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

[Lowpe]

In the new year this match up will occur. Japan will still be on the dis-advantaged side, but numbers, reliability should cause him to change tactics a little.

It should be interesting! And frustrating too!

Just so you know, I think the KAI Dinah will fail utterly against the Lightning...but on the off chance it doesn't...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I'm playing with the new air data for DBB. The P-38s on sweep are good, the P-47s are just 'nasty.'

Something to look forward too![:D]

I think at this point in time, Japanese fighter pilots didn't wear too many parachutes although they were issued...

[ny59giants]

How are the P-40Ks doing?? They have the best speed of the P-40 models. You will have to face the first generation of Corsairs, but since the Allies only get ONE per day, they will have limited use. [:(]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

How are the P-40Ks doing?? They have the best speed of the P-40 models. You will have to face the first generation of Corsairs, but since the Allies only get ONE per day, they will have limited use. [:(]

There is one squadron flying escort in Burma that I have seen, another flying escort out of the Marshalls -- probably flying CAP there now too. I have downed 60 of them so far, but nothing really memorable about them sticks in my mind.

Hellcats, ugh. Only 7 more months till the P47.[:)]

It is those Lightning sweeps now that are my bane. Actually, it should be his bombers forces...they should have destroyed all the oil at Magwe, Palembang, Miri, etc, but for some reason he hasn't....

I have scenario 1 resources, oil, and fuel...overall I think there is only 34 oil damage across the empire. 260 refineries have been hit...42 heavy industry lost and 160 light industry.

So, I have nothing to complain about.[:D]

[obvert]

You're digging deep with the Dinah KAI. That 37mm cannon isn't going to hit much. [:)]

The A6M5c isn't bad. Armor helps a lot in an escort or fleet defense role. As a land based interceptor though, limited. Until you get the Jack with it's insane climb rate the Tojos should be your mainstay interceptor on land.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

You're digging deep with the Dinah KAI. That 37mm cannon isn't going to hit much. [:)]

Well, it will be fun to try. Actually, I have a feeling that the big inaccurate guns, are better than most people think.

I envision four roles for the KAI Dinah, and with only 30 factories churning them out it will be take a while to test them all:

1. vs the Lightning sweep --- most likely fail
2. long range escort -- zero or oscar does it as well and cheaper
3. long range sweep...I think it will win here
4. rear area anti-bomber defense -- another win I think

Can it do better at 3 and 4 than other planes available...doubtful. But it uses an engine I have tons of, and almost every IJA squadron can upgrade to it for no PP unlike the Nicks.

Other big gun platforms I am researching or building: Peggy NF, the KAIb Nick.... I would really like to research the Ki-93 Ib too. Just having a difficult time actually doing it.[:)]

[obvert]

Might want to sandbox or test a few before changing all of that research on the later models. Some good tests have been done in the past on the Tojo IIb with the 40mm cannons, and they were worse against bombers than either of the other versions with only MGs. With only one big gun and no other MG this is a no go for me. It's about 9 times less likely to hit than a 13.2mm centerline gun, and the Tojo IIc with 2 x 13.2mm on the centerline plus the other two wing mounted guns should hit about 25 times as often as this one 37mm cannon.

[Lowpe]

I just can't bring myself to r&d the 93Ib, mainly because it is better to ram the bombers at the endgame with a single engine plane.

In a way I am sandboxing those big guns now with the KAI Dinah and the KAIb Nick right now. I am not expecting miracles, just better than what most people think.

Haven't changed any of my late research for anything (other than my initial moves months back): Frank and Sam lesser extent George...but I will have factories to change from A6M5c to something in a few days. Leaning to adding more Sam and the Ki 83. Sams are a wonder in Downfall.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I just can't bring myself to r&d the 93Ib, mainly because it is better to ram the bombers at the endgame with a single engine plane.

In a way I am sandboxing those big guns now with the KAI Dinah and the KAIb Nick right now. I am not expecting miracles, just better than what most people think.

Haven't changed any of my late research for anything (other than my initial moves months back): Frank and Sam lesser extent George...but I will have factories to change from A6M5c to something in a few days. Leaning to adding more Sam and the Ki 83. Sams are a wonder in Downfall.

I pour a celebratory drink every time one of my Sam factories repairs. Needless to say, in September 1942 I haven't poured too many drinks.

I agree, though - more Sam and more Ki-83. You may also want some Randy airframes... I think it's the -102c model, yes?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I agree, though - more Sam and more Ki-83. You may also want some Randy airframes... I think it's the -102c model, yes?

I am torn on the Randy 102c night fighter. You can accelerate the plane but not the radar 10/45. It is the radar that makes plane killers...

[Lowpe]

Dec 27, 1942

Not much to report. Lots of troops at sea.

A tanker convoy, headed by an AMC (the only one I have left), supported by a destroyer and a couple of pbs, sights and spoils a submarine attack in the PI. The AMC has floats flying at night...

Standard Allied bombing in Marshalls and Burma. Standard IJA bombing of Moresby. Buna is getting a base force today...it has no airfield yet. Nicks and Zeroes flying LRCAP on the off chance anything wanders over.

Blenheims have been hitting some tanks in Burma. I sent 3 Sentai of TojoIIa to fly LRCAP over them from Magwe...maybe I will pull off a good CAP trap. Haven't really been too successful at that this game.

[Lowpe]

The Tony Ki 61 Ia advances to Jan 43. I have several factories, 170 something, some as small as 6 and the largest 30.

I plan to make a Sentai of the Ki61 Ia, I have a few engines, but move most of the factories on to the Ki 100 I which doesn't really strike me as superior to the Tojo IIc other than better guns.

I like the lines of the 61 much better than the 100.

[Lokasenna]

It may not appear that much better than the Tojo, but it has CL-mounted cannons! That's a huge improvement. And it's SR1, and faster. That's a big enough boost from the Tojo-IIc, IMO, that you continue to use the Tony-100 through the end of the war to fill in the holes in your Frank/Ki-83 (this plane needs a forum-assigned codename)/Randy/whatever CAPs.

[obvert]

The Ki-100 is still slower than the Tojo, although Symon's air fixes give it a bump. It's a decent plane, and by mid-44 the Tojo begins to look pretty obsolete. The Ki-100 fits well in a layered CAP near the bottom where it can hit bombers and avoid some sweepers if there are good Franks or Sams above. It's also got decent durability for a Japanese plane, and with drop tanks is a decent escort due to this and the armor, getting to ten hexes.

[Lowpe]

December 28, 1942

Every time I try to get tricky with fighters, something goes wrong.[:)] Tojo IIa fly LRCAP over a Tank Regiment screen in northern Burma and do some serious damage on British divebombers, but massive air strikes on Magwe catch the base by surprise and destroy 17 Tojo's for the day.

Still, any day where I can trade the Allies plane for plane (losses where equal at 20 per) is a good day in my book...

British get 25 of these dive bombers a month now, and this is the first I have seen of them. It is nice to wipe out close to a month of production in a day especially considering he probably lost a lot of pilots.

Three ships showed up in the Indian Ocean...it may be BB group he had cruising around earlier, or it may be supply ships. I tend to think it is the BBs. I have two groups of 7 or so destroyer headed up with either a CL or CA looking for a night time engagement...

Attack on Australia in 2 days! The paratroops are sharpening bayonets! The ships are assembling and steaming to Wyndham, Derby and Broome; planes are stood down as mechanics give each engine some TLC; pilots are lighting candles, painting headbands...

[Lowpe]

These are the only battleships I have had at sea since early November. They have been bombarding Ambon almost daily, and I don't see how Ambon can survive another attack and in a change for me I have ordered a shock attack. Forts are gone and the Allied defender AV is basically 0.

The bombardment group is rearmed and heading for Derby, Broome and Wyndham. I am trying to hit northern Oz with land based air. Tojo IIa, A6M3 are providing relatively close fighter protection while the KAI Dinah will provide longer protection and sweeps. The Lilly IIb is still repairing and won't make an appearance in the initial attack.

The attack plan is to take Wyndham with paratroops, followup with tanks and an infantry division. Derby will be attacked the following day by another infantry division.

[Lowpe]

Dec 29, 1942

Ambon falls, all Allied forces surrender.

Paratroopers are going into Wyndham tomorrow, the invasion fleet for Derby is 8 hexes away unspotted. Bombardment groups are 9 and 11 hexes away with no detection.

[Lowpe]

I had thought there might be a surface engagement, and I got 5 but not the one I wanted.

After bombarding Rangoon, a few CLs run into a gaggle of 1 and 2 ship task forces comprised of MGB. The CL stuck around and sank 9 before leaving for Tavoy and rearming.

The other surface group tried to track down the 3 ships spotted previously, but no joy.

[Lowpe]

Dec 30, 1942

Happy New Year, almost, the Australian adventure begins!

Wyndham is hit by bombers, swept by KAI Dinah, and the 1st Raiding Regiment is dropped onto the base. The RAAF Wyndham force is overmatched, and their forts hold for the first attack, but a followup will hit them on the morrow.

Meanwhile, at Derby in the afternoon the invasion fleet appears storming the beaches covered by a CL feet providing shore bombardments. A few Hudsons make it into the air but are ineffective. The 21st Division is ashore without major casualties (only 2 squads destroyed).

[Lowpe]

The northern Oz invasion is on, hopefully I have achieved tactical surprise. If he moves in heavy air forces I could be in a little bit of a pickle, we shall see.

Two BB and one CA plus destroyers will shell Derby while the the CL task force will hit Broome. Wyndham will see another paradrop and shock attack...I got a solid 2-1 and dropped forts with the first attack and should hopefully take the airfield with the next turn. I need it to get some fighters down closer to the action.

Followup forces are steaming their way, or awaiting an operational airfield to be flown in.

This attack is definitely being done on the cheap: 2 Divisions, 2 Tank Rgt, some ENG/AA thrown in. 3 Fighter Sentais, 4 Bomber groups, some subs, 2 BB, 1CA, 3CL make up the offensive.