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

[Lowpe]

Japan still has teeth...not many, but hopefully enough.

[MrKane]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

But the Zeke...wish I would have gone on and r&d the A6M8, but I didn't. Not a bad plane, and comes with a decent bombload. Another mistake made by wishful thinking.[:-]

You should not be sorry about. A6M8 good defender, but N1K2-J or J2M2 are much better. Additionally late Zeke range is little to short for carrier use. Ha-33 engine will do much more good being used to produce more Ki-100.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: MrKane

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

But the Zeke...wish I would have gone on and r&d the A6M8, but I didn't. Not a bad plane, and comes with a decent bombload. Another mistake made by wishful thinking.[:-]

You should not be sorry about. A6M8 good defender, but N1K2-J or J2M2 are much better. Additionally late Zeke range is little to short for carrier use. Ha-33 engine will do much more good being used to produce more Ki-100.

The range is why I didn't originally go for it...

[Lowpe]

The schizo Allies are back to bombing plane factories; yesterday they hit Frank, George and Tony. If they focused on engines I would be in serious trouble, but I can take the hits here especially when I manage to nail so many beasts. But every engine is precious!

Little worried the deathstar his heading to Hokkaido, another large convoy just arrived and I couldn't hit it at all. Perhaps we are getting close to invasion Honshu?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: MrKane

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

But the Zeke...wish I would have gone on and r&d the A6M8, but I didn't. Not a bad plane, and comes with a decent bombload. Another mistake made by wishful thinking.[:-]

You should not be sorry about. A6M8 good defender, but N1K2-J or J2M2 are much better. Additionally late Zeke range is little to short for carrier use. Ha-33 engine will do much more good being used to produce more Ki-100.

I have mixed feelings on the A6M8 also. It's a better matchup against the Corsair, but the range is short. We'll see. I still have factories for both it and the A6M5c, which is a great plane. The M8 can go the 8 hexes with DTs from CVs...

In any case, he is low on fighters there if he only has 240 or so between presumably 6 large and 4 small flight decks. And then the loss of all those bombers... I think this is an example of how not to use the USN carrier air wing, although until now you haven't stung him for it. Do it again.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

The schizo Allies are back to bombing plane factories; yesterday they hit Frank, George and Tony. If they focused on engines I would be in serious trouble, but I can take the hits here especially when I manage to nail so many beasts. But every engine is precious!

Little worried the deathstar his heading to Hokkaido, another large convoy just arrived and I couldn't hit it at all. Perhaps we are getting close to invasion Honshu?

I'd be surprised if he invaded without replenishing fighters first. Look for where he puts in, and maybe try some subs outside of there? There are certain requirements to being able to replace planes on CVs but I forget what they are.

[MrKane]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: MrKane

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

But the Zeke...wish I would have gone on and r&d the A6M8, but I didn't. Not a bad plane, and comes with a decent bombload. Another mistake made by wishful thinking.[:-]

You should not be sorry about. A6M8 good defender, but N1K2-J or J2M2 are much better. Additionally late Zeke range is little to short for carrier use. Ha-33 engine will do much more good being used to produce more Ki-100.

I have mixed feelings on the A6M8 also. It's a better matchup against the Corsair, but the range is short. We'll see. I still have factories for both it and the A6M5c, which is a great plane. The M8 can go the 8 hexes with DTs from CVs...

In any case, he is low on fighters there if he only has 240 or so between presumably 6 large and 4 small flight decks. And then the loss of all those bombers... I think this is an example of how not to use the USN carrier air wing, although until now you haven't stung him for it. Do it again.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

The schizo Allies are back to bombing plane factories; yesterday they hit Frank, George and Tony. If they focused on engines I would be in serious trouble, but I can take the hits here especially when I manage to nail so many beasts. But every engine is precious!

Little worried the deathstar his heading to Hokkaido, another large convoy just arrived and I couldn't hit it at all. Perhaps we are getting close to invasion Honshu?

I'd be surprised if he invaded without replenishing fighters first. Look for where he puts in, and maybe try some subs outside of there? There are certain requirements to being able to replace planes on CVs but I forget what they are.

M8 can do 8 hex, but it is extended range, as result it ability to protect strike is diminished. I had two CV battles at range 8 with using M8 against GreyJoy. In both cases A6M8 did very well as carrier protector, but it failed completely as escort fighter. Each time I had 250-300 Zeke escorting 250 bombers and each time only 1-2 escort fighters engaged CAP (200-300 F6F), as result allied CAP each time shoot down 90% of my bombers. I believe that reason is that they were at extended range, because I had perfect weather, very good leaders and great pilots (average exp. 80-85) and in both cases they failed miserably. In my other CV battles with A6M5 I did not noticed such complete escort's failure.

[Lowpe]

Turn is away.

Trying to hit hit him high and low. Down low we have 40 Oscar IV Kamikazes escorted by Oscars (don't like doing that). Up high we have Helens escorted by two sentai of Franks.

Falling back in Thailand, wondering if I should even try and hold the Bangkok line or simply fall all the way back to jungle terrain behind the Udon...

[Lowpe]

Mr. Kane has me feeling a lot better on not having the A6M8.[:)]

In a few days the new improved Jack comes along. SR2 and four cannons...wish I had more.

I will have one smallish squadron of Lornas too, unless they get bombed out. In June, if I make it, then all their radar gets active so I am looking forward to that. Although I still have Kates, and radar equipped Betties...so I bet Allied subs might be in for a tough time.

[Lowpe]

I guess the Allies weren't too happy with the last day, taking him a long time to flip the turn.

Rebuilding squadrons on Hokkaido and Deathstar?

Loading and organizing an invasion of Honshu?

Something else diabolical?

[Lowpe]

In a few more days my J2M2 production switches over to the J2M3.

What I plan on doing, is now to move the J2M2 squadrons back to rear area security, where they will survive longer (I hope), and convert A6M5c squadrons over to the J2M3 for front line usage. I am not sure this a great tactic, as the A6M5c is a real good bomber killer, and the Jack lacks firepower, but it is faster than a B29 and that might be important.

I have to be careful, as quite a few sentai get withdrawn in July. Those I will leave in their current planes.

I have also gone over to switching a lot of formerly training sentai over to part CAP part training duties. I used a 40/40/20 Escort/Train/Rest mix at 0 range. Not ideal, but I do need protection in distant bases like Shanghai/Nagasaki/Keijo/Fusan/Harbin etc.

I have also been thinking about re-assigning some night fighter squadrons to rear area defense since the Allies seem to have totally abandoned night attacks. Maybe very slowly at first...my NF strength is growing, and gets a real boost with a large squadron of Nicks arriving soon.

Here is a Nick squadron out of Shanghai that has been pulling double duty for a while. I wonder if this just a mistake, and I would be better off full training?

[Walker84]

Here is a Nick squadron out of Shanghai that has been pulling double duty for a while. I wonder if this just a mistake, and I would be better off full training?

I haven't checked it out scientifically, but what I tend to do is use full training for a few turns which seems to give a quick boost, then revert to a mixed regime as you have described. Its certainly better than leaving important bases uncapped.

You are much further ahead in your Japanese game than I am so I've been re-reading backwards for some great tips [:)]

[mind_messing]

In my view the A6M tree is not worth the effort after the A6M5b or the M5c.

Better to make the effort to bring the A7M2 Sam into action early instead.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

In my view the A6M tree is not worth the effort after the A6M5b or the M5c.

Better to make the effort to bring the A7M2 Sam into action early instead.

This isn't really a zero sum choice, though. You're already producing and R&Ding the A6M line at once. It is minimal extra effort for the A6M8 and almost no effort lost on the A7M line to continue the R&D to the A6M8 for whatever purpose you have in mind for it.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

In my view the A6M tree is not worth the effort after the A6M5b or the M5c.

Better to make the effort to bring the A7M2 Sam into action early instead.

This isn't really a zero sum choice, though. You're already producing and R&Ding the A6M line at once. It is minimal extra effort for the A6M8 and almost no effort lost on the A7M line to continue the R&D to the A6M8 for whatever purpose you have in mind for it.

Correct, it may not be a bad plan to make the A6M8 for defensive use on the KB should it still exist, but keep the early Zeke for escort.

I think a lot depends upon each game.

[Lowpe]

Etorofu is not under recon. So I have had a squadron set for 2k naval attack range three for a day there.

The Rboats draw the hunter killers in which in turn become prey!

Hasn't worked yet, but I still have the element of surprise.

[Lowpe]

Will the radar help the Betty make night naval attacks better...i.e. hit?

[mind_messing]

fb.asp?m=2757107

Radar would help with raising DL, so yeah, it might help night attacks.

Regarding the A6M chain down the line, I think the 5b is the most flexible airframe. The later models are great defensive fighters, but the 5b is a real mutli-purpose airframe - defender, low CAP, LRCAP, escort. The later models aren't as flexible in my view.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

fb.asp?m=2757107

Radar would help with raising DL, so yeah, it might help night attacks.

Regarding the A6M chain down the line, I think the 5b is the most flexible airframe. The later models are great defensive fighters, but the 5b is a real mutli-purpose airframe - defender, low CAP, LRCAP, escort. The later models aren't as flexible in my view.

Thanks, I was searching the forum for that post...[:)]

Unfortunately, I came across an oldie about how night bombing by b29s was so overpowered, and I am going to feel the full brunt of it being in close range. It is what it is...no complaining on my part...don't go off topic and start discussing about how fair or unfair it is please. That cow left the barn.[:)]

I got to thinking how the Allies might use B29 bombers. He could: night bomb the runways down low looking to shut them or heavily damage them, and then sweep during the day making my fighters fly from a heavily damaged airfield. Surprised this hasn't happened yet.

So, bomb at night, and sweep during the day...how long would I be able to mount any fighter opposition after that treatment?

About the only thing I have going for me is the Allies jump from one strategy to the next.

[Lowpe]

I have destroyed about 20 units +- since Chungking fell. The remainder are scattered in 1-2 unit groups. I hope to have time to destroy the rest before the game is over.

[Lokasenna]

Using B-29s on night bombing of airfields is a criminal misuse of that airframe, IMO.