1.14 - Philippine Sea & Pilots

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Pilots (DLC)[/h2][p][/p][p]This option reflects the growing inexperience of Japanese pilots.[/p][p][/p][p]Japan had expected a short conflict with Occidental powers. It had skillfull elite pilots but very few training programs.[/p][p]As the war protracted, the overall pilot quality quickly started to worsen, especially after the attritional battles of Midway and Guadalcanal.[/p][p][/p][h2]Scenario.: Philippine Sea Summer-1944 [/h2][p][/p][p]This scenario covers 3 major US operations of Summer 44: Securing Saipan, Guam, and Palau islands.[/p][p][/p][p]June 44, with both major naval bases neutralized, Rabaul and Truk, the road to the Mariana islands is now wide open. Capturing them would allow B-29 strategic bombers to reach Japan.[/p][p][/p][p]The Japanese were aware of the threat and strove to send more land forces to the Mariana islands. However most of reinforcement were intercepted and sunk by US submarines.[/p][p][/p][p]The Philippine Sea would be the largest and last carrier battle of World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy lost a great part of its air asset and could not oppose any credible resistance to further US foray into the Japanese defense perimeter. The invasion of Palau was of a doubtful interest and prove to be a bloodbath.[/p][p][/p]