ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
ORIGINAL: rustysi
ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Ok, next topic of discussion: IJA fighters
Here's what I have producing. Note that the Frank will start producing in a few days.
Model/Pool/Production
Ki-44-IIc Tojo / 63 / 120
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar / 67 / 128
Ki-100-II Tony / 56 / 120
Ki-84a Frank / 0 / 120
What should I change? scrap? increase? keep?
Keep in mind that I'm in late '42 in my game.
This is how I see it. Too many Oscars. When Frank comes online cut them in half or less and put 'em to Frank. I like the Oscar for late war escort, but you shouldn't need too many. BTW the Ki-43-IIIa has the longest range of all the Oscars. As for the Tojo and Tony, I'd probably reduce them by 25% and put that to Frank as well. Remember as you start to field Franks the other model pools will grow and the more limited use will mean less loss as the Franks take over. Just my .02 Mike. Let's see what the pros say, and then make a more educated choice.
People love the Frank. In all my years of playing this game, I've never had a Frank! This will be a first. I was planning on reducing the Oscar to about 100 in the pool and switch half or so of the factories to probably the Frank. I have only 2 sentai fielding the Oscar right now, one in China strafing troops with very good success and the other at Truk doing nothing. The Tony has been awful so far. They get shredded by the P47. The Tojo still is doing well against everything the Allies throw at them. They haven't fought the Hellcat yet though. The vast majority of the IJAAF is fielding the Tojo, but that'll change to the Frank soon.
Ok, you didn't give us engine production and pools.
I would be loathe to eliminate any fighter production, especially if engine production and pools are strong. You simply need so many fighters!
You will want 250 plus Franks,plus you will want the Frank R (much better high altitude fighter).
As good as the Frank is, you need multiple frames to eke the most of your defense. Nowhere should you rely upon only one model of fighter, with the possible exception of deep defense versus long legged enemy bombers.
The A6M5c and Ki100 are your bomber killers. SR1 they can be sandwiched by Franks and Oscars for protection and can do very good work. The Oscar is your low altitude CAP and Escort when you need numbers. Tojo IIc flies at the 2nd highest CAP altitude setting ready to climb and dive.
Franks and Georges both make great escort fighters too, as do the Tojo IIc if you don't need range. 4 Squadrons of George escorting in a high altitude torpedo strike can penetrate Allied carriers at present and perform as a mild sweep against Hellcats.
The Oscar IIIa is a great long range escort, and especially valuable paired up with torpedo bombers and restricted search arcs to lay a deep strike on Allied shipping. I can't believe you only have two of them!
Your strongest defense against sweeping Jugs is a structured low altitude CAP with Georges and Franks although you can use many other combinations too. It is hard not to keep the George as a sweeping beast.
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