The PERFECT WAR Mod

[FatR]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

FatR, whats it going to take for you to come over to the Allied side?[:D]

Extra 2-3 hours added to the natural day[:)].

I must note one thing about this scenario, just so people will have the proper perspective: It uses Babes "C" variant where the merchant loads are reduced by about 1/3. This should considerably impact Japan's ability to haul oil/fuel to Home Islands. Small size of key loading ports will have much more of an impact. Also, lots more fuel will be burned by merchants. Also, it has all the Babes ASW nerfs, which will make sub warfare much more of a threat. So, keep this in mind if you think that proposed Jap aircrafts are too good.


Anyway, a rough plan for level bombers, finally. Sorry, after the accident with RA's last version I felt burned out for a time.

IJAAF: Ki-21 as in stock.

Ki-49 as described above.

Ki-48 is introduced as a level bomber, but gets no upgrades. Ki-66 is introduced instead in late spring of 1943. Maybe an assault bomber and a night fighter versions of Ki-66 can appear in this scenario?

Ki-67 is introduced maybe around 43/10 and gets extra upgrades as described above. Maybe a Ki-109 version with a more traditional armament of a couple 37mm cannons forward?

Ki-74 as in stock. Maybe a bit earlier, maybe gets one upgrade in 1946


IJNAF: I don't think it is possible to remove G4M2 entirely from G4M evolution... Considering all things, probably G4M2 appears in 43/6 here, and is succeeded by G4M3 around 44/3.

No P1Y. Instead a naval version of Ki-67 is introduced around 44/5 as G9M. I thought about this project:
http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/tit ... M1/t/66000
but comparing it to Ki-67, performance predictions seem entirely too optimistic, and it will probably not be available until way too late. Plus, using the same bomber type for both IJNAF and IJAAF should simplify production

G8N. Basic construction and availability dates should be the same as in RA, but it should use Mitsubishi Ha-42 or Ha-43 engines, probably Ha-42, as those were available earlier, and I imagine Ha-43 will be in high demand for fighters.


Next stop (and the last major one): 1E bombers and fighter-bombers. Any comments on the ideas above?

[John 3rd]

Good to see you Posting FatR. Thoroughly understand your frustration from earlier with RA 4.0. We moved too fast trying to get everything done quickly and out.

Your G9M looks interesting. Am going to read the page again before deeper thoughts.

[John 3rd]

Man...it does pack on the firepower! Do you think it could have really been built. The plane looks great and carries a decent load with solid defenses. Could I please order 1,000?

[FatR]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Good to see you Posting FatR. Thoroughly understand your frustration from earlier with RA 4.0. We moved too fast trying to get everything done quickly and out.

Your G9M looks interesting. Am going to read the page again before deeper thoughts.

We have the naval version of Ki-67 in RA already, I just propose to make it more standard...

[John 3rd]

I THOUGHT we did but didn't look. Heck of a decent looking plane.

[FatR]

Sorry for everyone for dropping off the modding radar and dragging down the work of other contributors by this. My attempts to find more work succeeded a bit too well. And in the moments when I'm not catastrophically busy, I found, that I already need to refresh my memory on the naval changes, by re-reading much of this thread, before continuing. Air changes thankfully mostly were applied to the working file soon after being posted here. Will try to post more news the next week.

[DOCUP]

Bump

[John 3rd]

I don't know DOCUP.

[FatR]

Sorry, got delayed again. Hopefully will post the long-promised continuation of ideas on planes and then a list of artwork needed in a few days.

Any comments relevant to the new mod from accumulating RA experience, by the way (except "we need to triple-check OOB, particularly for the Chinese, before releasing")? I'm playing the very old version of RA rather slowly and a Scen 2 game far more rapidly (2-day turns at the moment), so much of my experience is not directly relevant to the current state of our modding. I'd particularly like to hear any information on:

1)How flak for both sides work in late RA versions?

2)Same for ASW.

3)Same for night air combat model.

4)Any economic problems or lack thereof (I personally managed to supercharge surface naval units production in RA, but was forced to reduce naval operations for most of 1943 due to fuel shortages, and by late 1943 I found that the Empire runs short on supply despite near-total conquest of China, forcing me to drastically reduce base construction beyond immediately threatening areas, and hampering air and ground operations).

[FatR]

So, 1E attack planes, to get it out of my head. Only IJNAF today.

Dive Bombers
D3A is OK as it is. D4Y switches to Mitsubishi Ha-33 engine in second half of 1943, and a Mitsubishi Ha-43-powered is added for 1945. B7N introduced in early 1945, using Mitsubishi Ha-43 engine and B7A3 configuration (armor).
I'm thinking adding protection to Japanese naval attack planes. Japanene unwillingness to install it until very late in the war seems incomprehensible, but generally when some actions in the past start to seem incomprehensible this just mean that we reached the limitation of our knowledge. On the other hand, incompetence or corruption do happen. Severe reduction in range is generally stated as the main reason for late acceptance of fuel tank protection. But I wonder if Navy just did not pay enough attention to aircraft protection research, as IJAAF has fuel tank and pilot protection on almost every combat plane in mass production by mid-1943 (quality of protection was inferior, of course, due to overall technological weakness) and didn't seem to have too much problems. I also wonder, if in 1944 planes were seen as having better chances with no protection, because overwhelming Allied air superiority and flak power made speed the only real salvation.
Anyway, it is estimated that protected non-integral fuel tanks caused about 30% reduction in range, resulting in 7/10 hexes of range for D4Y3 and 7/9 for B6N2. In game terms I'm OK with that (while this will screw with JFB dream 8-hex KB airstrike, I don't think that making a somewhat gamey tactics a harder choice is necessarily). In terms of realism this probably will make a dedicated carrier-based recon planes a higher priority. Probably will need to think about what, if anything, can be done with them later (considering that C6N doesn't have an engine in this mod...).


Torpedo Bombers
Speaking of them, B6N will enter production with Mitsubishi Kasei engine as was intended originally, making it available a bit earlier, and, if my proposal about armor above seems agreeable, will enter production with lesser range and Armor 1. B6N2 will be a radar-equipped and better-armed version for 1944.

And if C6N is goint to exist at all, introducing C6N1-B (a project that existed IRL but abandoned due to loss of Japanese carrier fleet) is also possible.

And while we talk about torpedo bombers, torpedo squadrons on late-war carriers should only have an option for upgrade to B7A, not arrive with these planes, because if they do, pilots will be divebomber pilots, with no NavT skill to speak of.


Fighter-Bombers
Mostly covered in fighter section. The only big thing on my mind is related to my overall thoughts about Japanese jets. I believe Kikka was the only one that could both see mass production and be actually useful, and, IIRC, the production version likely would have been a fighter-bomber with 2x30mm cannons. So, I think about replacing Kikka-as-level-bomber with this. And introducing this plane for IJAAF too. I'm aware that anyone in their right mind will take Ki-201 over it, but even though the game (and the Downfall scenario) takes pity on JFB in regards of end-war experimental planes availability, I'm pretty sure that the chance of Ki-201 reaching combat units in late-war conditions actually was 0%, while Kikka already had flyable prototypes by August of 1945, and was much simpler to begin with. And for that matter, with less ocean-going subs in existence, Japanese jet program should be even more limited than IRL, if it is going to exist at all.

[FatR]

Continuing, before I forgot my ideas - IJAAF 1E attack planes.

Not many ideas here, just Ki-119 earlier and Kikka's version for Army available in late 1945. Reduce the number of bomber units further late in the war, giving upgrades to fighters and fighter-bombers.


End-War Fighters

I never picked anything definitely before. Shinden is definitely the choice for IJNAF. For IJAAF I thinking about putting Ki-64, Ki-87 and Ki-94-I (see descriptions and links upthread) all in the game and allowing the player to choose, what he wishes to research. Ki-201, Ki-202 and J8M will be absent. No one is going to build the latter two anyway.

So, any comments?

[Commander Stormwolf]

Torpedo Bombers
Speaking of them, B6N will enter production with Mitsubishi Kasei engine as was intended originally, making it available a bit earlier, and, if my proposal about armor above seems agreeable, will enter production with lesser range and Armor 1. B6N2 will be a radar-equipped and better-armed version for 1944.

And if C6N is goint to exist at all, introducing C6N1-B (a project that existed IRL but abandoned due to loss of Japanese carrier fleet) is also possible

In my mod as well.

The Ha-32-21 was ready by 1/43, so the Tenzan could be made ready by then. Also could add hardpoint for 2 small 100L drop tanks
on the wings so range 8 with armor 1.


The main problem with AE naval combat model is that planes will launch to range 8 as japan and 7 as USN.
It means that Kate and Myrt have the same combat radius? Ridiculous.

Suggested change: carrier planes will not fly at extended range

[Commander Stormwolf]

Couple other ideas: Ki-64 Rob

(uses 2xHa-60 inline engines, service rating 5 [X(])

[Commander Stormwolf]

Definitely a Reisen with the Ha-33-62 Kinsei engine

A6M8c with all the armor, guns, and fuel was a slow 358 mph

if you take most of that off, it would fly in the 380-390 mph range
giving the IJN a good carrier fighter in 1943/1944

[Commander Stormwolf]

Some other useful variants:

E13A Jake with drop tank instead of ordnance

Ki-46 Dinah bmr variant

H8K Emily with float level bmr designation so it can be put into bmr units

[John 3rd]

I HATE China Infantry. How do they change? WHY do they change? Anyway I have it fixed now for RA...

Good to see this moving again.

[FatR]

Any comments on aircraft, John.

And while we're at it:

Recon Planes

I just noticed that C6N, like just about all late-war IJNAF 1E planes, was scheduled to be reengined to Mitsubishi Ha-43 by the end of the war. This largely solves the problem. Although availability will probably be delayed to 44/11 or so. With nightfighter and torpedo bomber versions available around 45/6 or 7. D4Y1-C will have to serve until then. Small dedicated search units probably ought to be added to at least some carriers in 1943.

I believe I noted before, that Dinah should serve as the main recon plane for both Army and Navy.

[FatR]

I'm still getting back on my feet after the job-related crysis... but I hope I'll be able to gradually resume work on the mod.

So, regarding aircraft: one idea that I gradually starting liking is not picking late-war models for players, but instead putting anything that reached at least prototype stages in the game for 1945-46 and letting players pick what they want to develop (while providing sufficient mechanical pros/cons).

This means:

IJNAF: J7M, S1A, Kikka (this plane might be used by both services). Maybe R2Y2 if we're willing to stretch the definition of "prototype". A7M too should be available, of course, but building it is not really an option, unless Japan is finished already by the time of its availability, and it is available sooner than others on this list.

IJAAF: Ki-64, Ki-83 (maybe adding an upgraded model for 1946, this plane might be used by both services), Ki-87, Ki-93, Ki-94-II

Ki-201 existed only on paper, and J8N/Ki-202 are so bad, that there is no reason for them to be in the game, because no one in their right mind will build them.

[John 3rd]

I'll jump back in with commentary after we get back from a short family vacation on Thursday. Glad to see this being revived so we can move forward with it.

[FatR]

Will wait for the comments. To elaborate about why I consider just adding a bunch of variants acceptable for 1945-46 - they probably need hardcore research to matter, so without a truly gigantic supply investment (which, as I'm finding now in RA, can have significant detrimental results) a player won't produce all of them. Even when they are available without acceleration building all of them probably can be unwise.

One more thought - while above I described various tinkering intended to provide Japanese carrier strike aircraft with armor in mid-game, I'm not really sure this is a good direction to take. Realism-wide, it is messing with successful designs (D4Y certainly was successful and, debatably, did more damage than any other late-war Japanese attack plane, merits of B6N are more dubious, but it is hard to tell, considering odds stacked against it - even much sturdier planes like A-20, facing relatively weak naval flak, when used as torpedo bombers by Russians, proved to be highly vulnerable). Gameplay-wise, I'm increasingly convinced that Armor 1 does not really matter, at least not by the time these planes are available. I only noticed an impact from it against rifle-calibre MGs early in the war, and even then this might be confirmation bias on my part. Maybe it can soften blows (and any feedback on this will be much appreciated), but I don't really see much effect... Certainly not on the scale to justify losing 2-3 hexes of range, which greatly reduces a plane's operational value. Maybe just keep existing models as they were and add better-protected upgrades for the final defense of the homeland?