Castles in the Sand - Spidery(J) vs MrKane(A) no MrKane please

[Spidery]

Ship Losses

I lost as below, 1 CL, 5 DD, 3 PB, 4 SS, 2 APD, 1 TK, 1 ACM. My subs are beginning to find it harder to operate. His subs had minimal success: a tiny TK, CL Sendai, 2 PB. Also put a couple more PB and an xAK into the yards.

Allied losses I can't make out. Confirmed: 27 PT Boats, 2 AO, 1 xAK, 1 xAKL, 2 APD, 1 CM, 4 DD. However, that is about 40 or 50 points short of what I sunk. There was a high possibility on a CL and CA Australia is showing as sunk by a mine. Also, it may be that air ASW has sunk some SS and there were 2 or 3 DD that were possibles.

Edit: of the Allied losses, 2 AO, 1 xAK, 1 xAKL, 1 CM, 1 DD were claimed by subs.

[Spidery]

Engine Status

Stockpiles still there for future needs but am going to turn off some Ha-34 and Aichi Ha-60 production. The D4Y1 is obsoleted by the D4Y4 so the only uses for the Aichi Ha-60 are the Judy Recon and the M6A1. For the Ha-34, I am cutting back on the use of the Helen except for ASW so expect fewer losses, and the Tojo is going to be, mostly, obsolete once the Ki-84a and Ki-43IV are available. The Helen transport will be available next month and replace all other IJA transports.

[Spidery]

Aircraft Pools

I have turned off a lot of production as pools are building up. Some of the bigger pools, Kate, Nell, etc. will be useful as Kamikazes.

Producing:
Ki-48-IIb (1 Sentai equipped so far have two more to eventually get this)
E13A1 (still have some obsolete models to replace and take steady losses)
B6N2 (need a reserve and have a few LBA Kates still to replace)
Ki-46-III (role out to the IJA Recon is slow)
N1K1-J (key plane and still have some A6M5 on land to replace)
P1Y1 (slow role out and not sure where to replace the Nells)
D4Y1 (will still produce this for a while until the D4Y4 role out is going well)
D4Y4 (supplying this to carriers as fast as possible)

[Spidery]

April 1st 1943

Air Losses: 22 Japanese, 22 Allied, 18 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

During the night, SS Grouper attacks AO Kokuyo Maru heading back to Balikpapan. It scores two hits but one is a dud. Unfortunately, the DD escorting only have type 95 DC and can't reach sub depth. SS Grouper makes two more attempts, the first is screened off but the second scores two more hits, one of which explodes and sinks the oiler[:(].

During the day, SS Finback makes another attack on the same convoy but is screened off and misses the shot at DD Tsuta.

Marshalls

Quiet

Solomons, etc.

I must be doing something wrong. In the morning N1K1-J sweep Buin and easily brush aside the Wildcats on CAP. In the afternoon the bombers arrive on naval strike, some CAP is back up but all the strikes have escorts and keep the fighters from getting through to the bombers:

Combat 1:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Buin at 109,131

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 93 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 45
G3M2 Nell x 30
G3M3 Nell x 16
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 41

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 14 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
G3M3 Nell: 6 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Quincy
CA San Francisco
DD Gridley, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CA Astoria
CA Vincennes
DD McCall

Aircraft Attacking:
29 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
7 x Ki-44-IIc Tojo sweeping at 14000 feet
4 x G3M3 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
6 x G3M3 Nell bombing from 14000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
5 x G3M3 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
6 x Ki-44-IIc Tojo sweeping at 1000 feet
30 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 14000 feet
3 x Ki-44-IIc Tojo sweeping at 14000 feet

So 6 Nell used bombs for some reason and managed to score a hit on a DD from 14000 feet. 44 Nell used torpedoes as expected and failed to score any hits on the cruisers[:@].

Combat 2:

Japanese aircraft
D3A1 Val x 12
D4Y1 Judy x 9
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 33

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 6 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak
D4Y1 Judy: 3 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes
CA Quincy, Bomb hits 1
DD Gridley, heavy fires
CA Astoria

One Val scores a hit but it is a belt armour hit so no significant damage[:(].

Combat 3:

Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 9
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 18

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
DD McCall
CA San Francisco

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

Can't hit a barn door[:@].

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 6
P1Y1 Frances x 4
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 10
Ki-46 KAI Dinah x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 4 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
P1Y1 Frances: 2 damaged
P1Y1 Frances: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes
CA Astoria
CA Quincy

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x P1Y1 Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
6 x G3M3 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

No hits here either[:@].

I'm getting the impression that there is no point in using torpedoes[:@]. They just can't hit anything in DBB.

A group of Nicks on low nav attack were also supposed to attack but failed to arrive[:(].

Meanwhile, Liberators come in at 1000 feet to target and sink 9 xAKL off-loading supply at Buna[:@].

Total losses: 20 F4F-4 (16 air-air) for 1 Ki-44-IIc in air-air, 7 G3M3 (4 Flak), 6 G3M2 (5 flak), 3 D3A1 (all flak), 3 P1Y1 (all flak), 2 D4Y1 (both flak). So that is 20::1 losses inflicted in air-air combat [:)] and 21 planes lost for 2 bomb hits only one of which did damage[:@].

Burma area

Quiet

An extended range port strike on Columbo fails to take place.

China

Quiet

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Allies have built a level 1 airfield at Cox's Bazaar.

R&D

Quiet

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery
I must be doing something wrong. In the morning N1K1-J sweep Buin and easily brush aside the Wildcats on CAP. In the afternoon the bombers arrive on naval strike, some CAP is back up but all the strikes have escorts and keep the fighters from getting through to the bombers:

Either morale or inspiration are causing failed checks, or you are not spotting the ships until the afternoon, or the air base is overstacked and under coordinated? Or did you just fly the planes in the day before?

I am sure there could be other reasons to...

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Spidery
I must be doing something wrong. In the morning N1K1-J sweep Buin and easily brush aside the Wildcats on CAP. In the afternoon the bombers arrive on naval strike, some CAP is back up but all the strikes have escorts and keep the fighters from getting through to the bombers:

Either morale or inspiration are causing failed checks, or you are not spotting the ships until the afternoon, or the air base is overstacked and under coordinated? Or did you just fly the planes in the day before?

I am sure there could be other reasons to...

That is not my complaint/problem. Apart from some Nicks that didn't fly, everything that was supposed to flew and attacked. They just couldn't hit anything.

Morale 99. Level 9 air base. Air support exceeds number of aircraft present (but not by much). All planes were sitting there and had been idle for a while so plane fatigue was low.

[Spidery]

The torpedo on the B6N2 has effect 397, penetration 282, accuracy 31, 10% dud rate.
The 800kg SAP bomb for the D4Y4 has effect 536, penetration 174, accuracy 39, no duds.
The 500kg SAP bomb for the D4Y4 at range 7/8 has effect 440, penetration 126, accuracy 29, no duds.

After the dismal failure of torpedo attacks last turn I think I will plan on my carriers taking almost exclusively dive bombers. Just take a few B6N2 along for naval search out to range 10.

[Lowpe]

I thought you were disappointed with no morning strike.

Those torps really stink and the bomb kind of does too.! Stock: 529/529 43percent accurate for torp.

[Spidery]

April 2nd 1943

Air Losses: 14 Japanese, 23 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

A PB delivering supply to Ponape is damaged by SS Gunnel[:(].

Marshalls

Wotje suffers visitations from 4E bombers.

Solomons, etc.

A massive (145 planes) 4E strike at Buna meets a hefty CAP of (26) N1K1-J and (29) Ki-44-IIc. It blasts through and does some damage to the airfield (19 service and 28 runway). Later low level attacks meet little resistance and sink 3 small xAK and an APD delivering supplies[:(]. Air losses for the day: 9 Ki-44-IIc (1 on the ground), 4 N1K1-J versus 12 B-17F (1 to flak), 4 B-24D, 2 B-17E, 1 LB-30. And only 1 pilot KIA and 1 WIA[8D]. Nearly all defending fighters are damaged.

Burma area

Quiet

China

Quiet

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Quiet

R&D

Quiet

Allied Plans

I feel he plans on a very historical route. An Advance up the New Guinea coast and an advance on the Marianas.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I thought you were disappointed with no morning strike.

Those torps really stink and the bomb kind of does too.! Stock: 529/529 43percent accurate for torp.

All torpedoes are nerfed in DBB. It is sort of accurate in reflecting the relative effectiveness of the weapon but possibly over does it in not considering that the game is only an abstraction of overall operational effectiveness. It is not a one-sided thing, Allied torpedoes are nerfed as well; the Ansyu class PB seem to be able to survive a single sub-torpedo hit more often than not.

Bomb damage is reduced and accuracy a little with penetration for AP bombs being increased slightly.

Altogether, I expect that coupled with the Allied player willing to take risks beyond what was historically acceptable, this helps the Allies.

Mentioned it to Tom, he suggests that in his game with Greyjoy he basically abandoned the use of torpedoes mid 1944. I think I will be doing that earlier.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I thought you were disappointed with no morning strike.

Those torps really stink and the bomb kind of does too.! Stock: 529/529 43percent accurate for torp.

All torpedoes are nerfed in DBB. It is sort of accurate in reflecting the relative effectiveness of the weapon but possibly over does it in not considering that the game is only an abstraction of overall operational effectiveness. It is not a one-sided thing, Allied torpedoes are nerfed as well; the Ansyu class PB seem to be able to survive a single sub-torpedo hit more often than not.

Bomb damage is reduced and accuracy a little with penetration for AP bombs being increased slightly.

Altogether, I expect that coupled with the Allied player willing to take risks beyond what was historically acceptable, this helps the Allies.

Mentioned it to Tom, he suggests that in his game with Greyjoy he basically abandoned the use of torpedoes mid 1944. I think I will be doing that earlier.

Perhaps a focus on the DB that can drop 800lbs bombs is a good way to go? Erik used them extensively and they pack a MASSIVE punch. Not sure what plane it was though? Grace? Its CV capable in the game but never was IRL. And I also think the bombload is wrong in the game and it never was able to carry that big a bomb. But it seems accepted in the community nevertheless. [:)]

[Spidery]

Perhaps a focus on the DB that can drop 800lbs bombs is a good way to go? Erik used them extensively and they pack a MASSIVE punch. Not sure what plane it was though? Grace? Its CV capable in the game but never was IRL. And I also think the bombload is wrong in the game and it never was able to carry that big a bomb. But it seems accepted in the community nevertheless.

D4Y4, really a kamikaze plane with a semi-recessed bomb that could not be dropped. However, could they have developed one with the bomb externally mounted and releasable: no idea.

The effect of the 800kg bomb is reduced from 1200 in scenario 1 to 536 in DBB so I'm not sure it will be quite so effective, but should be good against anything except a BB or CA. A downside is that at 7 or 8 hexes it uses the 500kg bomb, still good damage on anything small, but liable to bounce off BB.

Just have the D4Y4 available so am now planning on a change of strategy. Nells/Betties will (mostly) be reserved for search. Jills/Kates will be used for training or ASW. The dive bombers will stop being used for training and sent to the front lines. I've created another D4Y4 factory but it will be a couple of months before I can get the Vals on the KB replaced and also upgrade the LBA.

[Spidery]

April 3rd 1943

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 2 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

Various failed attacks.

Marshalls

Quiet

Solomons, etc.

Lightnings sweep Buna, no CAP.

Burma area

8 H8K2 (others strayed) attack Ledo airfield at night from 29000 feet. 19 Kittyhawk 1 defend. No losses on either side but in the replay saw 3 damaged Allied aircraft and only 1 damaged H8K2 so maybe this would work. However, I don't think I'll try it again.

One surprise, flying at normal range the H8K2 only carried 2x250kg GP Bomb even though the extended range load is 4 x 250Kg bomb!

China

Managing to pull supply into Urumchi quiet well to fix the oil wells.

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Koepang airfield to 9, now have level 9 airfield and level 6 forts so I am hoping this can become a strongpoint to anchor the defense of the DEI.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

April 4th 1943

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 3 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

Quiet

Marshalls

Wotje bombed.

Solomons, etc.

A light bombing of Milne Bay destroys 3 Jakes on the ground for 1 B-25C and 1 B-24D.

Burma area

A few Liberators hit Katha at night for no losses and no damage.

China

Quiet

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Onnekotan-Jima to 4. Tavoy forts to 4.

Allies build an airstrip at Buin.

R&D

Quiet

CV

I think I have decided to go roughly 60% F, 30% DB, <10% TB on the carriers.

Once the Taiho arrives that will give me about 400 fighters, 200 dive bombers and 60 torpedo bombers, not counting the CVE. The fighters will be A6M5 but start getting replaced by A6M5c next month. The dive bombers will be about 120 D4Y4 and 80 D4Y1 at the end of the month and should replace the D4Y1 by D4Y4 during May. The torpedo bombers will all be B6N2.

[setloz]

Why not go for A6M8? Better speed when compared to the A6M5c version.

[Spidery]

April 5th 1943

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 2 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy: Treasury Islands(auto)
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

Quiet

Marshalls

Wotje bombed.

Solomons, etc.

Kavieng port hit and an ACM sunk there.

Burma area

A few Liberators hit Katha at night for no losses and no damage.

China

Quiet

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Boela airfield to 2.

R&D

P1Y2 to 10/44

Reinforcements

SS I-38

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: setloz

Why not go for A6M8? Better speed when compared to the A6M5c version.

I won't have the A6M8 available for a while. The A6M8 has a downside that it has to use extended range to reach range 8. It also has fewer guns.

[Spidery]

April 6th 1943

Air Losses: 10 Japanese, 7 Allied, 3 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

Quiet

Marshalls

Wotje bombed, supply has run out.

Solomons, etc.

At Buka, 2 APD delivering supplies encounter 4 Allied AMc but both sides retreat.

A few Liberators bomb Buka, a few N1K1-J on LRCAP from Rabaul manage to shoot down 2 of them.

Lightnings sweep Gasmata and meet some Ki-44-IIc and N1K1-J that do not perform well: 2 P-38G downed fro 7 Ki-44-IIc and 3 N1K1-J lost.

Burma area

Quiet

China

Quiet

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Allies expand Buin to 2.

R&D

Quiet

Reinforcements

SC CHa-3, SC Ch 43

[Spidery]

April 7th 1943

Air Losses: 6 Japanese, 14 Allied, 3 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

An Allied sub misses the damaged CL Tama heading from Rabaul to Babeldoab.

Marshalls

Maloelap bombed.

Solomons, etc.

46 N1K1-J sweep Buin using drop tanks and encounter 48 Spitfire Vc trop on CAP. 13 Spitfires shot down, 6 N1K1-J lost (3 air-air, 3 ops). A good ratio[:)], would be even better if didn't need to use drop tanks. 10 N1K1-J are down for repairs with an average of 3 days.

Fujita R. doesn't add to his kills but Nagano U. gets 2 more to make Ace with 6 kills.

Burma area

Katha is out of the yellow for supply. Now it can provide drop tanks will try some attacks against Ledo. Last report is of about 300 fighters and 200 other aircraft there.

I've just landed 50,000 supply at Rangoon so Burma supply situation was looking good, except that it seems about 5000 has flowed away from Burma this last turn[:(]. Even so, have over 100,000 supply in Burma[:)].

China

Quiet

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Chumphon airfield to 5.

R&D

Mitsubishi Ha-43 to 2/44

Reinforcements

DD Niizuki

[Spidery]

April 8th 1943

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 0 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Subs

Quiet

Marshalls

Quiet

Solomons, etc.

An Allied task force is in the Buka hex, nav search reports as 5 ships including a PT. An aircraft reports an AMc present. At Buin there are reports of BB task forces. Also reports of over 100 fighters now present. It looks like he may be planning on an invasion, possibly at Buka. Or, he could be planning on a bombardment in force against Rabaul.

A force of 8 including 2 APD and 2 DE is reported at Treasury Islands heading SW, so that could be an invasion force for Rossel Island.

Burma area

Liberators hit Katha at night for no effect and no air losses. I notice that he is coming in at 24,000 feet, above the ceiling form some of the heavy AA.

Allies have a minor retreat near Myitkyna where I am moving through the Jungle.

My planned strikes against Ledo all fail to appear.

China

Quiet

Australia & DEI

Quiet

Engineering

Allies expand Torokina to 2, Buin to 3, Lahaina to 9, Charters Towers to 7.

R&D

Quiet

Reinforcements

Quiet