Forlorn Hopes: The Japanese Respond

[John 3rd]

Just remembered--Gung HO!  That was a funny movie...
 
First leading role for the Donger...
 
 

[Q-Ball]

John, speaking of production and whatnot, what is your pilot training program? Do you have an on-map pilot training program?

[John 3rd]

[left]I am doing the vast majority of my training on the map in China.  I have 15-18 Daitai and Sentai hitting Chinese troops and AF in northern China.  Dan has allowed me to do this for over two weeks and some of the units are starting to look pretty good:[/left][left] [/left][left]1. The bomber units look incredible!  Most of my bombers are skilled at the mid-to-high 70s or better...[/left][left] [/left][left]2.  My fighter units are not in as good of shape due to the earlier heavy combat over Rangoon and Hanoi but they are still pretty respectable and improving.[/left]

[ny59giants]

My fighter units are not in as good of shape due to the earlier heavy combat over Rangoon and Hanoi but they are still pretty respectable and improving.

Amboina?!?

[John 3rd]

OK.  I also have 4 units training on a pair of ground units near Amboina.  I have a TF about to land some troops and finish them off but right now they serve as fine targets...
 

[John 3rd]

Good Morning.
 
I plan to do a bunch of updating this afternoon when I get the chance.  We just passed game day August 15, 1943 and things are still calm.  I know that Dan has things moving and am anxiously awaiting where the hammer will fall.  Am two weeks from all sorts of new planes coming into production and--if given time--I should be able to make a better impression once Dan does appear.
 
On the bright side he has quit the attack upon Hanoi and my economy is picking up with infusions of resources and OIL!  The oil situation will take time to resolve but things should be humming along when we hit Sept 1st. 

[ny59giants]

On the bright side he has quit the attack upon Hanoi and my economy is picking up with infusions of resources and OIL! The oil situation will take time to resolve but things should be humming along when we hit Sept 1st.

Did I miss a recent upgrade on your TKs??
They now have diesels installed with turbos. [:D]

[John 3rd]

August 16, 1943
1445 Hours
475 Miles NNE of Marcus Island
 
Ensign Hosagaya Jima carefully scans the seas from 11,000 Feet as his commander flies the Japanese Emily on its new course.  "Where did that distress call from our picket freightor eminate from Radio Operator?
 
"About 100 miles SW of us Sir" comes the reply from the Operator.  "The ship said that it was under attack by 30+ American divebombers with over 100 of their new fighters flying escort."
 
The Ensign considers that to be a bit of overkill for a freightor but...
 
Just then, the observer in the nose of the Emily spots numerous ship's wakes to the east.  Hastily banking the aircraft, the pilot orders an observation report sent out in the clear.  The dots/dashs of Morse Code can be heard almost immediately. 
 
As the signal gets out to Combined Fleet HQ in Saipan, Hosogaya spots the massed formation of numerous American warships and transports.  Quickly sweeping the field of vision the Ensign sees transports, battleships, a number of large and small carriers, and numerous escorting vessels.  This information is added to the Radioman's message just as hordes of American F6F Hellcats are seen heading for the lumbering recon plane...
 
To give great credit for this valiant crew, the radioman sends his reports with numerous details for nearly five minutes before it is cutoff in mid-message...

[John 3rd]

As my recon continously tracks the inbound American Invasion Fleet, I was moving planes around getting ready for the fight when I suddenly found that my Jacks were ALREADY in production!  They must have moved up to August from September after I did the August 1st Economic Report.
 
I am scheduled to produce over 200 a month.  Already have the first Daitai upgrading and should have planes enough to do a second fairly quickly.  It won't be enough to fight off the Americans but I will have 2-3 Daitai with 80-85 Experience flying some hot new fighters...
 

[Mike Solli]

Jacks are great.  In my opinion, they're the first great Japanese fighter plane.  They'll tear up Allied planes.  Never saw then against Hellcats though.

[Mistmatz]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Jacks are great. In my opinion, they're the first great Japanese fighter plane. They'll tear up Allied planes. Never saw then against Hellcats though.

The question is if you will see them _again_ once you sent them out...

[Mike Solli]

Again, I don't know how well they'll do against Hellcats, but they simply shred most other Allied planes in early-mid 43 in my stock game.

[John 3rd]

The Japanese spotted a massive Allied invasion fleet on August 16th.  I emailed Dan with the next turn and said something like "YIKES--here they come!  Where might you be going?  Marcus?  Iwo Jima?  Your already past Wake..."  Dan responded with the answer "I don't really know."
 
After watching the lack of movement from the Allied Fleet I am beginning to believe it.  I initially picked him up at hex 88,57 on the 16th.  I just sent the Aug 19th turn and he was sitting at 81,56.  He is averaging 3 hexes a turn maybe. 
 
An aerial concentration is being massed in the Marianas as I write this.  There are nearly 300 Betty 1 and 2 sitting on those AF at the moment.  Each of the Marianas AF has two fighter units in it flying CAP (150 Fighters) while my real concentration of fighters gathers at Aparri in the Philippines (7 Units with nearly 200 planes).  More fighters (5 units with 110 planes) are gathering in Tokyo having been in Northern China just recently.  Given about a week of time, I should have 3-4 Daitai of my best Zero pilots flying Jacks.
 
Carrier Deployment:
Truk:  The KB sits at anchor there.  I have 6 CV and 2 CVL there along with 3 BB and most of the cruisers of the Imperial Navy.
 
Toyko:  There are 2 CVL and 6 CVE finishing repairs and upgrades.  About two dozen escorts sitting awating the order to sail.  CVL Chiyoda will be finished within a couple of days as well.
 
Papaete Area:  CV Taiho, Amagi, and Unryu are training down in this area sinking the occasional AK that Dan sends towards New Zealand.  The crews of these CVs are still pretty poor and need as much flight time as possible.
 
Manila:  No CVs here but I do have Nagato/Mutsu with about 14 escorts anchored in this location.
 
I will post a screenshot after the next turn which I just got in from Dan...
   

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Again, I don't know how well they'll do against Hellcats, but they simply shred most other Allied planes in early-mid 43 in my stock game.

they are great in stock (perhaps too great [;)]), wonder how they perform in BigB mod.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

The Japanese spotted a massive Allied invasion fleet on August 16th.  I emailed Dan with the next turn and said something like "YIKES--here they come!  Where might you be going?  Marcus?  Iwo Jima?  Your already past Wake..."  Dan responded with the answer "I don't really know."

After watching the lack of movement from the Allied Fleet I am beginning to believe it.  I initially picked him up at hex 88,57 on the 16th.  I just sent the Aug 19th turn and he was sitting at 81,56.  He is averaging 3 hexes a turn maybe. 

An aerial concentration is being massed in the Marianas as I write this.  There are nearly 300 Betty 1 and 2 sitting on those AF at the moment.  Each of the Marianas AF has two fighter units in it flying CAP (150 Fighters) while my real concentration of fighters gathers at Aparri in the Philippines (7 Units with nearly 200 planes).  More fighters (5 units with 110 planes) are gathering in Tokyo having been in Northern China just recently.  Given about a week of time, I should have 3-4 Daitai of my best Zero pilots flying Jacks.

Carrier Deployment:
Truk:  The KB sits at anchor there.  I have 6 CV and 2 CVL there along with 3 BB and most of the cruisers of the Imperial Navy.

Toyko:  There are 2 CVL and 6 CVE finishing repairs and upgrades.  About two dozen escorts sitting awating the order to sail.  CVL Chiyoda will be finished within a couple of days as well.

Papaete Area:  CV Taiho, Amagi, and Unryu are training down in this area sinking the occasional AK that Dan sends towards New Zealand.  The crews of these CVs are still pretty poor and need as much flight time as possible.

Manila:  No CVs here but I do have Nagato/Mutsu with about 14 escorts anchored in this location.

I will post a screenshot after the next turn which I just got in from Dan...
  

I doubt that he doesn´t know where the invasion is going, he would just be "dumb?" to send out a major invasion not knowing if he should send his ships to target A, B or C as this would mean that all his troops are perhaps for target A while they would get 30%+ disabled for landing at a target B or C for which they are 0% prepped. IMO he knows exactly where those ships are going and if he makes you thinking that he doesn´t know it is just some kind of feint. While this feint isn´t doing him any good anyway, IMO he should just go straight ahead to his target as this is the fastest way and gives you the shortest time to respond, even if you know what the target might be.

[John 3rd]

Dan is irritated that his CVs are launching large strikes at my fleeing merchant shipping! A convoy of nearly 15 unescorted AP/AK were just outside of his range when he was spotted. I scattered these ships NW, W, and SW but since Dan is only moving at 2 or 3 hexes per turn they are roughly staying up with him as they run...

Here is the situation:

[John 3rd]

Castor--I would do the same!  Those TF must be heading for a specific target but they are moving at a constant speed of 3 and are now north of Marcus.  This could mean that they are going for Iwo Jima or Pagan.  Marcus would be my primary target to get a Port-3 so I can disband into in case I get damaged.  Any AK/AP that get hit my CD and/or mines will need a port ASAP!

My defense is predicated on needing a Port of some size.  We'll see where he goes.

I had a Daitai of Zeros and Chutai of Sally commit suicide this turn (8/20).  They launched and flew into a CAP of 386 Hellkittens!  [X(][X(][X(]  How does one even fight that sort of number?  I don't want to try attacking KNOWING that it will be horrific...

Anyone got any bright ideas?

Edit: I forgot to mention that the last days of Rangoon may finally be here. He launched a massed attack this same turn and got a 1-1 result lowering the Forts to 8. I will wait for them to be reduced again before I begin the mass exodus. Have already pulled out a lot of units from there anyway...

[Mike Solli]

August 1943 - you're going to take losses.  I'd try to concentrate the LBA and carrier air to overwhelm him.  Also, if you can position your carriers to hit one corner of the group of TFs heading your way from your carrier's maximum range, you may be able to damage some of the TFs while minimizing retaliation to your carriers.  If he doesn't go for Marcus, you can stage out of there and hit him from behind with your carriers.
 
If you can damage his carrier force, you may be able to demoralize him and he may call off the attack.  Conversely, if you damage his invasion TFs, the same result may occur, but I'd suspect it would delay him for a shorter period of time.  Either way, you have to fight him or he'll take some place you really don't want him to have.

[John 3rd]

The question is should I let him land at his objective and let me fighters try to knock down some of his and THEN attack?  If he is heading deep into Japanese territory, he won't be able to stay indefinately and should have to withdraw his warships?  Would it be better to wait him out?
 
I can attack without issue.  It will be horrific for losses...
 

[KTNJR]

I think I would let him land.
He's goiing to have to supply this force some how and thats where you can hurt him bad.
Also his carries cant stay forever.