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

[ny59giants]

Don't forget to add in making your fighter group leaders 'inactive' so they don't fly off to their death and you have spend PPs on a new one that may not be as good. Another tip from Mr Kane. [;)]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Don't forget to add in making your fighter group leaders 'inactive' so they don't fly off to their death and you have spend PPs on a new one that may not be as good. Another tip from Mr Kane. [;)]

Is that where that tip came from? I have been using it I think the whole game...or at least for a very long time.[8D] Thanks again, Mr. Kane![:)]

I even went so far as to pick out my best LowN pilots for the kamikaze strike, sending the rest to group reserve, where they can now train for a while as the squadron fills out with fresh, but doomed, planes.

I also am doing that on some other actions too.

I wish there was a way I didn't have to pick pilots individually, filling up with Kamikazes usually isn't too bad, as I sort by experience and viola, there they are at the bottom...mostly.

I have to scan the George squadrons daily and remove junky pilots that join up...a bit of a pain, but it is the little things that help.

Any idea on how many Kamikaze squadrons I should fill out? I am thinking divebombers seem to work really well...and with the Myojo it seems a natural. Army, I am not really sure what to use. Helens are expensive. Oscars and Tonies? Lilly DB are expensive too. I suspect in a enemy CAP environment only Oscars and Tonies would do ok...maybe Tonies a little better?

Oh, one last thing, I think the Allies will start to use their battleships in bombarding the coast of Honshu. Now, we all know there is sometimes a bug where the bombarding TF doesn't come all the way in but advances and loiters. I plan on setting up a Myojo squadron of kamikazes for that eventuality. Now I have only one, but I am thinking of making more, as I feel the 800kg bombs will cut thru even BB armor. Then the torpedo bombers might have a chance of putting them under.

[ny59giants]

Kami - one engine planes only, what has the best bomb load (I think a model of Oscars has a good bomb load), and if possible speed.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Kami - one engine planes only, what has the best bomb load (I think a model of Oscars has a good bomb load), and if possible speed.

Yep, you are right. I did make one senatai of Helens...I plan on flying them to Saipan or Paramushiro and hitting something unexpected. A squadron of Kamikazes might scare the Allies a bit in Indochina too, if used right, since I notice he is getting sloppy there.

Both Oscar IV and Ki100I have 2 250 pound bombs. Good for CA and down.

[MrKane]

Well I still not there yet but I am planning give chance to Ki-43 and Ki-84a, with big hopes for 2nd model.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: MrKane

Well I still not there yet but I am planning give chance to Ki-43 and Ki-84a, with big hopes for 2nd model.

I need to use my 84a as fighters for now, but maybe in a month I will be able to spare a squadron. Good thinking, once again.

Actually, the first George, since it can fly so darn high would be excellent too! Maybe gamey depending on HR.

[Lowpe]

What kind of squadron leader do you want for a Kamikaze?

Inspiration to max planes flying?

Leadership to get some training in between flights?

Aggression to fly?

Does inspiration and aggression really matter in Kami strikes. On my two strikes both leaders were decent but nothing to write home about.

[MrKane]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What kind of squadron leader do you want for a Kamikaze?

Inspiration to max planes flying?

Leadership to get some training in between flights?

Aggression to fly?

Does inspiration and aggression really matter in Kami strikes. On my two strikes both leaders were decent but nothing to write home about.

This are my idea of commander characteristic :
- Inspiration and Air to increase numbers planes flaying mission.
- Air to get through CAP and reduce chance of strike fragmentation.
- Naval to find a big fat target.

[Ingtar]

Surely, you allowed them to write home before sending them to their deaths?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: MrKane

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What kind of squadron leader do you want for a Kamikaze?

Inspiration to max planes flying?

Leadership to get some training in between flights?

Aggression to fly?

Does inspiration and aggression really matter in Kami strikes. On my two strikes both leaders were decent but nothing to write home about.

This are my idea of commander characteristic :
- Inspiration and Air to increase numbers planes flaying mission.
- Air to get through CAP and reduce chance of strike fragmentation.
- Naval to find a big fat target.

Very interesting. Thankyou, kindly.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Ingtar

Surely, you allowed them to write home before sending them to their deaths?

{picture this}


In a deep bunker, an undisclosed location in Honshu, the white coat, slide ruling scientist hurriedly scribbled a formula and "AHA, this will get us Rockets. Oh, wait, I should have said Eureka!"

In his hurry to report to the commanding base officer, he left his top secret papers scattered on the desk, but this, this was important. This would change the war!

He burst thru the outer office, waved off the protests from adjuncts, toadies, really. Pushed his pocket pen protector back into place, slide rule still in his hand, and he hand combed his hair very briefly. The General was a well known martinet.

"Excuse me General, but I have...." he stopped mid sentence. The General had his pistol out. A nice Nambu, and he also held lovingly a ceremonial sword. A second longer sword was on the desk. Another adjunct had tears in his eyes, but also held a long curved sword.

The General paused from his admiring glance at the short sword, an ink brush on the desk too, a single sheet of brownish paper lay on his desk elaborately written, but the Scientist eyes were way to poor to see at this distance, let alone read it upside down.

"Scientist!" Barked the General. You are to report to the 248th Training Squadron, will you will be trained in the joy of flight. And should you chose it, if you survive your flight training, you will have the opportunity to change into something glorious for the Emperor. The Divine Wind. Not that chance for me. I envy you."

"But the project, I ah, err"

"The project is cancelled, and you have your assignments, as do I. Now leave...I have one further task to perform for my Emperor."

The stunned scientist turned, stumbled into a chair, his depth perception was never really good anyhow, and in a daze was escorted to an awaiting vehicle for the 248th Flight Training Squadron in Kure. Not even enough time to gather his belongings... he wouldn't need any of them anyhow.

Another bedraggled scientist sat next to him on the truck, and with a knowing wink, said "Cheer up, Chief Scientist, the secretarial staff is bound for the 8th Depot Division. We have a much better chance of living than them; I hear pilots eat pretty well, too. Just kidding! They would never make us pilots, surely more research."

He paused for a moment, then whispered close to the scientists ear: "Heh, Do you have any idea what this Divine Wind operation is? Everyone is talking about it, it must be really important to assign us to it.

{stay tuned for next weeks episode, where the scientist trades in his slide rule for a plane made mostly of wood}

[Lowpe]

Turn is thankfully away. Another clickfest. Stripping China today, probably should have done it a couple of days ago, and I did for the big units, but today I went thru a lot of the little stuff and got it going to Fusan. Big Artillery train and a free division offloading the trains at Changsha, will be in Fusan shortly. I suffer from click fatigue and just wrap the turn up. Will a day really be critical now...probably, but there you have it.[;)]

I have got HQs prepping for all the invasion beaches likely. My bet is Ustonomiya or the base south of it so a Command HQ is prepping for that. The other command HQs going for bases to the north and closer to his land based air. He would get joy out of taking Tokyo, it is the Allies style.[:)] First addition coastal defenses go there.

Found soumething strange when using pick up troops with amphibious TFs. If I click on the troops to pick up but then click on a different home port, the TF does pickup the troops, but for only one phase or day and then leaves for the new base or unloads and leaves for the home base. Have to be careful of the sequence of clicks here.

Sweeping with less today, resting more, and a lot on Air Defense as I suspect a heavy bombing run somewhere. Maybe Kobe? Anyhow, I think I overswept yesterday, and today fewer sweeps but at three bases to maximize death and destruction.

Made one more kamikaze, and no set piece attacks at Kushiro, as I want to launch two or three high altitude kamikaze attacks at the same time from different bases. Maybe that is a mistake, as the Allied fighter strength will continue to grow and he may very well pull out the CVEs.

I very reluctantly turned the 1st Sentai (IJAAF) into a kamikaze. 42 planes growing to 49 in March. It is hard to give up a big fighter group, but, well hard times cause for hard choices. I get a 42 plane squadron shortly as a reinforcement, so I guess that will even up.

I will have to add up my AV in Hokkaido, but I have got some artillery and infantry there, with more on the way, but the real fight will be in the air.

[Lowpe]

Well good news is no real super nasty planes for the Allies in Feb of 44. FM-2 Wildcat, but I think I can handle them.

Here is the new Lightning. A nasty plane but limited numbers.

[ny59giants]

You have the short, but high number of P47-D25s coming soon. The Brits get their version of the P-47s (Thunderbird), but only at 30/month. Its not until the end of 44 before the avalanche really gets rolling.

Pilot skills - I know you don't have the time to do a full training program for kami and some of your escort fighter pilots. But, I wonder if just getting their skill (Air or LowN) in low to mid-50s would be enough rather than just throw rookies at him.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

You have the short, but high number of P47-D25s coming soon. The Brits get their version of the P-47s (Thunderbird), but only at 30/month. Its not until the end of 44 before the avalanche really gets rolling.

Pilot skills - I know you don't have the time to do a full training program for kami and some of your escort fighter pilots. But, I wonder if just getting their skill (Air or LowN) in low to mid-50s would be enough rather than just throw rookies at him.

I think you misunderstood what I did.

The Judy pilots, Kamikazes, had LNav skill between 62 and 70. Trained Kamikazes, but their experience was under 50.

For the Escort Pilots, Oscar IV, I took two 42 plane Sentai's dropped the good pilots (decent experience & 65 Air/Def) and instead took fresh rookies for the escort pilots only. This was something Radar was trying, since Escort pilots just die like flies anyhow and this lets you save the better pilots for sweeps. They will die on sweeps, just hopefully not so fast and at a good ratio of downed enemy fighters.

To me it seems to have worked really well except I tipped my hand. Better to have waited for three or four strikes from Kamikazes all flying from different bases with their own escorts at each of those bases. It might have been a spectacular success.

For every strategy their is a counter.

I suspect the Allies are upset at what happened, and now I bet he turns all out to trash my airplane factories, R&D, etc.

It is about get really ugly.[X(]

[Lowpe]

I just got done looking at the ceilings for the enemy fighters present...and only the Lightnings and Jugs can get as high as the George.

So Allies will probably target George factories first?

I am sure he wants to use his Lightnings and Jugs on offensive sweeps, but nothing else can stand up to the George on sweeps, hence his use of them on CAP.

So he may very well start sweeping with the lesser planes?

He may use a portion of the Jugs and Lightnings to sweep & cap; and then bomb afterwards the location he sweeps. I need to look at his 4E bomber levels like I did the fighters.

I suspect a George Kamikaze unit would be very deadly...it may very well be the ultimate kamikaze for everything short of a battleship.

[Lowpe]

American Bombers...


I have my work cut out knocking off the B24J...90 a month forever basically. Ugh.

B25 usually die pretty quickly if I can get my fighters into them.

I need Joc or another AFB to let me know if he can sustain a day bombing effort against me. I have moved back all my best bomber killers (A6M5c, Ki100I, Jack) to cover the industry. He will sweep and concentrate, and I am short AA until April.

Some bases have nice AA garrisons, like Yokohama. Or will have once the TOE fills out.




Oops the 3800 should be for the B17G not B17F.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Using tracker data:
Allied Plane losses:


Plane Lost Current Total for Game
F4F-4 650 890 890
Fm-1 230 374 506
F4U-1a 54 234 1767
F6F-3 586 1590 2599
P47D2 165 486 598
P38J 1 50 300
Corsair 2 6 34 400

I am behind the curve on destroying Thunderbolts, but I have destroyed a fair number these last two days.

Where did you get the numbers? Did you factor in the airframes the Allies get as replacement groups arriving? Hard to do as this varies, as I found out when I tried to count them up.

How about the F4U-1, the earliest to arrive of the Corsairs?

With your already high loss ratio on both sides in the game yo duo have the chance to really run him out of airframes here for periods of time. By late 44 though he'll get plenty . Him using the Kittens is great for you. [:)]

I stole them from a file...from Koniu? Fcharton? Can't remember now, but I know it accounts for replacements, production and arriving air groups as reinforcements. It is quite disheartening. It might very well be scenario 2 however.

I have that chart from someone. Don`t remember from who.
But one thing i am sure.
Numbers in it are only replacements and production so You also manually need to count and add planes that arrive with new groups.

Both scenario 1 and 2 have the same data base for Alliance. Only difference between them is on Japanese side

koniu

[JocMeister]

He can sustain it for a shorter period. But at this stage fighters will be the bottleneck.

Unless you are talking about night bombing...because you are toast in that regard. [:(]

[Lowpe]

Jan 26, 1944

And during the dark, absolutely moonless night, the Allies start the systematic destruction of Osaka. Two waves of B24J come screaming over, dropping firebombs on the poor people of Osaka.

They are flying low, 8 thousand feet, and Osaka's impressive (for this point in time) AA opens up but is thoroughly ineffective; and searchlights probe the sky, and from the darkness raising to the challenge, perhaps to the salvation of the city, is the Army's twin engine night fighter manned by elite veterans one and all.

Alas, not to be, four Nicks are destroyed, one falls flaming to the ground while the others are so riddled with damage they have to be written off and scavenged for spare parts.

And 6 manpower hits later, Osaka is on fire.