Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

The J2M2 is not better than the Tojo IIc, but as mentioned above, it is a lot better for LBA than the planes it replaces, the A6M5, usually. The service rating sucks, but the J2M3 is great with service 2 and comes sooner than the second gen George.

The J2M2-3 are not better than the N1K1-2, but the service 2 coming sooner is big, and the climb rate is fantastic. In stock it's also got that extra bit of speed which helps immensely against the best Allied fighters.

Build both. Try them out. See what you like. For my needs I like both.

Right now, I am thinking I will totally skip the Jack line. George and then Sam for land based naval defense. I should get the Sam-J a year early I think.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert

The J2M2 is not better than the Tojo IIc, but as mentioned above, it is a lot better for LBA than the planes it replaces, the A6M5, usually. The service rating sucks, but the J2M3 is great with service 2 and comes sooner than the second gen George.

The J2M2-3 are not better than the N1K1-2, but the service 2 coming sooner is big, and the climb rate is fantastic. In stock it's also got that extra bit of speed which helps immensely against the best Allied fighters.

Build both. Try them out. See what you like. For my needs I like both.

Right now, I am thinking I will totally skip the Jack line. George and then Sam for land based naval defense. I should get the Sam-J a year early I think.

Is the Sam-J better than the basic Sam? Slightly faster, worse climb and maneuver, 30mm instead of 20mm cannon. Depends a bit how the game handles the UP-mounted cannon in fighter versus fighter combat.

Are you researching the Shinden at all?

[Lowpe]

Upcoming turn goodness:

Air raid on Mili....100 fighters sweeping, 70 bombers hitting the airfield hoping to get some of those long range recon planes there. The air base is only size 2, so hopefully it will be a good raid.

Bigger IJA bombardment at Prome. This could be nasty for me.

Submarine swarm off Calcutta. Haven't done this in a while, and Allies are using Calcutta to ship supplies to Akyab. His ASW search is weak here, strong near Akyab.

Lots of planes in Burma on naval attack. I dangled the CA force, and normally Allies respond with trying to protect Akyab with something. Sent Lilly IIbs to Car Nicobar which might surprise him. It is nice, able to fly out of a level 2 air field --- chose 11 hex range.[:)] Wouldn't it be sweet to surprise his British carriers floating around here...although how good the 100 kg SAP bombs will be on an armored flight deck?

Other than that building up the Kuriles, expanded search there as well and I transferred one of the islands over to the General Reserve.

Marianas & Bonins are being built up continuously.

I need to find a home for the KB away from his prying eyes. Ulithi maybe? Guam? I fear it is so far back as to take it out of the defense of the Marshalls.

I would like to do some strategic bombing, but I am afraid of opening up that can of worms since the Allies haven't done much of it at all. As long as Magwe is still pumping oil, I can't really afford to use that particular tool. I have almost 3 million oil!

I moved some fighters to Lanchow and AA is on the way there as well. It probably is a good base for high SR planes like the Tony...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery
Is the Sam-J better than the basic Sam? Slightly faster, worse climb and maneuver, 30mm instead of 20mm cannon. Depends a bit how the game handles the UP-mounted cannon in fighter versus fighter combat.

Are you researching the Shinden at all?

Sam J -- I chose it because it is a bomber killer. It can really shred 4Es. Plus I am hoping the Ki202 will keep the enemy fighters busy. If I can protect the HI until late 44, there should be literally a ton of Ki202s.

No Shinden. I like it a lot, but wanted to try some different end war planes, plus I wanted to go big with very few frames at the end. Not realistic, I know, but then neither is the endgame.[:)]

[Lowpe]

March 4, 1943

Night bombing by IJA ineffective. Flak downs a bomber over Burma.

However, during the day a very good showing the Empire. The Lilly IIb struts their stuff,
notching another cargo ship (not the British CV I was hoping for), while Zeroes outnumber some Allied fighters near Prome.[:)]

In the Marshalls, Mili is swept to no resistance, and the airfields bombed, but no long range recon planes are damaged.[:(]

[Lowpe]

Well, well, well!

The poor Hermes is out of drydock...we last roughed her up with some shells from a battleship off northern Oz.

How this ship, sailing around with one escort, has managed to avoid being attacked and sunk by Betties is a testament to advanced weather and monsoons.

Anyhow, her days might be numbered now. Hopefully she has 40-80 percent flooding damage and is moving slow.

My Cruiser forces in undetected and subs will swarm the area. Where do you think she will head for?

[Lowpe]

Finally, the bombardment at Prome. I lost 3 lcu VP, while the Allies lost 7. Granted there was some losses in China and probably elsewhere too for the Allies.

I will keep it up as long as the supply gets to Prome!

[Lowpe]

Burma -- big picture.

Hermes will be tough to catch I think...even a full speed run by the Cruiser force would be very risky...getting real close to Allied air power at Madras.

15 P40K and Hurricanes downed for 3 Zeroes and 2 Tojo. Good day in Burma.

[JocMeister]

I think your opponent is in trouble. Looks like he has realized that too and started pulling some units from Prome to guard his flank. Now I wonder if he has enough to stop you. Any idea on what he has at Akyab?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I think your opponent is in trouble. Looks like he has realized that too and started pulling some units from Prome to guard his flank. Now I wonder if he has enough to stop you. Any idea on what he has at Akyab?

9 units, 19,000 men, 131 guns, 61 afvs. Akyab still damaged from the bombardments from a week ago.

[Lowpe]

I am sending 4 heavy cruisers and 6 destroyers after Hermes is a leisurely way. I have to be a little careful with fuel management and also enemy forces. If they find her, great, if not, maybe the subs will finish her off. With only one escort there is a good chance of that I think.

I am starting to encounter a drain on supplies in Burma, no bombardment at Pegu today, and I have to fly some of the fighters out of Burma to draw reinforcements. I am increasing the shipment of supplies to the theater from both DEI and HI. I am loathe to send supplies out of the HI...but have to do it. The prize is too great!

I am pretty impressed with how fast 14 size 30 factories repair for the KI-202. I never really ever went past 5 factories before in r&d, and have come to the conclusion that if the plane actually works it is a rather cheesey tactic (although it does come with a pretty hefty cost and sacrifice). I probably will feel differently in June of 45 if I get there.[:D]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
9 units, 19,000 men, 131 guns, 61 afvs. Akyab still damaged from the bombardments from a week ago.

That shouldn´t pose a problem for you. [:)] Sounds like very little combat troops. I wonder if its a full retreat from Prome or he is just sending a portion of the units back...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
9 units, 19,000 men, 131 guns, 61 afvs. Akyab still damaged from the bombardments from a week ago.

That shouldn´t pose a problem for you. [:)] Sounds like very little combat troops. I wonder if its a full retreat from Prome or he is just sending a portion of the units back...

Tiemanj seems to throw everything forward and is probably only retreating a heavily damaged unit or two. Other troops are still headed to Prome.

My worry is bombers...if my fighters fail in their duty it could get ugly fast as he has no worry about flying 4e on ground attack at 6000 feet.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Tiemanj seems to throw everything forward and is probably only retreating a heavily damaged unit or two. Other troops are still headed to Prome.

My worry is bombers...if my fighters fail in their duty it could get ugly fast as he has no worry about flying 4e on ground attack at 6000 feet.

Yeah, massed 4Es can be very nasty for ground troops. Make sure you have plenty of AA with you. That will force him upward lessening the damage. And his fighters can fail too giving you a good shot at the bombers. They are very fragile without fighter cover and you can down them in good numbers. One good day is all it takes to blow through a month worth of replacements. [:)]

[Lowpe]

March 5, 1943

No night bombing.

My guess about enemy surface ships out and about in the Bay of Bengal prove true.

Nells do great work, although a third torpedo hits and doesn't detonate. Shame.

[Lowpe]

Allied bombers hit the Magwe push...once again the A6M5c really proves its worth as a bomber killer.

But the waves keep coming, and eventually the fighters are worn out and retire to the officers club. Just in time for the Lightning sweeps. Pity, that.[:D]

[Lowpe]

Unfortunately a bad weather comes in and the Nells are unable to locate the Prince of Wales in the afternoon due to weather.

Plane losses for the day...

[Lowpe]

Looks like Hermes can make 3 hexes...

I will move up 70 more Betties, and we will if the IJN cruiser force can close in on those Battleships and light cruisers. Hopefully he is very light in destroyer escorts and those torpedoes can really hit him hard.

I also am moving Lilly IIb dive bombers to Ramree, where they will get an escort of Oscar. 11 hex range from Ramree, might be a surprise.

In a divergent move, I put some Emilies on naval attack 30 hex range...see if they get a shot.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister
Yeah, massed 4Es can be very nasty for ground troops. Make sure you have plenty of AA with you. That will force him upward lessening the damage. And his fighters can fail too giving you a good shot at the bombers. They are very fragile without fighter cover and you can down them in good numbers. One good day is all it takes to blow through a month worth of replacements. [:)]

I just bought out some cheapo machine cannon AA units for Burma. They are good to 6200 feet I think...

I need better army planes to bring down fighters...Nicks are good for that, I have been using lots of Nicks in China against the air force there. But it has been quiet there lately, so back to Burma for them.

[Lowpe]

March 6, 1943

No night bombing.

No night surface engagements. Prince of Wales and Hermes have escaped, pretty much with the POW making a full speed run to Madras -- subs will get one shot tonight.

Lightnings sweep Prome, prior to the bombers arriving. I lose a little less than double the Lightning losses which I will take. Bombers don't do that much damage,thanks to the flak being fully present. The bombing is slowing the infantry to 3 miles a day, while the artillery is in move mode doing double that (except for the AA).