What Percentage do you set your landbased fighter squadrons?

[s96825]

What percentages do you guys like to use for land based fighter units? (for example P-40s based in Port Moresby)

In categories such as:

CAP
LRCAP
Seach
Rest



Playing Guadalcanal scenario as Allies vs CPU IJN

[dr.hal]

Greetings s96825, welcome to the game and the forum. In response there is no set figure as it is situational dependent. That is, for the most part, in regards to "what is the threat?" Clearly you have bases to the rear of the fighting, while there are those directly on the front line. As an airfield is closer to the front, the more cap you want up there. This is also related to knowing what your enemy has to threaten you with! Also related is what is the state of your pilots. I try hard not to get my pilots up past a 20% fatigue rating. Using LRCAP is designed for the assistance of troops in the field beyond the base or other bases/ports that need cover and don't have any of their own. The rest setting is vital and all too often ignored, to the player's perial. It is the counter to fatigue, use it when needed. Tired pilots often become dead ones, thus obtaining the ultimate "rest"! Keep a close eye on morale too. If it dips low, rest the unit, or better yet, rotate the unit to the rear if possible. So there's no clear "answer" to your question, which is what makes this game so interesting. Hal

[LargeSlowTarget]

Fighters can't be set to search missions. The other settings depend on the situation and your mileage may vary. Sometimes it makes sense to use 100% CAP or LRCAP, but this should be limited to a day or two and then followed by 100% rest until pilot and air frame fatigue are down to single digits. Sometimes it makes sense to set 100% escort i.e. no CAP at all in order to protect your bombers. If you have multiple fighter units, some may be dedicated entirely for CAP duty and other entirely for escort duty. As "standard CAP" for bases not under direct attack but still needing to discourage unescorted bombers and to intercept search and recon planes I use 30-40% CAP and 10-20% rest, the remaining percentage is often assigned to training. Try to keep at least 10-20% rest in order to keep pilot fatigue down and give the opportunity to do maintenance work to keep air frame fatigue down.

[s96825]

Thanks.

[Sardaukar]

50% CAP, no other orders, works just fine.

There are times when you might want to use higher CAP or use some % for rest.

[Shilka]

Generally something like CAP/training 30/40 or 40/30 in "rear area" bases for better training effect, and maybe 50/0 or 50/10 in "front line" bases. The unallocated part can contribute to stand-by CAP, and also escorting bomber raid, when they're at "rest" they don't, I think but they still are resting (reduce fatigue) if they aren't called.

[Yaab]

I mostly set them at 50% CAP, 30% Rest. This way, fatigue is kept in check, stabilises mostly in low teens.

[Xargun]

My fighters are 95% of the time set to 100% training - when training up fresh pilots right out of pilot school - or 80% CAP, range 0. This is for front line fighter units defending my bases and for training pilots up in the rear. Occasionally I use 100% LR CAP when I know a target is probably going to be hit by enemy aircraft (or laying a CAP trap) - but if I want long-term LR CAP, I use 50% LRCAP and 50% Rest.

Xargun

[Sardaukar]

Settings are always bit of compromises.

If you use high % CAP, fewer of your fighters are available for Escort or other secondary missions. Especially if you also use Rest %.

With setting training squadrons (I usually use obsolete planes for that and especially units that are permanently restricted in West Coast) with 100% Training, range 0.

[Chris21wen]

My understanding of how CAP works is this.

The CAP % set for a group gives you the number of aircraft set aside for the CAP role. It is not the number of aircraft actually flying. There's about a third of that number in the air at any moment in time. How long they remain airborne is dependant upon endurance and any combat taking place within it's set range. The remainder of the CAP are either ready or refueling (game doesn't specify) and will also engage but join as the combat progresses. These are the standby a/c in the combat report. Any remaining a/c in the group will scamble but arrive later still.

Range plays a big part in all these numbers with 100% at zero range. E.g. a 16 a/c group set to 100% CAP at range zero would gives 5 airboune, 11 standby. If set to range 4 say, then 1 airbourne (4 too far away to engage), 11 standby. Engage CAP numbers will diminish for any follow raids on the same location with a quirk I've seen more than once. CAP set to 0 range does reduce, set to any other range and it might actually increase!

Aircraft assigned to training appear the animations but don't fire (that I've seen) but could take damage. Aircraft on other mission types are not envolved. I have read that aicraft with no mission set could also scramble but it's rare and think it depends on detection. Anybody confirm this?

These figures are typical of ideal conditions and event. other stuff can and does affect these numbers.

[btd64]

For me it depends on the mission. Whether or not I need a lot of CAP, or LRCAP and/or Escort missions to fly....GP