Appropriate pilots pulled from pool?

Matrix Games Forums

Armageddon invasion starts in 2014

Command Rommels Panzers in Battle Academy!

Servers Update

The Deal goes Fourth!

Command Ops gets a Massive Update!

Lost Battles AAR: Smolensk 41

War in the East: Lost Battles is here!

Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear! Let's Play video

Lost Battles Scenario Manual excerpts available!

A sneak peek from Allied Corps!

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

Appropriate pilots pulled from pool?

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> Appropriate pilots pulled from pool?

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/14/2011 8:23:18 PM

undercovergeek

Posts: 1455
Joined: 11/21/2006
From: UK
Status: offline

2 quickies - i have been going through the IJA airforce and noticed a lot of squadrons with surplus pilots - is it feasible/recommended to return these to the reserve pool?

And if i do and then pull a pilot from the reserve to replace a loss will it be an appropriate pilot - ie: i dont want to pull a bomber pilot into my fighter squadron - does the engine see the squadron type and give me a fighter pilot?

thanks for any advice

Post #: 1

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 12:52:21 PM

Mike Solli

Posts: 13695
Joined: 10/18/2000
From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku
Status: offline

Many different theories here. My take on it:

I divide my Japanese air units into 3 categories:

Front line
Trained
Training

Front Line: These guys are poking their sharp stick into the other guy's eye. They are made up (mostly) of the cream of the crop if possible. With the IJAAF, that's definitely not nearly as good as the IJNAF cream. Anyway, I'd say, ~30-50% cream, 30-50% average joes (50+ exp, 60+ primary skill) and ~20-30% inferior guys. Some people don't like that last part being there. They're not just out of flight school but not fully up there with the other guys. I figure they're the ones who get on the job training. Some die but the others gain skill pretty quickly. Lastly, I keep them over 100% strength in pilots and maxed out in planes, but this doesn't last while in combat ops.

Trained: These guys are there to replace the Front Line daitai when they get burnt out. They're pretty much the same makeup as Front Line but are usually rebuilding after being in the Front Line and taking losses then being swapped out with a different Trained unit.

The Front Line and Trained units replace each other as necessary. I try to pull a unit out of the front line when it's down ~30% in planes. I try to pull it out before it takes >12 plane losses because then it takes over a week to replace the planes. Not always possible but that's the goal. That's the main reason I pack in the planes.

Last thing. I always hand select my replacement pilots. That way you get who you want for the unit you're filling. No foul ups.

Training: This is everyone else. These have 1 elite pilot who's destined to spend the rest of eternity training the riff raff. They are maxed out in planes and pilots and on 90-100% training. I check them twice a month and pull out anyone who has 50+ experience and 70+ in whatever skill they're training.

Edit: Front Line additional comments: IJNAF - 1-2 elite pilots per daitai, 1 per chutai is the goal and 1 per training unit. Very possible. IJAAF - 1 per fighter unit after I have 1 in each training fighter unit. That's a challenge.

< Message edited by Mike Solli -- 9/15/2011 3:14:19 PM >

_____________________________

Created by the amazing Dixie

(in reply to undercovergeek)

Post #: 2

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 2:40:03 PM

Xargun

Posts: 2684
Joined: 2/14/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Training: This is everyone else. These have 1 elite pilot who's destined to spend the rest of eternity training the riff raff. They are maxed out in planes and pilots and on 90-100% training. I check them twice a month and pull out anyone who has 50+ experience and 70+ in whatever skill they're training.

Someone else mentioned this and it seems like it is true. Your training groups do not need aircraft to train. I leave most of my training groups in Japan (or China, Manchukuo) with whatever aircraft they come with and never add any more. I stuff in all the pilots I can and let them train at like 60 or 70%. They seem to train up to 50+ pretty quick. To get over 50 you need to start actually flying. I use these pilots for rear area CAP and such - or bombing in low threat areas - like China. This will allow them to build up over the training limit until they are good enough to go into the reserve.

Xargun

(in reply to Mike Solli)

Post #: 3

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 3:00:03 PM

Mike Solli

Posts: 13695
Joined: 10/18/2000
From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Xargun

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Training: This is everyone else. These have 1 elite pilot who's destined to spend the rest of eternity training the riff raff. They are maxed out in planes and pilots and on 90-100% training. I check them twice a month and pull out anyone who has 50+ experience and 70+ in whatever skill they're training.

Someone else mentioned this and it seems like it is true. Your training groups do not need aircraft to train. I leave most of my training groups in Japan (or China, Manchukuo) with whatever aircraft they come with and never add any more. I stuff in all the pilots I can and let them train at like 60 or 70%. They seem to train up to 50+ pretty quick. To get over 50 you need to start actually flying. I use these pilots for rear area CAP and such - or bombing in low threat areas - like China. This will allow them to build up over the training limit until they are good enough to go into the reserve.

Xargun

Yeah, I've wondered about that. There are times when I had a shortage of a particular airframe and I would do this. It seemed like it worked but I've never tested it. I do it in a pinch but fill out the units if I have an abundance of that particular airframe.

_____________________________

Created by the amazing Dixie

(in reply to Xargun)

Post #: 4

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 3:11:35 PM

undercovergeek

Posts: 1455
Joined: 11/21/2006
From: UK
Status: offline

thankyou sir

the more and more i read about your stuff mike the more and more i realise im playing witp-lite!!! dont usually dabble in the pilots or as much details as you do in the AKs but its very informative to read. Your assistance is invaluable as always

< Message edited by undercovergeek -- 9/15/2011 3:13:08 PM >

(in reply to Mike Solli)

Post #: 5

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 3:19:44 PM

HansBolter

Posts: 3148
Joined: 7/6/2006
From: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

quote:

ORIGINAL: Xargun

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Training: This is everyone else. These have 1 elite pilot who's destined to spend the rest of eternity training the riff raff. They are maxed out in planes and pilots and on 90-100% training. I check them twice a month and pull out anyone who has 50+ experience and 70+ in whatever skill they're training.

Someone else mentioned this and it seems like it is true. Your training groups do not need aircraft to train. I leave most of my training groups in Japan (or China, Manchukuo) with whatever aircraft they come with and never add any more. I stuff in all the pilots I can and let them train at like 60 or 70%. They seem to train up to 50+ pretty quick. To get over 50 you need to start actually flying. I use these pilots for rear area CAP and such - or bombing in low threat areas - like China. This will allow them to build up over the training limit until they are good enough to go into the reserve.

Xargun

Yeah, I've wondered about that. There are times when I had a shortage of a particular airframe and I would do this. It seemed like it worked but I've never tested it. I do it in a pinch but fill out the units if I have an abundance of that particular airframe.

Chinese air squadron pilots train like madmen with zero planes.........and I don't mean Japanese zero planes. Planes are not needed for training. Seems a bit strange but that's how it works.

_____________________________

Hans

(in reply to Mike Solli)

Post #: 6

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 3:21:27 PM

Mike Solli

Posts: 13695
Joined: 10/18/2000
From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku
Status: offline

In my opinion, the economy is a lot of fun to tinker with, but that will just allow you to fight the war. The key to winning (actually, losing later than history, which is winning in my book) is pilots. The longer you can keep up a nice pool of trained pilots, the longer you can stave off the inevitable.

_____________________________

Created by the amazing Dixie

(in reply to undercovergeek)

Post #: 7

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 3:22:46 PM

Mike Solli

Posts: 13695
Joined: 10/18/2000
From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

quote:

ORIGINAL: Xargun

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Training: This is everyone else. These have 1 elite pilot who's destined to spend the rest of eternity training the riff raff. They are maxed out in planes and pilots and on 90-100% training. I check them twice a month and pull out anyone who has 50+ experience and 70+ in whatever skill they're training.

Someone else mentioned this and it seems like it is true. Your training groups do not need aircraft to train. I leave most of my training groups in Japan (or China, Manchukuo) with whatever aircraft they come with and never add any more. I stuff in all the pilots I can and let them train at like 60 or 70%. They seem to train up to 50+ pretty quick. To get over 50 you need to start actually flying. I use these pilots for rear area CAP and such - or bombing in low threat areas - like China. This will allow them to build up over the training limit until they are good enough to go into the reserve.

Xargun

Yeah, I've wondered about that. There are times when I had a shortage of a particular airframe and I would do this. It seemed like it worked but I've never tested it. I do it in a pinch but fill out the units if I have an abundance of that particular airframe.

Chinese air squadron pilots train like madmen with zero planes.........and I don't mean Japanese zero planes. Planes are not needed for training. Seems a bit strange but that's how it works.

Thanks Hans and Xargun. It's nice to get confirmation on this. I could never be sure.

_____________________________

Created by the amazing Dixie

(in reply to HansBolter)

Post #: 8

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 5:07:57 PM

Xargun

Posts: 2684
Joined: 2/14/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Thanks Hans and Xargun. It's nice to get confirmation on this. I could never be sure.

Any time - I learn (and relearn stuff I've forgotten) all the time on here and try to pass on what I can.

I also think having a 80+ experience pilot in the air groups help but I don't have any proof. I think other people have tried to prove it either way and yet nothing has been definite. I just have a gut feeling this helps - now whether it does or not, having an elite pilot in each group won't hurt.

Also I like the TRANCOM - just passed a new month and saw 94 pilots get their training accelerated

I know they will still need training when they come out of the pipeline but the more I get faster the longer I will last in the air war. Plus TRANCOM is another reserve you can tap in late war when it won't matter - like in mid/late 44.

Xargun

< Message edited by Xargun -- 9/15/2011 5:08:51 PM >

(in reply to Mike Solli)

Post #: 9

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 5:12:33 PM

Mike Solli

Posts: 13695
Joined: 10/18/2000
From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Xargun

Plus TRANCOM is another reserve you can tap in late war when it won't matter - like in mid/late 44.

Xargun

I agree with you there. All excess elite pilots go there. Plus, I put in all IJAAF bomber & recon elite pilots (if there ever are any from those units) there.

_____________________________

Created by the amazing Dixie

(in reply to Xargun)

Post #: 10

RE: Appropriate pilots pulled from pool? - 9/15/2011 5:29:38 PM

Xargun

Posts: 2684
Joined: 2/14/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
I agree with you there. All excess elite pilots go there. Plus, I put in all IJAAF bomber & recon elite pilots (if there ever are any from those units) there.

I agree - I put all types of pilots into their respective reserves. There has been many times when I can't pull a normal newbie pilot into a recon group but I can if they are in the recon reserve.

Xargun

(in reply to Mike Solli)

Post #: 11