The Power of Inexperience / GreyJoy(A)-Rader(J)

[Nemo121]

GJ,

With your invasion I advised total focus on the strategically decisive aspect/goal ( getting airfields for 4-engined bombers in Hokkaido ). You maintained focus and got a major victory. Once that was done though you began dissipating your effort, committing forces to tasks they were unsuited for etc etc. In short you are losing focus and gifting Rader time he shouldn't be getting and a much easier defensive problem.

Its a simple question: Is your priority clearing Hokkaido or beginning strategic bombing?

If it is clearing Hokkaido then you commit everything to that goal for a week and you should have no problem reducing the Japanese divisions at Hakodate to nothing in that time. If it is strategic bombing then you need to ask yourself what your objectives are.

You are firebombing AND bombing engines AND bombing airframe factories. This is terribly wasteful. Think of it this way: If you hit the aircraft engine factory for Ki-44IIcs AND the airframe factory and cause 5 points of damage to each you prevent 5 planes being built per month. If you, instead, hit just the airframe factory then you would get 10 hits and stop 10 planes being built per month.

You are finding your results from strategic bombing poor because you aren't doing it as well as you could. I, personally, believe a HR of 20,000 feet for strategic bombing is very reasonable in terms of getting reasonable results ( based on a lot of experience playing both sides in '45 ) but if you dissipate your efforts then, yes, you'll not achieve very much.

Your big problem right now is his ability to CAP bases so you need to be killing fighters. SWEEP his bases with your fighters, LRCAP bases you are going to bomb and then send the 4-engined bombers in to bomb his AIRFRAME factories. All of this nonsense of starting fires, hitting R&D factories ( your problem isn't hypothetical planes, but planes he is actually building ) and hitting engine factories is simply dividing your effort such that you are getting perhaps 1/4 of the return you should be getting given the forces committed. To be clear though this is because YOU are commiting your forces poorly.


In the same way as you had to have ONE FOCUS for the recent operation ( get bomber fields on Hokkaido operational to strat bomb Japan ) you now have to have ONE FOCUS for your strategic bombing campaign - I have suggested previously that this should be fighters since thats what you are having trouble with.

Continue to dissipate your efforts and you will continue to find this much, much tougher than it should be. You are the reason your strategic bombing offensive isn't having significant effects because you have been misallocating your resources.



As re: Hakodate.
Do you really want to take it? It serves as a useful distraction for Rader, encourages piecemeal committment of forces and allows attrition on terms entirely favourable to US ground forces. The longer it survives to be grinded down the more forces will be trapped there when it eventually collapses - forces which would, otherwise, be fortifying Honshu.

Think of this strategically. Does taking it gain you more than allowing it to stalemate for a while? In my Downfall AAR I trapped about 1500 US AV in Okinawa but chose not to push them into the sea, using them as a lure to force the USN into action in an effort to relieve them. When the USN was committed to action to clear the sealanes to Okinawa I ended up destroying an additional 6 US Divisions ( double what was on Okinawa ), 10 CVEs, 4 or 5 BBs and 2 or 3 CVs as well as dozens of other ships and several thousand USN planes. So, taking a place isn't always the smart thing to do. Sometimes leaving it in someone else's hands can help guide them into a huge strategic mistake.


Bottom line though: You've lost focus again and while that might make for a good AAR in which lots of people talk up the "titanic struggle" etc etc etc it isn't actually best play.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

GJ,

With your invasion I advised total focus on the strategically decisive aspect/goal ( getting airfields for 4-engined bombers in Hokkaido ). You maintained focus and got a major victory. Once that was done though you began dissipating your effort, committing forces to tasks they were unsuited for etc etc. In short you are losing focus and gifting Rader time he shouldn't be getting and a much easier defensive problem.

Its a simple question: Is your priority clearing Hokkaido or beginning strategic bombing?

If it is clearing Hokkaido then you commit everything to that goal for a week and you should have no problem reducing the Japanese divisions at Hakodate to nothing in that time. If it is strategic bombing then you need to ask yourself what your objectives are.

You are firebombing AND bombing engines AND bombing airframe factories. This is terribly wasteful. Think of it this way: If you hit the aircraft engine factory for Ki-44IIcs AND the airframe factory and cause 5 points of damage to each you prevent 5 planes being built per month. If you, instead, hit just the airframe factory then you would get 10 hits and stop 10 planes being built per month.

You are finding your results from strategic bombing poor because you aren't doing it as well as you could. I, personally, believe a HR of 20,000 feet for strategic bombing is very reasonable in terms of getting reasonable results ( based on a lot of experience playing both sides in '45 ) but if you dissipate your efforts then, yes, you'll not achieve very much.

Your big problem right now is his ability to CAP bases so you need to be killing fighters. SWEEP his bases with your fighters, LRCAP bases you are going to bomb and then send the 4-engined bombers in to bomb his AIRFRAME factories. All of this nonsense of starting fires, hitting R&D factories ( your problem isn't hypothetical planes, but planes he is actually building ) and hitting engine factories is simply dividing your effort such that you are getting perhaps 1/4 of the return you should be getting given the forces committed. To be clear though this is because YOU are commiting your forces poorly.


In the same way as you had to have ONE FOCUS for the recent operation ( get bomber fields on Hokkaido operational to strat bomb Japan ) you now have to have ONE FOCUS for your strategic bombing campaign - I have suggested previously that this should be fighters since thats what you are having trouble with.

Continue to dissipate your efforts and you will continue to find this much, much tougher than it should be. You are the reason your strategic bombing offensive isn't having significant effects because you have been misallocating your resources.

Yes, you're right Nemo. The fact is that i found myself in a position that wasn't planned...not to this extent. I thought, in the most optimistic way, that once ashore in okkaido and in the Kuriles i'd be fighting a defensive war against waves of planes and warships...while actually i found myself in a way better position and my mind wasn't fully prepared for it. And, for sure, it's taking me too much time to shift from one prespective to the other one (from defensive to offensive).
Strategic bombing is something i'm completely new about. And now, with the new patch (that adds FOW to strategic bombing results) it's even more difficult for me.
However i do get your point...a/c factories!
But it's easier said than done. A part from Harbin, where i found no opposition, all his bases are covered with thousands of fighters and i still don't have the numbers of long-legged fighters to sweep and LRCAP the targeted bases efficiently. Above all, everything south-West of Sentai puts out of the action the majority of my fighters and my numbers of 4Es are still too low to be able to do something really decisive (i barely have 200 4Es in the theatre).

However i got the message: attrit Rader's a/c production capabilities. I'll try to do that the best i can, but results will need time...i have to convert many 2Es to 4Es (and it requires lots of PPs) and have to get better planes for many of my fighter units (P-47s and P-38s instead of P-39s and P-40s).

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

As re: Hakodate.
Do you really want to take it? It serves as a useful distraction for Rader, encourages piecemeal committment of forces and allows attrition on terms entirely favourable to US ground forces. The longer it survives to be grinded down the more forces will be trapped there when it eventually collapses - forces which would, otherwise, be fortifying Honshu.

Think of this strategically. Does taking it gain you more than allowing it to stalemate for a while? In my Downfall AAR I trapped about 1500 US AV in Okinawa but chose not to push them into the sea, using them as a lure to force the USN into action in an effort to relieve them. When the USN was committed to action to clear the sealanes to Okinawa I ended up destroying an additional 6 US Divisions ( double what was on Okinawa ), 10 CVEs, 4 or 5 BBs and 2 or 3 CVs as well as dozens of other ships and several thousand USN planes. So, taking a place isn't always the smart thing to do. Sometimes leaving it in someone else's hands can help guide them into a huge strategic mistake.


Bottom line though: You've lost focus again and while that might make for a good AAR in which lots of people talk up the "titanic struggle" etc etc etc it isn't actually best play.

I read what u did in your AAR...magnificent! But i don't think Rader is gonna flood Hakkodate with more troops. As far as i can tell he has already stopped sending new units to Okkaido... Have to think about it...first of all i want to contest that single hex, so i wanna push those troops back to the city...at least this will stop the industrial production there...
if i see that he's sending more troops in, i may try to force a statlemate...but if he doesn't i will clear Okkaido ASAP.
I imagine what a fleet of BBs could do starting from Hakkodate.... the work the 4Es cannot done will be taken by the ships...

However, i'll try to push them back to Hakkodate first and then will see...

Thanks again Nemo for all your efforts and your suggestions...i need to remain focused...i know...i'll do my best. promised

[GreyJoy]

April 21, 22 1944




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Hakodate at 119,53, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Keiko Maru
PB Kohuku Maru
PB Kyo Maru #10
PB Nagata Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
PB Kenan Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
PB Suyozai Maru, Shell hits 7, on fire
PB Toko Maru #4, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD The Sullivans
DD Tingey

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Hakodate at 119,53, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
MTB G-226, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-229, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Twining
DD Satterlee, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Carmick
DD Doyle
DD Endicott



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Shasukotan at 135,49

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Queen Elizabeth
BB New Mexico
BB Idaho

Japanese ground losses:
266 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 39
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 5th Area Army, at 119,52 , near Hakodate

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 40,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 27
A6M5 Zero x 109
J2M3 Jack x 33
N1K1-J George x 164
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 296
Ki-84a Frank x 51
Ki-100-I Tony x 204


Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 16


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-100-I Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 7 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 5th Area Army, at 119,52 , near Hakodate

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 39,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 19
A6M5 Zero x 87
J2M3 Jack x 28
N1K1-J George x 128
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 238
Ki-84a Frank x 42
Ki-100-I Tony x 161



Allied aircraft
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 16


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-100-I Tony: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 3 destroyed



CAP engaged:
S-302 Kokutai with N1K1-J George (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
S-309 Hikotai with J2M3 Jack (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 11000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes
Ominato Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
S-901 Hikotai with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
S-303 Hikotai with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 9 being recalled, 23 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 43 minutes
261 Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
263 Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 13 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 34000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
265 Ku S-1 with A6M5 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 21 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
265 Ku S-2 with N1K1-J George (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
S-601 Hikotai with A6M5 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 14 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
302 Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 9 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
343 Ku S-2 with N1K1-J George (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 9 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
345 Ku S-2 with J2M3 Jack (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
S-351 Hikotai with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters between 31000 and 35000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
S-306 Hikotai with A6M3a Zero (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 10 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
9th Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (18 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
18 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
11th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 31000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes
17th Sentai with Ki-100-I Tony (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 9 being recalled, 12 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 43 minutes
18th Sentai with Ki-100-I Tony (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 12 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 31000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
22nd Sentai with Ki-100-I Tony (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 12 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 9000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ominato at 118,53, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAKL Raizan Maru, Shell hits 5
xAKL Kizugawa Maru, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST T-106, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
E Teiko, Shell hits 11, on fire

Allied Ships
PT-161
PT-242
PT-258
PT-345
PT-357
PT-359
PT-463
PT-465
PT-469
PT-492
PT-493
PT-494, Shell hits 2

Japanese ground losses:
357 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 52 (24 destroyed, 28 disabled)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Torokina at 109,130

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 17 damaged
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CA Chester
CL Detroit
DD Arunta
DD Voyager
DD Wilson
DD Lang
DD Craven
DD Hammann
DD Meredith

Japanese ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled



Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 64
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Shortlands at 108,131

Japanese Ships
SS I-170, hits 3

Allied Ships
CL Detroit, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CA Chester
DD Lang
DD Arunta
DD Voyager
DD Wilson


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 81st Division, at 119,52 , near Hakodate

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 13
A6M5 Zero x 59
J2M3 Jack x 8
N1K1-J George x 56
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 139
Ki-84a Frank x 25
Ki-100-I Tony x 87



Allied aircraft
Wellington GR.XIII x 15
B-24J Liberator x 92
B-25C Mitchell x 21
B-25D1 Mitchell x 38
B-25G Mitchell x 21
B-25H Mitchell x 32
P-40N5 Warhawk x 11
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 8
F4U-1 Corsair x 49
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 15
PBJ-1D Mitchell x 39
PV-1 Ventura x 102


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 2 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed
B-25G Mitchell: 1 destroyed
B-25H Mitchell: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed
PBJ-1D Mitchell: 1 destroyed
PV-1 Ventura: 1 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
1490 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 131 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 119,52 (near Hakodate)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2752 troops, 217 guns, 196 vehicles, Assault Value = 4075

Defending force 56321 troops, 351 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 1544

Japanese ground losses:
251 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Assaulting units:
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
104th Combat Engineer Regiment
41st Infantry Division
8th Indian Division
43rd Infantry Division
40th Infantry Division
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
38th Infantry Division
6th Infantry Division
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
7th Infantry Division
4th USMC Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
93rd Infantry Division
5th USMC Tank Battalion
193rd Tank Battalion
32nd Infantry Division
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
9th Australian Division
33rd Medium Regiment
181st Field Artillery Regiment
109th Tank Attack Regiment
XIV Corps Artillery
225th Field Artillery Battalion
10th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
XI US Corps
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
Eighth US Army
148th Field Artillery Battalion
XXI Indian Corps

Defending units:
2nd Depot Division
77th Division
86th Division
4th Depot Division
Guards Depot Division
1st Mobile Brigade
56th Depot Division
51st Depot Division
81st Division
43rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
57th Depot Division
2nd Amphibious Bde /1
5th Area Army
11th Div /1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[GreyJoy]

.

[aoffen]

It has taken me 3 weeks but I have now read this AAR from page 1 to page 137. All I can say is WOW what a journey!! Absolutely gripping stuff and well done to GJ and all for the effort and contributions. Very impressive.

Just a question. Saw he LRCAP'ed over the hex north of Hakodate. What happens if you both LRCAP the same hex? Do the fighters on CAP clash or does there have to be a an offensive mission to trigger a battle?

Regards
Andrew

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: aoffen

It has taken me 3 weeks but I have now read this AAR from page 1 to page 137. All I can say is WOW what a journey!! Absolutely gripping stuff and well done to GJ and all for the effort and contributions. Very impressive.

Just a question. Saw he LRCAP'ed over the hex north of Hakodate. What happens if you both LRCAP the same hex? Do the fighters on CAP clash or does there have to be a an offensive mission to trigger a battle?

Regards
Andrew

Thank you Andrew! Welcome aboard!

As far as i've seen, if both LRCAP the same hex and a mission (whatever mission - transport, bombing etc) occurs the fighters clash with each other

[aoffen]

But if no mission enters the hex then no combat I guess. Thats quite funny - hundreds of fighters circling each other waiting for someone to show up so they can fight! Pretty unlikely to actually happen I guess.
Regards
Andrew

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: aoffen

But if no mission enters the hex then no combat I guess. Thats quite funny - hundreds of fighters circling each other waiting for someone to show up so they can fight! Pretty unlikely to actually happen I guess.
Regards
Andrew

But i'm not 100% sure...so don't take my words as gold[:)]

[JohnDillworth]

I think Nemo is right but for slightly different reasons. Leaving these troops trapped here for a while accomplishes something, it keeps 1,000 fighters bust. It all these fighters are here it means they are not somewhere else. Perhaps do something somewhere else. port attacks, strategic bombing, just something that is not going to bled your fighter pools to death. I know you are getting good results bombing his troops, but you can do the same thing with bombardment attacks, just takes longer, and gives his fighter pilots something to look at whilst your planes are elsewhere. Hit em where they ain't.

[Itdepends]

So you've upgraded to the new patch with Radar's request for Strat bombing FOW already? For some reason- even if I agree with Radar RE that FOW on strat bombing makes sense- it seems a little too self serving to get it into the beta and then request (I assume) you upgrade to it.

Anyway good luck with the ongoing battle- I shall continue to read with interest.

[ny59giants]

Conducting Sweeps:

Does anyone know, not just guessing, that if GJ were to spend his PP on changing his P-47s to the same Air HQ that happens to be stationed at Sapporo, it would increase his ability to conduct sweeps?? Placing all his P-47s from the same base and with similar settings could help, IMO.

I asked Rader how he was able to get those huge sweeps of Karachi and his reply was the use of a size 9 AF and same HQ for his fighters. I 'think' this is how I remember his answer.

Next, does the level of air skills and aggression of the Air HQ help?? One of my 'wish' list items is the ability of the 3 American fighter squadrons ability to recombine into 75 plane air groups at this time in the game. Nemo's version of Downfall allowed this and it helps.

[GreyJoy]

Gosh...losses were brutal....[:o]

Yes, i do think i'm missing something about the Air coordination... it never works for me

[Canoerebel]

There was a time when GJ needed help and plenty of it.  A newbie was facing an experienced veteran in a Scenario Two match, and that veteran was toying with the newb in unpleasant ways.  China had fallen, India was about to fall, and the Allies were on the brink of utter ruin.

But the newbie did some unexpected things.  He didn't go and lose his carriers.  He did gradually learn how to fight on a tactical and operational level.  He sifted through volumes of advice, which was often contradictory.  He listened to his own instincts and began to thrive.  Perhaps most amazingly, his innate good nature never flagged throughout the process.  And then he pulled off one whale of strategic operation.

The "newbie" has won this game.  He's waxed very, very good.  I don't see any need to offer him micromanagement level advice at this point.  In fact, perhaps he will be the one offering me advice on quite a few things from this day forward.  [:)]

[Miller]

Despite your losses, I think Rader's fighter pools will start to evaporate soon after a few more engagements like that.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

I think Nemo is right but for slightly different reasons. Leaving these troops trapped here for a while accomplishes something, it keeps 1,000 fighters bust. It all these fighters are here it means they are not somewhere else. Perhaps do something somewhere else. port attacks, strategic bombing, just something that is not going to bled your fighter pools to death. I know you are getting good results bombing his troops, but you can do the same thing with bombardment attacks, just takes longer, and gives his fighter pilots something to look at whilst your planes are elsewhere. Hit em where they ain't.

+1 on keeping his fighters engaged there and not opposing your strategic bombing. But -1 on having ground troops bombard. It will train the enemy forces pretty quickly. Only do it in a siege situation where they are cut off from resupply and you have plenty, which is not the case here.

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: Miller

Despite your losses, I think Rader's fighter pools will start to evaporate soon after a few more engagements like that.

Rader can produce millions of aircraft... Nemo's advice would make GJ's strategic bombing success skyrocket..

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

ORIGINAL: Miller

Despite your losses, I think Rader's fighter pools will start to evaporate soon after a few more engagements like that.

Rader can produce millions of aircraft... Nemo's advice would make GJ's strategic bombing success skyrocket..

I'm purely guessing of course but at a stretch I would say he is producing 1500 fighters a month. He lost 250 in that one turn alone. Obviously GJ cannot do raids like that every turn but the maths dont really add up, especially if he concentrates on hitting a/c factories as Nemo suggests.

[jeffk3510]

That is why I suggested he follow Nemo's great advice, which will make his strategic bombing very effective.

[vettim89]

As Dan said, I don't think GJ needs much advice at this point as his play has been absolutely brilliant. [&o]

Mt $.02 worth would only be to keep the pressure on at all costs. The cost in pilots to the IJNAF/IJAAF is what is key in my mind. I am sure Rader has banked a good deal of replacement pilots by this point but he will eventually burn through them. When that happens the air battle will swing to the Allies in a big way. At this stage of the game, the Allied noobie pilots come in much higher the the Japanese. So if it ends up noobie vs noobie, Allies win. So my advice is to NOT give your opponent an "operational pause". Keep pushing no matter the cost because eventually you will break past the pilot pool barrier and Radar will just be jousting at wind mills after that happens

edit: not such a small word but an important one

[GreyJoy]

Thanks again guys!

The struggle goes on...

April 25, 26 1944

While finally we conquered back Toyahama with the 112th Cav Rgt, the battle focuses on the contested hex, where the japs have created an incredible bottleneck...our guys are pushing the hardest they can and finally we manage to obtain a 1-1....the following day (damned 2 days turn!!) only a 1-2 but japanese losses in terms of squad destroyed are terrible....
No air support today...better not to give Rader many turns like the last one...

On the seas the epic struggle to stop the barge traffic is going on and we're finally having some results...we keep on sinking ships, losing only some PTs and a couple of DDs damaged by mines...nothing unaffordable.

Rabaul has been emptied by his Air force...tomorrow sweeps and 4Es over the big base...


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Day Time Surface Combat, near Hakodate at 119,53, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAKL Kofuku Maru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Mitsu Maru #3, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
xAKL Nitiyu Maru, Shell hits 36, and is sunk
LST T-111, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Twining
DD Carmick
DD Doyle


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Ground combat at 119,52 (near Hakodate)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 125190 troops, 2702 guns, 3064 vehicles, Assault Value = 5255

Defending force 53562 troops, 310 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 1465

Allied adjusted assault: 2652

Japanese adjusted defense: 2433

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
7244 casualties reported[X(]
Squads: 255 destroyed, 157 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 140 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 53 (28 destroyed, 25 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
1417 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 249 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 161 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 22 disabled
Guns lost 77 (2 destroyed, 75 disabled)
Vehicles lost 134 (25 destroyed, 109 disabled)


Assaulting units:
5th USMC Tank Battalion
93rd Infantry Division
8th Indian Division
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
193rd Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
7th Infantry Division
41st Infantry Division
Americal Infantry Division
40th Infantry Division
32nd Infantry Division
6th Infantry Division
2nd Marine Division
37th Infantry Division
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
104th Combat Engineer Regiment
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
43rd Infantry Division
4th USMC Tank Battalion
9th Australian Division
XI US Corps
33rd Medium Regiment
148th Field Artillery Battalion
10th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
XIV Corps Artillery
181st Field Artillery Regiment
109th Tank Attack Regiment
Eighth US Army
225th Field Artillery Battalion
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
XXI Indian Corps

Defending units:
43rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
Guards Depot Division
51st Depot Division
77th Division
57th Depot Division
1st Mobile Brigade
2nd Depot Division
86th Division
4th Depot Division
56th Depot Division
81st Division
11th Div /1
5th Area Army
2nd Amphibious Bde /1


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Ground combat at 119,52 (near Hakodate)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 123412 troops, 2773 guns, 3093 vehicles, Assault Value = 5087

Defending force 47513 troops, 262 guns, 79 vehicles, Assault Value = 1175

Allied adjusted assault: 2104

Japanese adjusted defense: 2811

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 [:@]

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3286 casualties reported
Squads: 231 destroyed, 102 disabled
Non Combat: 71 destroyed, 129 disabled
Engineers: 28 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 19 (7 destroyed, 12 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
3879 casualties reported
Squads: 37 destroyed, 466 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 48 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Guns lost 119 (2 destroyed, 117 disabled)
Vehicles lost 70 (11 destroyed, 59 disabled)


Assaulting units:
37th Infantry Division
43rd Infantry Division
40th Infantry Division
Americal Infantry Division
104th Combat Engineer Regiment
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
8th Indian Division
5th USMC Tank Battalion
7th Infantry Division
41st Infantry Division
4th USMC Tank Battalion
93rd Infantry Division
6th Infantry Division
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
2nd Marine Division
193rd Tank Battalion
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
2nd USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
32nd Infantry Division
754th Tank Battalion
9th Australian Division
181st Field Artillery Regiment
33rd Medium Regiment
Eighth US Army
225th Field Artillery Battalion
XI US Corps
XIV Corps Artillery
134th Field Artillery Battalion
249th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Regiment
10th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
109th Tank Attack Regiment
XXI Indian Corps

Defending units:
56th Depot Division
2nd Depot Division
51st Depot Division
77th Division
1st Mobile Brigade
Guards Depot Division
86th Division
4th Depot Division
57th Depot Division
43rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
81st Division
5th Area Army
11th Div /1