Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[Mike Solli]

Yep, that's what it says but you can accelerate a ship at <10x durability days left. Maybe a change in a patch? I just checked and you can definitely accelerate down to 0 days. So, in the case you're discussing, if you start accelerating at 120 days, you get the ship 60 days early.

[Mike Solli]

Also note that it really isn't triple the cost. It's less.

Take your example:

Durability of 4, accelerate at 120 days.

Normal cost is 120*4 = 480 naval production points
Accelerated cost is 60*4*3 = 720 naval production points

So the cost in points is really 50% more than you would normally have spent. You're just concentrating it in half the time. That is also pretty cool. That last 60 days you can accelerate the next one that hits the 120 day window.

[Lowpe]

I have never seen a hit from a IJN ASW mortar. They do fire.

However, it might do things under the hood, like raise dl. Some players believe dl is a constant from the opening salvo, but I think some kind of dl changes during combat routine.

For example, put a ship on fire during a night engagement and it quickly becomes a focal point.

The "target obscured by smoke" message may be chrome, but then again it might not be.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Also note that it really isn't triple the cost. It's less.

Take your example:

Durability of 4, accelerate at 120 days.

Normal cost is 120*4 = 480 naval production points
Accelerated cost is 60*4*3 = 720 naval production points

So the cost in points is really 50% more than you would normally have spent. You're just concentrating it in half the time. That is also pretty cool. That last 60 days you can accelerate the next one that hits the 120 day window.

I try to accelerate all of the cost 3 and cost 4 ASW ships, if I can.

[Mike Solli]

Ok, back to the war...

18 Dec 43

Sub War

The I-178, patrolling a few hexes SE of Umnak, found an enemy TF. She attempted to engage but missed. In the ensuing action, she took an DC hit. More on this to follow.

The DD Akikaze caught up with Steelhead off Cam Ranh Bay, and hit her once. She's the sub that sank a TK there yesterday.

5 Fleet

It turned out that I-178 was a tripwire for an Allied BB bombardment TF composed of 4 old pre-war BBs, a CA, 2 CLs and at least 5 DDs. The action against that little sub must have slowed the TF down enough that it didn't reach Umnak until daylight. They bombarded my forces there killing a couple infantry steps and disabling about a dozen more, but increasing disruption on 2/3 of the division. They're still sitting in the hex. Here's where it gets interesting. (See below) MKB (Hiyo, Ryujo, Nisshin, Shoho and Hosho - 117 Zeros, 18 Judies, 45 Jills) will be in position to retaliate if that TF sticks around to bombard again. All the Jills are set to carry torpedoes. My hope is that they will damage a few ships enough to slow them down. I'd like to hit the US TF with planes only, but I do have a backup, in the form of Yamato, Musashi, Nagato and Mutsu. [;)] You can see that they are a day out of being in position to either engage some damaged ships or bombard Umnak. Should be interesting. He has no idea either TF is there. [:D]

Also up here, the US DD Schley (Wilkes class) is hanging out near Etorofu (pic in next post - I don't know how to post more than 1 pic [8|]). The Betty daitai I sent to the area launched two strikes of 13 aircraft each, but missed. [8|] I've moved a few more aircraft there. There now is:

54 Nells
27 Jills
18 Judies
27 Sallies (ASW training so they will have a hard time even hitting the water)
9 Jeans (!)

Should that DD enter Etorofu, she'll be greeted by a bunch of CD guns and mines. [;)]

We'll see what happens here...

4 Fleet

I'm including the Marianas in 4 Fleet, since the effective front line is being pushed west toward Japan. [:(] Anyway, a single ship (I think), probably a DD (I think) is tooling around Pagan Island. (See 2 posts down.) All I have here (plane wise) is a partial daitai of Betties at Saipan (The remainder of the daitai is either broken down at Truk or burnt to a crisp at Truk. [:@]). KB is around Truk (see below) but I have a few CAs and CLs that formed a surface TF at Saipan and is going hunting. Oh yeah, I have Akagi and Soryu (just finished repairs/refit at Kobe) and Kaiyo (brand spanking new) heading toward Saipan. He has no idea they are there. [:D]. Together, they have 90 Zeros, 42 Judies and 36 Jills. Let's see how they do.

SE Fleet

Well, that "BB" TF was really a CA TF, composed of CAs Portland, Louisville and Vincennes, escorted by 13 DDs. They sailed into Truk where DD Ringgold (Fletcher class) hit a mine. [:D] They proceeded to bombard Truk doing no damage:

Night Naval bombardment of Truk at 112,108 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

351 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes, Shell hits 10, on fire
CA Louisville
CA Portland, Shell hits 12, on fire

On their way out, they ran into two little escorts (E Manazuru and Hatsukari) on ASW duty around Truk (I forgot about them). Oops. They fought a gallant battle:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Truk at 112,109, Range 23,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Manazuru, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
E Hatsukari, Shell hits 4, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Louisville
CA Vincennes, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD McKee
DD Ringgold
DD Saufley
DD Duncan
DD Bancroft
DD McCook
DD Benham
DD Stack
DD Shaw
DD Tucker
DD Dale
DD Monaghan
DD Aylwin

It looks like Hatsukari will make it to Saipan. Their sacrifice will allow KB to take out the damaged ships, which are just outside of Truk. The undamaged ships have already written them off. [:D]

SRA

Nothing to report.

Burma

I swept Kalemyo today, killing 7 of 11 enemy fighters (Hurricane IIc, Spitfire VIII and Kittyhawk III) for the cost of 2 Franks.

China

My bombers did nice execution today, killing 25 squads (16 infantry) and disabling another 156 squads. The artillery bombardment added 36 kills (33 infantry) and 29 more disabled.

I learned that yesterday's assault killed the following:

1 infantry (79 remaining)
2 base forces (17 remaining)
2 artillery (1 remaining)
0 AT (0 remaining)
0 AA (2 remaining - but they haven't fired in months)
4 construction regiments (0 remaining)
21 HQ (23 remaining)

A total of 1501 infantry squads have been destroyed this month.

Other Stuff

Reinforcement: MTB G-164

The D4Y4 Judy R&D advanced to 10/44 (will become operational 4/44).

I'm changing my submarine tactics. Instead of using them to sink Allied cargo ships (he has to have a million so it doesn't matter) they are being repositioned for an early warning line so I can spot enemy TFs coming a little quicker. That will give me time to react. Most of the reactions happening today are just dumb luck. [X(]

[Mike Solli]

Aleutians area:

[Mike Solli]

Etorofu:

[Mike Solli]

Marianas:

[Mike Solli]

Truk:

[Mike Solli]

Update on the Japanese army in Chungking (now 25 divisions and 1 tank division):

Fatigue: 71.5, down 12.0
Disruption: 27.8, down 23.0
Disabled: 10.7, down 1.3

[Bif1961]

It looks like he is about to feel the sting of the Japanese carrier arm followed by the Yamato's TF. It is always a good lesson to teach to an Allied player who gets a little adventerous with his unsupported surface TFs.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

It looks like he is about to feel the sting of the Japanese carrier arm followed by the Yamato's TF. It is always a good lesson to teach to an Allied player who gets a little adventerous with his unsupported surface TFs.

It is almost 1944, and this is a period of a bad match versus Allied CV should it occur. If you can get the Sam early enough in 1944, then the scale tilts to Japan's favor...but I have never seen an AAR where Japan managed to do that short of mod bringing the Sam in early.

If I were the Allies, I would be looking for a CV clash, and willing to trade some surface ships as bait to get it.

Still, Mike knows his the enemy and perhaps the Allies are over confident thinking Japan's CV might isn't as strong as it is.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

It looks like he is about to feel the sting of the Japanese carrier arm followed by the Yamato's TF. It is always a good lesson to teach to an Allied player who gets a little adventerous with his unsupported surface TFs.

Yeah, my opponent tends to react in one of 2 ways when I surprise him. Either he flees or sends everything in the area in. I think he'll flee in the Aleutians.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

It looks like he is about to feel the sting of the Japanese carrier arm followed by the Yamato's TF. It is always a good lesson to teach to an Allied player who gets a little adventerous with his unsupported surface TFs.

It is almost 1944, and this is a period of a bad match versus Allied CV should it occur. If you can get the Sam early enough in 1944, then the scale tilts to Japan's favor...but I have never seen an AAR where Japan managed to do that short of mod bringing the Sam in early.

If I were the Allies, I would be looking for a CV clash, and willing to trade some surface ships as bait to get it.

Still, Mike knows his the enemy and perhaps the Allies are over confident thinking Japan's CV might isn't as strong as it is.

Lowpe, ganging up on his carriers is my primary goal right now. I do want to let him know that he can't just cruise all over the place without repercussions though, hence my reaction everywhere. In most places (hopefully all ), I have little fear of a meaningful retaliation from him. I got lucky right now. I have forces that are in a position to do something meaningful against him that I don't think he knew about. My goal in this particular situation is to slow him down. Killing ships is nice, but there are definitely more coming to replace them. The extra VPs are nice though. [:D]

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
If you can get the Sam early enough in 1944, then the scale tilts to Japan's favor...but I have never seen an AAR where Japan managed to do that short of mod bringing the Sam in early.

The Sam ain't coming early. I screwed up the R&D. The R&D factories are only repaired to 10, 9, 8, 8, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 1, 1. [8|]

No clue when they're coming but I wouldn't look for them for a year.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
If you can get the Sam early enough in 1944, then the scale tilts to Japan's favor...but I have never seen an AAR where Japan managed to do that short of mod bringing the Sam in early.

The Sam ain't coming early. I screwed up the R&D. The R&D factories are only repaired to 10, 9, 8, 8, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 1, 1. [8|]

No clue when they're coming but I wouldn't look for them for a year.

Let's see, you are Dec 43, A7M is 9/45 … what is your Ha-43 pool? I would ramp that up as much as you can, total will depend upon what other airframes you intend to build.
… J7W, N1K5, Ki-83 are the primary users besides A7M … you may get lucky with one of those factories repairing by 10/44 … the engine bonus will then come in handy to pull those other factories along …

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Let's see, you are Dec 43, A7M is 9/45 … what is your Ha-43 pool? I would ramp that up as much as you can, total will depend upon what other airframes you intend to build.
… J7W, N1K5, Ki-83 are the primary users besides A7M … you may get lucky with one of those factories repairing by 10/44 … the engine bonus will then come in handy to pull those other factories along …

Hi Tony. Right now, my 4 remaining R&D engine factories are all on the Ha-43. It will become operational 5/44. The size 60 factory will become operational and the other 3x30 will convert to the NE Turbojet.

I'll convert probably 3 other factories to the Ha-43 giving me 4 total and expand them all. By the end of 5/44, I'll be up to 180, June 300, July 420, August 540. The rub is that the N1k5 becomes operational 5/44 as well and will suck engines as fast as I produce them. Right now, I'll produce 180 Georges, so I won't turn a surplus of engines until 6/44. I estimate the surplus will be 60 by the end of June, 240 in July, and break 500 in August.

I plan on producing all of those you mentioned except the Ki-83 for late war.

[Lowpe]

Glad to see you are thinking about the end war fighters, you never know where you will be and it would be a total shame to play the game for so long, get into 1945 and not have at least one model.

[Mike Solli]

The fourth end war fighter is the Frank r, which I get in Feb 44. [:D]

[rustysi]

End of war fighters. Frank b, six R&D from day one, will be ten once 'a' is in service. Randy night fighter, five R&D from day one. A7M, only two R&D, April '43. Will have eight by June/July. George, six R&D from day one. Currently in production. J7W, five R&D form day one. Ki-83, five R&D from day one. Frank a, three R&D form day one, now six. Will come into service NLT Sep '43. Possibly sooner if that off R&D (55, now 44/11) site will finish repair soon enough. Aug '43 possible, a little late, but not too bad. Ha-43 will be operational 2/44 at 180 per month. Will ramp that up quickly. Last is the KI-94, one R&D at start. Now three. Will increase to ~ten as I go.

Didn't bother with the NE Turbojet. With SR=4 didn't think I could keep the planes in service.

Will also have the Jack pretty soon, but no plans for large production. May not produce until second model comes into play as its SR=2. Depends on what's going on as its production will come at the expense of the Judy recon model, which will then cease production.

As to the Frank, I'm beginning to think I should have left the 'a' at three R&D as the three I added appear to have been too late to be effective. Maybe next run I'll just add them to the 'b'.