots try and kill you. No, something MUCH more insidious, I'm going to let STUDENT pilots try and kill you. NUGGETS! ". [:D][X(][:(]
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BBfanboy
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by BBfanboy »

[:D][:D]
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rustysi
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by rustysi »

The advantage of placing pilots into TRACOM for the Japanese player is those advancements through the initial 12 month training cycle will save HI. Its five points HI charge for every pilot every month in the system. If I can get them out faster I save the HI. It may not save a whole bunch, but for Japan every little bit helps. That's my incentive to use the TRACOM as the Japanese player.
It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Hume

In every party there is one member who by his all-too-devout pronouncement of the party principles provokes the others to apostasy. Nietzsche

Cave ab homine unius libri. Ltn Prvb
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SheperdN7
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by SheperdN7 »

I think its not as important to put pilots into TRACOM playing as the allies simply because you have the resource of time and an almost inexhaustible supply of pilots (for USN, USAAF at least.) I play as Japan and off the bat first turn I'll usually go 10/10 split in TRACOM.
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Sardaukar
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by Sardaukar »

My main use of TRACOM is to store elite pilots to use later to form elite squadrons and improve good squadrons to be great squadrons. In TRACOM, your aces are safe (as Allies, you can think them as sent to war bond tour for a while). [8D]

For Japan, TRACOM is bit more useful in pilot training, but Allies should never have much problem with trained OK pilots. Things with AUS/NZ/Brit/CW/Chinese pilots might be bit different, though. But USN/USAAF usually never lack trained pilots and Allied player has enough restricted squadrons on West Coast to use for pilot training.
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JDL
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by JDL »

ORIGINAL: AW1Steve

In TRACOM those "resting pilots" are doing some good. It's shore duty for God's sake! I'm not going to say "take 6 months and go drink beer!". "No you've just had a terrible combat experience, so I'm going to give you a job to make you want to go back on a combat tour. I'm not going to let Japanese pilots try and kill you. No, something MUCH more insidious, I'm going to let STUDENT pilots try and kill you. NUGGETS! ". [:D][X(][:(]
I read somewhere that quite a few bomber command pilots that had completed their tours and been sent to training units soon volunteered to go back flying operations over Germany.
The combination of new pilots flying old aircraft led to the conclusion that taking their chances over the Ruhr was more beneficial to their life expectancy.
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PaxMondo
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by PaxMondo »

Originally, I used TRACOM, but I haven't used it now in several years. Simply because I am able to get my pilot training program in place by late Jan42 and by Mar 42 I never see a shortage of single skill pilots (fighter, transport, etc) and by Jun 42 most of my multi-skill pilot pools are in good shape.

anyway, just some thoughts about it ...
Pax
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rustysi
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by rustysi »

ORIGINAL: AW1Steve

In TRACOM those "resting pilots" are doing some good. It's shore duty for God's sake! I'm not going to say "take 6 months and go drink beer!". "No you've just had a terrible combat experience, so I'm going to give you a job to make you want to go back on a combat tour. I'm not going to let Japanese pilots try and kill you. No, something MUCH more insidious, I'm going to let STUDENT pilots try and kill you. NUGGETS! ". [:D][X(][:(]

Something I recently read...

"Almost 15,000 pilots, crew, or passengers were killed during training, a figure shockingly close to the USAAF's 23,000 aerial combat deaths overseas."
It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Hume

In every party there is one member who by his all-too-devout pronouncement of the party principles provokes the others to apostasy. Nietzsche

Cave ab homine unius libri. Ltn Prvb
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geofflambert
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by geofflambert »

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Originally, I used TRACOM, but I haven't used it now in several years. Simply because I am able to get my pilot training program in place by late Jan42 and by Mar 42 I never see a shortage of single skill pilots (fighter, transport, etc) and by Jun 42 most of my multi-skill pilot pools are in good shape.

anyway, just some thoughts about it ...

Are we talking game years or real years? Sometimes game years are longer than real years. Sometimes game years come to an abrupt halt, but real years just go on and on.

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BBfanboy
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by BBfanboy »

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Originally, I used TRACOM, but I haven't used it now in several years. Simply because I am able to get my pilot training program in place by late Jan42 and by Mar 42 I never see a shortage of single skill pilots (fighter, transport, etc) and by Jun 42 most of my multi-skill pilot pools are in good shape.

anyway, just some thoughts about it ...

Are we talking game years or real years? Sometimes game years are longer than real years. Sometimes game years come to an abrupt halt, but real years just go on and on.
You should be prepared for the real years to suddenly stop sometime too! [:(]
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
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PaxMondo
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by PaxMondo »

real years. [;)]
Pax
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mussey
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RE: Pilot Training

Post by mussey »

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Originally, I used TRACOM, but I haven't used it now in several years. Simply because I am able to get my pilot training program in place by late Jan42 and by Mar 42 I never see a shortage of single skill pilots (fighter, transport, etc) and by Jun 42 most of my multi-skill pilot pools are in good shape.

anyway, just some thoughts about it ...

Are we talking game years or real years? Sometimes game years are longer than real years. Sometimes game years come to an abrupt halt, but real years just go on and on.
You should be prepared for the real years to suddenly stop sometime too! [:(]
life's a long song, but the tune ends too soon for us all - Tull
Col. Mussbu

The long arm of the law - "The King of Battle"

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