Okay, done with Hosho. Zuiho leaves me torn: AGM1, FCM1, or AAGM2?

[legoboy0401]

Which upgrade should I go for? AA range, Fighter health and ammunition, or General purpose faster re-arm?

 

I'm leaning toward the last option, but I need a second opinion. Which one do you think should I go for?

 

 

[legoboy0401]

Guys? Could you help me?

[Peregrinas]

I always go for fighter health. Aircraft rearm time is little compared to the duration in the air so you don't gain much benefit of a slightly faster rearm time. Fighter health is much more important, since being able to control the skies gives you better reign for your bombers. For Zuiho, it won't really do much against a Bogue, but if you run into another Zuiho, then you either even the odds or gain a fighter advantage.

[Estimated_Prophet]

(ninja'd)

 

Right now I'm using AGM1 and FCM1, but what Pere say is correct; toughness is better.

 

Think of it like this;

 

Will your fighters be nothing more than a block for the fighters of whoever you face? While your bombers strike and recyle as fast as possible? Then use AGM1.

 

Or do you want your fighters to tough it out, try to win fights, and stay in the air to kill things as long as possible? (While your bombers strike as they can.) Then use FCM1.

[StoneRhino]

It is no question at all.  Your fighters are just for looks as even with the HP the only CV you gain an advantage over is a Zuiho that doesn't have it.  Where as FCM1 is useful against every CV you face.

[WanderingGhost]

Fighter health and ammo - IJN CV turn around is half that of USN as it is, you get maybe 2-3 seconds per aircraft I think, chump change in how long it takes the rest of it anyway. Yes, IJN is horribly disadvantaged in strength of fighters and especially the guys putting 10+ point captains in Bogue AS, your going to want every bit of staying power you can get vs those fighters to block for your bombers before they shut you down, unless you encounter a 1,1 (lead them to whatever AA is about and you may yet stand a chance) or strike, in which the extra ammo can come in handy for downing planes as USN planes are fairly durable and IJN burns ammo.

[StoneRhino]

Na, the ammo would be important if you could strafe but you will never win a lockup anyways.  Making HPs just a throw away upgrade.  It is far better to bait his fighters away and strike.  Then when he circles back to go after your other bombers.  You strike with the original bait.  Do it right and he will be chasing his tail.  Even if you only get a single strike off , as long as you keep your bombers near the front to spot you would have done more for you team to win.

 

Even a 1s upgrade is better than a useless one.

 

A really dirty trick is to drop your DB bombs as soon as you can and then use it to spot the Bogue and let your team kill him then go after the red fleet.

[Peo01]

Zuiho with Air Groups Modification 1&2 plus AS skill beats a regular no-AS skill Bogue squadron and evens out against a 7 plane AS Skill Bogue squadron.

Add some allied AA to the mix, even just a Furutaka and you'll achieve aerial superiority against a 1/1/0 Bogue.

Against a 2/0/1 Bogue this means that he needs both fighter squadrons to deal with your single squadron or he's going to lose too many fighters to keep his pace and maintain aerial superiority.

[StoneRhino]

Trying to argue that a fully upgraded squadron vs a basically stock squadron is basically useless. 

[Aetreus]

Faster rearm is generally a poor choice on IJN CV as most of their time is spent taking off and landing planes, not rearming them.

[Reymu]

Shorter flight prep time is rarely useful on IJN CVs, especially when reach Hiryu and have 6 squads. That module would be worthwhile if it also shortened takeoff and landing times, but unless WG makes that change, fighter HP and ammo is the best. Especially since otherwise US fighters burn through yours quick enough to come after your bombers.

[VTAdmiral]

Fighter health is the most important upgrade for IJN carriers. Their re-arm time is already rather short and they won't get much benefit from it, and their AA isn't good enough to bother increasing in place of fighter health.

 

Anything that can keep Bogue's unstoppable goon squad pinned down just a little longer.

[Seraphil]

I would actually recommend the AA range upgrade.  Enough people try to CV snipe at tier 5 that it's relevant.  Another thing to keep in mind are players who try to camp their fighters next to your CV once they find you.  Since all of Zuiho's AA power is mid-range and long-range AA, you can discourage that sort of camping with the appropriate AA build.

[StoneRhino]

6 hours ago, Reymu said:

Shorter flight prep time is rarely useful on IJN CVs, especially when reach Hiryu and have 6 squads. That module would be worthwhile if it also shortened takeoff and landing times, but unless WG makes that change, fighter HP and ammo is the best. Especially since otherwise US fighters burn through yours quick enough to come after your bombers.

I agree for Hiryu + and less effective on Ryujo than Zuiho.  Its usefulness is even questionable on Zuiho but it is still better than a useless hp buff. Even the recently mentioned AA module would be better

[legoboy0401]

I went Fighter health and ammo, primarily to give me the edge against Bogue fighter squadrons when they try to intercept my strikes, but also to keep my fighters with plenty of ammo(I run Dogfighting Expert for the small ammo boost as well) so I reduce the number of times my fighters have to return to the CV for new magazines of bullets.

 

I'd consider the AA mod for Ryujo, but down here at Tier V, being clicked by enemy fighters is almost a death sentence most of the time, and it's not like you can strafe enemy fighters or strafe out of a dogfight.

[VTAdmiral]

2 hours ago, Seraphil said:

I would actually recommend the AA range upgrade.  Enough people try to CV snipe at tier 5 that it's relevant.  Another thing to keep in mind are players who try to camp their fighters next to your CV once they find you.  Since all of Zuiho's AA power is mid-range and long-range AA, you can discourage that sort of camping with the appropriate AA build.

As Zuiho your main threat in tier 5 is Bogue.

 

Your problem isn't CV snipes.

 

Your problem is Bogue's twin goonsquads.

[Seraphil]

8 hours ago, Destroyer_Kiyoshimo said:

As Zuiho your main threat in tier 5 is Bogue.

 

Your problem isn't CV snipes.

 

Your problem is Bogue's twin goonsquads.

 

Without strafe, your fighter won't be doing anything to them.  Even with all the possible skills active, he can just dogpile your 5 fighters with 14, chew right through, and get onto your slower bombers.

[Flashtirade]

Fighter health. Cycle time is already fast for IJN CVs, the main problem for them is making the best use of the planes once fielded.

[VTAdmiral]

8 hours ago, Seraphil said:

 

Without strafe, your fighter won't be doing anything to them.  Even with all the possible skills active, he can just dogpile your 5 fighters with 14, chew right through, and get onto your slower bombers.

Fighter health means they're able to delay Bogue's goons longer. That's all they can do.