The Elephant Vanishes : obvert (J) vs Historiker_SqzMyLemon_Canoerebel (A)

[Lowpe]

Have you guys done a turn?

That first turn on a pick up is a real bear. Way worse than the Dec 7 turn...but, oh so enjoyable.[:)]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Have you guys done a turn?

That first turn on a pick up is a real bear. Way worse than the Dec 7 turn...but, oh so enjoyable.[:)]

This weekend I was away in the country in Suffolk. Had a great time staying with my wife's boss and his wife out there in a 16th century wood-framed farmhouse, eating local meats and seafood, drinking good wine from their cellar and walking a bit in the fields.

So on the train I finally got back onto the internet (not even a hint of a signal out there) and Joseph has finished his side of the turn! [&o]

I'll be getting into it in a few minutes.

We've been discussing what to keep and what to change in HRs. We'll keep pay to change [R] troops crossing land borders. I'd like to have 50 planes max for any port/airfield strikes. I think we're changing the altitude HR to 31k max.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]31 October, 1943[/font]

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Here we go!

Back into it. Joseph sent a turn back, and I've been digging through to see what I've been up to. Takes a while to get back in gear. I think I've looked at every base in the Empire at least twice, and some many more times. A lot left to do, so the tun won't go back to him until at least tomorrow, maybe even Wednesday.

There was very little action but a few things happen in this one that foretell a reorganization of the strategic situation.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Joseph continues the general retreat from the block near Taung Gyi, and the IJA also begins now to shift back, aiming to be flexible and see where the Allies will go next. I have good recon on the area and there are units moving from deeper bases too. I think he may be sending the Chinese back to China or to India to improve the supply situation that must be strained in Burma. With 325,000 Allied troops on the yellow road near Lashio, another 125,000 on the road near Ramree, plus who knows how many Chinese, supply can't be too good.

In the meantime I'll be hunkering down with the air forces, waiting to see what Joseph does in the next few turns. Getting planes repaired. Letting Oscars upgrade to the IIIa, which will be nice.

He does bombard near Ramree Island against our blocking force of three Thai divs, an IJA tank div and an IJA div. The Allies have some large filled out Chinese units here and outnumber us by about 3.5 to 1. Our units are deeply dug in though, so this one will be tough to move forward with those Chinese. They don't seem to do well against fortified troops.

Here is a current shot to update the situation in Burma. The central plains are mostly deserted. A few squads of para troops in Schwebo. The fields all have near 100% damage, so each time he takes them I've bombed them again, and he's left. Then I retake with paras.

Sqz may have other ideas. Now that we've upgraded to the most recent patch the AA will be much stronger and we may not be able to reasonably keep all of these fields closed. We'll see.

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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]31 October, 1943 [cont.][/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] The Allies pull CV fleets back from Marcus immediately. One TF stays at Marcus, wether unloading or loading I'm not sure. The AMs in it nail RO-100 with 8 hits and it's now disbanded at Marcus with 90 float and little hope of getting fixed up. If the Allies do pull back I'll send a bit of naval support in there and hope it can get patched up a little to send back.

In the meantime I decided to move the KB back to the HI as well, hoping to keep it out of sight of the many subs in the area, and get some needed DD upgrades done. I'd also like to prepare for the next onslaught while he's regrouping, so I'll aim to send supply and a few small units to forward bases in the Marshalls.

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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]31 October, 1943 [cont.][/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] The Allies look to be pulling the Aussie division back from Saidor. This is positive but also shows we will face a strong test in the future here. I have a few things I'd like to shore up, like adding solid troops to Umboi Island as a blocking area, with strong Rabaul on the opposite wing and a fwe secondary bases near both to support. This will be an air and ground campaign from the Japanese perspective with only the IJN assets needed to keep up supply.

I'll get some more troops onto New Guinea farther back to provide second level defenses.
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[Lowpe]

What does your fighter r&d look like?

[obvert]

Here is the R & D situation.

The Frank has just begun production. I've got a good amount on the Ki-84b this time and want to use that plane a bunch in late 44 against daylight bombers.

The Ki-100 will be ready in early 44, which is good. I'll be transferrin Tojo production slowly to other models and just converted one factory to Franks to boost production there to over 100 to begin.

Feeling comfortable with where things are, and as a few that I won't want a production increase on reach the end, like the A6M and Oscar, I'll may convert those to late planes like the Ki-94 and jets. Still thinking on whether that is worth the expenditure in supply or not.

Let me know what you all think.

[obvert]

Here is production.

So far I've tried to stay conservative with most of it, but made a few mistakes as I look back. It may have seemed prudent at the time, but I don't need 60+ Kates right now for instance. I'll us that for a late war fighter soon. Might use it to build Tonys and use up engines making the Ic and Id, then upgrade to Ki-100 when it comes online.

Just got the Oscar IIIc which is not bad in late 43 and early 44. Almost 360 and CL 12.7mm guns, but of course fragile. Still, it's usable for low CAP and as escort, pretty darn good.

Peggys will probably go to the Pacific for LBA and targeting distant fields/ports. Frances is a big help here and should add punch to the IJN LBA.

I noticed in some change that the Judy D4Y1 now has a massive range increase with drop tanks. This is unexpected and great. I'll build out that model as it's the longest ranged before changing factories.

[Lowpe]

Peggy T![X(]

Big George, Small Jack. You might miss not having more J2M3 sooner and in bigger numbers. Still, you will have them prior to the B29.

I guess Sam isn't as important in this game.[;)]

No Nick NF?

Patsy will be fun if you can use her.

Looks good to me...well, just Peggy T? Time will tell there.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Peggy T![X(]

Big George, Small Jack. You might miss not having more J2M3 sooner and in bigger numbers. Still, you will have them prior to the B29.

I guess Sam isn't as important in this game.[;)]

No Nick NF?

Patsy will be fun if you can use her.

Looks good to me...well, just Peggy T? Time will tell there.

Jack will be at 105 production once the J2M5 comes online. I'll have the N1K5 this time which may be slightly better than the final Jack, and certainly should be a great bomber killer (along with the Frank b) so it shouldn't be too bad.

I can also add more by changing one of these existing Tojo or other factories over that I won't need soon.

The Nick NF comes in 4/44 so no need to research it. I'll probably use that Kate factory for it, actually. Have about 45 a month.

Not sure what you mean by "... well, just Peggy T?"

[Lowpe]

Very big investment in Peggy T, that is all.

One factory of nick d, so it can start production right away?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Very big investment in Peggy T, that is all.

One factory of nick d, so it can start production right away?

I think in my first game that went late I noticed that it was hard to train IJA pilots fast enough for these getting them in mid-44. So if I can get them earlier, train guys up and have them ready to roll in mid-44 instead of late-44 then maybe they can have more effect when Japan is still in fighting shape (if we are still holding on at that point). When they actually flew and broke through they were very effective.

They also didn't fly too often. Not sure if this related to HQ, group leaders, pilots lacking experience (most in low 50s), or some combo of all of the above. If I can dual train in naval search/TT then I think it would increase chances to have high DL and groups might have more of a chance to fly.

Something more to test! Since I just reinstalled I may have to make a new testbed, as I still have a list of things to try.

For the Nick Id it would start converting in 4/44 once they are available. That seems soon enough as I'll have around 3-4 Irving groups by then, and only get 1-2 Nick Id group that is not [R] by around that time.

I have to look back through and find all of the units that can use the Nick Id. I checked tracker and only found these there, but I was sure in my previous game that I had seen a lot more. Am I wrong?

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Very big investment in Peggy T, that is all.

One factory of nick d, so it can start production right away?

I think in my first game that went late I noticed that it was hard to train IJA pilots fast enough for these getting them in mid-44. So if I can get them earlier, train guys up and have them ready to roll in mid-44 instead of late-44 then maybe they can have more effect when Japan is still in fighting shape (if we are still holding on at that point).

I'm taking a similar approach. Will be interesting to see who gets there first!

[Lowpe]

Here is the information on the Army NF for scenario one.

tm.asp?m=3895701&mpage=1&key=night%2Cfi ... ade�

Scenario 2 you might also have the 264th Sentai?

Realize that in a PDU on game you might have upgraded a squadron out of the night fighter path.[X(]

[Lowpe]

Your logic is sound on the Peggy T...just so much on one bomber. But you have conserved elsewhere, so I bet you are successful the gambit.

Train your Army pilots now in Nav Search -- shouldn't be a problem. Then transfer them into the Peggy T for torpedo training.

[Lokasenna]

PDU On?

Why Oscars (they kinda suck)? Why no Ki-102a?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

PDU On?

Why Oscars (they kinda suck)? Why no Ki-102a?

Yeah, PDU on.

Oscars because although they suck for CAP, they do make very good LR escorts. Late as bombers are longer ranged the Oscar can be useful in that role. Better than the A6M3a with armor and there are more army groups after the July 44 purge of IJN fighter groups withdrawing. They also make good kamis and decent low naval strike planes with 2 x 250kg. The last version with CL 20mm is not so bad in low CAP either.

I'm not researching the Ki-102a but I could make some. I don't know if I will though. It didn't strike me as great the first time around because it was a fighter, not FB, and isn't faster or better than other fighters available, but is more expensive with 2 engines. It is durable at 36.

Should I reconsider? How have you used it and do you find it better than either Ki-84b or Ki-100 (or Ki-83 which I'll have shortly after it's arrival date) in that role?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Your logic is sound on the Peggy T...just so much on one bomber. But you have conserved elsewhere, so I bet you are successful the gambit.

Train your Army pilots now in Nav Search -- shouldn't be a problem. Then transfer them into the Peggy T for torpedo training.

Yes. Once the next gen Lily DB pilots are trained I'll do this. I could train from those Lily pilots too in a pinch, although it would take longer to gain TT skill.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Here is the information on the Army NF for scenario one.

tm.asp?m=3895701&mpage=1&key=night%2Cfi ... ade�

Scenario 2 you might also have the 264th Sentai?

Realize that in a PDU on game you might have upgraded a squadron out of the night fighter path.[X(]

Thanks for the link. I remember that post!

This is Scen 1 so no luck there.

I also remember a FP group for IJNAf that converts to NF. I'll have to look for that.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Very big investment in Peggy T, that is all.

One factory of nick d, so it can start production right away?

I think in my first game that went late I noticed that it was hard to train IJA pilots fast enough for these getting them in mid-44. So if I can get them earlier, train guys up and have them ready to roll in mid-44 instead of late-44 then maybe they can have more effect when Japan is still in fighting shape (if we are still holding on at that point).

I'm taking a similar approach. Will be interesting to see who gets there first!

Collaboration is hopefully our goal here! I hope we both get there. [:D]