IdahoNYer vs LST (J AAR): GAME OVER!

[LargeSlowTarget]

Solomons / PNG

Have forgotten the air forces:

Nadzab:
One Oscar IIb group and Recon

Talasea:
1x Val group on ASW

Kavieng:
1x Val group on ASW
3x transport units

Rabaul:
4x Zero groups rebuilding after Rossel Is. debacle
1x Betty group on naval search
1x Kate group on ASW
5x transport units
Recon

Buka:
1x Jake unit on night search

[LargeSlowTarget]

CentPac

Not much to see here, I just keep speedbumps in the Marshalls.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Shameless bump [:D]

I have pimped-up the screenshots with more info about the force dispositions and intel, because a picture says more than a thousand words.

[jwolf]

Something I didn't notice before in your game -- Tarawa is (still??) Allied. I guess you never bothered to take it? At least, I don't remember reading of an Allied reconquest here ...

[LargeSlowTarget]

I have not reported all Allied reconquests. I usually do write the AAR from memory during slow times at work - often about turns done weeks ago - and apparently I forgot about Tarawa, and Nauru as well. I have occupied Tarawa early in the war, but Ed has retaken the atoll easily. I'm a bit surprised and miffed that level-4 forts have no effect, my Naval Guard units in the Gilberts and now the Marshalls simply get steamrolled after minimal Allied pre-invasion preparations. Some bombing attacks and a cruiser bombardment the day of the landing usually weaken my garrison forces enough to allow the landing forces to cut through the defenders like a hot knife through butter...

[LargeSlowTarget]

Two weeks have gone by, game date May 24th, 1943

NoPac
A small SAG composed of two Omaha class CL and four DDs has attacked the Kuriles. My naval search and my sub pickets saw them coming more than a day out. I figured they were heading for Paramushiro, so I have ordered the auxiliaries (AS, ACMs) to clear that port and seek shelter at neighboring Onnekotan-jima. Well, they managed to run right into the path of the onrushing enemy who was in fact targeting Onnekotan-jima... Scratch the Northern Area auxiliaries. My picket sub now need to return to Hakodate for replenishment. Bombardment damage was light, there isn't much to hit up there except trenches and fortifications. The same TF is now busy chasing my surface picket line extending from halfway between Paramushirop and Attu down to the vicinity of Marcus Is. Apparently Ed has plan in the North, or at least pretends so. Just in case, I'm sending some elderly cruisers to the North Pac area. Let's see if we can get a surface clash.


CentPac
The days of the Marshalls are numbered, Wotje and other bases are being bombed heavily and Paramarines have captured undefended Namorik atoll. The outer Marshalls are being left to their fate. I am busy preparing Ponape and Kusaie, FTing supplies, evacuating unneeded base forces and reuniting subunit splinters left from the chaotic evacuation of the Gilberts. Kusaie and Ponape each have three Naval Guard units, CD guns, even tanks, and fort level 4 and rising. They may hold a day longer than the other atolls.


SoPac
The pressure on Rabaul is rising every turn. Vella Lavella has been lost and is already housing enemy fighters. Enemy DDs and subs are hunting barges south of Rabaul mercilessly, nothing gets through to the Shortlands which are short of supplies. Woodlark has been invaded and will fall next turn. I have Betties, Kates and Vals on night attack, of course they hit nothing.
I'm shifting land forces while I still can. Milne Bay is exposed, the division holding it has been replaced by two expendable South Sea Garrison units. Two of three Bde at Port Moresby are crossing the Owen Stanleys to reinforce Buna, the third brigade will follow as soon as I can find expendables for Port Moresby. The main line of resistance will be the Lae-Umboi-Gasmata-Rabaul-Kavieng area, with two Army divisions and a division equivalent of Navy troops in place. Four Zero groups protect Rabaul and the coastal convoys. The big fear is an amphib move into the rear, Manus and the coast of PNG is held only by base forces.


Northern Oz
Four DDs have bombarded Bathurst Island off Darwin - but there is nothing there. Of course, there should be a garrison since it is a potential size 5 airbase and well within FT range of Gove. But no ground forces available... The garrison Bde that I wanted to use at Bathurst is still withdrawing from Daly Waters towards Wyndham - but it is slowly being destroyed by multiple 4E and 2E bomber strikes from Groote Eylandt and Gove. No biggie, it is scheduled to withdraw in a few months.I could not do anything against it anyway, since I have no fighters to spare to fly LRCAP. As a consequence, I have evacuated all base forces from the Darwin area under cover of KB.

What fighters are available have been sent to Broome in order to sweep Corunna Downs which is now a level-1 base - I only have a chance against weak enemies... Two groups of A6M5 and two groups of Oscar IIa manage to obtain roughly equal losses against enemy CAP composed of F4F-4, Kittyhawks III and Spitfire VC.

KB is at Koepang, doing plane maintenance. Never paid much attention to this, but finding that half the planes were in the 60+ range may help explain the less than stellar performance in the past. The BBs of Combined Fleet are waiting for enemy LCUs entering either Port Hedland or Darwin. Musashi will enter service in less than 40 days to add more umph. Koepang is a bit exposed to a carrier raid, but I have air search and picket subs out into the IO. THe other fear is an invasion of Java / Sumatra or a carrier raid against Palembang.


Burma
With my first group of Georges filled-out, I have launched a sweep offensive against Akyab. Heavy CAP as expected, including Corsairs. George is doing ok but the Zeroes, Tojos and Oscar IIIa thrown into the fight do less well. Oscar IIb and Tony groups held in reserve to CAP Magwe. Two rounds of sweeps, and I need to stand-down the armarda for at least a week to pull and repair replacement airframes. Small consolation - the sweeps allowed a naval strike group of Vals and Kates to attack at Cox'S Bazar against weak CAP and to sink two AKs and an escort.


China
Bombardments continue at Changsha and Chunking, while reinforcements continue the slow slog from Lanchow. I own five out of six hexes around Chungking - the last enemy hex contains a stack of eleven units. I am not sure if I should completely surround Chungking before attacking in order to destroy the garrison - or if it isn't a better idea to leave a retreat path for the enemy. It might be easier to capture the city if the enemy can retreat - I can still destroy them later in the open. Any opinions?

[LargeSlowTarget]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget
Enemy DDs and subs are hunting barges south of Rabaul mercilessly, nothing gets through to the Shortlands which are short of supplies.

Mmh, there seem to be traitors of dubious loyalty at work:

LB-1004 sinks....
CPT O'Neill T. has been KILLED

[jwolf]

??? That was one of your captains? How?

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget
I am not sure if I should completely surround Chungking before attacking in order to destroy the garrison - or if it isn't a better idea to leave a retreat path for the enemy. It might be easier to capture the city if the enemy can retreat - I can still destroy them later in the open. Any opinions?

There are pros and cons: Pros being you need 2:1 with 0 forts to capture CK, not the total extermination. Cons being you need to keep an open path to other Chinese base as a retreat route, risking supply inflow into CK and runaways/reinforcements. Most of AARs encircle and siege CK because this allows to relatively easily mop up the rest of China and then come concentrate on the siege. Especially if stacking limits are in place. Choice is yours, it is not obvious.
If you want to try evicting Chinese from CK, better close all hexsides except southern one, then when you are ready for final push move your units to open the path to Kweiyang and try minimize supply inflow to this area by capturing Kunming and cutting other roads (not quick or easy).

Yes, sigpicture made me wander here [:D]

[Jorge_Stanbury]

thanks for the screenshots, this will really help my Japanese game... I am still in 42, but nowhere near the aircraft production #s you are showing

[LargeSlowTarget]

Oh, so I do have some "followers" - thanks for dropping in [:)]

ORIGINAL: jwolf
??? That was one of your captains? How?

Apparently a database glitch - or the return of the "leader bug" of Classic WitP fame.

ORIGINAL: GetAssista
Yes, sigpicture made me wander here [:D]

Sex sells! [;)]

Thanks for your comment. I'm afraid the forts are pretty high in CK, so I will leave one hexside to the south of CK open and try to push the defenders out. However, I will try to seal-off the "retreat hex" before launching the assault on CK.

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury
thanks for the screenshots, this will really help my Japanese game... I am still in 42, but nowhere near the aircraft production #s you are showing

I'm constantly torn between "I will crash the economy with too much industries expansions" and "I need to expand, production barely keeps ahead of losses". I will not expand further, I'm already lacking fuel for the HI - over the past few turns the HI pool has dropped like a stone while waiting for the next tanker convoy to arrive. Supplies are rather short as well. Guess I have shipped out too much supplies during the early war offensives - to have it spoiling away on the dots and small bases of the invasion sites.


And now to something completely different:

A turn (i.e. two days) ago my naval search spotted three TFs in the Bay of Bengal to the west of the Andamans Is. - including a CVE and a couple of AKs plus escorts. Could be a diversion to draw my carriers away from Northern Oz, could be the real McCoy - an invasion to flank Burma. This turn showed the truth - the Navy and the Marines are coming, and I'm afraid they are there to stay.



Excellent move by Ed! I was aware of the possibility and the danger - but Japan cannot be strong everywhere, and Sumatra, Java, the Marianas and the Kuriles need to be defended as well...

This changes the entire game - suddenly Rabaul, Darwin and Port Hedland have lost much of their importance. I am forced to curtail ops elsewhere and to launch a counter-attack. A big carrier clash near Port BLair seems to be inevitable. I was hoping to prolong the defense of Darwin and Port Hedland by the presence of Combined Fleet, esp. BB bombardments as soon as the Allied land forces reach the coastal bases. Now I will have to pull back from Oz, leaving only speed-bumps. A pull-back from Northern and Central Burma might be prudent as well, further landings between Rangoon and Tavoy would threaten to cut-off a large part of the IJA engaged in Burma. It's starting to get interesting again...

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Two weeks have gone by, game date May 24th, 1943

NoPac
A small SAG composed of two Omaha class CL and four DDs has attacked the Kuriles. My naval search and my sub pickets saw them coming more than a day out. I figured they were heading for Paramushiro, so I have ordered the auxiliaries (AS, ACMs) to clear that port and seek shelter at neighboring Onnekotan-jima. Well, they managed to run right into the path of the onrushing enemy who was in fact targeting Onnekotan-jima... Scratch the Northern Area auxiliaries. My picket sub now need to return to Hakodate for replenishment. Bombardment damage was light, there isn't much to hit up there except trenches and fortifications. The same TF is now busy chasing my surface picket line extending from halfway between Paramushirop and Attu down to the vicinity of Marcus Is. Apparently Ed has plan in the North, or at least pretends so. Just in case, I'm sending some elderly cruisers to the North Pac area. Let's see if we can get a surface clash.

I like to use Nells up there in a NavSearch/Patrol mode. Pilots with high NavSearch skill. They work quite well and the range of the 2nd Nell is almost that of Mavis ...

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget
China
Bombardments continue at Changsha and Chunking, while reinforcements continue the slow slog from Lanchow. I own five out of six hexes around Chungking - the last enemy hex contains a stack of eleven units. I am not sure if I should completely surround Chungking before attacking in order to destroy the garrison - or if it isn't a better idea to leave a retreat path for the enemy. It might be easier to capture the city if the enemy can retreat - I can still destroy them later in the open. Any opinions?

Oft debated and there are AAR's going both ways successfully. Just be sure to use one of the clear terrain hexes to the north.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Industry screens

LST,

My only input here is that you need to try and better balance your AC vs Engine factory size.

EX:
ha-45 = 160
Will that be enough for the George and Frank builds you plan?

Ha-33 = 250
There is a LONG list of aircraft using this, several of them multi-engine.

And be cautious about building factories. You already have ~2000 engine factories built, but it isn't clear that those are sized right to support your likely future builds.

As you mention you are short on supply. Leaving '43 a good target is about 6M supply in the empire ...

[LargeSlowTarget]

Hi Pax, it is the first time I play into 1943 with PDU off, and I have no clue how many future reinforcement air groups will upgrade to what plane model - so planing future builds is difficult for me. However, being largely clueless might reflect historical realities for the Japanese side - being a "historic style" player, this adds "flavor" to the game [:)]. I plan to switch the Ha-60 engines to Ha-45 when the early Judies and Tonies switch to the models with other engines. The need for Ha-35 will diminish with a number of Zero and Oscar groups switching to Franks, Jacks and Georges. Big drop in the need for Ha-35 expected when the A6M8 enters service. So first some and then most Ha-35 factories will convert to Ha-32/Ha-33. Btw, my production screenshot is from Dec 1942 - in the meantime I have stockpiled a thousand Ha-45 engines. There is only one George-1 group on the map and no reinforcements coming for months, so only one George-1 factory is using the Ha-45 at the moment - and it has been turned off after the pools reached 40 planes. So for this engine, I have a buffer. I admit that the engine management is an aspect of the game I do not relish...

[LargeSlowTarget]

Game date June 19th, 1943.

Port Blair has been captured after what can hardly be qualified as token resistance.

I start wondering what fortifications are good for - at Port Blair, in the Gilberts, the Marshalls and the Solomons I see time and again my positions with fort level 4 being overrun in the first attack and with hardly any losses to the enemy. I don't expect outnumbered and outgunned defenders to hold-out against superior attacking forces, but at least to cause some losses - but the attackers usually suffer only disablement of devices in the low single-digit range, if any.

But well, can't be helped. The other bad news is an invasion of neighboring Andaman Is. by two-thirds of an Indian Division - I expect that base to fall quickly as well.


In reaction to the Allied offensive in the Andamans Is. area, Japanese forces have received orders to redeploy.

As a precaution, the Burma Area Army is pulling back closer to Rangoon. The Southern Burma Coast is only lightly held and an enemy invasion at Moulmein or Tavoy would spell disaster for the large chunk of the IJA currently engaged in Burma.

The Air forces will regroup the long-legged planes - Zero, George and Oscar III - in the Rabaul-Moulmein area, the short-legged planes like the Tonies and Tojos will remain at Magwe. Base forces are shifting accordingly.

The IJA divisions holding the front in the Western Burma jungles between the Irrawaddy and just south of Akyab have been ordered to split and leave one Bde in place as covering forces and to retreat with the other brigades and the supporting elements to Magwe and Mandalay, where a quick retreat towards Moulmein will be possible if necessary.

In Northern Burma. three Thai divisions and a IJA garrison brigade have been ordered to defend Warazup, Mytkyina, Katha and Bhamo to the death. A fourth Thai division will defend Lashio in Eastern Burma. One IJA Bde in front of Paoshan will remain in place as well, to block the Burma / Ledo Roads for as long as possible.

The other IJA units - one ID and three Regiments of an incomplete division - guarding the Chindwin between Mandalay and Mytkyina have been ordered to abandon the line and to move to Rangoon, where they will join another incomplete division to secure the Rabaul - Moulmein - Tavoy area. The incomplete units will re-unite with their missing recon, engineer and arty elements which have been serving in China resp. got activated recently in Korea - they will be rushed to Singers in the coming days and then will either move to Rangoon by ship or by rail / road via Bangkok - that depends on the outcome of the carrier battle that seems to be inevitable.

The Allied dogs are enjoying their free reign in the Indian Ocean. Since Port Blair is already able to provide CAP - the Allied engineers have repaired and extended the airstrip to size 2 in a matter of hours - the Allied CVs have left covering positions near Port Blair and have gone south on a sight-seeing tour off Northern Sumatra (naval search reports between 9 and 15 carriers - this cannot be true, but apparently all available Allied fleet carriers are present). This was another surprise, from past experiences with the behavior of the enemy CIC I would have expected a more prudent approach (the lesson of the Truk raid has been forgotten, it seems...). In the past two days Allied carrier strikes have attacked two convoys of small tankers and small freighters respectively at Medan, sinking everything but a DD. They have also hit the oil production, causing 87 points of damage. No air defense in place - the Medan base forces and AA units have been strat-moved to reinforce Sabang two turns earlier... These forces will double-back, but in the meantime two fighter groups rushed to Medan will have to do emergency CAP without AV support. Local commanders are grumbling about inept High Command and its stupid orders...

Well, High Command has ordered reinforcements from all over the Empire to concentrate at Singers, with the hope of a counter-offensive in mind. Port Blair puts Palembang in heavy bomber range - it must be suppressed and retaken if possible.

Combined Fleet has finished business in the Darwin area, covering the withdrawal of the main elements of the Darwin garrison to Koepang. Some air raids and bombardments have been conducted against Bathurst Island in order to suppress the airfield and to provide some training to carrier aviators - however, with enemy CAP already in place, the carrier strikes have not been milk runs. KB will have to replenish sorties, airframes and pilots at Singers before facing the Allied Death Star - if the carriers get to Singers. According to air ASW, the area between Koepang and Sorabaja is alive with enemy subs... In this context I should report that CV Hiyo has arrived at Singers under heavy escort at the beginning of the month and the shipyard is busy fixing 8 points sys damage and 57 point of major floatation damage - will take 5 months.

Air groups from as far as Rabaul and the Home Islands have received orders to transfer in the direction of Rangoon, convoys are busy picking-up base forces no longer needed at the vacant airstrips in order to provide AV support in the new battle zone. Supply convoys have been redirected to Bangkok and Singers. All this will of course further weaken the defenses of Port Hedland, Darwin and the Solomons / PNG area - but Japan has no choice, it cannot be strong everywhere.

Speaking of the other areas:

At Port Hedland it is calm, just sweeps sparing with CAP over Coruna Downs, with a dozen Oscars IIb being downed by P-40Ks for nothing to show for. The groups engaged cannot upgrade to armoured Oscar IIIs due to PDU off - and a lack of Oscar III airframes in the pools (I'm building 240 or so a month but it will take months to produce enough to upgrade all groups).

In the Solomons, Buin has been invaded and captured with ease, only a small Naval Guard unit defending. At Torokina a third of the Imperial Guards division is waiting behind level-4 forts - but as stated above, I start to lose faith in fortifications. Enemy air activity is heavy, and I see no point in contesting the skies over my frontline bases - against Corsairs, my Zeroes would only serve as cannon-fodder. Sometimes PDU off is a curse, I did stop the production of George because at the moment only one air group can actually use it. Worse for the Jack - I have R&D it into production, just to realize that there is no unit in sight that is allowed to fly it *Grump*.

In the Marshalls, Ailinglaplap has been lost as well, Ed is grabbing the atolls one by one with heavy LBA support, cruiser bombardments and what appears to be CVE cover. I hope he will not dare to attack Ponape, Truk or the Marianas without fleet CV cover - so as long as the main CV fleet is engaged in the IO, the CentPac should be "safe". I am hard-pressed to accumulate PPs to buy-out divisions from Kwangtung Army to garrison the Marianas. I have four divisions sitting at Port Arthur, fully prepped for the main Marianas bases, waiting to be transferred. But somehow there is always a more pressing need to spend PPs for this or that - restricted air units must be purchased because only them are permitted by PDU off to fly the latest airframes, destroyed LCUs need to be bought back, division elements of infantry units bought-out earlier becoming available, leader changes, base HQ changes etc. ...

The enemy cruiser SAG operating in the North Pacific has disappeared - apparently fearing my cruiser SAG patrolling in the Kuriles area. Transport planes are busy lifting restricted infantry elements to the Kuriles Islands - I have changed the HQ the outermost bases are belonging to (this is cheaper in PP terms than buying-out the LCUs).

In China, the usual bombing and bombardment of Chungking and bombardment of Changsha, the combined mass of Combat Eng units is marching towards the capital.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Latest turn received - good news for immediate press release:

The fighters I have sent to Medan despite temporary absence of AV support at this base have done great.

Units engaged:

251 KU S-1 with 45 A6M5, avg exp 67
253 Ku S-1 with 36 A6M5, avg exp 66
Yokosuka Ku S-2 with 36 N1K1-J, avg exp 79

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jun 19, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 47 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 64
N1K1-J George x 34

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 26

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 12 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 55
N1K1-J George x 34

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 40
SBD-3 Dauntless x 83
TBF-1 Avenger x 54

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 3 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 9 destroyed, 5 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

Oil hits 20

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 48
N1K1-J George x 31

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged

Oil hits 7

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 34
N1K1-J George x 13

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 21
SBD-3 Dauntless x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 4 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 17 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 14
N1K1-J George x 9

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 11
TBF-1 Avenger x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 10 destroyed, 5 damaged

Oil hits 7

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jun 20, 43
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 43
N1K1-J George x 34

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 34
SBD-3 Dauntless x 75
TBF-1 Avenger x 64

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 7 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 8 destroyed, 5 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 8 destroyed, 6 damaged

Oil hits 15

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 24
N1K1-J George x 12

Allied aircraft
Martlet IV x 2
F6F-3 Hellcat x 4
SBD-3 Dauntless x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 3 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 22
N1K1-J George x 12

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 7
TBF-1 Avenger x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 4 destroyed


Totals:

27 Hellcats
37 Dauntless
30 Avengers
vs.
3 Zeros
3 Georges

Banzai!

OK, the oil hits still hurt a lot, but I have seen so many lopsided results in the air in favour of the Allies that this loss ratio really lifts morale.

After this carnage, Ed has been entitled to have some good luck:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Sinabang at 40,75

Japanese Ships
SS I-27, hits 9, heavy damage > survived with 65 float dmg

Allied Ships
CV Saratoga
BB South Dakota
CA Wichita
CA Portland
CL Montpelier
CLAA Atlanta
DD LaVallette
DD Lamson
DD Caldwell
DD Barton
DD Farenholt

SS I-27 launches 6 torpedoes at CV Saratoga > all missed! [:(]
DD Lamson fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Caldwell fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Barton fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Farenholt fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Farenholt fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Farenholt attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Hi Pax, it is the first time I play into 1943 with PDU off, and I have no clue how many future reinforcement air groups will upgrade to what plane model - so planing future builds is difficult for me. However, being largely clueless might reflect historical realities for the Japanese side - being a "historic style" player, this adds "flavor" to the game [:)]. I plan to switch the Ha-60 engines to Ha-45 when the early Judies and Tonies switch to the models with other engines. The need for Ha-35 will diminish with a number of Zero and Oscar groups switching to Franks, Jacks and Georges. Big drop in the need for Ha-35 expected when the A6M8 enters service. So first some and then most Ha-35 factories will convert to Ha-32/Ha-33. Btw, my production screenshot is from Dec 1942 - in the meantime I have stockpiled a thousand Ha-45 engines. There is only one George-1 group on the map and no reinforcements coming for months, so only one George-1 factory is using the Ha-45 at the moment - and it has been turned off after the pools reached 40 planes. So for this engine, I have a buffer. I admit that the engine management is an aspect of the game I do not relish...

Don't over think it if you don't have a plan. The truth is that you will be using mostly A6M and Ki-43 the whole game. Yes, some few groups do upgrade to other models, but few and then most of those have sequences to be followed which delay the date.

So, build your best pre-war models, don't over spend on RnD as the pay back is slim.

You will fly:
Ki-21 Sally
Ki-43 Oscar
Ki-46 Dinah

You can use the Ki-21-Ic model to upgrade a lot of groups from 1E to 2E bombers without PP's ... do so.
Then a whole lot of other models. Build and upgrade as they come along. But really you want to get to the Ki43 IV ASAP. and the final Sally/Dinah's as well.
Dinah is REALLY GOOD.

On the IJN side, A6M, G3M (I'm not a fan of G4M, but not a lot of difference). Good news is that almost ALL the groups will upgrade once better planes are available.
Meaning D3A -> D4Y, B5N -> B6N, A6M -> A7M. so researching these makes sense as opposed the IJA side.

Almost all float groups will upgrade to Jake, do so and only build it and Glen for subs.

Mavis -> Emily

The rest of the models are like the IJA, some groups upgrade, others not, timing is terrible.

As I say, if you don't have a plan, then use the above. Only 4 models to RnD ... simple. The others, build a couple of factories each, let them arrive when they do.
A very few like Frank, eventually, you will be able to convert enough groups to need maybe 4x30 factories ... eventually. Most though are just 1x30 or maybe 2x30 because so few groups will upgrade.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

I plan to switch the Ha-60 engines to Ha-45 when the early Judies and Tonies switch to the models with other engines. The need for Ha-35 will diminish with a number of Zero and Oscar groups switching to Franks, Jacks and Georges. Big drop in the need for Ha-35 expected when the A6M8 enters service. So first some and then most Ha-35 factories will convert to Ha-32/Ha-33. Btw, my production screenshot is from Dec 1942 - in the meantime I have stockpiled a thousand Ha-45 engines. There is only one George-1 group on the map and no reinforcements coming for months, so only one George-1 factory is using the Ha-45 at the moment - and it has been turned off after the pools reached 40 planes. So for this engine, I have a buffer. I admit that the engine management is an aspect of the game I do not relish...

Switching factories is very expensive, my plans never have a factory switch after 8dec41. At this point, just try to minimize the switching.
Rationale: 1000 supply for every factory that you switch is wasted because you didn't build it right the first time ....

Remember: Tony and George will never be huge runners in PDU OFF. There is only a few groups that can use them. Frank is a big user, but not until really late game ... mid '45 and beyond.
A fair number of groups are stuck as Nate until '45 when they finally will upgrade. See my earlier post with more thoughts on aircraft ...

[PaxMondo]

Another thought: I stop at A6M3a (CV units) and A6M5b (LBA units).

I don't build A6M8 for two reasons:
1. engine change is too expensive for what is obtained.
2. range is too short to be of value. Can only do max range CV strike with DT's.

After ~6/42 I hardly care about pilots losses, my training replaces them at a far faster pace.
A6M DUR is so low, armor doesn't help much for losses.
A6M5b has better ARM and range and matches or exceeds A6M8 on everything except armor.
A6M3a is best range fighter IJN has ... offensive fighter

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget


Totals:

27 Hellcats
37 Dauntless
30 Avengers
vs.
3 Zeros
3 Georges

Banzai!

George and A6M5 are good combo defensively. you'll wish you have more George, but use them just the way you did here; 2 A6M5 : 1 N1K1.
You'll have 2 more N1K1 groups shortly if you don't already, then you get 2 more a bit later for a total of 5. I think there are yet two more after that in 45 or so.
I haven't looked at a PDU OFF game in a long time, so this is all from memory.
Anyway, each N1K1 allows you to create a 3 group 'pod' of killers with 2 A6M5 groups. These can handle F6F handily, most everything else ok, and only struggle against TBolts.