Castles in the Sand - Spidery(J) vs MrKane(A) no MrKane please

[Spidery]

November 16th 1943

2 YO boats try to sneak into Palembang and pick up some fuel but are sunk by dive bombers.

Otherwise quiet.

P1Y2 to 1/44.

[Spidery]

November 17th 1943

Allies return to Palembang, now undefended, and flatten the airfield. 6 damaged Franks on the field are destroyed and 2 Liberators downed by flak.

Damaged the SS Bluefish near Hong Kong. Number of Allied subs being spotted is way down, looks like he isn't sending replacements out when they withdraw damaged.

Auto-capture is beginning to give the Allies bases on New Guinea now the defenders of Lae have withdrawn.

A task force of 10+ ships is spotted in the Bay of Bengal - it disappears the next turn so may have just been resupply to Akyab.

[Spidery]

Allied Plans

I'm not seeing any signs of a big move out of Java and I expect he will just gradually destroy the oil production he can reach. In Burma, the withdrawal continues without any significant action but there are forces moving to cut retreats if I am not careful.

Getting a lot of radio traffic at Pearl and seeing increased sub activity in the Pacific makes me expect a Pacific attack before the end of the month. However, where will he strike? In order of concerns I have:

1. Woleai, Yap, Ulithi, Babeldoab, Peleliu - base defenses here are mostly evacuees from New Guinea so a bit disorganised. Airfields aren't that big and too far apart. Forts are mostly 5 or 6. Most bases are near the stacking limit but often with shipping engineers and other units of little combat value.

2. Marcus followed by the Bonins. Bonin forts are limited to max 6 and are at that. Defenders are only at 1/2 to 2/3 of stacking limits. There are effectively no air bases here.

3. Hokkaido. Terrain allows some big Allied stacks. I have about 4 Divisions on the island and another 3 in the Kuriles that could be pulled back. Lots of good air bases but a bit short on aviation support. Most of the recent reinforcements are being sent here.

4. Marianas. If he can take this without first taking Yap or Truk I will be a bit disappointed. Forts on Rota and Tinian are at 6, on the other main islands at 7 pushing 8. Forces are at, or just above, stacking limits. As the forts reach 8 I have some more ground troops on the way to replace the engineers. Guam airfield is at 8 with 350 aviation support and has 450 mines protecting it. Supply levels are good.

[obvert]

Looks like you might be thinking about kamis sooner than later. Has he moved off of Java at all yet?

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Looks like you might be thinking about kamis sooner than later. Has he moved off of Java at all yet?

Sampit only. It does give him a base to strike at Miri/Brunei/Tarakan at range and at Samarinda/Balikpapan with force.

I'm sure Tom knows very well which bases will activate kamikazes so he will only activate them when he wants to go for broke. It is annoying that if he heads direct for Hokkaido then they can only be used after he has established a foot hold.

[Spidery]

How to sink subs?

So far this month my ASW forces reckon to have sunk 7 subs (6 with Type 2 and 1 with Type 95 Mod 2-DC). I am probably averaging 2 ASW attacks by a Type 2 DC equipped ASW vessel per day. My air ASW typically claims 4 or 5 hits per day, often from D4Y4, so with 500kg bombs.

However, looking at the VP information, I think I have sunk a total of zero subs[:(].

So how do I sink subs?

It seems that if there are multiple ASW task forces in a hex then a given sub will only be attacked by at most one of them per phase. Is it better for ASW task forces to patrol around a few hexes, react, or stay still? Note that it doesn't seem to be finding subs is the problem, it is finishing them off.

The task force leaders for ASW task forces are mostly 60+ Naval, 60+ Aggression. Ship skill varies a lot. ASW pilots have 70+ ASW skill, I typically fly them at 2000 feet.

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

How to sink subs?

So far this month my ASW forces reckon to have sunk 7 subs (6 with Type 2 and 1 with Type 95 Mod 2-DC). I am probably averaging 2 ASW attacks by a Type 2 DC equipped ASW vessel per day. My air ASW typically claims 4 or 5 hits per day, often from D4Y4, so with 500kg bombs.

However, looking at the VP information, I think I have sunk a total of zero subs[:(].

So how do I sink subs?

It seems that if there are multiple ASW task forces in a hex then a given sub will only be attacked by at most one of them per phase. Is it better for ASW task forces to patrol around a few hexes, react, or stay still? Note that it doesn't seem to be finding subs is the problem, it is finishing them off.

The task force leaders for ASW task forces are mostly 60+ Naval, 60+ Aggression. Ship skill varies a lot. ASW pilots have 70+ ASW skill, I typically fly them at 2000 feet.

Intense air ASW in a shallow hex with and ASW fleet.

[Spidery]

Intense air ASW in a shallow hex with and ASW fleet.

Well that is a problem. Apart from night-time transits into and out of the Sulu Sea, Allied subs don't spend time in shallow seas. Because of that I can, generally, route around his subs so he isn't getting many attacks on transports.

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Intense air ASW in a shallow hex with and ASW fleet.

Well that is a problem. Apart from night-time transits into and out of the Sulu Sea, Allied subs don't spend time in shallow seas. Because of that I can, generally, route around his subs so he isn't getting many attacks on transports.

The allied commander is in charge of the aggressiveness of his skippers in command. That controls how stupid they are when attacking shipping and escorts. Mr. Kane spends a lot of time on staffing so probably would be aware of this.


Your only defense is intense ASW to get detection up and your best ASW ships and crews.

I never had much of a problem as the allies in deep water.

[Lowpe]

In no particular order:

Rumor has it that there isn't much of an incremental gain in having 4 ships rather than 3 in an ASW squadron. Of course it depends a lot on the tools in those ships, but if that is equal, I have a suspicion you are better off have 2 2 ship squadrons than one 4 ship squadron.

Make sure at least one ship has surface radar. Thanks NYgiants for that one.

Try to fly really focused ASW search patterns where subs are spotted. Break a full squadron down into thirds and search that hex. You want to maximize the number of search planes in that hex. Sometimes I think you are better off flying in 4 or more squadrons and really saturating an area, than stringing four squadrons out over a large area....in essence have several squadrons that are focused on killing subs (good pilots) and move all four squadrons to areas with heavy infestations with very narrow search patterns and broken down into thirds if you can manage it.

Use Naval search during the day with long legged bombers to cover areas and spot subs...

Don't forget night naval search down low.

Check your experience levels in the ships, and you can make a really elite squadron or two.

Use your task forces on patrol, even if it is only one hex, so they react.

[Spidery]

Thank-you for all the suggestions, not sure I am doing much different.

I'll give that idea of saturating a hex a try. I have 80 or so D4Y4 parked 1 hex from one of his subs so I'll see if I can send them all at the one hex.

Mostly my hunting groups are 2 or 3 ships of similar capability including radar. I also have groups of 1 PB on 1-hex patrol over shallow seas on the way into and out of the area. One thing that I feel I should be better at is hunting down and finishing damaged subs before they can get back to a port.

For night naval search I use Jacks set at 1000 feet, or do you mean at 100 feet? The pilots on these have 70+ NavS but I do wonder if ASW is used for spotting/attacking subs even when on Naval Search, any idea?

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Thank-you for all the suggestions, not sure I am doing much different.

I'll give that idea of saturating a hex a try. I have 80 or so D4Y4 parked 1 hex from one of his subs so I'll see if I can send them all at the one hex.

Mostly my hunting groups are 2 or 3 ships of similar capability including radar. I also have groups of 1 PB on 1-hex patrol over shallow seas on the way into and out of the area. One thing that I feel I should be better at is hunting down and finishing damaged subs before they can get back to a port.

For night naval search I use Jacks set at 1000 feet, or do you mean at 100 feet? The pilots on these have 70+ NavS but I do wonder if ASW is used for spotting/attacking subs even when on Naval Search, any idea?

It is my understanding that 5000 - 6000 feet is the best sub hunting height.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery
For night naval search I use Jacks set at 1000 feet, or do you mean at 100 feet? The pilots on these have 70+ NavS but I do wonder if ASW is used for spotting/attacking subs even when on Naval Search, any idea?

Jakes, I take it.

I do believe ASW is used for sub attacks aerially, but NavS is used to actually spot the critters and raise detection levels.

I do night naval search at between 2K and 6K. Haven't really noticed a difference, and I am starting to think that Naval Search the altitude is meaningless in spotting the critters, but can help you avoid being shot down in A2A if you fly max altitude. Usually not a worry at night.

[Spidery]

November 18th 1943

Allies are given free rein to attack Palembang and destroy 154 oil wells. Flak downs a single Liberator.

Try a CAP trap near Billiton. A cheap PB boat is staked out with N1K1-J on LRCAP from Billiton (range 1). 8 B-25D1 strike but with only 1 minutes warning there is no air combat, scratch 1 PB[:(]. Maybe better to use Franks with their extra speed.

N1K5-J to 7/45.

[Spidery]

November 19th 1943

Another 140 oil wells destroyed at Palembang. Not nice. 1 Liberator downed by flak.

A6M5d-S to 12/43 (the factory will be expanded now to size 40 and that will produce come start of December). Not sure how this will perform but at least it can be based on some of the smaller airfields such as Miri.

Ki-83 to 9/45 (good, this will accelerate repairs for the 5 factories still repairing).

Allies lost 4 C-47 to ops this day (and have been losing transports regularly); I have no idea where he could be flying them.

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

November 19th 1943

Another 140 oil wells destroyed at Palembang. Not nice. 1 Liberator downed by flak.

A6M5d-S to 12/43 (the factory will be expanded now to size 40 and that will produce come start of December). Not sure how this will perform but at least it can be based on some of the smaller airfields such as Miri.

Ki-83 to 9/45 (good, this will accelerate repairs for the 5 factories still repairing).

Allies lost 4 C-47 to ops this day (and have been losing transports regularly); I have no idea where he could be flying them.

Allies lose C-47's getting up in the morning. I wonder about the loss mechanism on transports. But it is what it is. You lose a ton to ops.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr
Allies lose C-47's getting up in the morning. I wonder about the loss mechanism on transports. But it is what it is. You lose a ton to ops.

+1.

Do you train them in transport before using? Curious.

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Wargmr
Allies lose C-47's getting up in the morning. I wonder about the loss mechanism on transports. But it is what it is. You lose a ton to ops.

+1.

Do you train them in transport before using? Curious.

I will be focusing much more on this in game 2 and will then have a comparison.

Also, is the air skill necessary for anyone other than fighter pilots? I would think everyone should know how to fly a plane...

[Spidery]

Do you train them in transport before using? Curious.

I have been training the IJA pilots in transport but not so much with the IJN pilots. So far I have lost 153 IJA and 112 IJN transport planes to ops losses (Allies have lost 355). Given the relative number of active planes from the two types and the longer distances the IJN ones fly I think this suggests little benefit.

What I expect would make a difference is experience but how do you get transport pilots with good experience?

[Spidery]

Allies lose C-47's getting up in the morning. I wonder about the loss mechanism on transports. But it is what it is. You lose a ton to ops.

Historically, pretty accurate.