Air Bases-Do they create super stacks?

[Hobbes]

@Vareel:

Yes they create superstacks, but they can be ignored.  If Japan is relying on a superstack at Car just send your fleet to SZ 54 as the US.  From there you can hit Phi, DEI, or Car, and the best part?  Japan planes can’t reach you without a closer LZ.

I agree with this. The US can simply bypass the Carolines (as it happened historically) or other islands and the usefulness of those stacks is reduced.

[Veqryn]

i would say, somewhere between 3 and 6 max planes should be able to scramble.  and reduced by 1-2 planes for each point of damage (at 3 damage or more, no planes scramble obviously)

the idea of infinite planes scrambling is absurd.

in fact… i have a much cooler idea that would be somewhat more realist:

up to 3 planes may scramble (join the fight) each combat round.  This is reduced by 1 plane for each damage on the airbase.  (at 3 dmg, no planes).

so for example, you have an airbase with 1 point of damage on it, and you happen to also have 7 planes on it.
you decide to scramble into an adjacent sz

during the first round of combat, only 2 of your planes may participate
during the second round, only 4
during the third round, only 6,
etc.

(if you had no dmg, then it would be 3,6,9, etc. if 2pts of dmg then 1,2,3,etc.)…

what do you guys think?
perhaps we should petition larry harris and krieg to make this part of the errata/facts… at least as an optional rule?

[MaherC]

not really sure how this is a problem, nor historically inaccurate really.  Midway launched 60+ planes at the 4 jap carriers (who had about 275 planes on them).  Bombing raids in Europe saw 376 B17’s hit Schweinfurt on one mission.  I personally hope the Japanese put 20 zeros on the Carolines rather than the home island…

[WILD BILL]

At least others have seen this as a potential problem. I know for myself its to early to say for sure (not enough games yet). This had to be brought up through testing, one would think?  Don’t get me wrong a like the scramble rule. I just think left unchecked it could be cause some issues. I know Yope has said in the past that testing led to bombardment being adjusted in AA50, as it proved to be over whelming. AB/ND had to be a focal point of many discussions and testing. Hope they followed through and got it right, or will admit maybe they missed and will fix it.

I was also thinking of the Med (I know this is Pacific, just thinking ahead). Depending on how the sz break many of the islands should be able to scramble. Corsica, Malta, Crete, Cyprus, Sardinia and Sicily. It will be like a mini Pacific. Should be fun.

[MaherC]

I’ll say this much.  I have yet to see a swarm of scrambling fighters be the make or break for the game.  both sides can do it.  and seriously, if anyone can tell me how the allies win, outside of a COLOSSAL failure on the part of the Japanese player, that would be great and appreciated.

[thenorthman]

@MaherC:

I’ll say this much.  I have yet to see a swarm of scrambling fighters be the make or break for the game.  both sides can do it.   and seriously, if anyone can tell me how the allies win, outside of a COLOSSAL failure on the part of the Japanese player, that would be great and appreciated.

So far for me and my friends it has been evenly split between the allies and japanese.

[WILD BILL]

@MaherC:

not really sure how this is a problem, nor historically inaccurate really.   Midway launched 60+ planes at the 4 jap carriers (who had about 275 planes on them).

I’m not really a numbers guy, but here goes. Stated Jap has 4 loaded A/C with a total of 275 planes. Broken down that’s about 70 planes per carrier. For game purposes you get two air units per carrier so that gives you a ratio of 35 planes per 1 air unit piece (35/1). If you took that same 35/1 ratio into consideration, if Midway launched just 3 air units, it would be equal to 105 planes. Your own example has them launching only 60. So IMO it is over kill to allow unlimited scramble, but as I said I’ve not played very many games yet at this point.

I like to hear from people with similar experience and their thoughts along the way. I am also seeking opinions of others that have 10-15 games under their belt, or may have been part of a test group that had discussed the pro/cons.

Thanks WB

[Xayd74]

@MaherC:

I’ll say this much.  I have yet to see a swarm of scrambling fighters be the make or break for the game.  both sides can do it.   and seriously, if anyone can tell me how the allies win, outside of a COLOSSAL failure on the part of the Japanese player, that would be great and appreciated.

I’ve gotta agree. So far it’s a guaranteed jap victory, even with poor rolls. The japs do not have to attack the US, but the US has to attack them. Even with just 6 planes available for a jap defensive scramble, that turns the tide on even a large US fleet making a go at Japan. And the US gets one shot to level the jap fleet (in turns 6 or 7 for me). And if they dont do it, if they have to retreat, the jap favored IPC production makes the end of the game very predictable.

Some have said the US should bypass japan and go for Asia. Lets say they did (with 5 tanks and infantry) and captured the MIC I typically drop in Kwangsu. I’ve still got the India MIC and funneling from japan to retake the complex. Not to mention the slew of Mech Infantry and planes I have already swarming Asia. I would have to assume they lost a 3rd of their invasion force to begin with anyway.

[Uncle_Joe]

Lol, I dont think we’ve even CONSIDERED playing the game out till the bitter end of invading Japan. Not worth the time invested IMO. And it would be soooo messy. There’s a good reason they dropped the A-bombs. ;)

[Xayd74]

Oh damn, I’m gonna hafta use that one the next time my Allied friends are wondering just how the heck they should win.

“Um, Jeff. Did you roll for the A-Bomber weapons upgrade yet?”