Climb Mt. Niitaka - Xargun vs Mr Kane

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

ORIGINAL: Xargun


Date is early March (3/4/42) and I'm behind schedule - as usual. Not sure what my issue is, but it seems I can never attain the same expansion rate that other players and historical Japan did as well. That is probably my biggest issue - my inability to expand quickly in the beginning.

Fast expansion is not an abolute essential for Japanese success. If I had to choose between a fast expansion and one that preserves forces, I would choose the latter every time. The trick to a fast expansion is spending a lot of time on your turns and thinking ahead. You expansion is basically limited by how you use your ports for the first 2 months. Where do I want these APs and AKs... do I need to move troops or equipment and from which port.

Keep all you important ports busy every turn and the docks full: Takao, Samah, Camh Ran Bay, Babeldaob, and eventually Truk, et al. Be sure the docks are filled everyday with ships loading and ships arriving or waiting to load for the next day. If you have no troops to load that day, load up some cargo ships with supplies for the next time escorts are available to move those supplies forward. Also, always think about the size of the port at your destination. Can the ships fit into the port. TFs that are too large for the destination port, break them down when they get there and dock them one at a time. Place the escorts in their own ASW TF and sit them on the port to guard the ships at dock.

Also, get shipping engineers to all your major debarkation points immediately, especially any small port (such as Singora) where you want to unload vehicles and artillery. Also, get shipping engineers to the small ports that will serve as extraction points to pull your forces out of one area and move them forward, such as Butaan or Davao in Mindanao. Troops, and equipment, load very slowly at small ports, such as Davao, without shipping engineers.

This makes a lot of sense. Preventing the Allies from moving their forces into any killer defensive positions reduces the pressure too.

[Xargun]

So my R&D Factories on the Rufe are filling out and converting over to A6M5 Zero. Now I can walk the R&D Factories right up to the A6M5c or the A6M8 and R&D the hell out of it. I have 5 size 30 factories for the Zero line (4 on Z6M5 and 1 still repairing on the Rufe). With current engine production (bonus) I can have the A6M5c Zero in 6 months game time - so Oct 42. Or should I really ramp up engine production on Mitsubishi Ha-33 and go for the A6M8 Zero - which I could prob get around Feb 43 (I have to build up my Ha-33 stockpile to get the engine bonus). I can pound one of these two really early. Original plan was the A6M5c but everyone says the 18mph increase on the A6M8 is much better so should I go hell for broke on A6M8 and have it in early 43? and the Sam a year later ?

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Xargun

So my R&D Factories on the Rufe are filling out and converting over to A6M5 Zero. Now I can walk the R&D Factories right up to the A6M5c or the A6M8 and R&D the hell out of it. I have 5 size 30 factories for the Zero line (4 on Z6M5 and 1 still repairing on the Rufe). With current engine production (bonus) I can have the A6M5c Zero in 6 months game time - so Oct 42. Or should I really ramp up engine production on Mitsubishi Ha-33 and go for the A6M8 Zero - which I could prob get around Feb 43 (I have to build up my Ha-33 stockpile to get the engine bonus). I can pound one of these two really early. Original plan was the A6M5c but everyone says the 18mph increase on the A6M8 is much better so should I go hell for broke on A6M8 and have it in early 43? and the Sam a year later ?

I say yes, because it will be a long time before you get Sam, no matter how much you research it. The A6M8 will keep your zeros competitive through much of 43. In 44, you have to be very cagey with your CVs, because they are badly outnumbered and the zekes are not a match for allied naval air fighters. You can switch your 4 Zeke factories over to Sam after you get the A6M8 and you will not lose much R&D on Sam.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

ORIGINAL: Xargun

So my R&D Factories on the Rufe are filling out and converting over to A6M5 Zero. Now I can walk the R&D Factories right up to the A6M5c or the A6M8 and R&D the hell out of it. I have 5 size 30 factories for the Zero line (4 on Z6M5 and 1 still repairing on the Rufe). With current engine production (bonus) I can have the A6M5c Zero in 6 months game time - so Oct 42. Or should I really ramp up engine production on Mitsubishi Ha-33 and go for the A6M8 Zero - which I could prob get around Feb 43 (I have to build up my Ha-33 stockpile to get the engine bonus). I can pound one of these two really early. Original plan was the A6M5c but everyone says the 18mph increase on the A6M8 is much better so should I go hell for broke on A6M8 and have it in early 43? and the Sam a year later ?

I say yes, because it will be a long time before you get Sam, no matter how much you research it. The A6M8 will keep your zeros competitive through much of 43. In 44, you have to be very cagey with your CVs, because they are badly outnumbered and the zekes are not a match for allied naval air fighters. You can switch your 4 Zeke factories over to Sam after you get the A6M8 and you will not lose much R&D on Sam.

In the actual war, the Japanese navy focused on their land-based fighters after Midway. If you lose a lot of your CVs before you get the A6M8, you can always do the same.

[Lowpe]

The 5c comes earlier, and is a great 1943 bomber killer. But if you have adequate supply of Georges, and Jacks you might not need it in that role.

The SR1 makes it generally speaking my island antibomber plane until the m8 comes. The 2nd Jack has a SR2 would be my next choice in island defense along with the Ki100-I.

You have to assess your game state and think if you need the 5c for other roles than CV operations.

[PaxMondo]

Where are you with the LB IJN fighter RnD? George or Jack? When?

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Where are you with the LB IJN fighter RnD? George or Jack? When?

I have decided on the N1K2-j George instead of the Jack. The base date on the N1K1 George is 7/43 so it will be late 43 before I have the N1K2-J George. So whatever Naval plane I go with will be in full production long before I have the George ready.

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

The 5c comes earlier, and is a great 1943 bomber killer. But if you have adequate supply of Georges, and Jacks you might not need it in that role.

The SR1 makes it generally speaking my island antibomber plane until the m8 comes. The 2nd Jack has a SR2 would be my next choice in island defense along with the Ki100-I.

You have to assess your game state and think if you need the 5c for other roles than CV operations.

I can probably have several hundred 5c in the field before I even have the M8 researched.

[Lowpe]

The 5c can also stand up to the Lightnings in a low cap environment. It has the firepower to bring those bad boys down despite the speed difference. You simply need to outnumber the Lightnings in a layered low CAP with some decent radar.

Sounds like you will need the 5c to me, unless I am missing something?

[Xargun]

Another turn fired back to Mr Kane. I have increased some HI in Shanghai and Port Arthur as well as some LI in Harbin. I have moved 4 of my Rufe R&D Factories (size 30) over to A6M5c and will push that plane out the door - should be in 6 months once I hit the engine bonus (have approx. 475 engines in pool atm - so 3-4 days). As soon as the 5th R&D factory hits fully repaired it will be switched as well. I've had a little trouble with resources at Tokyo twice now so I have told it to stockpile the amount needed. Strange - but I have had this happen in other games where one base just won't pull enough resources. I don't think I'm low on resources in the Home Islands, but it is mid March - but I've been hauling from Hokkaido and China since mid December and from Hong Kong since I cleared the mines. Odd. Oh well we will see what the stockpiling does.

Its the weekend now and I plan to do multiple updates to you guys as well as play some Minecraft with my son and push out turns... going to be a busy weekend... Need to do my taxes this weekend too.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Xargun

Another turn fired back to Mr Kane. I have increased some HI in Shanghai and Port Arthur as well as some LI in Harbin. I have moved 4 of my Rufe R&D Factories (size 30) over to A6M5c and will push that plane out the door - should be in 6 months once I hit the engine bonus (have approx. 475 engines in pool atm - so 3-4 days). As soon as the 5th R&D factory hits fully repaired it will be switched as well. I've had a little trouble with resources at Tokyo twice now so I have told it to stockpile the amount needed. Strange - but I have had this happen in other games where one base just won't pull enough resources. I don't think I'm low on resources in the Home Islands, but it is mid March - but I've been hauling from Hokkaido and China since mid December and from Hong Kong since I cleared the mines. Odd. Oh well we will see what the stockpiling does.

Its the weekend now and I plan to do multiple updates to you guys as well as play some Minecraft with my son and push out turns... going to be a busy weekend... Need to do my taxes this weekend too.

Do you use tracker? I never did before, but I started using it with the two games that I am playing now. I am not as big a fan of it as others are. Most of the information that you get on tracker, you can produce yourself from the industry screen and following it from day to day, but tracker does help now and again to get a more precise idea of exactly how many cargo TFs you need to keep the industry on the home islands humming. Also, be sure that you are pulling all the extra resources out of Shikuka and Toyahara. They produce more than you think, and my first two games as Japan, it was April or May before I realized just how much was accumulating up there, beyond what I was transporting.

I know that others have their own opinions, but I like to expand the light industry at Manila, because there are extra resources in the Phillipines. I know someone will say... "yes, but the allies will take Manila." My reply is, "ok... let them go after Manila... ." If they do, it's a win. If they don't it's a win. That's my opinion. Then again, I probably use Manila more than most Japanese players for a lot of things.

[Xargun]

Quick update. I know I said I would do a big update this past weekend, but life got in the way. Just sent the 3/21/42 turn back to Mr Kane and big news from the turn is that Tarakan has fallen. The oil fields and refineries are slightly damages (2 each). A base force was involved in the invasion and a Sentai of Oscars are flying both night and day cap.

Once I get my tracker issues fixed (setting up regions) I will be posting more.

[witpqs]

This is the region mappings file we used for my PBM just ended. I think various bases were added after this, but maybe not. Extra bases in the file do not harm things. There are 1,182 bases in this file.

IIRC, the format is slot number TAB base name TAB region number TAB region name.

You can easily edit the file to correct or add bases that are different in your game. Notice that there is no hex number, Tracker picks that up from the game save file. This file happens to be sorted by region number but I don't think that matters.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Xargun

Quick update. I know I said I would do a big update this past weekend, but life got in the way. Just sent the 3/21/42 turn back to Mr Kane and big news from the turn is that Tarakan has fallen. The oil fields and refineries are slightly damages (2 each). A base force was involved in the invasion and a Sentai of Oscars are flying both night and day cap.

Once I get my tracker issues fixed (setting up regions) I will be posting more.

Looks like you are getting the oil late, but intact. That is fine... better late and intact than early and destroyed. An update? How goes the airwar? That is where the game is won and lost.

[Xargun]

Update time...

First up my Aircraft R&D.. The A6M5c Zero is going strong with the first month being removed on the next turn. With 5 R&D Factories and the engine bonus I expect the A6M5c to be in production in 6 months - end of September. My other Aircraft R&D are working fine, although I still have some changing of factories to do.

The Intel screen is below showing the overall war status. The Air War has been very quiet. It is showing the allies doing a lot of sorties but other than recon flights I don't see any allied planes anywhere. Does the sorties include training ?

[Xargun]

Here is a look at the allied ships lost screen. As you can see FOW is playing with me. I'm 99% positive the Yorktown is gone, but I doubt the Enterprise sunk. I also haven't seen any BBs sinking, but according to the screen
I have sunk 4. Everything else is pretty accurate.

[Xargun]

A quick look at my CV Ship plans. Other than CVs I am only accelerating DDs and an occasional CL as I have extra Ship Points.

[Xargun]

A look at Burma. So far Burma has been a cakewalk. Very little allied defense here. Only one small unit was defending Pegu and I crushed it. Recon from Chiang Mai shows all bases north of me empty except Lashio - which is showing a small unit there. Probably so I can't paradrop in. I am leary about taking Magwe as I expect once I do bombers will come visit, so I am prepping base forces and fighters beforehand.

[Xargun]

Malaya - Not much to report here other than the siege on Singapore continues. It takes several days to recover from each attack - the next one should be next turn.

Sumatra - new map here showing my movements. I have wiped out most of the forces on the island at or near Palembang and expect light resistance in the north. I have a tank unit moving north while moving men and supplies south to Merak to begin the assault on Batavia.

Merak - my barges ran into some mines here and I lost a few in the initial crossing. I have DMS enroute to clear the mines.

[Xargun]

A quick look at Mindanao and Eastern Borneo.