All started from an (apparently) unfair force balance during scramble missions: 3 japanese against 18 chinese!

The ops file reports 18 bombers versus 6 fighters, but almost always "bombers" are "fighter-bombers" and japanese are (dunno why) only three. Mission can obviously end only in a failure: its epilogue is so foregone that player could even hit "Quit Mission" right after it has begun...

So I gave a glance to historical sources and... found almost nothing. Shores doesn't mention it at all, Wiki wrote about it as a "stalemate" time. At any rate, it looks odd that just for air bases attacks chinese could gather overwhelming forces.

Undoubtedly, I'm taking too seriously all the matter, but, OTOH, can't play a thing missing a minimum base of historical support.

Any help would be appreciated,
GB

Old DGen had some bugs with scramble/intercept missions in PTO . . . may have carried over to new DGen.

But otherwise, change the Ops file . . .?

I was also thinking that changing the Ops file would be an option to help with the lopsided conditions.

I got these types of scenarios while playing the New Guinea campaign as a Japanese pilot quite regularly. I got to where I left my wingmen to fight the losing battle and I hightailed it fast as my crate would allow as far away from the battle hoping that none of them would follow me. Normally I got a "Mission Complete" for the mission when I landed at my airfield.


Wheels

I'm using stock DGen to play this campaign.

And now that I better deciphered ops file (thanks Nimits for posting on Amagi's guide code meanings), they are 18 escorted bombers!

The point is: were really WWII airmen so unprepared to "surprise" attacks on their own air bases? If yes, did make sense throwing theirselves into suicidal fights of two defenders against dozens of attackers?

Personally, I can't believe.

Revising ops file? Yes, but HOW? Are there accounts of such kind of attacks for both sides? What they tell?

Thanks for your help,
GB

Yes, depending on warning nets, radars etc. Speaking about Sino-Japanese war, there was an attack of Soviet-manned DB-3 on Hankow airfield during a parade with high-ranking japanese officers. The attack took all by surprise and was very effective. If I recall correctly it was in this or a similar attack where Saburo Sakai got his first kills.



Again yes, the mission flown by Sakai is an example. Another example are American fighter pilots at Pearl Harbour. In all cases, pilots tried to do their job...

Thanks Gitano.

I think player should have, though, a chance of survival. Still puzzled how this should be modeled in game.

S!
GB

Not too familair with the Pre-Pearl Harbor Sino-Japanese war, at least the IJAAF part of it, but it is VERY possible, especially in the pre-radar environment most nations operated in 1938-1941, to catch most fighters on the ground, even when a state of hostilities had long existed. In 1941 alone, I can think of specific examples where the AVG caught the IJAAF on the ground, the VVS did it to the FAF, the Luftwaffe to the VVS, The IJNAF to the USAAF, and so one. The only thing I would question is whether the Nationalist Chinese Air Force would have had the resources to pull off an escorted 18 bomber raid . . . though in the first few weeks/months of the conflict, their fighter force did acquit themselves reasonably well . . .

I have a stock install and this campaign does not match any of the ones that I have in my install. Do you remember the name of the campaign?

Stock IJA Career screen


Stock IJA available Campaign's screen



Wheels

According to Wikipedia, chinese air force started conflict with about 600 aircrafts and during war Soviet Union kept "sending aid" (quoting Wiki) until 1941. So, in 1940, they could still have a significant force acting. All in all, I think I'll leave ops file untouched.

Thanks for help,
GB

Asia for the Asians! by Ojcar. I've it as part of EnjoyR. The sub-campaign I'm speaking of is "China, 1940".

S!
GB