The Arsenal of Idiocracy - Cribtop (A) vs John 3rd (J) - BTS Mod

[Cribtop]

Your post is pretty much reading my mind. CVs are headed to San Diego (except for the 4 small CAVs that will be part of a SOPAC mischief force). Let John culminate while mosquito biting him where KB isn't with forces I don't mind losing. Meanwhile, back at the bastions, offensive planning is underway for later - that war plan is pretty well formed in fact and involves a mix of conventional and very unconventional moves - but later means later, not March '42 or anything silly.

[Cribtop]

Further status report. Before tonight's work I've finished Oz, Burma and CENTPAC. India and a quick re-look at China and pilot training is all that's left.

A few questions arising from Allied noobishness:

1) I assume Air, Inspiration and Admin are good traits for pilot training group leaders?

2) Is there any way to dictate where you exit a wormhole?

3) Upgrades. I am considering doing a few Clemson DDs to APDs to give me an FT TF force later. Maybe six of them? I know the Allies lack FT TF capable ships and that mission is handy. However, I plan to hold off for a while to get a handle on whether I really need those 6 DDs first. What other upgrades make sense, if any? I know to keep the APs and AKs safe so I can have APA/AKA later.

4) USN DDs. What classes are best for what missions? Looks like there are some 8000 endurance guys that are good for CV escort. What of the rest? PS - Can't wait for Fletchers!

[EHansen]

1) Leadership is the trait that helps with skill/experience gains.

2) no

3) I prefer to wait and make all of the Clemsons and Wickes into DEs. They can be murder on IJN subs mid 1942. I am not a fan of
FT missions early in the game.

4) Most of the USN DDs are useful for CV escort. Most of them get good AA and radar in their upgrades.
I tend to use Bristols for CV escorts, Flechers for SC TFs and most of the rest for escort of invasions.
Not only the Amphib TFs, but as ASW TFs also.

[Cribtop]

Thanks!

One more question: Is it worth it to pump supply into Rangoon early in hopes it flows to China?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: EHansen

1) Leadership is the trait that helps with skill/experience gains.

2) no

3) I prefer to wait and make all of the Clemsons and Wickes into DEs. They can be murder on IJN subs mid 1942. I am not a fan of
FT missions early in the game.

4) Most of the USN DDs are useful for CV escort. Most of them get good AA and radar in their upgrades.
I tend to use Bristols for CV escorts, Flechers for SC TFs and most of the rest for escort of invasions.
Not only the Amphib TFs, but as ASW TFs also.

I disagree on number 2. You can set the destination of the TF as the hex that you want to enter the map at in the grey transition strip between on & off map areas. When the TF gets there, set it on its way with whatever way points you want.

About DD classes, the 8000 nm Craven class starts with something like 16 torpedo tubes - good for surface combat even if you get 9 duds for every exploding one. It keeps the IJN honest about providing lots of DDs for their cruiser raiders. I think this class loses some of the TT as they beef up their ASW and AA.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Further status report. Before tonight's work I've finished Oz, Burma and CENTPAC. India and a quick re-look at China and pilot training is all that's left.

A few questions arising from Allied noobishness:

1) I assume Air, Inspiration and Admin are good traits for pilot training group leaders?

2) Is there any way to dictate where you exit a wormhole?

3) Upgrades. I am considering doing a few Clemson DDs to APDs to give me an FT TF force later. Maybe six of them? I know the Allies lack FT TF capable ships and that mission is handy. However, I plan to hold off for a while to get a handle on whether I really need those 6 DDs first. What other upgrades make sense, if any? I know to keep the APs and AKs safe so I can have APA/AKA later.

4) USN DDs. What classes are best for what missions? Looks like there are some 8000 endurance guys that are good for CV escort. What of the rest? PS - Can't wait for Fletchers!

1. Leadership is most important, as it works for exp gain. Inspiration makes them fly more missions, thus maybe more gain from time in the air. I wouldn't think admin has an effect here.

2. Waypoints. Can be changed as they're on the way out as well. Be careful with flank speed setting off-map to on-map or vice versa. You can run TFs at full speed with no fuel loss or damage acculmulation between off-map bases, but from off-map to on-map they're going to burn out and be in trouble.

3. APDs have the best early war ASW at 6 for the USN, and they're really useful for moving small amounts of troops around. The four-stackers aren't great until you get later upgrades, and not all get those either. I went heavy on APDs and I like it. Depends on how you pan to play though and if you'll wait for big moves or want to have an option for dropping some small units early, pesky kinds of moves.

4. Porters are good for SCTFs with the extra guns early, less ASW. As BBFanboy mentioned, the Cravens have 16 tubes which is decent early as well.

Dutch DDs and some early Brits/Aussies are really old and creaky, with little value for combat. Check upgrades too as some get worse (for combat) with the upgrades, losing almost all guns, while picking up some DCs.

[HansBolter]

I'll address two of the points as well.

As to the conversion question between APD and DE. I split it. I convert the 4k endurance ones to APDs and the 3.5k ones to DEs.

I am also a HUGE fan of the 16 torp DDs. They are always my first choice for SAGs.


On a side note many players disparage the Dutch cruisers.

While the Tromp and Deruyter are pretty crappy, the Java and Sumatra are pluky little fighters with stronger armor than the American treaty CAs.

Most players don't seem to give them their due.

[BBfanboy]

I meant to add that I also like the 8000 and 7500 nm DDs for carrier escorts as they don't need to be fuelled up as often, so the CVs get maximum movement when you need it.

[Cribtop]

Great info guys. I think I'll do some APDs, use the 7500s for CV escort and the 8000s for SCTFs.

[ny59giants]

Dwain,

Just got home from hospital, so I'll do the turn soon.

DD usage - I try to keep each CV TF with 8 DDs. The Porters and the ones with highest TT numbers go into SC TF, but they only go there after my CVs and then a few with my fast AOs (18 knot) that follow my CVs. Conversion to APD or DE I'm split on. Its nice to have the APD, but John will use his subs aggressively to scout and stay off major ports to get his shots in.

Leaders:

Training Mission as Principle Role
This includes all air groups. Assign leader using these priorities:
• Inspiration –Influences air group morale recovery.
• Leadership – Influences the air group’s experience gain.
• Of small import, Air Skill influences results in air-to-air combat.
• No other skills or qualities have any influence.

Off map movement - TFs will enter map either due East or West of destination. Use waypoints once they get on mpa. Going from Panama to San Diego will have TF exit at closest off map hex, so you don't have any control there.

18 plane FP groups - I had some of these adjusted for early RA and now BTS to allow them to upgrade to DBs. Some I train in NavS and ASW others for NavB and NavS.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

Crippling the fleet ends the game.

Not sure that is true. It makes the game harder, but Obvert is doing okay after losing a chunk of the KB on the night of Dec 7/8.

[Cribtop]

Turn 2 status report:

COMPLETE!

The turn is away to John. Now the real war begins. I'm traveling to Colorado for work today and Monday, back in Texas on Tuesday.

[apbarog]

Subscribed and will only be reading your side of things. From reading John's AARs over the years, if you can weather the early storm, you'll be ok. As you know, John hits hard early and often. His aggressiveness has led to some big wins, like taking all of Australia, but his opponents facilitated these victories. Hit back when you can early but always look for the trap. Good luck!

[HansBolter]

Cribtop,

I wanted to add another bit of advice for playing the Allied side.

I am not sure if other players do the same thing, but I like to give absolute priority to the AVG for the first upgrades to P40Es.

They are the best pilots in the Allied inventory at start and it makes sense to give them better planes right away.

Also, their starting airframes, the H81A3, will go into the Chinese pool when the AVG upgrades so the sooner you upgrade the less H81A3 will be lost to attrition through aggressive use by the AVG and the more available for fleshing out a couple of Chinese squadrons with some decent planes.


In addition, there are two squadrons of P38Es restricted to CONUS. One has 20 airframes and another 12. Downgrading these to P26s or P35s frees up very valuable airframes that are severely limited in numbers. It requires some creative upgrading of other squadrons to get enough airframes of the other types, or it can be done with P39s.

[Cribtop]

Thanks for the tip! I knew about the P-38s but didn't realize that the H81's went into the Chinese pools.

One question - is there a safe way to get the AVG to the DEI? I plan to pair them with the Banshees looking for opportunities and then move them to Oz to form the core of the USAAF there.

[HansBolter]

Someone else will need to advise on that.

Playing the AI I have never had the need to transfer them out of Burma/China.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Thanks for the tip! I knew about the P-38s but didn't realize that the H81's went into the Chinese pools.

One question - is there a safe way to get the AVG to the DEI? I plan to pair them with the Banshees looking for opportunities and then move them to Oz to form the core of the USAAF there.

The first problem is political points. In stock I think one AVG squadron is unrestricted but two are restricted. They are costly to buy out.
Second problem is distance between bases. Even if you started them out before he cuts Malaya in half, there are few bases with air support and he could cut the rail link before you get to Singapore.
Putting them on a ship in Air Transport mode is likely safest, but not immune from IJN subs or surface raiders, or raid by mini-KB.

It would probably be more efficient to transfer out the pilots to the General Reserve and move them to new aircraft sent to Oz. After all, it's the skilled pilots you want, no?

[Lecivius]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Turn 2 status report:

COMPLETE!

The turn is away to John. Now the real war begins. I'm traveling to Colorado for work today and Monday, back in Texas on Tuesday.

Don't forget to wave! Maybe You & John & a few others can get together & reinact the bombing of PH. Well, getting bombed, anyways [:D]

[ny59giants]

One question - is there a safe way to get the AVG to the DEI? I plan to pair them with the Banshees looking for opportunities and then move them to Oz to form the core of the USAAF there.

Early usage of PP - Within BTS, you can use PPs to buy out the four fighter groups in Luzon and send them to China, SRA, and/or Oz (they withdrawn in mid-42, but IMO you need them). They will probably need new leaders and replacement aircraft. In mid-Jan you get 5 P-40E groups in Oz attached to ABDA that are there for only 60 days. They also need more airframes and I usually spend PP to improve leaders (helps train up pilots). The good things about these groups is BOTH pilots and airframes go into pool when you disband them. [:)] You have a P-40 group at Darwin in this mod to use at start. When it comes to the A-24s, they need better leaders and with their NavB skill being so bad, they can only hit merchants. In our game, mine have been steadily training for almost two months and need more, but they are better.

[Cribtop]

Very short Dec 8th update.

No second day at Pearl, which is a relief because despite all the torp hits the damage is even less than I thought once I started playing with repair times.

Much of the Thundering Herd meets a sad end but the warships all get away scot free. A decent number of TH ships survive and will continue to flee in panic.

I sent the two HK DDs to Samah on day 1 and caught nothing. Undaunted, they kamikazied right into Cam Ran Bay harbor. Before they got there they encounter two huge, unescorted TFs moving from Samah to CRB. The two plucky DDs shoot until they run out of ammo and heavily damage four loaded transports with troop losses. Not sure any of the ships sank as the DDs ran out of ammo fast and all their torps missed. Still, a nice little sting. The brave ships are in deep sh#t now, but will try to run full speed for Singers.

Elsewhere in the DEI, we set up more rational SCTFs and move into hopeful ambush positions. Ready to retreat if needed, of course.

No hint this early where John is going but we do get SigInt of an IJN DD heading for Lae. We have a little surprise getting ready if the enemy comes light.