Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert

The use of B-29s by the AI is going to give you no idea how they will work in the hands of a good human. The AI is relentless, doesn't stand them down, but more importantly will not prioritize targets that a PBEM opponent would, consistently. They work best massed, with 3-5 days rest between missions.

In answer to your Ki-83 question, yes, it's a MUST have. The Ki-83 has wicked range and will fight evenly or better with anything.

The Ki-100 pretty much sucks, yet I say it's a must as it's all you can get at service 1 that has a chance in late war. With Symon's air frame recalculations it gets a boost to closer to what it was in the war, but in stock it's slower than a Tojo. Good for lower level CAP but will suffer against any Allied fighter.

Thanks, all very good points. So far, I can only find 22 squadrons that become night fighters, and then some of them get taken out of service late war...which means you can try to protect maybe 3 areas...if that. A pretty bleak picture.

Yes. Never enough.

You've probably looked, but there are some NF groups that come from recon groups, FB groups, and other strange places. At some point in 43 I just recombined all of my groups to see what the upgrades would be and came up with a few I hadn't known about.

The use of NF doesn't have to be a static thing, only defending three bases. The HI is a pretty small area and you can have them mutually supporting with a few hexes range, but most groups in the bigger centers. You really need them to disrupt the bombing more than to shoot down B-29s. With the time needed to stand down between missions, even making a run less effective is a win sometimes.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert
You've probably looked, but there are some NF groups that come from recon groups, FB groups, and other strange places.

I have found the first two, but I haven't gone thru the navy yet to find odd upgrades. Do you remember any?

I get the Endo detachment soon. 2 Irv night fighters, and it recombines with a splinter recon unit already active. Unfortunately, the splinter active now doesn't upgrade to a NF.

Speaking of Nicks, I am going to increase my r&d on the Nick NF, but I am also currently building 60 Nicks a month and I got to thinking that most of those squadrons will upgrade to the NF, meaning I will probably have way too many daytime Nicks...although I hate to spend the PP, I am thinking about converting some Ann or Sonias over to Nicks. 270 points each, shudder. [:(]

[Lowpe]

Dec 22, 1942

So far so good at moving large numbers of troops without submarine losses. There are infantry divisions, tanks, art, eng, aa, hqs moving all over the place...for most I have included a CL or AMC or AV with float planes to help keep subs submerged.

My Tojo sweep of Rangoon goes down in flames as the Sea Hurricane bounce them on altitude, but a measure of revenge is achieved when Tojo cap vectors in over Rangoon to attack allied bombers hitting the troops there.

Port Moresby level 6 airfield is officially closed, there are only three units defending there, 10,000 men. IJA attack forces are on the way. The KB and miniKB are all close by, but hopefully won't be needed. Judy-c doing stellar job with long range recon.

Troops for the invasion of Derby are loading now, and will probably hit the beaches with 35 percent prep if I send them immediately....I would like to get over 50 prep. Paratroops, transports, fighters and bombers are ready for Wyndham. Supplies ready.

I am moving heavy cruisers to the Burma region, I keep thinking he will try to evacuate the troops in Rangoon....taking appropriate measures.

Attack at Ambon lowers forts to 1. One more attack will take the stubborn base. That will free up the fleet there for the northern Australia attack with plenty of time.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe


Thanks, all very good points. So far, I can only find 22 squadrons that become night fighters

Can You give us list of those squadrons????

[ny59giants]

How effective has your ASW efforts been to date?? Number of subs sunk??

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: Lowpe


Thanks, all very good points. So far, I can only find 22 squadrons that become night fighters

Can You give us list of those squadrons????

Here it is thanks to Feurer Krieg in my Wild Sheep AAR. Here is the page link with lots more info as well. [:)]

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=3529026

[Lowpe]

I think I might have found another army unit...will check when I get home today.

EDIT: Nope the above list is what I have too.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

How effective has your ASW efforts been to date?? Number of subs sunk??

Not that good, to be honest. I had no air trained bomber groups in ASW when I took over...I have a few now, plus I have managed to upgrade my E, SC and DD mostly. Mostly I can keep subs spotted...

The Allies are good at moving their submarines around to avoid effective bombers.

Subs have managed to put one into a CV, which led me to make a mistake and lose her, one into a CVL (which lived), a few into BB/CA for yard time, nailed a few tankers mostly the 2 vp conversions. Where they have been nasty is laying mines...caught quite a few of my ships that way.

Escort PBs are way short, I don't know what the previous Japanese player did, but losses among the convertible xakls and pbs are extremely high...

I am trying very hard to get a good aerial ASW path up in time for working torpedoes. Duds have saved many a ship.[:)]

All three SSTs are done for too, which is very nice.

[Lowpe]

Ok, I have thought about the Ki 202 vs the Ki 201, and I am going to go after the Ki 202.

It probably is a mistake, but should be fun and interesting. Reasoning:

1. Comes sooner.
2. 1 engine
3. both planes ram bombers
4. might work against allied fighters
5. Sr 4 vs 5
6. I am curious if they work

[Lowpe]

Dec 23,1942

Lightnings sweep Tavoy and shoot down a dozen or so for no loss...night bombing his airfield with 50 planes and 100 percent moonlight to pay him back. I generally have no success with night bombing, but you never know.

If I can't fight in the air, then at least I can make their air fields somewhat uncomfortable...bombardment of Rangoon catches a few fighters. Will go in again today, and a second bombardment group is coming up. Perhaps I can close the airfield...however I worry about his fleet showing up to challenge me. Lots of Betties and even some Nells around to in case he does...[:)]

More moving troops, supply flowing back into Burma, with all the extra troops headed here, I have increased the pipeline substantially.

Upcoming: hopefully the last attack at Ambon; Darwin's port will be hit by Helens, and four unknown ships have shown up in Broome.

The A6M5c is now advanced to 3/43 -- they will be running off the assembly lines in January.

[Lowpe]

The more I mess around with Downfall, the more I learn.

Saving Tracom pilots for NF duty sure makes sense to me. They are the only fighter pilots that don't ram bombers...

When your sentai of Ki-201s with elite pilots decide to ram bombers you just want to cringe...[:D]

I have been really shocked with how well the Myrt NF does! Too bad it comes so late...my first Peggy and Frances groups come on line shortly and I have high hopes for them as well. They will be my night fighters of choice in this game.

[Lowpe]

Dec 24, 1942

My night time bombing raid scores one runway hit and damages two planes.[:D]

Normal bombings in Burma by the Allies, at Port Moresby by the Japanese. No losses to submarines.

I lost my first Judy-c recon to cap over Makin. Jakes would die every day there...

Troops moving everywhere: Infantry Division to Canton, ART/INF/ENG/AA to Singers, Infantry Divisions/ENG to Buna, ARM/INF/ENG to Banda Sea, Surface ships to Tavoy, ENG to the Marianas...nothing hindering any of the task forces.

[Lowpe]

Forgot to mention that Ambon held on, the Gull detachment doesn't really want to surrender. Tough Aussies! I tried to take Ambon on the cheap with 4 naval guards and 1 combat engineer and it didn't work. I think I lost 3 xaks to the coastal guns, plus hefty damage to a bunch of cruisers and destroyers with the original landing despite two battleships working over the coastal guns.

[obvert]

The key for the Frances NF is the durability and armor. It can stick it out.

[Lowpe]

Dec 25, 1942

Quiet day with lots of troop movement. LR CAP Paoshin trying to nail transports, no joy.

Re-reading Saburo's Samurai and he writes that landing the infantry division at Buna for a march overland was a terrible mistake for Japan.

Exactly what I am doing, we will find out....if it is my waterloo too.

[obvert]

Supply through the mountains will be tough even if you get enough there to take PM. Some players have been successful going over the Owen Stanleys though, notably rader who marched many divisions over and took it to the consternation of most players who realized that in reality this was utterly impossible.

I may have missed it, but is there a reason you're not just sailing around Milne Bay and landing at PM?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

I may have missed it, but is there a reason you're not just sailing around Milne Bay and landing at PM?

No, not really. I haven't decided 100% either way yet. Two infantry divisions are steaming to Rabual for now from the DEI so I have plenty of time to decide and coordinate.

[Lowpe]

Dec 26, 1942

Several Lightning sweeps across the wide world, the opposition is at Tavoy where some Zeroes were CAP some AKEs, 5 Zeroes shot down for 1 Lightning. Par for the course.

Two bombardments going in at Rangoon, which now has 60 Allied fighters...maybe I will catch some on the ground there.

More troop movements...this day an Allied submarine got an attack on a xAP and missed. The sub got punished with a few hits.

Timeline of future attacks:

5 Days: Northern Australia - Wyndham and Derby attacks.
10 - 15 Days: Port Moresby
Rangoon: Ongoing...
China: moving slowly ahead...3 divisions are heading here to finish off the Changsha pocket and move into the central plains.

The A6M5c advances to 2/43...4-5 days for 1/43 so the new year will finally see an armored fighter.[:)]

With the working torpedoes just around the corner I will be changing my tanker/cargo fleet composition based upon areas. All large tankers are going to form up and get some
professional flagships, the AVs will be used heavily with tankers, as I really need to start moving the fuel and oil very safely in 1943.

[Lowpe]

Fighting the lousy Lightning sweeps:

1. I will be trying to use Nicks at 10,000 feet (thanks ny59giants[:)])

2. I will be trying out the KAI Dinah at 5,000 feet.

3. Next month, the A6M5c at 10,000 feet will be used as a support sentai instead of Tojo IIa.

The low CAP is to maximize my agility.

For the most part, Tiemanj has reduced his sweeps to around 24,000 feet in response Japan never really flying over 20,000 feet.

What works best so far is avoiding them, outnumbering them 10 to 1, flying low, hitting their airfields. Not always doable.[:D]

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of fighter planes, but I plan to allocate two sentai for Lightning defense: 1 Tojo (later A6M5c) and 1 Dinah or Nick.

[ny59giants]

I'm playing with the new air data for DBB. The P-38s on sweep are good, the P-47s are just 'nasty.' You will really need to set up a layered CAP with you best fighters set about 2 or 3k above the poor fighters (bait). Hopefully, the P-38s will get the 'bounce' against the poorer fighters and then you can get a chance to kill one of them.