Forlorn Hopes: The Japanese Respond

[John 3rd]

Thank you Sir.  I always appreciate catching a positive comment or two.  Doing an AAR isn't easy and can become work.  Keep in mind how Cuttlefish must feel with his magnificent work.  What I try to do in relaying the action is nothing compared to his achievement.

Dan and I are slowing our play today and tomorrow due to his celebration of the holidays.  I am forced to live apart from my beautiful sons and wife so I LIVE for a turn!

Thanks Again.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
April 23-29, 1944

No major action for this period but a lot of contact and a definate build-up to something.  I can feel major events just over the horizon and don't have aclue as to what or where they are or will be. 

North Pacific
Paramushiro Jima
The Americans hit this base everyday with 4-5 Battleships as their troops work to occupy the island.  A Deliberate Attack is held off by the defenders on the 24th but the base falls on the 28th.  The remaining troops will hold on as long as possible to keep the Americans occupied.  There will be no major losses from this island falling.  The 2 Brigades that formed the backbone of the defense (6th/9th) had about 1,000 troops pulled out by aircraft transports just prior to the landing.

Shikuka, Sakhalin
YIKES.  The Americans have built the AF up to Sz-8 and there are now at least 250 4EB (including nearly 100 B-29) operating from there.  Scary...

Central Pacific
Maleolap
The Japanese CV refuel for the final time before setting out for combat on the 29th. 

Eniwetok
Surprisingly the Americans pull away (due North) from Einwetok that same day.  This might be interesting.  About 50% of the Landing Fleet remains at the base and I will probably focus my attack here.  There are at least 8-10 CVE in the force elaving Eniwetok and they MIGHT turn to face my CVs.  I doubt that but we'll see.

Wake
This base is AF-5 and it is crammed with 240 planes.  I set the Attack Planes (60 Kamikaze/50 Frances/60 Torpedo Bombers) to attack at range 6.  This is the maximum range with my 80 Fighters providing cover.  Floowing advice from Nemo earlier, I set the 2 Daitai of Kamikazes to opposite extremes.  One flies at 1,000 Ft and the other at 25,000 feet.  I hope to split up the CAP this way so my bombers can bore in.  50-50 as to whether the Americans continue North into range.

Kwajalein/Truk
Nearly 500 planes sit at these two AF waiting orders. 

Palau
I have gathered a fairly substantial TF of repaired ships from the Home Islands (2 CA, 2 CL, 10 DD) and sent them here on the 27th from Nagasaki.  At the same time I order the servicable ships at Singapore to head for Palau too.  A TF of 2 CA and 9 DD leave for the rendezvous.  CV Taiho and Shokaku with 5 DD will arrive at Palau on the 30th.  My intention is to gathered these forces and then mvoe them to Truk.  From there they will strike at Eniwetok in an effort to force the AP/AK clustered there AWAY from the island so my LBA can hit them without CAP providing protection.

Might work--might not.  It depends on whether they are still present when I get to the point of attacking.  

Inner Perimeter Reinforcements
I have a number of troops moving into place at Yap, Palau, Guam, and Truk.  If Dan is to stage another major invasion it will have to fall somewhere along the line of the Marianas and I intend to have enough troops here to make it a serious fight.  There are 6 ML laying mines as fast as possible around these islands.

South Pacific
There are several convoys picking up troops from various outposts and delivering them to new homes.  This area has been effectively abandoned for a year and now I am simply pulling out the last of the major units.

DEI
Troops pulled from Saigon and Sinagpore are filling various bases right now.  Troops are landing at Brunei, Miri, Kuching, all Java, Balikpapan, and Tarakan.  There are probably about 100,000 men that have been pulled out so far.  I want to double that within the next two weeks if possible.

SS
I have 6 ASW TF of 35-40 Strength operating under aggressive leaderships as well as 300 bombers flying ASW missions trying to hit Allied SS.  They are everywhere right now.  In the week-long period of this report I have ASW TF hit 3 SS and LBA hit another 4 SS.  No sinkings as of yet but definately a batch of damaged subs. 

Unless these SS immediately sink a ship, most of my damaged ships are making port.  The waters are so tight here that a port is usually only a day away and it makes a difference.

Convoys
25th--A large convoy of 82,000 Oil and 195,000 Resources departs Jesselton for Hiroshima
27th--Smaller convoy carrying 24,000 Oil and 65,000 Resources leaves for Nagasaki
 
Australia
I didn't think I would use this regional heading again but I stage a small CV Raid (Zuikaku and Amagi plus 5 DD) on the 28th where I sink 2 AK that were carrying elements of the 31st Aussie Brigade to Broome.  The Aussies lose 1,000 men and my pilots get a safe mission in. 

The CVs head for Palau to join-up with the rest of the concentration there.

Malaya--Indochina
Ban Don
After holding Ban Don for about 10 days, I elect to fallback to Singora.  Don't have to do this but I watch with great alarm the gathering troops strength (now 22 units) at Georgetown and cannot take the risk of these troops being cutoff if they march out and take Alor Star.  I'll hold Singora easily (Fort 8) and can retreat down the east side of the Peninsula if needed.

Aerial Fighting
The air is think with Allied aircraft hitting nearly every major base over the last week.  The only base not hit so far is Saigon.  I am lucky this way in that I couldn't pull these troops out of Singapore and Saigon if Dan was attacking the AF. 

Singapore
I face some serious panic earlier in the week when Dan starts flying P-38 Fighter Sweeps from Bankha here.  It gets pretty ugly quickly when he ties 4EB to follow-up.  My pilots do fairly well in the fighter exchange 1 for 2 roughly but do manage to really cream a Liberator raid on the 23rd.  A group of 58 Liberators fly down from Padang without Fighter support and runs into 146 Fighters!  In exchange for 3 Fighters, 36 B-24 fall and all the rest are damaged!  There hasn't been another Sweep or Raid here since then.

Home Island
The Raids continue and get far more ominous when I realize that there are now 150 B-24/B-17 and 100 B-29 flying out of Shikuka as well as 150 4EB at Iwo Jima.  Another 100 B-29 are in China hitting various targets as well.  This SHOULD be the maximum until he grabs more bases in the area (translate that to the Marianas).

Raids
I'll provide date, number of planes, where flown from, and results:
24th--Sapporo (Sakhalin) 12 F vs. 30 P-38 and 185 4EB--I lose 5 Fighters and 59 Resources
25th--Hamamatsu (Iwo Jima) 22 F vs.  138 4EB--I lose 3 F for 11 4EB (37 Damaged) and 14 Resources
29th--Hakodate (Sakhalin) 33 F vs.  52 P-38, 112 4EB, and 85 B-29--I lose 21 F 3 P-38 and 3 4EB.  Lose 29 Heavy Industry.

Hokkaido
I have turned the repair function off for everything on the island.  The fact that those DAMNED P-38 can fly Escort from Shikuka is killing me up there.


If anyone has any ideas on Home Island Defence I will GLADLY take it!  I'm doing well in the southern Home Islands but those long-range escorts are playing merry Hell with me in the north.
 

[John 3rd]

Here is a Screenshot of the Central Pacific:

[John 3rd]

Screenshot of this mess:

[John 3rd]

Continuing with the Home Islands:

[ny59giants]

Weather - Your screenshot of the Central Pacific shows rain somewhere. IF you go after his TF in this area, before you plot your moves see where the rain is. I saw it in our 2x2 cover all of Hawaii, all the Line Islands, Canton Island, and Johnson Island. You can use it if it exist to come out of it without being spotted.

For Northern Japan, I feel you are going to have to pick and chose where you imploy your CAP/LRCAP to protect whatever strategic assets you can least afford to lose. I don't what you have for subs, by you need to try to interdict his re-supply. Those 4e bombers eat it up fast. His capture of most of the Aleutians will allow his AKs to be under LRCAP for most of their journey. 

[John 3rd]

This is a cluttered screenshot but I want to show the massive redeployment going on without any sign of Allied interference:

[John 3rd]

Michael is dead right.  I am trying to use the weather front moving in to cover my approach.  I figure it might work either way.  If he sees my CVs then he may order his shipping back to Eniwetok and LBA and if he doesn't then he continues without knowing I am on a stern chase.

My SS are in terrible shape.  Less then 10 boats are repairing in Home Waters. I have about a dozen repairing in Shanghai with another dozen on patrol in the Northern Waters and the Central Pacific.  There are about 10 SS operating out of Singapore deploying mines.

I just don't see the point of keep CAP everywhere in the Home Islands.  I cannot compete against those EVIL P-38 flying out of Sakhalin.  Though it means sacrificing Hokkaido, I will be better able to concentrate my CAP in other locations that are vital to my interests. 

Anyone know the range of a P-38 on Long-Range Escort?
   

[ny59giants]

Anyone know the range of a P-38 on Long-Range Escort?

Pull up Tracker, Sir John. There is a pull down that allows you to compare plane vs plane characteristics. This will also furnish you with their ranges.

[John 3rd]

May 1, 1944
Victory Points and Economic Summary

Victory Points:
 
Score
Japan     52,972  (Up 864 Points)
Allies    47,160  (Up 4,142 Points)
 
Strategic Losses  3,148

The only good thing to say is that for the second month in a row I GAIN victory points.  I don’t know about other players but for the Japanese to have a month in 1944 where they raise their victory points seems a small victory to me.    Most of Dan’s point gain comes in the area of strategic losses so I am including that for the first time in this report.
 
Main features of the month were the continued attritional slugfest in Malaya—Sumatra—Indochina.  I’ve pulled about 100,000 troops from this area during the month and hope to pull an equal amount in May.  

The capture of Eniwetok, Umnak, and Paramushiro Jima occur too.
 
Ships Sunk

Japan   833—8,594 VP (up 457)—I lost 31 ships during April.  Considering the heavy fighting in Malaya and my withdrawal from Saigon/Singapore, I expected this to be far worse..  These were my losses:  9 AK, 2 AP, 1 MSW, 2 PC, 1 ML, 2 TK, 1 AO, 9 AG, 1 DD, BB Yamato and 1 SS. 
 
Major Japanese Vessels Sunk to Date---CV Junyo, Hiyo, Hiryu, and Katsuragi, BB Fuso, Yamashiro, Mutsu, Nagato, Musashi, and Yamato, BC Kirishima, Haruna, and Kongo, 6 CA , 14 CL, 105 DD, and 44 SS.
 
Allies    1,237---14,042 VP (up 270)---Dan also lost 31 ships for the month of April.  Exact Losses are:  14 AK, 1 LCI, CL Dauntless, 11 DD and 3 SS.

Major Allied Vessels Sunk---CVs Enterprise, Lexington, Hornet, Wasp and Intrepid, CVL Langley, 5 CVE, BBs Colorado, West Virginia, Idaho, Tennessee, Arizona, Prince of Wales, Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Mississippi, BC Renown, 15 CA, 9 CL, 98 DD, and 57 SS.
 
Manchukuo Garrison---8,238---Down 1,142---(8,000 Needed)
Political Points---3,678
 
Units Transferred: 
I am about to buy an Infantry Division out of China.
 
 
Industrial Report
Supply              1,629,669--Down almost 300,000
Fuel                1,214,707—UP 80,000
Manpower       748 (1,345,900)—Down 43,000
Heavy Industry 14,537 (328,391)—UP 20,000
Resources        15,635 (1,852,301)—Lost 646 Resources from Bombing…
Oil                 2,319 (580,870)—Lost 72 Oil Centers

Seeing real fluctuation with the Strategic Bombing.  Managed to bring in a large convoy every week and saw some improvements.  It isn’t ALL bad.
 
Shipyards
Naval             1,309 (4,192)
Merchant          981 (4)
Repair            1,511

Carriers           I slow several CVs with the realization that they will be USELESS.
Kasagi             (174 Days--Accel)
Aso                 (245 Days)
Ikoma              (254 Days)  
Ibuki               (205 Days--Accel)
 
CL Sakawa           (185 Days—Accel)

Weapons
Armament        706 (12)
Vehicles           179 (12,433)

Armaments have collapsed!.  I increased armament production by nearly 68 in Manchuria.  Vehicle Production stayed the same but my stockpile decreased by nearly 5,500.  I had a HUGE influx of new units earlier this month and am rebuilding units all through the DEI.  Will have to see what happens next month with Aramaments.
 
Aircraft
Engines             2,235
Assembly         1,805+(367-Rd)

An OK month of this area.  I shifted a good number of Tony to Tojo in preparation for Mister Frank and shifted all Frank Research into the August copy.  Engines expanded by 20.
 
Engine Production
Mitsubishi         645(55)—Need 698—1,121 in Pool
Nakajima         1,234(57)—Need 1,270---1,239 in Pool
Kawasaki         237(23)---Need 258---161 in Pool
Aichi              119(1)---Need 98---163 in Pool
 
I am running slight deficits but with the big convoys that have arrived in the Home Islands I expect to see some engine expansion during the course of the month.
 
Plane Production
Fighters            Planes/Month (in Pool)
A6M2              0 (111)
A6M3              0 (0)
A6M3a            0 (210)
Oscar             0 (142)
Oscar IIa         0 (19)
Tojo              109 (8)
Tony              0 (15)
Jack              204 (64)
A6M5c            31 (211)
A6M5              315 (298)
Oscar III         44 (14)
Ki-61 Tony      258 (9)
N1K1 George  87 (52)
Frank 1a          210-Rd (08/44)
Frank 1c          0-Rd (12/44)
A6M8              16-Rd (06/45)
 
I am simply not producing enough airframes to keep up with the fight:   

Naval fighters are reasonably OK because I am producing three main models:  Jacks (expanding—up 10), A6M5, and George (up 4 over last month).   

The Army side continues to be the problem.  I am bringing Tojo back online (up 69) and pulling back Ki-61 Tony (down 56) while the research into Frank continues to expand at a decent clip (up 39).  I am going to expand Oscar III some to try take some of the load off Tony/Tojo.
 
 
Bombers
Betty                0 (207)
Betty 2              40 (180)
Frances             111 (82)
Sally                0 (17)
Helen                122 (213)
Lily                 40 (7)
Nick-a              0 (24)
Nick-b             0 (0)
Val                  0 (358)
Kate                 0 (149)
Judy                 98 (125)
Jill                 125 (99)
Grace                2-Rd (6/44)
Randy              0-Rd (07/44)
Peggy               107-Rd (8/44)              TWO months early.
Betty 2e           32-Rd (10/44)

Frances is now in solid production replacing Betty 1 and Betty 2.  I scaled back Betty 2 and am concentrating on Frances/Betty 2E.  Helen doing better and Peggy still expanding in research.  Naval aircraft (DB/TB) are doing pretty well.  Nice all-around increase in my bomber stockpiles.

Recon/Float
Emily                20 (1)
Alf                  16 (10)
Pete                 0  (99)
Pete A               0  (14)
Rufe                 23 (76)
Glen                 0 (34)
Dinah                0 (0)
Irving-R             24 (77)
Irving-S             23 (8)
Jake                 9 (0)
Babs                 0 (0)
Dinah-3              56 (15)
C6N Myrt             24 (64)

I restarted Alf and Jake production.  I still CANNOT keep enough Emilys!  On the last day in April I add 10 more Emily to be build.  My Myrts expanded by 10 having come into production in March.  
 
Transports
Tina                  10 (0)
Sally                 0 (0)
Topsy                28 (2)
Mavis-L             0 (0)
Tabby              0 (20)

I have learned in this game just how valuable these planes are.  I will not neglect the less glamorous side of airpower in my future games.  Build MORE of these will be the motto!  
 
 

[John 3rd]

For Brian's benefit and ANYONE who might have a suggestion!

[ny59giants]

More good news for you John. [:D][:D]
A better climb rate and more maneuverable.

[John 3rd]

At least the range stays the same at 8 for escorting purposes.  I cannot believe I have to cede the Ominato--Aomori Line north to fight the 4EB! 

Who else has been in this position?  What have you done about it?  Do I have to wait until August for my Franks and them cross my fingers???

[FeurerKrieg]

That sounds like a plan. I'm not in your position yet (only in early 43) but I do my best not to tangle with P-38's unless it is 1) with my army pilots & 2) with massive numerical superiority.

Of course - the way war is we seldom get to always engage under the circumstances we would like to. [:)]

[RUPD3658]

I found that you can not win vs the escorts. In fact I sent most of my airforce to China to cover the industry outside of P-38 range.

In my game Vs KDonovan AAR The Battle for New Jersey, what I did was send out a decoy transport TF just out of P-38 range but within B-24 range. I covered this with what was left of the KB and suckered about 200 B-24s to their doom. I managed to pull this off a few times. [;)]

By the way, cancel every ship that you currently have under production. They will on get sunk and score more points for the Allies.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

For Brian's benefit and ANYONE who might have a suggestion!

you didn´t lose 60 A2A did you? can´t see the runway hits but with 39 hits on the airbase I guess there were 150+ on the runway so how much did you lose on the ground? Doesn´t mean losing 30 A2A for 2 of the enemy would be any better.

your problem was the low experience of your fighters, everything below 70 is just food for the Allied long range fighters.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

At least the range stays the same at 8 for escorting purposes.  I cannot believe I have to cede the Ominato--Aomori Line north to fight the 4EB! 

Who else has been in this position?  What have you done about it?  Do I have to wait until August for my Franks and them cross my fingers???

no! It has 11 for escorting purposes, 8 is normal range which would be max range for LRCAP. Extended range is escorting range.

[Q-Ball]

John, I am currently getting slaughtered in my late '44 Big-B game. The range of the P-38 is 11; everything within that range is endangered. Don't dock a ship or park a plane anywhere within that range.

I would echo what has been said and add:

1. You need better pilots. You should be training them into the mid-70s. It takes about a month if you are bombing Chinese troops.
2. Anything within 11 hexes of an Allied base....defend with over 200 fighters, or don't bother. You will do much better with 3-1 advantage in fighters or more.
3. I would turn off all ship production, with the exception of Subs and maybe PCs. RUPD is right; they are just points for the Allies.
4. When I do counterattack, I move planes in quickly. I set all fighters to ESCORT and all bombers to ATTACK, hoping they get off the runway before it gets plastered. Most of the time they do.

There is no way to avoid losing hundreds of aircraft a month, other than stop fighting. Even when you win, you lose. Check out my latest turn. Hundreds of aircrews lost, all units at least 73 experience, even the Kamis:

Day Air attack on TF at 22,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
N1K1-J George x 21
J2M Jack x 73
P1Y Frances x 13
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 65
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 23
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 49
Ki-84-Ia Frank x 51

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 144
Hellcat II x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 33 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 15 destroyed
J2M Jack: 47 destroyed
P1Y Frances: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 51 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 19 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 49 destroyed
Ki-84-Ia Frank: 32 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 85 destroyed
Hellcat II: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied Ships
CVL Cowpens, Kamikaze hits 2, on fire
CVL Bataan, Kamikaze hits 1, on fire
CLAA Atlanta
CV Bunker Hill
CV Enterprise

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,46

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 24

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 59
Hellcat II x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 24 destroyed


Allied Ships
CVE Suwannee, Kamikaze hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Liscome Bay
CVE Anzio

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5
J2M Jack x 7
P1Y Frances x 222
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 5
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 2
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 13
Ki-84-Ia Frank x 5

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 59
Hellcat II x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
J2M Jack: 5 destroyed
P1Y Frances: 46 destroyed, 53 damaged
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 10 destroyed
Ki-84-Ia Frank: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 6 destroyed, 21 damaged
Hellcat II: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CVE Anzio
CVE Chenango, Torpedo hits 2, Kamikaze hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Suwannee, Torpedo hits 1, Kamikaze hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Manila Bay, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Corregidor, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CL Hobart, Kamikaze hits 2
CL Enterprise
CVE Liscome Bay, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x P1Y Frances launching torpedoes at 200 feet

[John 3rd]

Brad--I see that at least you got HITS on some of the targets!  I really like the idea of an AA Trap using a decoy AK TF.  Just might try that...
 
The problem I have with training is that Dan has moved about 300 fighters into China and they appear anywhere I attack.  He is now using about 100 4EB to hit AF that show ANY planes on them.  I TRULY hate that feature of the game where anyone can see if an AF is occupied or not. 
 
Anyone got training ideas with that as a situation?
'
 

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Brad--I see that at least you got HITS on some of the targets!  I really like the idea of an AA Trap using a decoy AK TF.  Just might try that...

The problem I have with training is that Dan has moved about 300 fighters into China and they appear anywhere I attack.  He is now using about 100 4EB to hit AF that show ANY planes on them.  I TRULY hate that feature of the game where anyone can see if an AF is occupied or not. 

Anyone got training ideas with that as a situation?
'

I put a recon unit on just about every airfield that could be used offensively. That way, unless your opponent keeps track of the air balance at each airfield, he won't have a clue.