The Spring 2016 Event, "Deployment! Land-based Aerial Division!" is planned to start on May 2nd, 2016. The entire event will be a "What if" Operation that will involve constructing an Airfield Land Base which will be used to launch Land Based Planes. The event is expected to be about 3 weeks in length and will be large scale operation which will consist of 7 stages that will be divided up into 3 different operations, a main operation, a later operation, and an extra operation.
The event plans to introduce the new "Land-Based Air Squadron" System which will introduce new Land Based planes such as the Type 1 Land Bomber and the the Type 96 Land Bomber.
In addition, the event will be the first time an event will branch into two separate operations which can be done at the same time once you complete the main operation.
Information
New Ships
There are 5 new ships added during this event. They are:
Currently from the tweets that have been provided, players will be expected to earn land based attack planes to be used during the event once construction of the installation is completed. These include the Type 1 Land Attacker and the Type 96 Land Attacker.
Completing the Latter Operation will reward you with a new type of "Flying Boat"
The difficulty system first used in Spring 2015 Event returns: you can choose between Operation A (甲, Hard), Operation B (乙, Medium) or Operation C (丙, Easy).
Choosing A or B requires certain HQ Level (HQ Lv 35 for B / 80 for A in Spring 2015 Event).
For transport maps, you need to deplete the TP gauge instead of a HP gauge, depleting the TP gauge only requires an A rank or better and does not require the boss to be sunk.
The Upcoming event will feature a new branching mechanic which will allow players to branch off from the main operation once it is complete. This will lead to players being able to access the both the Latter Operation and the Extra Operation. Players will be able to choose which operation they want to play. The following example listed below is a rough speculation and will be changed once the event goes live.
Classification
Map
Name
Combined Fleet?
Color of Tag
Tag Condition & Deployment Restriction
Difficulty Restrictions
Notes
Main Operation
E-1
Securing Control of the Front Lines!
Yes
BLUE
Tagging: Ships not already color-tagged will be tagged with the color associated with the map when deployed. This tag exists on all difficulties and is not reset on remodel, etc. Deployment Restriction: Normal or Hard: Must have either the same-colored tag or no tag. Easy: No restrictions.
No restrictions. All difficulties OK
E-2
Land the Base Setup Forces!
No
GREEN
In order to play these maps on hard, you must complete the previous map* on either normal or hard. (e.g., to do E-4 on hard, you must complete E-3 on normal or hard.) Note: Clearing E-4 unlocks E-5 and E-6 at the same time, and both E-5 and E-6 consider E-4 as previous map. That is, clearing E-4 on easy prevents you from attempting E-6 on hard regardless of what difficult you attempt E-5 on (if you attempt E-5 at all).
E-3
Setting up the Frontline Airfield!
Yes Transport Escort Only
GREEN
E-4
Launch! Air Base Corps
Yes
BLUE
Extra Operation
E-5
Rabaul Air Elimination
No
ORANGE
Complete E-4 to unlock
Latter Operation
E-6
Operation Recapture Friendly Anchorage
Yes Carrier Task Force Only
YELLOW
E-7
Ride the Waves
Yes
No Tag Applied
No Deploy Restrictions
Complete E-6 to unlock (E-5 does not need to be cleared)
Fleet satisfying all of the following: (1) CL>=1, (2) DD>=2, (3) No BB(V) or CV, (4) CVL<=1
B
Any fleet not sent to A
C
D
Active Branching
E
Active Branching
E
F
Slow ship (except Mizuho and Akitsushima) in fleet, or CV>=2; or fleet doesn't meet condition for H and K
H
1 CL + 3 DD + no slow ships
K
If fleet is too heavy Examples: both BB and CV in fleet; CLT in fleet; CL=0; DD<=1
G
J
LOS Check(?)
L
Fail LOS Check for J(?)
Tips
3DD + 1CL + 2CAV starts A - C, avoiding the enemy CV at B. From there you can choose E - H - I - G - J, avoiding F, which contains enemy BBs.
Alternatively, you can use 1 BB + 1 CVL + 1 CAV +1 CL and 2DD to go through B - E - F - G - J. This method is is good for farming for Akizuki and Teruzuki and other rare ships at Node F but present a high risk to reach the boss node. In route support might help make it through it through mode F if you aim for the boss.
A destroyer with two main guns and either WG42, Marines, or Tank, can destroy an Artillery Imp in night battle but is less effective against the Imp in day battle.
A destroyer with a WG42 and either (or both) Marines and Tank, will be strong against the Imps in both day and night battle because the bonuses stack.
On Node G if you're having issues with the PT Imps on the map, consider using the double line formation as it'll improve your accuracy against them.
In-route Shelling support and Boss Shelling Support (for final kill) is highly recommended.
Boss support is only recommended for final kill because of the uncertainty of pre-final kill boss formation.
Since the final form Supply Depot Princess has either 480 HP (hard/easy) or 430 HP (normal), and her regular form 600 (all difficulties), it is possible to finish the map without ever seeing the final form of the boss. This is possible when there is 481~600 HP left on the gauge on hard/easy or 431~600 HP on normal.
Unlike most maps, this map has had multuple reports that suggest that there is a debuff strategy to the Central Princess which suggest players will need to rearrange thier fleet to complete the following objectives:
S-rank Node A
S-rank Node G
S-rank Node L
Doing this will result in the Central Princess having a small change in her dialogue which will result in your fleet being able to do extra damage to her from that point onward.
Central Princess is vulnerable to any form of air attacks (coming from Land-Based Air Squadron, Support Fleets, Ariel Phases, and Carrier / Aviation ship attacks. but most specifically noted to take extra damage from dive bombers and seaplane bombers.
With the debuff in effect, it can be quite possible to take out Central Princess before the shelling phase actually begins.
Do keep in mind carriers equipped with Dive bombers will only attack non-land based Abyssals during shelling phase.
Some suggest equipping Aviation battleships with a Zunins and Type 3 shells may result in high damage on the Central Princess if the attack connects during the Ariel Phase.
