Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

More bombing of the Pac Northwest.

I will wait a day at Anchorage before attacking again. I want the port facility.

Moving on Fairbanks...

Reinforcements arriving to secure Northern Oz...Jocke is good at hiding.[:)]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I am convinced that every Japanese plan needs to gain some strategic victory points, to offset the tens of thousands the Allies will get at the end game.

Coal Harbor is sized 3; on its way to size 4. Yesterday, Jocke lost 4 Cats, today 5![X(]

The Liuchow operation is going better than anticipated. Lead tanks on the road, it would be too great if there isn't any opposition until the city.

I disagree. Ships, planes, and LCUs are just as permanent as Strat VPs.

[Drakanel]

Do you have an idea of where his already-on-map divisions are? Australia? India?

How many troops are you moving to India? If he moved something there, maybe from Australia..... In his place, I'd probably do that. Since you moved to Canada and the West Coast, I'd consider reinforcing India in his place.

With that many assets already tied to the West Coast front, I don't think he would believe Australia (intending Sidney and Melbourne zone) as a likely target, so he's probably reinforcing India..... or planning a counterattack somewhere [:D]

[CaptBeefheart]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have a little experience with that in Focus Pacific mod; enough to have read the very clear instructional pdf, but I am not sure exactly what Commander Cody purchases in our relatively short test game. But it seems to me to add flavor and fun and tactical decision making not too far removed from what would have been possible.

I don't think I purchased any airframes in our game, but I did during an AI game.

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Refugee? That's a bit harsh, isn't it?

Joking, my friend.

Cheers,
CC

[Lowpe]

Got a turn done. [:)]

Attack at Anchorage again...

my forces arriving in India piecemeal since so much shipping is on the West Coast, etc. Perhaps this will cause Joc to fight here?

Marching on Darwin.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Drakanel

Do you have an idea of where his already-on-map divisions are? Australia? India?

How many troops are you moving to India? If he moved something there, maybe from Australia..... In his place, I'd probably do that. Since you moved to Canada and the West Coast, I'd consider reinforcing India in his place.

With that many assets already tied to the West Coast front, I don't think he would believe Australia (intending Sidney and Melbourne zone) as a likely target, so he's probably reinforcing India..... or planning a counterattack somewhere [:D]

No, I have no idea with what he has done with his free troops.

[Drakanel]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

No, I have no idea with what he has done with his free troops.

Well then, guess we'll just see it then. Just be careful in case he fortified India! Or in case he plans for some counterattack somewhere [:D]

[Lowpe]

Anchorage attack goes well, will fall with the next attack or at worst the one after that.

Vals catch the Prince Robert.

[Lowpe]

The 18th Division shows up...the Allies will fight for India.


The 3rd Carabiner gets punished by Nells from the air...Allies sweep with Hurricanes for good results.

[Lowpe]

Coming back from a family vacation, or what is left of it with the kids grown, and getting back into the swing of WITP AE.

It will probably be a day or two before I normalize...so maybe no turn here for another day.

Forgot to mention that we put several bombs into a Dutch sub at Darwin that was in port...Allies lost 16 land combat VP to my 1 last turn. Not sure why he lost so many, I guess Anchorage and all the other attacks plus some attrition losses got me there.

[Lowpe]

Zero notes 7 factories researching the line:

Currently I am getting 3 points a day research in the A6M5 plane, and I am about to advance my first month there.

A6M3 (June 1942) two factories researching size 30 and size 15.

A6M3a (Dec 1942) two factories researching both size 30.

A6M5 (April 1942 -almost March) three points a day from 3 factories.

A6M5b (June 1944)

A6M5c (Oct 1944)

A6M8 (Aug 1945)

I have 4 squadrons that upgrade to the A6M3, but after that they mostly upgrade straight up the line.

So, I have to make some of the A6M3 and A6M3a to upgrade the planes. I do get 2 A6M3 as a reinforcement group, but to not make any seems perilous.

Once the first A6M3 factory reaches 30 (only one more point) I will move it down the line to the A6M3a for a little while. I plan on increasing the size 15 factory to 30 for the A6M3.

In 25 days I will have the engine bonus roughly.

So, it seems to me I will have a good run straight down the line to the A6M8. I wish Olorin would have put all original research into either the Rufe or the A6M3 in which case I would have 7 fully repaired factories now or very close to it, but what is done is done.

I need to research the line fully since many Sam upgrades are from the A6M8.

Fully done, and with the engine bonus, I will be getting 14 points a day of research.

[PaxMondo]

Well, with PDU OFF, you have the IJN fighter line focused right where you want it: A6M. Staying offensive minded, you may not want to upgrade many squadrons from the A6M3A until A7M is available. Even though no armor, it has best range/speed/manouver combination. You lose more pilots, but you keep long range escort of Netties open. Just a thought.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Well, with PDU OFF, you have the IJN fighter line focused right where you want it: A6M. Staying offensive minded, you may not want to upgrade many squadrons from the A6M3A until A7M is available. Even though no armor, it has best range/speed/manouver combination. You lose more pilots, but you keep long range escort of Netties open. Just a thought.

+1

My experience is from PDU ON game. But I personally will do like that.

Keep A6M3a production until late `43 but use it only as long range escort plane.
From middle of 1943 range is starting losing importance. Allies will come to You and most of fight will be at range ~10 hex so most of fighters will be in escort range.

For KB i will upgrade asap to A6M5 line. I find that M5/M5b are capable to decent fight against Hellcats especially with 80+ pilots.

A6M5c is first plane with armor. He is performing nicely as escort plane in KB but for me he is best when used in KB as CAP fighter. He have superior firepower. When he hit, enemy is death, while earlier versions usually only damaging enemy planes.

True is that from middle 1943 A6M line start to be absolute. Hellcats arrive in numbers and Corsairs are out of Your range. You will need A7M2 fast. Sam is superior to Hellcats and he can match with Corsair.

Not sure about A6M8 but i believe he is not much better from other models. I will build only few to be able to upgrade to Sam

[Lowpe]

Jocke is putting together a strong 2 division plus counter attack here....Hurricanes are trashing my lead fighters. I suspect today he will break out the Blenheims...

AA is nasty in this mod, lose 11 planes bombing the 7th Australian. Not used to that effective.

In other news, I get a 2-1 on Anchorage, knock forts down to 0, but the Allies fail to retreat (no good paths I guess). Allies also had a malus on supply.

[Lowpe]

Anchorage falls...

More bombing of America...not very effective today.

A real donnybrook shaping up in India.

Moving on Darwin.

First A6M3 factory repaired, moved down the line to the A6M3a model. 350 Ha35 engines stockpiled so far, 17 a day production.

[Lowpe]

End of March 1942:

Resistance ends on Java. Troops marching on Darwin. Lots of freed up troops heading elsewhere...

[Lowpe]

End of March, 1942

Coal Harbor airfield at 70% to level 4 runways. A Betty Sentai is just off shore, a Sally and Nick Sentai's below Dutch Harbor. Seward held by only the CD unit, Kodiak still in Allied hands.

Moving on Darwin via Fenton. No difficulties expected. A Japanese Bombardment force put 400 casualties on Darwin.

Still working on cleaning up all the Islands in the SRA. Painful, click heavy process.

Jocke seems willing to fight in India. It will be touch a go for a little while as he has managed to put together a 2 division+ counterattack along with some AFVs. Japanese forces are probably at 2.5 Divisions with the landing of the 5th Division and support troops at Chittagong last night, but Japanese forces are a little more scattered than his. 3 More division are enroute to Chittagong along with artillery, paratroops, more engineers.

Chittagong should go to level 2 AF tomorrow; and I have 18 units there. Comilla has only 300AV some rapidfire AT, ART, and AA and will probably retreat to back to Chittagong for now...which means Jocke will have nailed the lead 1/3rd of a dvision (the 18th). It would be sweet if he tried to evict me from Chittagong, but I doubt he will get carried away.

The mini-kb shielding the arrival of reinforcements sank several HDMLs in Calcutta during the day...where Jocke has 100 fighters and bombers. Jocke doesn't fly CAP, he is willing to protect his planes with AA.

[Lowpe]

In the 40 turns I have done, the VP ration has grown from 2.1 to 2.6 in favor of Japan. Probably a little bit more as Singers is currently low on supplies.

[Lowpe]

Moving on Darwin...Darwin bombarded earlier for 400 losses, Allies haven't built anything up here at all.

[Lowpe]

Almost at 400 Ha35 engines; will keep production of planes off until over 500. I need that bonus for the fully repaired A6M3a, and A6M5 lines as well as the Nicks. I really want the Nicks for India.

By my rough calculation I should start making 3 Nicks a day in roughly 20 days or less. 1 Squadron will be at Coal Harbor, the other three will head to India and will coincide nicely with the larger airfields there that are currently under construction.

Currently I am not planning any wild invasions in India, just an attack up thru Chittagong across to Ledo and north west. Paratroops will be able to cut rail lines in a few days causing Jocke some worry hopefully. I have toyed with a struggling offensive at Chittagong in appearance, while I land deep into India but with the British Navy at full strength don't think I want to risk something like that.

Pearl Harbor is completely repaired; I rebuilt 10 points of ship repair yards for minor repairs, but it is great to see the large port really fix all the damaged shipping there. A day or two another large group of ships will head back to Honshu.

The Junyo and Kaga are in the HI, the Kaga still being repaired. The Junyo undergoing basic sea trials and training.