IJAF Industry bug

[KG_laugi]

hello, I was not producing anymore the AM2, after a while the pool was very low (AM2) and i dicided to reproduce the AM2, I switch production of AM5 back to AM2. The next turn the computer do not switch the production to AM2 and on the top of it I have to wait 4 week for the AM5 to produce.

[Ed Cogburn]

Originally posted by KG_laugi:
hello, I was not producing anymore the AM2, after a while the pool was very low (AM2) and i dicided to reproduce the AM2, I switch production of AM5 back to AM2. The next turn the computer do not switch the production to AM2 and on the top of it I have to wait 4 week for the AM5 to produce.

Did you take over control of factories with the Alt-N command? If you don't take over control yourself, the computer will switch things back to the way it wants. Once you do this, you'll have to manage all factories yourself after switching.

[frank1970]

I think the Problem is, that any change produces the delay. When you change to a new plane and immediately change back to the old one you have a delay of 4 weeks.

[grumbler]

Of course, the bottom line is that you do not _WANT_ to produce the A2 after the A5 becomes available. The extra range is not worth it.

You must have been very busy to see A2 levels shrink that low, my friend. I always have had 500+ A2s in reserve when A5s started to "poop out" of the system. Bettys I am always short of, but never Zeros.

I any case, I would advise accepting the lower A2 levels while the A5 comes on line. If necessary, change some training groups to Claudes to free up some A2 airframes as replacements.

[sethwrkr]

I can think of several occasions when I kept some A6M2s around in order to capitalize on range. Further if you are involved in a PBEM game it is very easy to see how fighter pools could get low for the japanese. A few turns with 300 to 200 air losses in a intense contest can push Japanese plane production to the limit while the US pools grow. I mean, that pretty much is the whole point of the game if you are the allies. You dont have to be better Just keep it close and keep pushing and the Japanese will crack.

Get better and then give advice.

Love
Seth

[grumbler]

Seth,

You must be a brilliant player to be able to exploit that 1 additional range at the cost of 1 man, 2 cannon, 10 durability, and fighter-bomber capability. Me, I'm never that good.

Of course, I always recall as many as possible of my poorly trained LB Zeros early in the war and set them to either train (in email campaigns) or bomb the Chinese airfields (in computer play) to get them up to snuff before I commit them in the big show. If you don't do this, I can see how the A2 levels could drop below the replacement rate (which starts, AIR, at 50 per week).

Also remember that factories do not grow beyond a certain point with cheaper acft, but will grow if you switch to a more expensive one.

There is little or no incentive for non-geniuses to maintain A2 production.

Love
Doug

[Major Tom]

Well, barring the insults (no need to digress gentlemen!), there is a use for A6M2's later in the war. They aren't Fighter-Bombers, and thereby have a less chance in getting sucked into bombing airfields/TF's and losing your CAP to Flak. Their extra range does help, but, they do get killed when up against the F6F or F4U. Plus, sometimes losing that 5 experience points in upgrading an aircraft isn't worth it.

Also, there IS a very large starting pool of A6M2's, and they 'can' remain high during the entire game. The A6M2 is VERY weak in durability, and doesn't have a good cannon rating. Once the F6F's appear, you want to take it out of the front lines, and frankly, the A6M5 isn't much of a replacement. It would be best to let the IJAAF take over with its better aircraft (Ki-44, Ki-45 and Ki-61) which can fight toe to toe against the best USNAF and USAAC aircraft. By the end of 1942, the LBA of the IJNAF is virtually useless. They are good on the attack (long range) but what is needed on the defence are shorter ranged but high quality, well rounded aircraft.

Both Seth and Doug have good ideas, there is NO need to get into an insult war.

[grumbler]

Major Tom,

Sorry I got suckered into responding the way I did.

You are correct that by the time the Japanese are on the defensive against the better allied planes, the IJNAF isn't much to brag about (except maybe in experience levels). By that time I usually have the A6M5s on more isolated islands and use the IJAAF and the J1N2 equipped IJNAF where the pressure is heaviest (with cannon = 12 the Irving is one of the few planes that will do much good when the B-24s come to play).

Still, the A6M5 isn't much inferior to the Ki-44 (one better man, 1 worse cannon, 2 worse dur) and it stands up pretty well against every British fighter except the Spit VIII (which arrive only a few turns later). However, you can keep it out of mischief by either assigning it to NI roles or by setting it to attack some weak allied base. It is much more useful in the NI role than the A6M2 because it actually carries bombs and can sink escorts and the like. I see no role in which the A6M2 is better than the M5, it is simply that the M5 comes along too late to really make a difference. What one should REALLY do is maximize Irving production so that your IJNAF fighter groups have some contribution to make other than as kamikazis. Production of the Jack never made much sense to me, other than the fact that it is cheaper (+4 man at the cost of 11 dur and 2 range is a steep price to pay). At that point you want to make SURE you don't auto-upgrade your factories!

Doug

[sethwrkr]

There are a couple of islands where you can hit the bad guy with fighhter escort and he can not. He has to send lonely bombers.

I think the Jack was an excelent plane in the last iteration. Range 4, 16 cannon, I think durability was in the 20s.and 22 manuever. Verry effective against bombers and able to hold its own against fighters. If you use the irving in a fighter rich environment it is toast. I am sure that tom has defanged this plane.

Experience is so critical that the change from M2 to m5 often means higher bomber and fighter losses.


I often prefer the tojo over the tony in the last iteration because of range. Range allows you to train these units hitting isolated or intentionaly isolated targets. For poor air units, 40ish. I put em in tojos for a while before I consider another plane.

Other random thoughts:
These weaker planes sure make it tough to be the JAPS. I am used to going toe to toe. In a present game I have traded 3 carriers to take Hawaii. These zeros are not very good at killing attackers. I want the option to make 1/4 fewer zeros and upgun them to 12! ; )

Seth

[sulup]

On the topic of Zero's, does anyone find any use for the A6M8? It comes so late it in the war that it is useless. In real war, I think only 3 were produced. I'd rather see the A6M7 since it arrived in Feb 45 and at least 150 were produced.