The Accidental War Obvert vs Lowpe

[Lowpe]

Then the strikes of the day....all but one ship sunk in harbor at Hong Kong. The weak Nate CAP is brushed aside by Flying Tigers, Lightning Sweeps meet no resistance and the bombers have a field day. I had 30 Zeroes at Canton, but they don't engage, not that it would have done any good, they would have been swept aside too.

Many waves, LRCAP, sweeps. Nice raid.

[Lowpe]

Not to be neglected, Cam Ranh Bay is attacked.

[Lowpe]

Losses

[Lowpe]

Ship losses. The ARs were undergoing the year long refitting.

[Lowpe]

I just resized a fighter group, and disbanded her into port for the resize, and neglected to put her back to sea wanting to repair a point of system damage. Sloppy play no doubt. No damage to speak of to the already damaged battleships here.

[Lowpe]

Soviet subs strike between Borneo and Mindanao.

[Lowpe]

Malaya

IJA has only one tank regiment present, and is now outnumbered by the Allied troops, supported by daily bombardments of 4 BBs, 9 CA, and 9 CL plus associated destroyers.

[Lowpe]

Manchuko

Night bombing of Japanese industry continues, lots of potential bases which means AA is dispersed all over the place and Nates, Petes, Nicks,Oscars and even Zeroes are tasked in small splinter groups to defend it. AA alone cannot stop the industry destruction.

Then there is the ever present threat of a Beast raid on Honshu which means even more dispersal of the Japanese fighter forces & AA. 61 Four Engine Beasts bombed Hong Kong and Cam Ranh Bay yesterday....

[Lowpe]

Soviet subs near Jolo are fairly short legged.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Manchuko

Night bombing of Japanese industry continues, lots of potential bases which means AA is dispersed all over the place and Nates, Petes, Nicks,Oscars and even Zeroes are tasked in small splinter groups to defend it. AA alone cannot stop the industry destruction.

Then there is the ever present threat of a Beast raid on Honshu which means even more dispersal of the Japanese fighter forces & AA. 61 Four Engine Beasts bombed Hong Kong and Cam Ranh Bay yesterday....

In two lines you have stated why/how the presence of allied bases within range of IJ industry is simply the death of the IJ.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo


In two lines you have stated why/how the presence of allied bases within range of IJ industry is simply the death of the IJ.

4700 Heavy Industry, out of 6070 present in Honshu is in two bases. A 2000 to 5000 foot night bombing campaign by 60 Beasts would simply end Japan, which is why this game has no chance of getting to 1944.

Simply the mere threat of it is fatal to Japan.[:(]

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo


In two lines you have stated why/how the presence of allied bases within range of IJ industry is simply the death of the IJ.

4700 Heavy Industry, out of 6070 present in Honshu is in two bases. A 2000 to 5000 foot night bombing campaign by 60 Beasts would simply end Japan, which is why this game has no chance of getting to 1944.

Simply the mere threat of it is fatal to Japan.[:(]

Correct. Sad, but true.

If you ever find a counter to 2000ft night bombing, let me know. My opponent does it all the time (Andy AI) and the only thing I have ever found to work is to take the base back from him.
Flak/Fighters can work, even work often. BUT in 10 nights, no matter what I do, one night something will happen and the bombers get through and there is no recovery from that.
[:(][:(][:(]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

If you ever find a counter to 2000ft night bombing, let me know. My opponent does it all the time (Andy AI) and the only thing I have ever found to work is to take the base back from him.
Flak/Fighters can work, even work often. BUT in 10 nights, no matter what I do, one night something will happen and the bombers get through and there is no recovery from that.
[:(][:(][:(]

My rule of thumb is need 1 fighter for every bomber layered flying between arrival altitude and bombing altitude in the air at the time of attack -- any that arrive later is gravy. Plus you need adequate warning, which I won't get with 42 and 43 Japanese radars. Plus adequate big flak guns.

Of course when the beasts migrate to 15K they still make very good hits and you are horribly out of position.

Against 4E Japan will lose fighters at a startling rate. I need to check to see how less aggressive commanders might do.

This early, with the only armored plane being the Nick will be really bad. The Nicks at Harbin flying at night against Soviet twin engine bombers are 50% in the shop. Not enough aviation support anywhere in the Empire to support my horrible weak air force contributes to the problem.

[Alfred]

Japan can never afford to spread it's assets too thinly around.  To do so is a recipe for certain defeat.  Particularly when it is done with the initiative in Allied hands.
 
All those assets protect bases which are not being targeted are just wasted.  Note how the Allies are not committing the same mistake.  The Allies are using all their assets whereas Japan is using only some of its assets.
 
This is why both theElf and I stated that all focus should be directed towards gaining air superiority over the DEI/Malaya to allow Japan to advance in the region.  Unless the initiative is regained it is pointless continuing the war.  Japan has one great advantage over the Allies; it can rebuild industry which the Allies cannot.
 
Two HI bases contain 77% of the HI heavy industry.  OK defend those two bases and forget about defending all the other HI bases.  Let the Allies bomb the others.  Doing so will remove the pressure you are facing on the frontline.  If you chicken out you will get advance warning anyway before the HI bases are targeted by enemy recon flights.  Those flights will allow you to rush back fighters although I would encourage the enemy to go there anyway.
 
The fact is that there are not that many enemy 4Es.  Even fewer enemy recon units able to recon the HI.  You are assuming that your opponent will be even aware of any weakness in the HI, let alone have the assets capable of taking advantage.
 
There simply is no alternative.  Japan must generate a threat which greatly concerns the enemy.  That can only be done by concentrating and driving a schwerpunkt at the enemy.  What exactly is the value of "defending" the homeland industry from destruction if you fail to acquire the necessary raw materials in the SRA to feed that "saved" industry.  The corollary is not the same for acquiring the raw materials at the expense of some destroyed industry (which can be rebuilt) will also result in the destruction of enemy units.
 
Alfred  

[Lowpe]

No turn yesterday from the Allies.

[Lowpe]

Current fighter plane deficit is -377 fighters. Last month was significantly worse.

[Lowpe]

May 24, 1942

ABDA Fleet comes calling. As is usual, Japan can't hit with a torpedo, and her guns pretty much too.

[Lowpe]

Round two.

[Lowpe]

Round three

To show you what an idiot I am, this minelaying task force was set not to lay mines. I forgot they were even headed here.[:(]

[Lowpe]

Round four five and six skrimishes...but the bombardment task force get thru.