Rise of the Sheep! JocMeister(A) vs. Obvert(J)

[JocMeister]

Ouchi,

So that pretty much means we are even in terms of fighter production. But the problem is half my production are crap (P40/P39/FM1/Kittyhawks)while he can produce about 500 of the best fighters. I guess with the on map training there is no hope he will be running out of trained pilots any time soon?

[PaxMondo]

Thought I would drop a note here.  The allies at this stage are really dominant, irrespective of IJ's production.  All the production should mean to you is exp for your pilots.
 
As you state, IJ mid and late war fighters are short legged: they are defensive only.  The best ones are still quite slow compared to the allied best.  Also, they are woefully undergunned except for the George which is why it is produced.  And of course the KB fighters at this point stink and there is nothing coming for while yet.
 
On the allied side, actually you are in good shape.  Yes, 50% of your fighters are P40 types, but they are more than good enough for defense against unescorted bomber raids, or escorted with either Zero or Oscar.  Don't use your offensive fighters in defensive roles.  Conserve them for your offensive strikes.
 
That's pretty much it.

[ny59giants]

As of Dec 43 (my farthest game to date), I can say that the game still comes down to a numbers game for A2A. Playing Japan, the P-38 and P-47 are superior when used on sweeps, especially the P-47s. The P-40 is useful, IMO, as a CAP fighter and escort only. Much like the Oscar, they have limited usefulness. The Hurricane IIc is still relatively good, despite its short range, but she often can use drop tanks for added range. I see the need to get numbers over a hex when it comes to A2A battles. Recently, the Allies lost 160 planes in one day to my 80. It was over my base, so I came out ahead. [:D]

[JocMeister]

Pax, you are probably right. I tend to look at things a bit bleakly after being crushed by the Tojos for a year! [:)]

Michael, I think the P38 is starting to lose its teeth. Really talking losses lately. Pool is empty! The price I pay for using them at long ranges in SOPAC I guess...

[JocMeister]

Wow, dropping off to second page takes no time! [:D]

Not much happening that is fun to report. Looks like Erik don´t want to play the Sweep game anymore as he has withdrawn from my previous hunting grounds.

I´m scrambling to get everything in place for my SOPAC and CENTPAC operations. I have yet to decide on my CENTPAC target. Baker, Canton, Wake or Tarawa... I´m was leaning towards Wake actually. I don´t think Erik expects that. I also have a full division prepped for it... But the problem is that a whole division forces me to stay an additional 2-3 days to get the division out and garrison forces in after the landing. It might also be a good chance for me to take on parts the KB on somewhat equal terms. He has about 3 CVs in NOPAC. With the CVEs help providing CAP I think I can get to him if he comes crashing down. Decisions and decisions...I still have some time as I have to move about 200.000 men to PH. That will take one trip! The amount of shipping I have is just staggering. I have almost 800 ships doing upgrades but I can still move anything I want in one trip. I just loaded up 28 units for PH [:D] About 20 subs will stay in PH to assist in this operation. Main reason is to try and get some warning when/if KB starts moving towards the invasion.

Any thought about target are welcome. My gut tells me Wake is a little bit too much to start with and Tarawa will have to wait for Canton and Baker...So probably Canton and/or Baker?

Still undecided on my SOPAC operation as well. It will be risky whatever I do... My main goal with whatever I do is simply to get closer to him. Ndeni is also looming. I need to get going there as well...

In Burma my forces started moving towards their start off positions. There is no way in hell Erik will miss 500.000 men moving around. So question is what he does about it. Knowing Erik he will stay and fight. I think he would be better off not fighting in Burma but I have been wrong before. Chinese forces will start moving towards their start off positions incase I will attempt a breakout. Supply or not I don´t think whatever stop blocks he has in place can stop 32.0000(!) AV

In Western OZ my troops are slowly moving north...I pound his troops everyday but I don´t know if it has any effect. I get about 100 disabled per strike. Should burn some supplies though. No sign of the BBs so far. Mines and subs are in place.

Thats about it actually. Mainly moving stuff around and waiting for upgrades to finish. Also waiting for the monsoon to end. Might start a bit earlier though as this is a stock game and supply never seems to be an issue for anyone besides the chinese! [:'(]

[JocMeister]

30th of July -43

Still nothing new to report. I ordered a semi large sweep/LRCAP of Ndeni today as Erik has stopped LRCAPing the surrounding islands. 50 Hellcats and 36 Corsairs will go in. A bit worried about this but they are all USMC squadrons so pilots are plentiful. I have some 700 fighter pilots in the pool. Most are only 50 EXP though.

Also stood down the P47s in Burma. They will rest for a day and then I will start sweeping his perimeter again. There is a cost to using ranged CAP... I will try and use that against him.

[JocMeister]

How to clear the mines?

[Erkki]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Japanese air force?

How long will I enjoy this lovely air superiority? When can I expect the next "uberplane" ala the Tojo? I have been looking in Tracker and by just going by the numbers I´m guessing he will replace the Tojo with the Frank? Its due in 1/44 which probably means it can be online any day now if its not already.

Looks to be a pretty good "sweep" interceptor? Crappy SR and range though and really crappy guns but good speed. This plane also gives him access to the highest MVR band according to our HRs.

I wouldnt look at the gun value, at all. For gun value, MGs are 2, HMGs 3 and 20mm cannons 4 when in game the HMGs and cannons work much better against armor, and looking at device stats the cannon is better than 133% HMG(assuming that the values improve performance linearly as most things in witpae). Also Jap planes tend to have their guns in the centerline, with double the accuracy value, unlike most Allied fighters. If you value CL weapons 2x and cannons = 2x HMG (or wartime USAAF estimation of 2½ to 3½ as good), then Ki-84a sits at 2*2 + 2*2 = 8 HMGs, so effective firepower is about the same as P-47's, and Ki-84b in early 1945 is 2*2*2 + 2*2 = 12 HMG's worth...

(in devices, .50 browning HMG has range 4, effect 3, pen 2, acc 29, Ho-103 is identical to it and 20mm Ho-5 is
range 5, effect 4, pen 3, acc 28 - 25%, 33%, 50% improvements over .50 cal)

I´m also guessing he will go for the George as it seems to be every Jap players golden boy? I can´t really understand what the fuzz is all about by looking at the numbers? The engine premiers nothing but speed and altitude. I have P40s that are faster than the George. Crappy SR, not access to the highest MVR band and a good gun value. Thats it? But I guess there arn´t any good alternatives to it?

I´m sure it will do alright if going up against unescorted bombers. But I´m predicting its going to do poorly against the best allied fighters like the P47, P38 and Corsairs.

---

Yeah, no good alternatives to it. J2M is faster and uses a much more common engine but with altitude rules like yours it cant fly CAP or sweep or escort as high, so theres not much reason to build it as N1K is better in everything else. Many Japanese players that have used N1K, including PzB, thought N1K is good even in fighter vs. fighter because the armament of 4 cannons is just that good - in bigger fights, sooner or later they get to fire, and then a hit is very, very often a kill even against P-47, P-38 and medium bombers. I think PzB had multiple N1K pilots with 25+ kills and those fellows were used in anti-bomber role... IJN only has (now) crappy Zero before J2M and N1K, N1K improves everything, J2M not, until the second variant in early 1944 that has better service rating and also 4 cannons.

[JocMeister]

Hi Erkki!

Thank you for your post. Very informative. I did not know that! It just goes to show that you will never completely learn this game. [:)]

Sounds like I shouldn´t discard the George right away... But it looks like a good remedy to deal with it should be numerical superiority with better planes (P47/Corsairs/P38s). With our HRs I can place them higher on Sweep and the SR 3 should keep it on the ground for a while.

Problem as usual in this game is that he can outproduce me by a good margin. I get 126 P38/47 and Corsairs per month while I apparently expect Erik to produce some 200-300 Georges and then about the same number of Franks. So this air superiority I´m enjoying right now will be short lived I think. One bright spot is the fact that I can place my P47s higher. So a small payback for the time Erik has been placing his Tojos 11k higher than my US army fighters.

I will try and go through the Allied replacement cues and see when I get the next bump in production. Will I ever be able to outproduce Japan in this game? As it looks now I need about 3:1 to keep up. Not sure I can do that. Might get easier when the ground war in Burma starts and I can utilise CAP. Right now I´m doing sweeping over his bases and its costing me pilots.

Again, thank you Erkki. Very good post! [:)]

[JocMeister]

31st of July -43

Sweep over Ndeni did better then expected. Erik was happy about the losses to my Corsairs saying he was happy with a 1:2 loss ratio? I´m guessing FOW is playing its part as I only lost 6 Corsairs. I have about 40 in the pool and can change the group in Burma (36 planes) to Hellcats if needed. I did loose a bunch of Hellcats but I have some 200 in the pool so I don´t worry about that. Despite the losses was over an enemy base I only lost 2 KIA from the Corsair groups and none(!) from the Hellcats (7 WIA). Good news.

[JocMeister]

A reality check.

I will have to postpone all my operations involving the navy until late October/early November. Upgrades on my warships are taking too long and I won´t be able to assemble the fleet in time to coincide with the Burma operation. Would have been a nice "shock and awe" effect but nothing important.

My navy fighter pool isn´t looking very good. I devoted two of the bought back VF squadrons (36) and a VRF squadron (28) to training right now get a bump in the pool. I will also set all my FP squadrons to train fighter pilots as soon as the current training is done. Should give me about 400 trained navy fighter pilots within 3 months. I should have done this a year ago. Stupid! [:(]

I´m way behind the historical schedule and starting to feel the pressures of time. I´m constantly having to restrain myself from doing stupid things just to do things. The future will be decided in Burma. If I can secure Burma during before the end of 43 I think things will start to look a bit less bleak. That will give me a great stepping stone for 44. I could threaten China or go south and put pressure on Malaya/Thailand.

If I fail...well that sucks. In that case I will have to try a Greyjoy or something. [X(]

If I can liberate northern OZ it will also be a vital stepping stone for Java and/or Timor. The more places I can threaten the more strained Erik will be to cover all approaches. Right now he has invested heavily in the Solomons. I have been tempted to try and bypass it but that will only make Erik shift elsewhere. I might as well go here as it will put maximum strain on the Japanese merchant fleet.

By all accounts I will get an avalanche of stuff in 44. I hope that is correct...

I have put all my eggs in the Burma basket. I have almost 10K AV in place and the bulk of the USAAF. I have done what I can. Forces are moving into position.

Alea Iacta Est!

[ny59giants]

I will have to postpone all my operations involving the navy until late October/early November. Upgrades on my warships are taking too long and I won´t be able to assemble the fleet in time to coincide with the Burma operation. Would have been a nice "shock and awe" effect but nothing important.

[&o][&o] [:D]

I'm in early Dec 43 and still on the India/Burma border as Japan. I've decide I have to pull back some as single divisions are getting high disruption due to massive ground attacks by his bombers. Find a weal spot and push through. That is what is happening to me now.

[JocMeister]

7th of August -43

Still quiet on all fronts. Erik has completely stopped doing anything remotely offensive in the air. He has withdrawn and turtled up over his main bases. I´m trying to hit him in the perimeter taking advantage of his habit of using a ranged CAP. I´ve tried sweeping several bases in Burma with no luck. This time I have set 100 P47s to go a little deeper. Will see if something comes up to meet them.

On the west coast of OZ I´ve started seeing some naval activity. Some BBs were spotted together with a CVE. He will probably try and stop my stack going for Carnarvon. This time there will be no stopping. His BB runs had little effect last time besides supply and this time I have 80 Transports ready to airlift in supply. Unfortunately weather has stopped my bombings lately so his troops have probably recovered. He tried 2 times to interdict the bombings by my P38s on sweep dealt with it but not without taking losses. Lost 3 P38 over two days. Upgraded a P38 group in Burma to P47s. Sweet! [:)]

Corsairs are running low again. Switched some groups to the Hellcat. Sucks because the hellcats is much worse and it costs 50 PPs. But positive because I have an unlimited supply of Hellcats and USMC pilots. Will use these 3 groups as expendable.

First troops have started to arrive in NOPAC and Pearl. Some shipping has departed for their final destinations. All troops in SOPAC are in position. Awaiting shipping.

Started looking at some number today. If I collect all my CVs including the CVEs I can probably get some 500 AC in the air...not too shabby. Especially considering I have Hellcats and he has the crappy Zero. But on the other hand he has the completely unhistorical 1 hex longer strike (who the hell came up with that and based on what?!! [&:]). Don´t want to lose another carrier to that nonsense! [:@]

So still quiet with a possibility for some action in Burma and a little something something in western OZ.

[JocMeister]

8th of August

Stupid, stupid me...

CV Victorious on its way to SOPAC launched against some BBs west of Carnarvon. Stupid react. She wasted a lot of good pilots against the CAP but actually got through. No hits though. Erik might think this was intentional with some luck. As she had no TBs left I was sure Erik was going to chase after her but didn´t for some reason. As his BBs quickly scampered away I´m guessing he thinks I have lots of stuff there! With some luck this is where the missing KB is going! [:D]

I got a CVE listed among the ships but not sure about that. I think the planes were LRCAP from Exmouth. The AF repaired after being rained on for quite a while.

Yes, KB has gone missing. Nothing in Tulagi, Truk or Rabaul... Hmph.

In Burma nothing showed up against the sweep. So I sent the 100 P47 right into the hornets nest. I will pay for this. Stupid, impatient move that I regretted as soon as I hit end turn. [:@]

[BBfanboy]

CVs Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu and CVL Ryujo have upgrades available in July 42. Zuikaku and Shokaku had theirs available in June. If they were delayed a bit by operations, they could be in for their upgrades now.

[JocMeister]

You mean in 43? [:)]

[ny59giants]

You should be able to push up into Carnarvon with your troops and after a short rest and changing prep levels, push up to Exmouth. If he is not careful, you can trap some troops in Carnarvon.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

You mean in 43? [:)]

OOOOPS! I scrolled up and saw August 8th and didn't look further for the year - I have been reading most Allied AARs so I am not able to keep the year in mind for each one - old timers disease!
Okay - for 1943 All the CVs and CVLs + CVE Taiyo have an upgrade available in April. I think they can only be deferred about sixty days before they lapse and have to be taken with the 1944 upgrade.

The Ship Database shows CV Taiho with a 9/43 date, but the Intel Screen Ship Availability shows arrival in April 1944. Delay?
BTW in case there are diffences between scenarios, I am looking at Scenario 1.

[JocMeister]

BB, so that rules out upgrades then. He might just have withdrawn out of sight. I started recon on the islands around Tulagi.

The sweep I was worried about? Indeed. Of the 75 planes set to LRCAP with the sweep 6 showed up. 2 groups just sat at their base doing nothing but still getting 30 in fatigue. I hate this game sometimes. 12 Planes gone and 5 pilots for just a few Tojos.

Bombardments started of my troops going for Carnarvon by 3BBs. Burned a lot of supplies. My TBs of course didn´t fly. I might actually withdraw the troops inland for a bit. Don´t know how that affects supply though.

He has stationed some BBs at PM. 8 subs are on their way with mines. If that doesn´t work I wonder what 280 DBs will do to two BBs. I will have to bring some 4Es to shut down the AFs first though and they are tied up at Carnarvon for a while yet.

The TF going for Horn/Merauke didn´t do anything. He has spotted my DBs on Horn and might want to shut down the AF there first. If he goes with the BBs from PM I might get a good opportunity. 3 PT squadrons, big CD guns and mines. And if he loses too many OPS I can nail him with the DBs/TBs at Portland roads.

[JocMeister]

If someone is reading this I have a question.

If you spot a TF 8 times and 5 times it contains 2 BBs and 3 times it contains 2 CLs. What would your best guess be? I´m thinking 2 CAs as I earlier had 2 Cleveland CLs in the area and I´m guessing he would want to outgun me. But I don´t think 2 Clevelands would warrant 2 whole BBs.

Thoughts?