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

[mind_messing]

Banzai!

Those free troops may tip the balance for you in Thailand.

I assume they've some pretty reasonable EXP levels?

[Lowpe]

Jan 12, 1943

No night bombing.

The CL/DD squadron enters Tavoy only to find it empty. If only they went in yesterday as planned, but the manage to escape back down the coast where they are spotted at the lowest levels. Good idea, poor timing.

Georges flying from Pisanuloke sweep Moulmein and Chiang Mai. At Chiang Mai nobody is on CAP despite 47 fighters on the runway according to intel.

At Moulmein we run into a mixed CAP and as always the George does well.[:)]

[Lowpe]

Allies respond with a sweep of Pisanuloke....and fly right into some decent CAP.

[Lowpe]

Here some bleeding CAP catches unescorted 4Es. Pity, yesterday I had Tonies here, and they can put a hurt on enemy bombers.

[Lowpe]

A very nice day in the Air.

This is the second straight day that P47s didn't fly, nor did most of the Allied bomber fleet in Thailand. Only one raid at Hanoi, and that was small.

There is 167 Allied fighters in Tavoy, and now an Allied DD task force cruising around, but I haven't set anything to strike it yet since the POW success. Can't spot the POW anywhere, despite a 9/10 detection level on Tavoy, and intell has no reports on her (whether sunk or not). My guess she is at Tavoy under heavy CAP pumping out her counterflooding.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Banzai!

Those free troops may tip the balance for you in Thailand.

I assume they've some pretty reasonable EXP levels?

We shall see, Allies are bringing up even more troops on the Bangkok/Moulmein road. Two of my IJA divisions are now dug in at 3 points there, while the 1st Tank Division and a 3rdh ID are still at 2. Would be sweet to get them all to 3 or more in that x3 terrain.

[Lowpe]

Tiemanj is going to the sticks (his words) so no new turns till the weekend.

Which is ok, a break here and there will help me get organized...my troops are scattered in fragments all over in the great retreat in the CentPac.

I always need extra time to work on pilot training. Doesn't everyone.[:D]

[ny59giants]

George's over Moulmein - only the Corsairs are decent fighters there. The P-51A Mustangs are not that good. However, the "B" models are a step up in performance when the Allies get them. Compare them in Tracker and you will see why.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

George's over Moulmein - only the Corsairs are decent fighters there. The P-51A Mustangs are not that good. However, the "B" models are a step up in performance when the Allies get them. Compare them in Tracker and you will see why.

I will check them, haven't looked at them yet. Thanks for the heads up![&o] Any other Allied planes I should be concerned with (other than all of them)?

I had a thought that he put his second string in Rangoon, Moulmein and Prome --- big airbases where I haven't swept, and instead moved his first string (Spitfires, Jugs, and Corsairs) to the perimeter where I have been sweeping. I suspect the plane quality at Tavoy is really nasty.

I really am all about hit and run raids to destroy any Allied plane. Yes, it would be nice to get good kills on the Corsair and Jugs and Lightnings (well, I guess his Lightnings are pretty well shot), but really I will take anything with a victory point advantage to Japan and to keep destroying planes.

I get the VP boost, which I need, I force the Allies to divert their bombers to Airfields, I force the Allies to dedicate more assets to CAP, and I avoid (hopefully) those 20-1 losses against P47s.

I had one Ace KIA, another MIA but made 5 more new ones.

I am more than willing to bleed horrendous amounts of planes, will be even more willing when the Frank comes along as long as I can trade them evenly or better. I really don't see this changing for the rest of the game.

[ny59giants]

This is DBB air data, but it will not differ that much. 50 mph more, lot better climb and ceiling. The other is the big difference in maneuver rating at highest band.

[Lowpe]

Michael,

That is a substantial improvement.[:(]

Here they are in stock, versus my much beloved Ki100-I. Not very good, I am afraid. I will have to out stratergize him. (is that a word?).

[Lowpe]

I have a long time to get this turn done, so I am starting a full review of all plane squadrons on the map.

One of the things I want to get done is assigning my best air squadron leaders to the night fighters. I have two unassigned, available skill 70 air leaders for the Army, but I cannot find them, or at least they don't make the list for the Nick D. Where do you think they might be hiding?

[koniu]

P-51B
Don`t know if this good or bad news, but i can tell You that allies get 240 of them but only 30 per month

[Lowpe]

Look at that Nick Squadron![:)] And I all ready have three full Irving Sa squadrons to go with it.

3 months to prepare for B29s. I actually feel pretty good here, as Obvert was caught behind the eight ball in his game -- no Nicks and flying Irving S's as late as November and he still did a very credible job in fighting off the B29s.

Actually, I have a sneaky feeling the B29's are going to be used like the B24 in this game, a lot against my troops and airfields with the occasional port strike if he finds decent targets.

So, if that happens does that make my heavy investments in night fighters worthless?

I don't think so, because the Allies can always fall back on night bombing immediately, where Japan has to plan to fight the night campaign pretty much from the beginning. Add to that one of my biggest fears is massed B29 night bombing against my major airbases (that sit for now 10 hexes behind Allied air bases). That would be ugly without night fighters as 10% KAI Dinah CAP won't stop them especially in normal range). In addition, I will have supply production then for that much longer. And finally, I will have peace of mind knowing that at least I have a counter, no matter how poor that counter is.

Well, we shall see in 1944 how good my planning and prepartion is.

[obvert]

Anything he does with B-29s that is not strategic in nature is great for you. If he bombs in the day and you have things covered then he'll eventually see that night offers better chances.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: koniu

P-51B
Don`t know if this good or bad news, but i can tell You that allies get 240 of them but only 30 per month

Franks are coming. Franks are coming. I just need to say this over, and over, again.

If I can continue to defend large airbases located 10 hexes or more away from the Allies currently using a mix of planes:George high, Tojo IIC, Ki100-I...I will be able to switch that defensive CAP out to George High, Frank and Tony and Jack (J2M3) I will feel pretty good and should still be able to launch offensive sweeps with Frank and also use George on bases where I think I might encounter his second string planes thanks to the dive bonus.

I just have this rocky patch to get thru until Franks come, I have been lucky this first half of January, but I am sure the Allies will start picking up the pace soon!

Got to keep shooting down planes anyway I can!

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Anything he does with B-29s that is not strategic in nature is great for you. If he bombs in the day and you have things covered then he'll eventually see that night offers better chances.

Lets hope so. Whatever he does with them will leave a mark, I am sure.

Didn't Joc destroy a ridiculous number of your Iboats on port strikes? That is something I will have to watch out for. I am thinking now about where I want to park ships. They will need day and night airplane CAP and AA. I guess ultimately there will be no place to hide.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have a long time to get this turn done, so I am starting a full review of all plane squadrons on the map.

One of the things I want to get done is assigning my best air squadron leaders to the night fighters. I have two unassigned, available skill 70 air leaders for the Army, but I cannot find them, or at least they don't make the list for the Nick D. Where do you think they might be hiding?

I would guess that they are not active yet...

Edit - just noticed that one is not active (has delay), while the other... no idea.

[Lowpe]

Frustrating about my air leaders...

Back on the Home Islands, it is like Christmas with new designs rolling out of the ever inventive empire.

Here is my latest. They are sort of fuel hogs, but will be very useful I think.

If each one can shoot down two dive bombers with their generous point blank AA, then they break even victory point wise. [:D]

[ny59giants]

LST = Land Ship Tank

Built with flat hull, shallow draft to CARRY tanks and vehicles. Not exactly designed for cutting through the waves. [:D]