Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

I am siting in job and have nothing to do right now so i have spend that time to think about game.

Most important to me was to make decision about KB future. I have decide to rebuild KB asap.
Two big CV and CVL will sail from DEI to Truk tomorrow.
I want rebuild KB in two weeks. That will give me 600+ planes in one place(almost 240 fighters)
KB will be also rabased. KB will still be in Marshals but i want them to be closer to Marshals.

Truk is good base but with full speed i have there two day reaction time to enemy.
I am thinking about re-basing KB to Penope or even closer to Kusaie Island.

That second one is better because from there i will be able to react to Allies moves in one day in area from Salomon Islands and Gilbert Islands in south to Wake Island in North.
But Kusaie Island is risky because island is in range of allied medium bombers from Marshals.
OF course i am keeping Wotje and Maoeolap closed but it is still risky.

Whay i want to do that?

Docup is using his CV more openly last days. In last battle in Marshals i have KB to far to react so he reinforce Martshals shot down 80 of my planes and return safely home. I want to be sure that never happen again so KB will be in one day reaction.
Next time Docup show up i will have 2:1 advantage in air. Also i see that Docup is reckoning Truk so i do not what he know where KB is.

What do you think. Plan is risky but i think worth of trying. If i will be lucky it will be battle between 4 US CV and Japanese 8 CV and 4 CVL force. Good resoult is such battle will hold allies with offensive move for next year.

koniu


PS after new patch(we planing to upgrade in days) i will be also able to re base to Marshals or Gilberts or Salomonts another around 200 more planes to use from AF withaout ellies knowing that until trap will close. That will give me 800+ planes in action.

[koniu]

14 Nov 42

Burma
Naval battle near Rangon. This time IJN do good job protecting transports unloading in port

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 54,53, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Kinu
DD Michishio, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Fuyo

Allied Ships
CL Capetown, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Aylwin

DD Michishio in good shape he will need few days in shipyard but he will be ok

Later that nights CL Kinu try to capture DD Aylwin. He manage to score two 14cm hits. But Aylwin manage to escape with heavy fires.

Marshals
Kongo 1 hex from Kusie

Few small allied TF patroling aroun Marshals i will send fe SC TFs to intercept.

Tokyo
CS Chiyoda star his rebult to CVL. It will take 300 days.

[koniu]

15 Nov 42

Marshals

Ki-49 attack enemy DDs near islands . They miss.
Those same DD sunk RO submarine in Maoeloap hex.

Kongo not move today. still one hex from Kusie Island. But from today 14 DD is protecting him from subs and two AR waiting in Kusie port to start emergency repairs.
CA TF is giving naval cover. Kusie is having now Air CAP in case enemy raid.

[koniu]

We have updated game to last beta patch.
I am not sure if all changes will work from next turn (especially that one with Intel) but from next one i will have more flexibility with moving my fighters around map.

First at all i will be able to transfer planes from base with DL lvl and Docup will not be able to see that i move my planes elsewhere until next turn. Also i will be able to move planes to base already reckoned and he will not know that planes are there. So making air traps will be pasiible in same whay like Allies doing that.

Those are very good changes. Until this patch when i move mu planes like that AF I jave leave empty was plastered by heavies next day.

I also see that 250AV changes working. Hankow have now 520 AV support but only 260 units in city. It is allowing me to have there nice plane numbers. Of course i would rather have 250 cap limit that work like unlimited support but i know this will aloow us tp play some kind realistic game in from `44 by reducing number of planes i will be able support.

I hope that will make also game more chalanging for allies with supporting Heavies.
250AV will no allow them to suport `150 bombers and not unlimited numbers so it should help me liitle.

[koniu]

16 Nov 42

Burma
Allied fighters sweep Meiktila. No bombers

Java
SS Trout find mine in Merak hex. I mine that hex few weks ago and that first time something hit mine there

Marshals
Kongo disable in Kusiae. Repairing all non major damage will take 86 days but i want only reduce flotation by few points and move Kongo to Truk. I thin month will be enough

I will do for Docup the Play. I will create fake TF with CA(trying to look like BB) and i will move it toward Truk One hex per day. O hope Docup will think that this is Kongo. 12 DDs should help to stop subs from direct visual detection.

Bombers attack Maloelap AF. I am trying to keep Maloelap and Wotje closed.

Morning Air attack on Maloelap , at 136,117

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 21
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 43

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 11 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 2 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 22

Tomorrow i will visit Wotje


Johnston island
Docup write mi in mail that he know i am planing for island. I have few units planing but this is fake Intel only.
I am sending subs to patrol around island. Maybe we will capture some ships with troops on board .

Today we sunk xAK but ship was empty.

China
Bomber attacking Japanese troop in open. I need few more days before i will be able to protect them. Right now i need to build morale of pilots.

We again attak Sian AF i must kepp that base closed.

[PaxMondo]

CONGRATS!!!  saving the Kongo is a big deal.  [&o][&o][&o]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

CONGRATS!!!  saving the Kongo is a big deal.  [&o][&o][&o]

Thanks. I am happy that she manage to survive fist stage of journey.

From tomorrow, Docup will see big TF(CA and 12 DD) moving slowly toward Truk. I hope this will buy me enough time for repairs.

with damages she took we will not see her in action until `44 and that is not best time to be big fat Japanese battleship.


EDIT: Tomorrow we will see probably some action in china. I set air trap.
Docup is constantly bombing my troops in open. Average he is sending 30F +30 bombers + 20Figters sweeps

Tomorrow i will wait for him with 260 Figters (150Ki-44, 70Ki-43 and 40Ki-45).
I set Ki-45 and Ki-43 between 6-12k.Ki-44 will fly 10-15 and 31k. Best pilots are flying High to make best use from dive bonus. I have send 80+xp pilots for those units.
Docup is attacking on 3k so 6k is minimal attitude to use dive bonus against bombers and escort fighters.

If he send them tomorrow it will be fun to watch. It is one shot chance because i cant keep heavy LCAP for long. An we will see how new patch is working with intel of airfields.

[koniu]

17 Nov 43

Burma
Hudson IIIa try to sunk AMC in Rangoon port.
Night ride was failure

Java
I have sinking sound it night move phase. I think it was enemy sub that hit mine day earlier

Marshals
Bombers attack Wotje. few hits only. But i am kiping AF closed.

BB Kongo repair 19 flood points and now have 72 flood damage. Very good.

CA Tone fake TF was detected today 2 hexes from Kusie. Tommarow it will be three hexes[8D]
China
Air trap was success. Allies lost 29(22 shot down) planes.
Japanese loses are high 17 planes but only 7 shot down. 4 pilots KIA.
It was fun to watch but i need more firepower. Without guns i mostly do damage. Ki-45 fight well. When they shot enemy plane is death.

Pilots are tired but happy. Morale is high.

One of combat reports

Morning Air attack on 3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade, at 80,54 , near Hengyang

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 10
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 29
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 38
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 13

Allied aircraft
P-66 Vanguard x 12
Blenheim IV x 16
A-20A1 Havoc x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-66 Vanguard: 3 destroyed
Blenheim IV: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
A-20A1 Havoc: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
A-20A1 Havoc: 1 destroyed by flak

It looks that new patch is working perfectly. Docup not even knew that i transfering fighters.[:)]
Next time he will think twice before will send planes.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: koniu

[It looks that new patch is working perfectly. Docup not even knew that i transfering fighters.[:)]
Next time he will think twice before will send planes.

Great news!!!!

[koniu]

I have decide to give you report about Japanese Industry.
I think i am doing pretty well like fpr my first PBEM game

Only what i worry me is Empire supply reserve. But i think it is because i am building lots of fortification and airfield on entire map. Also i am expending Air production to be ready for `43

Those high production numbers for armament and vehicles is because old devices from poll start to convert back to armament and vehicles points. It is nice because i have hundreds obsolete guns and tanks in pool.

[koniu]

Air production and R&D

[koniu]

Ship production
Merchant production is focusing on Tankers

[koniu]

Air and pilot loses

[koniu]

Ship losses

[PaxMondo]

PzB had real supply issues late game in his AAR.  However, it started under a version that had some issues and may have set him up for late game problems.  Not sure.  Anyway, yes, you have far too little supply.  Building forts might be part of the story, but hard to beleive it is a major culprit.  I would look at:
 
Factory repair - be sure you have LI/MP/resource repair off.  you can burn a lot of supply repairing these at bases you capture.  No ROI on repairing these ...
 
Factory building: - are you still building alot of a/c or eingine factories?
 
Replacements/upgrades: are you having a lot of units adding replacements or upgrades?  again, a lot of supply is consumed with this.  mid game and late game I have to be careful with this as I can burn too much supply.
 
 
 

[sj80]

Hey koniu,

good job with the Kongo and good news about KI-45 effectiveness. [:)] You saved all your capital ships while destroying many allied capital ships, great job. [&o]

Thanks for the detailed information about the state of your economy. I'm no expert in long term economy and my game with Terje is 6 months behind yours, but I will try to comment your situation.

"Home resources reserve" means Honshu or Home Islands? I think your resource and oil amount is a bit low. I stabilized oil around 1.800.000. My resource count is the same like yours but is slowly increasing. 2.000.000 fuel seems to be ok for me. But I think there should be much more fuel in the SRA which can be sent back home. I'm using standard xAk's for fuel transport to home island because my tankers are busy supplying the South-East area fleet for IJN operations.
Heavy industry points are very good but Arm could be a bit higher. I think there should be a good amount of Arm in reserve before the 4E bombers are destroying your factories.

Your aircraft production and research is very interesting. You put almost no more effort in researching the A6M line but you are researching the A7M. I don't think you will get the A7M before May or June 1945 with realistic R&D. The main question is: Do you still have carriers in mid 45? As land based plane the A7M2 is comparable to N1K5-J George. The A7M is a little bit faster but the George has a much better armament. The George will be much earlier available because it's within an upgrade path.
You put in general a massive amount in research, much more than me for some planes (Judy, Jill, ...). I'm researching the same planes (except A7M), so everything on track with research.

How did you manage to produce all Unryu class carriers in accelerate mode after their production starting date? This costs 183 points for every carrier. After the Yamato finished some points get free, but even with stopped Musashi there is a very big gap between consumption and production of Naval points.

Sebastian

[koniu]

Thanks for your comments

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

PzB had real supply issues late game in his AAR. However, it started under a version that had some issues and may have set him up for late game problems. Not sure. Anyway, yes, you have far too little supply. Building forts might be part of the story, but hard to beleive it is a major culprit. I would look at:

Factory repair - be sure you have LI/MP/resource repair off. you can burn a lot of supply repairing these at bases you capture. No ROI on repairing these ...

Factory building: - are you still building alot of a/c or eingine factories?

Replacements/upgrades: are you having a lot of units adding replacements or upgrades? again, a lot of supply is consumed with this. mid game and late game I have to be careful with this as I can burn too much supply.

I make investigation, and i think i go overoptimistic with A/C and engine factories building. This process is over now so supplies shall grove fast now as i will probably not need to expend my factories for at lest next 14 months. In short i have already done job in `42 what i should do in 43`
I think situation is not critical. It is only warning for me. But in long term i should now build supply reserve fast

ORIGINAL: sj80
"Home resources reserve" means Honshu or Home Islands?

Those are only resources on 3 big home islands(Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu)
Hokkaido is different zone for me in tracer and i have there 50k supply and 120k resources and that all

ORIGINAL: sj80
I stabilized oil around 1.800.000. My resource count is the same like yours but is slowly increasing. 2.000.000 fuel seems to be ok for me. But I think there should be much more fuel in the SRA which can be sent back home. I'm using standard xAk's for fuel transport to home island because my tankers are busy supplying the South-East area fleet for IJN operations.
Heavy industry points are very good but Arm could be a bit higher. I think there should be a good amount of Arm in reserve before the 4E bombers are destroying your factories.

For supplying Pacific fleet i am using AO TF. For that i am using Borneo only fuel
All tankers are transporting fuel right now

Sumatra have now 60K fuel only. Java 30k, China and Manchuria and Korea 200k, Borneo 90k, Burma and Indochina 80
Also i have 350k on ships sailing toward Japan
I will start using xAK for transport also.

Oil reserve. I think it is better to transport fuel first. Many players not transporting oil at all.

ORIGINAL: sj80
Your aircraft production and research is very interesting. You put almost no more effort in researching the A6M line but you are researching the A7M. I don't think you will get the A7M before May or June 1945 with realistic R&D. The main question is: Do you still have carriers in mid 45? As land based plane the A7M2 is comparable to N1K5-J George. The A7M is a little bit faster but the George has a much better armament. The George will be much earlier available because it's within an upgrade path.
You put in general a massive amount in research, much more than me for some planes (Judy, Jill, ...). I'm researching the same planes (except A7M), so everything on track with research.

As for my R&D decisions. I hold researching A6M line because i do not see logic in it. If i loose my carriers i will use George and if i will have carries both A6M5 or A6M8 will die as fast, so better use those factories for different better planes.
A7M is researched in case i will have carriers in `45.

As for other planes (Judy, Jill, ...). I am playing PDU On so i have that freedom to focus on best planes only.
An i think i make good decisions. Remember also that some of those factories will switch to production so After firs plane in lane will be availbe for late model only some factories will continue research

ORIGINAL: sj80
How did you manage to produce all Unryu class carriers in accelerate mode after their production starting date? This costs 183 points for every carrier. After the Yamato finished some points get free, but even with stopped Musashi there is a very big gap between consumption and production of Naval points.

I cancel Musashi (Yamato already in service), Shinano ans all subs. Probably will built few subs later(those with planes support) for reckon use. When Taiho arrive in January i will have 300 point to spend on subs, destroyers and ASW Ships.

[koniu]

BB Kongo, BB Haruna

Later i will give detailed report about last three days.
They where good for Japan.

But now i am want to tell You all that after three days under AR care BB Kongo manage do repair flotation damages from 91 to 58 points. She is now 49/58(58)/23/0
One more day in Kusie Island to move her from repair ship mode and he will move toward Truk under escort of 12 destroyers. She is able to move two hexes in day.

Also good news about BB Haruna she is now 500 miles from Japan and in two days she will enter dry dock. I am sending extra escort for her last stage of trip. Lots of enemy subs around Home Islands.

[koniu]

In two days i will have Death Star KB in service.

Questions is how create TFs to have best offensive and defensive power.
I thinking about creating 3 TFs. 2xCV+2CVL, 3xCV+CVL and 3xCV+CVL

They will move together in single hex. That should keep max plane number near 200 and will reduce coordination penalty to minimum.

Or maybe it will be better to keep them in Single TF?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

In two days i will have Death Star KB in service.

Questions is how create TFs to have best offensive and defensive power.
I thinking about creating 3 TFs. 2xCV+2CVL, 3xCV+CVL and 3xCV+CVL

They will move together in single hex. That should keep max plane number near 200 and will reduce coordination penalty to minimum.

Or maybe it will be better to keep them in Single TF?

I arrange them in 2-3 according to speed of the CVs. So there is a fast one, just in case I need it, and a slower one with the Kaga, Junyo, Hiyo and Hosho plus others at 25 knots. That also lets you use the slow BBs if you wish. I like the CS cruisers in there as well. I think the extra search and ASW helps let the KB planes do the striking.