Japanese CMc, PB, ACM, AKE - which to convert to and which away?

[Historiker]

ACM:
Importance (I): High! Needed to maintain the precious minefields.
Number (N): Usually one per minefield plus a handfull reserve.
Convert to/keep (C): To'su
Replace (R): Kiso

AD:
I: medium. Reload torpedoes for destroyers and repair them.
N: One per war area
C: Ehime
R: Akasi

AG:
Will follow, not sure how important, yet.


AGP:
I: medium.
N: one wherever MTBs operate
C: Miyati
R: Gozan

AKE:
I: medium. Needed to reload big ships. Only needed in areas with likely surface battles withour infrastructure nearby
N: one Kuriles/Aleutians; one Kwajalein
C: Std-D
R: Kashino

AKV:
I: high. transports planes without dissembling them.
N: 3-4
C: Aden. Smaller loss of cargo, endurance and speed should still be sufficiant.
R:

AM:
can't convert to, can't convert away

AMC:
I: low. May hunt enemy shipping the first 2-3 months. May supply bases far out but for that a freighter with escort is better
N: none
C: none
R: all

AMc:
I: high. Cheap minesweeper and light escort.
N: one per short range TF or one per port
C: To'su Wa-1
R: Kiso

AO:
I: high at the beginning. Later only if intended to flank enemy or hunt convoys deep in his territory.
N: depends on players doctrine.
C: Type-N TL AO seems good
R: none

AR:
I: high. helps repairing even in big bases at home
N: as much as possible
C: Husimi (are 25, that should be enough)
R: Akashi, Yamabiko

AS:
I: high. enlarges the range of SS as the can operate from more remote bases. Helps to repair them
N: One per war area, so maybe 3 (Rabaul, Kwajalein, Aleutians)
C: Husimi
R: Buenos Aires, Heian, Jingei, Nagoya, Yasukuni

AV:
I: low. Not needed if enough Baseforces employed. May operate a PB from a dot base.
N: maybe 1 or 2 if Empire lasts deep in the Pacific
C: Akitsushima, Kamikawa, Kamoi, Sanyo (can't convert anyway),
R: Husimi

CM:
I: high
N: Depends on number of mines. If increased in a patch/mod more, otherwise just a few.
C: will be edited, have to look at the number of mines carried
R: dito

CMc
I: low
N: can only be used in waters without enemy as range short = base has to be near. But if no enemy, why mines?
C: Toshima
R: To'su Ma-1

DMS:
I: depends on your enemy. If he uses a lot of sublayed or planedropped mines: high. Otherwise: low
N: dito
C: dito
R: if not needed converted to E = nice escorts with range 2000-4000nm; speed 17-20

E:
I: high!!!
N: as much as possible, subs are deadly!
C: DMS if not needed; rest will follow and be edited
R: will follow

LSD:
No explanation needed. Can't be converted to or away. Usefull for invasions

PB:
I: high.
N: As many as possible
C: Kiso
R: Ansyu has 4 times cargo than Kiso, so instead of 3 Kiso xAK and one Ansyu PB better 1 Ansyu xAK and 3 Kiso PB to protect it. To'su if CMc; ACM; CMc needed

SC:
Important but not convertable.


Say "Thank you!" [8D]

[Historiker]

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[Historiker]

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[Historiker]

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[Historiker]

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[Kitakami]

Thanks for the analysis, much more detaled than what I have done so far. It will take me 2-3 games against the Ai to even begin to get a feel of Japan's needs

[Blind Sniper]

Say "Thank you!"

Thank you, very useful!
It helps me a lot to figure out how to use these ships.

[stuman]

ORIGINAL: Blind Sniper

Say "Thank you!"

Thank you, very useful!
It helps me a lot to figure out how to use these ships.

Thanks ! Once again useful analysis.

[DarkestHour]

Note that ACM's only service 150 mines. You will need more than 1 per minefield.

[Q-Ball]

Do subs hit mines more often in AE than they did in WITP? Because other than subs, I can't see a reason to keep mines repaired in the Home Islands. If USN surface ships are there, mines won't stop them.

[Mynok]

You'll want those mines in the HI eventually. [:D]

If they decay away on you, you won't replace them.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Do subs hit mines more often in AE than they did in WITP? Because other than subs, I can't see a reason to keep mines repaired in the Home Islands. If USN surface ships are there, mines won't stop them.

They seem to, I have 2 USN subs that followed enemy TFs into harbour hex and hit mine, neither sunk, though. This was Dec 41 - Apr 42.

On brighter side, IJN lost CV Kaga and CA when passing the mined hex in Osthaven (the strait between Sumatra and Java). [8D]

[Mike Solli]

I have only one argument Historiker.  I really like ADs.  I'll have more than one per region.  I like their escort repair capability.

[Kitakami]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

I have only one argument Historiker.  I really like ADs.  I'll have more than one per region.  I like their escort repair capability.

Agreed... my thoughts on this are that if the ADs do escort repair, then the ARs can concentrate on bigger fish...

[Local Yokel]

I suspect that the most important consideration in deciding what ship to select for conversion to AKE may be its capacity as converted, since this is going to determine the maximum size weapon for which it can carry ammunition in its magazines.

E.g., Lima Maru class has a capacity as converted of 4900, whilst the Yusen N class has a magazine capacity of 4635. Converted to AKE's, vessels of both these classes should have the capacity to replenish your Nagatos' main battery magazines (re-arm cost of 4500). Contrast that with the 4330 capacity of the Kyushu Maru class: good enough to munition your Kongos, but not big enough for the Nagatos.

The Limas are a knot slower than the Yusen Ns, and the Yusen N's (unlike the Limas) can be converted to AK's. Personally, I would go for Lima Maru class conversion to ammunition ships, whilst the Yusen N's may be candidates for a bunch of Daihatsu racks over the holds.

<edit> I note that Japan's one and only ammunition ship on Dec 7th, Kashino, with 3000 capacity, is good for re-arming the Kongos too. </edit>

[Gilbert]

ORIGINAL: Local Yokel

I note that Japan's one and only ammunition ship on Dec 7th, Kashino, with 3000 capacity, is good for re-arming the Kongos too. </edit>

But, IRL, Kashino was specially designed to support the construction of the Yamato-class BB, carrying the Type94 46cm guns, turrets and ornance materials to the yards were being built from the Naval Ordnance Factory, Kure. Therefore, her capacity should be enough for re-arming any IJN BB, don't you think ?

As a side note, Soya should be available at the beginning, her conversion to Ammunition ship having been completed 10 June 1940.

Cheers

Gilbert

[Captain Cruft]

Note on the AG type

AGs can repair and re-arm all ASW escort vessels below DDs. Both gun and DC ammo.

I would suggest at least one of these ships per busy port. They can be converted from virtually anything and can act as normal cargo carriers too.

[Local Yokel]

Gilbert,

Judging by the diagram in Jentschura, Kashino certainly didn't lack the lifting gear required for transhipping substantial ordnance weights, but on this matter JWE's 'da man' and he's the one you have to convince. Looks like an extremely interesting ship in the propulsion department, with Anglo-Swiss turbines and what appears to be an experimental HP boiler (high degree superheat?) - would like to find out more.

Soya is due to upgrade from AG to AKE in March 1943, though her capacity remains unaltered. I'm with you about the conversion having been completed before the war's outbreak. Another interesting ship that survives to this day, having done yeoman service as a survey/research ship post-war! Incidentally, it appears we get sister ship Minryo Maru as a Gozan Maru class freighter, but not sibling Tenryo Maru.

[Historiker]

I suspect that the most important consideration in deciding what ship to select for conversion to AKE may be its capacity as converted, since this is going to determine the maximum size weapon for which it can carry ammunition in its magazines.

I didn't know that! That changes my plan significantly...

[Local Yokel]

The devil is in the detail! [:D]