Spring 2014 Event

The Spring 2014 event started on April 23th and will last until May 6th (TBC).

Official Twitter
Information from the official Twitter:
 * 1) Event Name "Recon planes, launching!"
 * 2) *High LOS will be the key to increase the chances of reaching the boss nodes.
 * 3) *To achieve a high value, use of seaplanes, recon aircraft and ships with high LOS is strongly recommended
 * 4) *A special animation plays showing your planes attempting to find the node when approaching. If there is a positive reaction from your fleet's leader, you will then proceed to fight the boss.
 * 5) Event lasts 2 weeks from April 23rd.
 * 6) *Boss health in this event does not regenerate so stay calm and don't rush. Take it easy .
 * 7) Requires at least 75% sortie win ratio to participate.
 * 8) *At least 5 free ship slots for new girls to join your fleet before sortie.
 * 9) *At least 20 free equipment slots before sortie.
 * 10) 4 new ships added: DD Amatsukaze, DD Tanikaze, repair ship Akashi, and CL Sakawa.
 * 11) *Amatsukaze is an E-3 Reward (Port Darwin Area).
 * 12) *Tanikaze can be obtained from drops (E2, E3, E4 boss nodes are confirmed to drop her).
 * 13) *Akashi is an E-2 Reward (Battle of Sunda Strait), she can repair ships mid sortie (down to moderate damage). A new item, Ship Repair Facility, allows her to repair 2 ships at the same time. The times where she is allowed to repair are limited, however, she will get more functionality in the future.
 * 14) *Sakawa is an E-5 reward.
 * 15) Tone, Chikuma and Bismarck received a second remodel, with Tone-class being reclassified as CAVs. This can be unlocked by using a special Blueprint item, obtainable by trading Extra Operation and Event maps badges.
 * 16) New BGM added.
 * 17) New Recon Plane functionality:
 * 18) *Increased effectiveness in the aerial combat phase from successful scouting with carrier-based scouts and seaplane scouts
 * 19) **Effect depends on whether air superiority or air supremacy is obtained
 * 20) *Special bonus in shelling phase from seaplane scouts
 * 21) *Achieving Air Superiority / Air Supremacy allows ships with Recon Planes to do Double Attacks and Cut-Ins during Day Battle
 * 22) Reward for clearing event maps:
 * 23) *E-1: Medal, Reppuu Kai, Contruction Fairy, Damecon.
 * 24) *E-2: Medal, Akashi.
 * 25) *E-3: Medal x2, Amatsukaze.
 * 26) *E-4: Medal x1, New High-pressure, High-temperature Steam Boiler, Ship Repair Facility, Damecon
 * 27) *E-5: Medal x3, Sakawa.

E-1 - Southwest of Samewani Sea - Battle of Samewani Sea

 * 100 exp
 * Node B contains 1 flagship and 1 elite Ka-class submarines
 * Rewards Furniture Fairy, Emergency Repair, Reppu Kai, and a Medal upon clear
 * Killing the boss 6 times will empty its HP gauge. Not being able to kill it by the end of boss battle will still do some damage to the gauge.
 * Boss is CA Ri-Class flagship Kai

Branching rules
 * A to B :Fleet with at least two standard carrier (Taihou included. Light carrier won't count). Fleet not meeting any rules goes random.
 * A to C, and E to G :Fleet with at least two heavy cruiser (not aviation) and two ships carrying total of 4 drums (E.g. first ship bring 3 drums, another ship bring 1 drum).
 * CLT-CLT-CAV-BB-CV-CV seems to be the best fleet composition so far.
 * Recon aircraft are required to get to the boss node. Bomber seaplanes such as the Zuiun and Seiran are not considered recon planes.

Tips
 * Use expedition 117 if you think you need more damage during sortie.
 * Easy grinding setup : 2CA, 1CAV, 1DD, 2CLT (or 1CLT+1BB/CVL). Must bring total 4 drums on 2 ships (e.g. 3 on DD, 1 on CAV) and a seaplane with AA to gain air superiority. There will be no LOS requirement for A C E G H route and only two battle on your way to boss - best of all, you won't encounter any enemy carrier at all and gain some steel in node G for your repairs.

Drops
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===E-2 - Southwest of Zunda Strait - Across The Zunda Strait===
 * Rewards a Medal and Construction Ship Akashi upon clear
 * 150 exp
 * Map gauge has 6 hp
 * Node H is night battle
 * Boss is BB Ru-Class Flagship Kai

Branching rules

 * 2 BB, 1 CLT, 1 CAV, 2 CV with BB and CAV equiped with Type 0 is really likely to reach boss node
 * 2 BB, 2 CV, 2 BBv with 300+ LOS and Type 0 will 85% getting to boss node (so far).

Tips

 * Expedition 117 can be use for extra damage during sortie.
 * If pre-boss night battle is too hard, bring in a submarine with Emergency Repair + Turbine/Boiler, you must reach night battle before your SS sustains heavy damage (red hp). Do not set SS as flagship. Or you could use a searchlight.
 * Using line abreast in the night battle node may help to lower damage from enemy attacks. (even though formation in night battle does not show up on screen)

Drops
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E-3 - Port Wine Area - Assault! Destroy Port Wine Operation

 * Rewards Amatsukaze and two Medals upon clear
 * 200 exp
 * Killing the boss 7 times will empty its HP gauge. Not being able to kill it by the end of boss battle will still do some damage to the gauge.
 * Node-A contains 2 Ka-class Submarines
 * Node-B contains 3 Ka-class Submarines
 * Boss is Harbour Princess

Branching rules

 * Using 4 BB + 2 CV with 352+ LOS seems to give a 100% chance to reach the Boss node
 * Using all fast ships only will sometimes result in route C-F-I. There are no air battles here, but I node is a night battle. Surviving night battle routes you to Boss node.

Tips

 * Using Sanshiki gives you a damage bonus against the Boss.
 * Use expedition 118 if you think you need more damage in the boss node.

Drops
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E-4 - Central Pacific Sea - Sweep Against Subs in the Frontline

 * Rewards New High-pressure, High-temperature Steam Boiler, Repair Goddess, Ship Repair Facility and one Medal upon clear
 * Node C has no battle.
 * Imuya, Goya, and Hachi drop on all nodes of this map.
 * Boss is Submarine So-Class Elite

Branching rules

 * From C to D: Fleet with 5 DD or 4DD + 1CL
 * From C to E: Any other composition
 * E to D or G is random

Tips

 * Use double line formation for pre-boss node, and line abreast for the rest.
 * If you're feeling lazy, equip your DDs with damage control.
 * Recommended compositions:
 * 4 DD, 1 CL and 1 CV. Equip your CV with anti-air fighters and the rest of your fleet with ASW.  The CV's role is to prevent enemy air superiority, and thus reduce damage taken in the shelling phase.
 * DD BB DD DD DD CL.  Equip BB with three main guns and a good surface radar.  The BB's role is to damage enemy ships to reduce damage taken from them.  Using a BBV instead for anti-sub may not be necessary since it gives a second shelling phase for the DDs/CL.

Drops
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E-5 - North Pacific Sea - Capture Peacock Island Operation

 * Rewards Sakawa and three Medals upon clear.
 * Boss is Isolated Island Demon

Branching rules

 * Starting point to A : Fleet contain 3 or more submarines.
 * B → C : Fleet with fast ship only.
 * B → D : Fleet with slow ship(s).
 * From F or G to J (boss node) : With a certain LOS, otherwise, send you to dead end (H or I)
 * From F to H or G to I : Low Fleet LoS or fleet contains submarine.

Tips

 * Use at least one slow BB to avoid the fuel maelstrom at node C.
 * 4 BB and 2 CV. Fill your Carriers with Reppu (or better), put your best fighter in your carrier's largest slot, with this you can win air superiority in the boss node.
 * This composition will (almost always?) send you to the southern preboss node.
 * 3 BB and 3 CV. Equip at least 6 Reppu and 1 Reppu Kai.
 * In contrast to the previous composition, you have room to equip bombers that allow your carriers to attack.
 * This composition gets an arguably easier preboss node (north) as well.
 * 5 Reppu, 1 Reppu Kai, and a Type 62 Zero Fighter-bomber is also sufficient for air superiority at the boss (assuming the Reppu Kai is in Kaga's large slot), and provides slightly more firepower.
 * Equipment for battleships : Two 46cm, recon plane, Type 3 Shell (you will need type 3 to deal with the boss). Alternatively, you can add type 91 ammo or Type 32 radar instead of recon planes if you're not going for air superiority.
 * Choose line ahead in boss node to deliver highest firepower.
 * Both support expeditions are recommended to increase damage output at all nodes.
 * 2 DD 2 CVL is a cost-efficient fleet.
 * 2 DD 2 CV/CVL 2 BB gives maximum firepower.
 * Some (real life) luck is required to sink the boss Isolated Island Demon, since her node also contains a Battleship Princess that is hard to sink.

Drops
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