Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: obvert

Looks to be getting some great luck in the repair department as well. My Ki-83, SAM and Ki-84b didn't get going until 2-4/44. I guess more factories mean some are more likely to repair more quickly?

All bases in Japan that have R&D factory from first days of war having at lest 10k supplies.
I always think that R&D factories repairing the same as normal factories so they need 10k+ supplies to repair, only if they build or not was random. I still don`t know if that is true but i seen no reason to risk that factory will want to repair and i will not have enough supplies in base to repair them.
Also all factories are size 30 (with few exceptions because they start bigger). I read in many topics on forum that 30 size is optimal to repair time and after repair with numbers of points produced.

For the bases in Japan I had all bases with industry, factories or R n D at 12-15k+ supplies from day 2 of the war. There were only a few moments of supply shortages in 42 when they were not at those limits. All of my factories are also size 30.

So why are some of yours nearly repaired in mid-43 when mine took until 2-4/44 under the same conditions? I read Damien (I think) talking about how he sets up a bunch of R n D for the plane he wants the most and then looks to see which repair more quickly, then switches the slower ones to another plane and does it again until he finds the quickest for each plane. I guess with more factories you're more likely to have some that just for whatever chance reason repair faster, or maybe there is a hidden part in the code that says the more you invest in the same airframe the more likely factories with that airframe will repair.

I didn't want planes to come a year ahead anyway, as that seems pretty silly in some cases in terms of balance, but I'm not a 'historical' player either, so somewhere less than that seems okay. I'm not upset with how my R n D is going right now, as the Sam should be 8-10 months early, the Ki-83 should be 7-9 months early, and the Frank 'b' should be 6-7 months ahead of schedule. The Ki-100 would be my 'silly' plane, probably pushed up 10-12 months, but that is not a game changer so I don't feel too bad about it. [;)]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: obvert

Looks to be getting some great luck in the repair department as well. My Ki-83, SAM and Ki-84b didn't get going until 2-4/44. I guess more factories mean some are more likely to repair more quickly?

All bases in Japan that have R&D factory from first days of war having at lest 10k supplies.
I always think that R&D factories repairing the same as normal factories so they need 10k+ supplies to repair, only if they build or not was random. I still don`t know if that is true but i seen no reason to risk that factory will want to repair and i will not have enough supplies in base to repair them.
Also all factories are size 30 (with few exceptions because they start bigger). I read in many topics on forum that 30 size is optimal to repair time and after repair with numbers of points produced.

For the bases in Japan I had all bases with industry, factories or R n D at 12-15k+ supplies from day 2 of the war. There were only a few moments of supply shortages in 42 when they were not at those limits. All of my factories are also size 30.

So why are some of yours nearly repaired in mid-43 when mine took until 2-4/44 under the same conditions? I read Damien (I think) talking about how he sets up a bunch of R n D for the plane he wants the most and then looks to see which repair more quickly, then switches the slower ones to another plane and does it again until he finds the quickest for each plane. I guess with more factories you're more likely to have some that just for whatever chance reason repair faster, or maybe there is a hidden part in the code that says the more you invest in the same airframe the more likely factories with that airframe will repair.

I didn't want planes to come a year ahead anyway, as that seems pretty silly in some cases in terms of balance, but I'm not a 'historical' player either, so somewhere less than that seems okay. I'm not upset with how my R n D is going right now, as the Sam should be 8-10 months early, the Ki-83 should be 7-9 months early, and the Frank 'b' should be 6-7 months ahead of schedule. The Ki-100 would be my 'silly' plane, probably pushed up 10-12 months, but that is not a game changer so I don't feel too bad about it. [;)]

Maybe. I need also tell that all late war planes Sam, Shinned and Ki-83 have only few R&D until late 42 when i switch some A6M and K-44 line factories to those models.
So i must say it looks that i am little lucky.

I don`t thin that accelerating K-84r 12+ month is also game balance changing. Only plane i can call balance changing is probably A7M2 and only in CV battles. And Sam, Ki-83 and Shinden will probably not accelerate more that few months for me. And still when they arrive I will be facing hordes of F4U-1D and F6F-5, P-47 that are still at least one class better planes. Not mentioning pilot Quality.

I think having those planes earlier will make game little more playable to Japan and will allow to slow down allied progress little. But game changing. I dont think so.

If i will have A7M2 or K-83 in early 43 that is different story. But it is impassible with realistic R%D

[obvert]

You know what, I was reading your numbers the other way around, as I hardly use the tracker R n D area and in game the numbers are oriented the opposite. Okay. Yes, you won't get those very early at all!

Here are my numbers from June 43, and after this I added two size 30 factories to the Shinden and another 1-2 for the Frank 'b.' You should be fine and get these early, but not crazy early. A full list of my R n D at that time is on page 35 about halfway down.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2953587&mpage=35&key=

[koniu]

6 June 43

Never Ever anchor ships in range of enemy bombers!!!!

Morning Air attack on Lomblen , at 68,113

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 25
B-17D Fortress x 11

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma, Bomb hits 1
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 15, heavy fires
CA Kako, Bomb hits 1
CA Suzuya, Bomb hits 1

Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

I was very lucky. Only BB Yamashiro take only some sys damage, lucky all cruisers are untouched. Also i was lucky because none of destroyers in port was hit

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

6 June 43

Never Ever anchor ships in range of enemy bombers!!!!

Morning Air attack on Lomblen , at 68,113

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 25
B-17D Fortress x 11

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma, Bomb hits 1
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 15, heavy fires
CA Kako, Bomb hits 1
CA Suzuya, Bomb hits 1

Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

I was very lucky. Only BB Yamashiro take some sys damage, lucky all cruisers are untouched. Also i was lucky because none of destroyers in port was hit

Ouch!

Look to return the favor. now that you have the Dinah III you can look deep and hit deep with G3M3 up to 21 hexes at full load. It's a very useful tool in this stage of the war if he's not minding his own ports.

[koniu]

Empire i little low on Battleships right now.

From 11 Battleships Empire have 3 are currently in Japan under repair. They will return to service between 50-120 days.

BB Matsu is currently 160nm north of Rabul sailing toward Truk. He is protected by huge ASW fleet. 10 DD, 6 E, ~15 PB. (~90 ASW points). Estimated time of return to service ~9 months.

Three BBs are protecting Rabaul but BB Haruna have 19 sys damage with one 15cm gun and few 25mm AA guns destroyed and need also some time in shipyard.

In DEI i have 4 BB. Only two are undamaged. Yamato is under repairs in Singer (10 more days) and after last turn BB Yamashiro will need also some repair time but it can be done in any port(no major damage and only 25mm AA gun to replace)

[koniu]

7 June 43

Burma
Almost 1100 enemy AV is marching south by jungle yellow road in cost line.
Today Japanese paratroopers that i left behind where attacked and forced to retreat south.
Japan lost 120 man allies 3x more. I will block them with 1100V (two ID and Tank Division) force in 3x terrain. I should be OK.

Two CL TF where engaged by subs between Singer and Rangoon. One is sailing to Singer for repairs. Second will replace it it Rangoon. I will use it as FT to transport supplies to Ramree Isl.

DEI
BB Yamashiro find another safe port. This time out of enemy 4E range. He will need 47 days to repair all sys damage

Salomon`s
BB Matsu is now in deep ocean. BB will not sail to Truk, to many enemy subs there. He will sail directly to Japan.


KB
I found today that i forget to rearm KB after last battle. CVs are short of TT. Two AKEs are sailing to rearm them

Rangoon AF
From today Rangoon AF is lvl 8. But still AV support in base is not doubled. I have no problem with other AFs
I created threat in tech forum.

[koniu]

8 June 43

Singer
I lost two small TKs, i am sending more ASW ships and planes to area.

Cocos Island
Docup unload some supplies in last turn. Flak again is shotting but without effect big effect.

Salomon's
Docup is doing something in Godenough Island. I will sweep tomorrow.

Burma
Last units abandon plains today. Everything except two marching units in position. There are places where i showing troop but they will arrive there in 2-3 days.
What do you think? Maybe i should retreat troops from Bhamo closer to Lashio
I think Docup is moving something ~3500-4000AV (probably there are two Chinese IDs ~800AV)) in plains and 1000AV by coast road. He have probably another 1000AV on jungle SE of Akyab and probably ~500+AV in north Burma

If You look closely You will see that some bases have 0,75xTD (tank division) It is because under one of betas there was unit rebuild bug that created 900AV Tank division.
I found that gamy to use it as one unit so i split that unit to three ~300AV regiments
I told Docup abaut that unit but he not know where he is and that i split it.

[zuluhour]

900AV Tank Div[X(] Does tech know? Whats the name of the unit, I want to check in the editor?

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

900AV Tank Div[X(] Does tech know? Whats the name of the unit, I want to check in the editor?

That units is 2nd Tank Division. Recombined he have 870AV. Divided each regiment have 290AV.
Transporting it to Burma by see was logistic nightmare. It require ~70k cargo and ~6k troop capacity and unit have stacking limit of ~25K. Loading and unloadin take few turns in lvl 8+port.

I found that bug when i recombining 3rd Tank Division. 2th TD was already recombined few days earlier so it was to late to fix it. TOE of unit is still correct but when recombining process have place game engine was doubling all squad and devices in that unit . Literally i get Tank Division for free. Of course when all those extra squads and vehicles die unit again will be normal.

Michalem fix it next day i reported it.

There You have discussion and some pictures
tm.asp?m=3199206

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It looks pretty good. I'd make him beat you at bhamo if he's contesting up there. If he starts to pile up lower down you can then retreat and pull those around to use as reserve near Lashio and Taung Gyi.

In any +2 territory with 1-2 first built he'll need a 3:1 AV advantage. You have inside lines and can shift quickly, but his bombing can disrupt some of this movement. Looks good so far and since he doesn't have too much there you should be fine for a good while. It helps there are no CVs to get an invasion safely behind you, but I'd begin thinking about solid Burma/Thai and Malayan coastal defenses as well as loading up at Sabang and northern Sumatra.

I'm sure you've already planned for this, but a level 9 base a Rangoon is great to have for shelter, and the other bases can be used to pop in and out. The rail is great, but I hardly even used the bases offrail.When you do it'll be that much more surprising. [;)]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

It looks pretty good. I'd make him beat you at bhamo if he's contesting up there. If he starts to pile up lower down you can then retreat and pull those around to use as reserve near Lashio and Taung Gyi.

In any +2 territory with 1-2 first built he'll need a 3:1 AV advantage. You have inside lines and can shift quickly, but his bombing can disrupt some of this movement. Looks good so far and since he doesn't have too much there you should be fine for a good while. It helps there are no CVs to get an invasion safely behind you, but I'd begin thinking about solid Burma/Thai and Malayan coastal defenses as well as loading up at Sabang and northern Sumatra.

I'm sure you've already planned for this, but a level 9 base a Rangoon is great to have for shelter, and the other bases can be used to pop in and out. The rail is great, but I hardly even used the bases off rail.When you do it'll be that much more surprising. [;)]

All infantry and tanks are no dug-in behind fort lvl 2 and still building. Only arty units are still at 0. Building forts for them in jungle is taking forever.

Rangoon is building AF up to 9 but it will take some time. I think something around month.

As for Malayan coastal defenses i am building all important bases from months now. Most of them have AF 5+ and fort 5+. Air HQ are in place. I only need to find some bigger units LCU to garrison. Right now only 60AV size units and base forces.

As for Sumatra. Sabang is AF 5(building) behind fort 6. I have there now 200AV and Air HQ. I am also building few support AF in central Sumatra and Malayan coast. Alsio there i need to find more LCU to send.

Docup is now limited to ~10 CVE and 2 or 3 big CV. for Next few months, before more Esexx clas CV, CVL, and CVE arrive he will not be able to land there.

I have mini KB in Singer and in few weeks KB will be re based toward DEI so i will be able to react to invasion in max 3-4 days from detection. I have tight Naval search of H8K and G3M3 Probably ~100 or more. So i should see invasion 2-3 days before landing.


Right now i think Docup will focus on land path in Burma and he will slowly move north in Salomon's. Maybe small scale invasions in South DEI. Later this Year of in early 44 he again will be able to do major sea invasions.

[obvert]

Yep.

You get a lot of smaller Chinese brigades soon that make good garrisons. Once built up they're around 160-200 AV and not expensive to buy out.

[koniu]

9 June 43

Singer
Im lost another small TK. ASW in place and tommarow all TK Tf will have extra ASW escvort.
I look that Docup is changing sub tactic. First time from game begininin he strt hunting in Singer area.

China
Japanese tanks again win battle. Another Chinese Corps is out of action for long time.

Ground combat at Kungchang (81,36)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 16131 troops, 177 guns, 770 vehicles, Assault Value = 659

Defending force 5319 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 212

Japanese adjusted assault: 552

Allied adjusted defense: 19

Japanese assault odds: 29 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
218 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
961 casualties reported
Squads: 71 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 34 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Units retreated 1

IJN resize
I am reading Greyjoy and Q-Ball ARR and discussion that start about units resizing.
I am also resize few squadrons. 2 DB and 2 TB are currently size 72 but they are strictly used as training groups in Japan.
I have also resize 3 fighter units. 1 is training unit in Japan, two are combat units.
One is in Burma and second in Salomon's.

As for training units i dont think is gamy. of course in help with numbers of pilots i can train but should not have impact on game balance at lest not much.

As for 2 combat units i resized.I newer use them for sweeps and they are divided in 24 size sub units and they operating from separate AFs. I do that mostly because i still have problem with LBA navy fighter groups. With untouched KB almost all groups need to be on CV deck or close enough to KB to be able to transfer on CV in one turn. So i have not enough planes to use as LBA.

In total that only give extra 27 combat planes in Burma and 27 combat planes in Salomon's. Not game changing i think. And ability to train extra 50-70 fighter pilots and 200-250 bomber/torpedo pilots.

[obvert]

The training question is interesting. The Allies can also change the float planes to DB and TB groups, and even without that could use them to train naval bombing, sweep, recon or search.

Some leeway has to be given as to how the game is going. If the Japanese have been successful, they have the extra HI/resources to do some more things with the air forces. I just think it's gets unfair when over normal sized units are used in combat as in any condition it provides some advantage.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

The training question is interesting. The Allies can also change the float planes to DB and TB groups, and even without that could use them to train naval bombing, sweep, recon or search.

Some leeway has to be given as to how the game is going. If the Japanese have been successful, they have the extra HI/resources to do some more things with the air forces. I just think it's gets unfair when over normal sized units are used in combat as in any condition it provides some advantage.

Right now i will not change it. If 54 extra front line fighters is number that is stooping allies from victory that will mean i am in better situation that i think.
I will newer use them as 72 size group but as 3x24 size.
I have good economy. KB is intact, pilot pools are much better that Japan had in RL allies are far behind time table. I think Japan can afford some extra planes in service as long they are not use in "play game engine" style. So no 72 planes sweeps.

Docup newer complain about that problem. It is only 27+27 extra planes so 5% of planes i have in Burma and 7% in Salomon's. If Docup ask me about that i will tell him true and if he will want i will downsize but right now i will play as it is.

The same for training groups, I will newer use them in combat. And i don`t think they will be needed combat until `45 but until then and i will slowly downsize them together with those combat units to normal size and also i will not resize new units.

[koniu]

Biggest unit in Japanese OOB [:D]
Arriving in 13 October 1944

[obvert]

Wow! Looking forward to that one!!!

97 sweeping Ki-83 anyone?[:D]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Wow! Looking forward to that one!!!

97 sweeping Ki-83 anyone?[:D]

Bad news it withdrawal date is May `45. It will cost 388 PP to buy that unit outside Japan

I find some info about that unit
http://200thsentai.com/history.html

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: obvert

Wow! Looking forward to that one!!!

97 sweeping Ki-83 anyone?[:D]

Bad news it withdrawal date is May `45. It will cost 388 PP to buy that unit outside Japan

I find some info about that unit
http://200thsentai.com/history.html

Interesting history. According to that it should be an unrestricted unit, having gone to the Philipines in 44. It was also never disbanded, apparently, only depleted. In this game where plane production, timeline and other factors are not the same, it's too bad it is forced to withdraw so late and yet before many players capitulate.