Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: USS America

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

No big deal, Mike. I just chalk it up to Allied misinformation. [:D]

Was I that transparent? [;)]

Hiss! Dirty, tricksy Allied players! [:'(]

[jrcar]

Mike, been thinking about this some more.

In the first stage of the game you need to optimise the Japanese shippng to support the conquest.

Convert the 6k xAKL to PB.

Then what ever is left over start shipping what you can, when you can. You don't have to ship anything resource/oil/fuel wise during the first 3 months, but if you can get your northern convoy system up and operating efficiently that is a bonus. Build the key ports.

There is no need to risk the TK until you have cleared the enemy out and established ASW overwatch. Convert whatever ships to TK that you can. Better to have some fuel go to waste than loose a TK early.

I'll add a little more detail about our ships in convoy, however availability depends on your losses druing the first phase

We maintain multidivisional lift as our priority, and the most appropriate ships go to that first (as without operational success logistics success is moot).

The 6k 14kt PB are very useful for the Japan-Sinapore route. We also use the E, DMS and some DD (in part as our losses of DD have been light, the enemies heavy, so we can afford to).

Cheers

Rob

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: jrcar

Mike, been thinking about this some more.

In the first stage of the game you need to optimise the Japanese shippng to support the conquest.

Convert the 6k xAKL to PB.

Then what ever is left over start shipping what you can, when you can. You don't have to ship anything resource/oil/fuel wise during the first 3 months, but if you can get your northern convoy system up and operating efficiently that is a bonus. Build the key ports.

There is no need to risk the TK until you have cleared the enemy out and established ASW overwatch. Convert whatever ships to TK that you can. Better to have some fuel go to waste than loose a TK early.

I'll add a little more detail about our ships in convoy, however availability depends on your losses druing the first phase

We maintain multidivisional lift as our priority, and the most appropriate ships go to that first (as without operational success logistics success is moot).

The 6k 14kt PB are very useful for the Japan-Sinapore route. We also use the E, DMS and some DD (in part as our losses of DD have been light, the enemies heavy, so we can afford to).

Cheers

Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the insight. Those 6k xAKLs are the Ansyu-Cs. I am planning on converting all of them to PBs. That'll give me 106 of them before losses.

I'll get the northern convoys formed and started immediately. Resources are the critical commodity initially. Those convoys will take care of ~90% of the shortage.

I agree with you about not risking TKs early. I convert all Std- classes to TKs as they arrive.

I'm curious to see your convoy details and compare them with my thoughts based on the experiences of my first game. I'm also very interested in which classes you use for your multidivisional lift capability.

I reserve all of the xAPs for troop movement from Japan/Manchuoko to the hub closest to their destination. I don't use xAPs for invasions. The initial 51 can lift 123k troops + the additional troops that can be hauled in the cargo holds. I am planning on converting the 7x Yusen-A and 19x Husimi to AK, in addition to the 10x Yusen-S. I figure that will be sufficient for any major invasions that may happen from mid-1942 on, if there are any. I still haven't decided whether or not to convert any of the AKs to the -t conversion.

[Mike Solli]

Ok, a few details about air power. Mainly, I'll give a few details about how I'm going to modify units (upgrade, downgrade or add aircraft).

Here's the priority of support to the frontline IJAAF:

3 Air Division
5 Air Division
Southern Area
China Expeditionary Force

No surprises there really. Anyone not listed is used for training pilots primarily.

This is all assuming the specific units are at a location where they can accept reinforcement/upgrade aircraft. If not, it'll happen eventually.

Here's the chart with where the pool planes are going. Most are filling out units but some are upgrading units. The end pool is what's left and the "From Upgrades" column is planes from upgrades that are working their way back to the pool.

[Mike Solli]

A few comments are in order. I'm going to increase the output of the Ki-43-Ic factory to 64 and convert two additional factories to 32 each. In about a month I'll be producing 128 a month. That'll allow me to upgrade an estimated 2 sentai and a chutai per month. In total, here's what I need to upgrade to the Ic:

3 AD: 5 sentai & 3 chutai
5 AD: 2 sentai
China: 1 sentai & 2 chutai

I estimate it'll take to about mid to late March to finish the upgrades. I'll probably start with the 3 AD chutai to keep Nates in the pool and then work on sentai. I'll probably upgrade the Oscar Ia & Ib last, but I'm not sure. The Nates will be relegated to training exclusively once the frontline Nates are replaced.

I'm not sure what to do with the Lily. I've heard mixed reviews. I'll keep producing them on the premise that they are better than any of the 1E bombers. The Ki-36 is becoming a trainer and the Ki-51 will be removed from frontline service except for China. It's bomb load sucks. I don't mind the Ki-32 or Ki-30, but they will all slowly disappear eventually, to be used for training in Manchuoko.

The Ki-15, Ki-46-I and Ki-46-II will all be used since they are all fine planes. As they are expended, groups will be upgraded to the Ki-46-II. No surprises here.

My main transport will be the Ki-57-I and eventually the Ki-57-II. I decided on larger capacity vs. the extra hex range. My reason for this is that if I need range, the Tina will do splendidly. The Ki-59 is garbage. There are 36 of them and they will all go to the 4 chutai in Manchuoko for training. That's about all they are good for. The Ki-56 and MC-21 are good aircraft and will be used until depleted.

[SuluSea]

Good to see you've started an AAR Mike, I'm looking forward to the discussion .

Not to get you off track....

I like the legs of the Ki-48 early for ASW search one the first crop gets trained up. I've been rethinking my position on what I'm using the Ha-5s for because I'm using the Ki-56 as my main transport trying to benefit from the 12/15 range thought it suffers at 300 less capacity than the Ki-57. I've been using the Ha-5 engines for the Ki-21-Ic to help bolster the two engine bomber force with a little more firepower early until better planes come online transfer the atiquated Ki-21's to ASW... With PPs needing to be paid to upgrade from single engine to two engine planes now that doesn't seem to be a decent an option as it was in the past considering the PPs needed early to free up LCUs.

I think next game I'll use the Ki-57-I to use the Ha-5s and roll it into the KI-57-II with the upgrade.

I like NYGs advice on Mindanao to stop that supply ASAP and cause the surrender of the force at Zamboanga. I like the same tactic to make the force at Manado to surrender by seizing Sidate the turn before as well as making the force at Tarakan retreat into the swamp by taking Tangjoengselor a turn ahead.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

I'm not sure what to do with the Lily. I've heard mixed reviews. I'll keep producing them on the premise that they are better than any of the 1E bombers. The Ki-36 is becoming a trainer and the Ki-51 will be removed from frontline service except for China. It's bomb load sucks. I don't mind the Ki-32 or Ki-30, but they will all slowly disappear eventually, to be used for training in Manchuoko.

My problem with producing the Lily is that I can never convince myself to expend the HI on a lower performance plane that in the end has only trainer utility. Old Sally's are always going to be effective in ASW as they get replaced by the armored Helen's. Lily's in that role are not that effective as 100kg bombs just don't hurt subs much if at all.

It's the "what do I do with the Lily's in the mid-game and end game?" issue that always decides it for me.

[Terminus]

Erm, dude? "Breech" is the place on a gun where the bullet goes, "Breach" is the place you go yourself if you want to win a medal. I suspect you're using the former whilst intending to convey the latter thought.

[USSAmerica]

T, have you applied for any English teaching positions?  You'd be a natural.  [:D]

[ny59giants]

I like the Lily and the Sally for early to mid 42 bombers as I want to build up my pool of 1st generation Helen for ASW only work. They get the MAD device later in the war. Once the 2nd generation Helens come out, I stop the Lily. You have to pay some in supply to get this to happen, but I may have to re-think this as I get later into the war. I like 90 to 120 Helens Ia per month, if feasible. That will give you about 500 to upgrade to and stockpile.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Erm, dude? "Breech" is the place on a gun where the bullet goes, "Breach" is the place you go yourself if you want to win a medal. I suspect you're using the former whilst intending to convey the latter thought.

Hell T, I thought about that and thought I was right. Guess I'll change it. [:D]

[Mike Solli]

Right now Here are my thoughts on the Lily/Sally/Helen thingie:

[jrcar]

Don't go Lily, in our game it was a mistake. I thought they would be useful, they really weren't, even the armoured version. The bomb effect just isn't worth it.

Agree with Helen 1, even though our main bomber by late 42 was the Helen 2 we keep one factory on Helen 1 to provide replacements. By early 43 we are mostly flying Helen II in land attack roles, even in China.

Produce both Sally and Helen until mid 42 to spread the engine joy, but plan to focus on the Helen.

Cheers
Rob

[Mike Solli]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll figure it out eventually, but I've got another problem. I successfully installed and fired up the beta. It's in window mode, which I expected, but I can't see the whole screen. Any help on fixing that, keeping in mind that I am the farthest from a computer geek that there is.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

... as I want to build up my pool of 1st generation Helen for ASW only work. They get the MAD device later in the war.

I guess at some point I will have to try these (Helen 1's). The MAD device only adds 5% to detection, which doesn't seem like much to me. But you and several others comment that it seems to make a difference. Guess I need to test to see how much that 5% really makes in the game.

I do know that the Sally's make very effective ASW planes. Get the pilot skills up to 60% and in combination with surface ASW you will kill/drive away all the allied subs in any area that you wish to "cleanse".

Currently I skip the Helen I as I do not like to lose that one hex of range compared to the Sally. I upgrade from Sally to Helen II.

[obvert]

Early on I think the Lily production could stay, since it's already a good sized factory. I use them for ASW and switching out as many 1Es as possible quickly. They can hit an airfield fairly well with the four bombs. After amonth I'll turn this off and make more Oscars with that factory. If needed I can bump up the Sallys at that point.

[witp1951]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll figure it out eventually, but I've got another problem. I successfully installed and fired up the beta. It's in window mode, which I expected, but I can't see the whole screen. Any help on fixing that, keeping in mind that I am the farthest from a computer geek that there is.

Open the shortcut properties and enter the resolution desired. The shortcut downloaded with the beta has -w which puts it in windows mode. The Tech forum thread on the beta has some discussion on this. I think the beta readme might have some resolution info in it.

Quick fix is to right click the beta shortcut. Select Properties. Go to the target box and delete "-w". This will get you out of Windows Mode.

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll figure it out eventually, but I've got another problem. I successfully installed and fired up the beta. It's in window mode, which I expected, but I can't see the whole screen. Any help on fixing that, keeping in mind that I am the farthest from a computer geek that there is.

Check out this quickly made vid if you are still uncertain.

https://sites.google.com/site/witpextra ... ects=0&d=1

Will put it on my video site too ...

Cheers
[edit] On a side not Mike - did you read my Econ setup doc (new)? If you have time some critique/suggestions would be nice.
Cheers

[jrcar]

Hey Damian, very nice, I like the efficiency calcuations... makes me rethink some of our decisions (We have both slow and fast large capacity long range ships doing long haul).

I think I need to revist our convoy system some more, it is doing good, but could be better...

Cheers

Rob

[Mac Linehan]

Mike -

An absolute delight to have the Master Back... I have, of course, saved this thread and will follow with great interest.

And now that you have had a warm up game with Ted: No More Mr. Nice Guy - I expect to see the fur fly... <grin>

Cricket Mac