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.
Clearing on Medium (乙): Improvement Materials x5, Medal
Clearing on Easy (丙): Nothing
Branching rules
Show/Hide Branching Rules
Branching Rules
Node
Split
Condition
B
A
Slow ships in fleet
D
Fast fleet
C
D
(?)
E
(?)
G
H
(?)
I
(?)
J
Random, possibly rumored to either be composition-related and/or equipment-related
H
J
LOS Check
L
Fail LOS Check for J
J
K
LOS passed
M
LOS failed
Tips
If you're gunning for boss, do not bring a slow ship as you will run out of fuel before you reach boss.
Part of the calculation (specifically the equipment and ship components) for the eventual TP drain is done the moment you reach the drop-off point (in this case, node G), so having to use Fleet Command Facility before you reach node G will reduce the (potential) TP drain. On the flip side, you can pull ships out after node G and not affect the TP drain (of course, it'd make the boss fight a little bit more difficult).
Overloading equipment for TP isn't beneficial if you cannot score wins consistently. It's much better to score S-rank consistently with fewer TP equipment.
Enroute support fleet is highly recommended (borderline required) for higher difficulties due to the CLT Chi-Class Flagship (Torpedo value of 140)at node F capable of easily wrecking your second fleet if they get to launch closing torpedo salvo.
Fast Fleet and BB=1?; Weighted Towards I if Fast Fleet and BB=2
J
K
LOS Check
L
Fail LOS Check for K
Tips
A surface task force is recommended if you're aiming to conserve bauxite.
A Carrier task force is recommended if you're aiming to maintain superiority over the boss fleet and have an easy run on the way to the boss.
Recommended Carrier Task Fleet Composition: 2 FBB, 1 CA, 3 CV + 1 CL, 1-2 CA, 0-1 CLT, 3 DD.
It's strongly advised to assign all Reppus to your Land-Based Air Squadron planes from your new constructed Airfield and send them all to node F if you're using the CTF as it'll help take out if not remove all the bombers that the Carrier Hime might be able to use on you and possibly render her defenseless.
Heavy Cruiser Hime and the boss node lacks in any planes, so gaining air supremacy should be done with minimal issue.
If you're playing on Normal or Hard mode, try to use what forces you used in E-1 that you can for E-4 to conserve as much of your fleet as you can.
If the Heavy Cruiser Princess proves to be problematic on last kill, bring a support fleet to make things easier.
This map will invovle Enemy Air Raids which you'll need to assign your interceptors and fighters to engage the enemy planes and try to eliminate as many as you can long the way, since they will try to do damage to your land bases, which will in turn cause your planes to become fatigued more quickly and cost a larger amount of resources to recover from the damage.
Assign one air squadron on air defense while having the Second Air Squadron lend a hand at fighting the boss node.
Lycoris Princess is an Installation Type, so using Type 3 Shells, and WG42s will work be in aiding you with fighting her along with the aid Torpedo Bombers from your Air Squadron.
Gaining Air Superiority will be difficult to archive, especially on the final kill, need be, increase the number of fighters in your air squadron to help aid in removing as many of her planes as possibe.
You may also want to risk using both squadrons on the boss node in order to achieve a much easier victory against Lycoris Princess and leave your land base unprotected. While this may risk you taking heavy damage in your resource department, this in turn may lead to a high-risk, high reward outcome.
CV+CVB=3 (?), or BB in 2nd fleet (?) Random with N if CV+CVB=2 and CVL=1 (?)
N
Random with L if CV+CVB=2 and CVL=1 (?)
Tips
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 Support Fleets, Aerial Phases), but most specifically noted to take extra damage from dive bombers and seaplane bombers. It's 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 Zuiuns and Type 3 shells may result in high damage on the Central Princess if the attack connects during the Aerial Phase.
Since the reward difference between normal and easy is only improvement materials, there is not a lot of reason to do E-6 on normal unless you plan to do E-6 normal then E-7 hard, and only if you don't plan on doing E-6 hard.
