1943 Japan-- what say you! (no B. Fagan please)

[SenToku]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

They cost the same to build (33) as the other IJ subs and the Rule of Cool. The I-400s carry 3 float planes and come equipped with radars. They also have 8 tubes in the front, but that's less important than their 31000 Endurance. Yes, 31000. They can stay out forever. They also use less fuel for this Endurance (Tracker says 900 Fuel full load, compared to your other Glen subs that carry 827 Fuel to go 14000 Endurance - pretty much double the fuel efficiency).

I would argue that the other float plane boats are worth building as well, at least some of them, as you're bound to lose them throughout the war. And their recon/search abilities are very useful.

I agree with A/B/AM types (the ones with floatplanes) being usefull, but feel that I-400 is waste of resources and was just wondering if there was any special use for them that I had missed.

In my experience the planes on Sen Tokus don't get any more air time than Glens on A/B types - which means almost never. As for the Rule of Cool, that I get (as my nick states), but game wise I-400 boats have durability of smaller A/B/C type boats, but are far less agile thus being hit by every DE in game with full complement of DC's. And suberb range is hardly needed in 1944 as enemy is on the next island.

If you got extra NavSy points and want to accel some subs, I think I-201 (Sen Taka) class would be better bet. Best Mvr rating of any sub in the game and more durable than A/B/C or Sen Toku. Range limited, but 8000 is still enough to hunt anywhere in Pacific. Most importantly type can still do some damage even against heavy US ASW defences and comes with two radars. Also Ha-200 (STS type) is worth taking a look.

[leehunt27@bloomberg.net]

Strategically- I've been following the playbook from a Chickenboy recommendation: (see link http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Military ... he+pacific)

and its been working very well. That is definitely why i'd like to be sure my economy functions as the Allied counteroffensive grows. 85% of my subs are rotating off California and I've sunk at least a few dozen Allied merchant ships. I have been very conservative with choosing when and where to use my air force, and that may explain why I am "behind" on production- because I haven't used up too many planes, and haven't felt the need, yet. The KB is alive and well and a deterrent my opponent appears to take seriously.

My Empire's borders are currently similar to the historical zone, except that I took parts of New Caledonia and Luganville. The Japanese still hold them, though I've basically written off the 1,000 AV or so down there and the fleet and air force have pulled long since pulled out. Burma is under pressure with an early Allied offensive all along the jungle, so I'm spending political points to shift China-based troops out to Mandalay to try and stalemate the British. In China I've captured several thousand AV, and don't face any serious threat for a while. The DEI main bases are strong. In the central Pacific the KB (still intact) menaces any allied advance. American troops are advancing through New Guinea slowly, and I may not be able to really stop that. I've drawn my real defensive perimeter back a little bit from New Guinea so I don't make the mistakes as the Japanese historically (Guadacanal etc). Again I am following a conservative playbook, hoarding my forces and trying to make each punch count while digging in massively to the rear.

I've implemented most of the changes recommended here and in private emails so far.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: SenToku

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

They cost the same to build (33) as the other IJ subs and the Rule of Cool. The I-400s carry 3 float planes and come equipped with radars. They also have 8 tubes in the front, but that's less important than their 31000 Endurance. Yes, 31000. They can stay out forever. They also use less fuel for this Endurance (Tracker says 900 Fuel full load, compared to your other Glen subs that carry 827 Fuel to go 14000 Endurance - pretty much double the fuel efficiency).

I would argue that the other float plane boats are worth building as well, at least some of them, as you're bound to lose them throughout the war. And their recon/search abilities are very useful.

I agree with A/B/AM types (the ones with floatplanes) being usefull, but feel that I-400 is waste of resources and was just wondering if there was any special use for them that I had missed.

In my experience the planes on Sen Tokus don't get any more air time than Glens on A/B types - which means almost never. As for the Rule of Cool, that I get (as my nick states), but game wise I-400 boats have durability of smaller A/B/C type boats, but are far less agile thus being hit by every DE in game with full complement of DC's. And suberb range is hardly needed in 1944 as enemy is on the next island.

If you got extra NavSy points and want to accel some subs, I think I-201 (Sen Taka) class would be better bet. Best Mvr rating of any sub in the game and more durable than A/B/C or Sen Toku. Range limited, but 8000 is still enough to hunt anywhere in Pacific. Most importantly type can still do some damage even against heavy US ASW defences and comes with two radars. Also Ha-200 (STS type) is worth taking a look.

It is true that they are much less maneuverable, however with a capacity of 3 even if the planes don't fly as often, you should get more in the air (2 instead of 1, for example, with a setting of 50 NavS/50 Rest). Because of the same durability/maneuver 50 (instead of 57+) they definitely aren't really combat boats, but just recon. Their fuel efficiency and same durability (therefore same build time and NavSY investment) says to me that if anything, they're cheaper than A/B/AM boats.

The Ha-200...I haven't seen a Downfall-type situation yet, but that's the only place I can see where they might be useful. Next to no armament, but they do have radar...useful pickets/tripwires, maybe?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: leehunt27@bloomberg.net

Strategically- I've been following the playbook from a Chickenboy recommendation: (see link http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Military ... he+pacific)

and its been working very well. That is definitely why i'd like to be sure my economy functions as the Allied counteroffensive grows. 85% of my subs are rotating off California and I've sunk at least a few dozen Allied merchant ships. I have been very conservative with choosing when and where to use my air force, and that may explain why I am "behind" on production- because I haven't used up too many planes, and haven't felt the need, yet. The KB is alive and well and a deterrent my opponent appears to take seriously.

My Empire's borders are currently similar to the historical zone, except that I took parts of New Caledonia and Luganville. The Japanese still hold them, though I've basically written off the 1,000 AV or so down there and the fleet and air force have pulled long since pulled out. Burma is under pressure with an early Allied offensive all along the jungle, so I'm spending political points to shift China-based troops out to Mandalay to try and stalemate the British. In China I've captured several thousand AV, and don't face any serious threat for a while. The DEI main bases are strong. In the central Pacific the KB (still intact) menaces any allied advance. American troops are advancing through New Guinea slowly, and I may not be able to really stop that. I've drawn my real defensive perimeter back a little bit from New Guinea so I don't make the mistakes as the Japanese historically (Guadacanal etc). Again I am following a conservative playbook, hoarding my forces and trying to make each punch count while digging in massively to the rear.

I've implemented most of the changes recommended here and in private emails so far.

Also, if you take a look at the thread GreyJoy started on the cost to rebuild an LCU... you might want to rebuild some of that 1,000 AV. It'll cost you a pittance of PPs (less than 100), and if the unit is mostly squads, very little in the way of armaments and therefore HI. Just make sure you buy the unit out of its restricted command right away, or you'll end up paying more than the pittance.

[leehunt27@bloomberg.net]

Here's a proper screenshot of the 1943 Japanese economy from Tracker (finally got it working, thanks Damian). I think I have an HI problem, though this is my first time reading this Witp chart screen:

[Lokasenna]

You appear to have approx. 200 days until you're out of stockpiled Oil (less, really, when you consider that it isn't all where you need it) and then your excess Fuel each turn is going to drop by over 1/3. You'll have to massively curtail fleet operations, or else turn HI (and other stuff) off.

You can definitely turn off all of your armaments factories. You have plenty of points. Look at the "LCU Production" in the drop down, and go to charts. Look at the Armaments one. I bet you're way above the curve there (the blue diagonal line is your pool + production). I bet you're way under on vehicles.

Still, you could double Vehicle Pts production, cut off Armaments, and save more than 3k more HI per turn. That chart says you have ~8800 extra HI per turn, but I'm curious as to what you're actually banking. At 8800 per turn, and 23k per month for pilots, your 490k only represents 2-ish months of saving up HI.

What are your plane pools like? How is your air R&D, if that's important to you? I think you should be building a large pool of several planes to be able to put up some kind of resistance once he gets all of his airpower.


Just a couple thoughts. Happy to provide more later.

[SqzMyLemon]

Hi leehunt,

It looks like you expanded a number of armament factories, you really don't need to expand them. You have plenty in the pool now so I'd recommend turning them all off in the short term and stopping the repairs. You'll save huge amounts of HI. Pick a level you want to maintain and go with it. Vehicle points are low of course and you need to get that pool up. It's not just tanks we are talking here, but motorized support for many of your units.

I know you're getting tons of advice. Just wanted to mention about the armaments.

[inqistor]

The problem with production is that order at which things are produced is random every turn. That means, that if you have few spare engines in pool, does not mean, that your planes actually were produced, because engines could be made AFTER factory tried to make new planes. I see from those screens, that you probably missed lots of planes.

ORIGINAL: SenToku

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

They cost the same to build (33) as the other IJ subs and the Rule of Cool. The I-400s carry 3 float planes and come equipped with radars. They also have 8 tubes in the front, but that's less important than their 31000 Endurance. Yes, 31000. They can stay out forever. They also use less fuel for this Endurance (Tracker says 900 Fuel full load, compared to your other Glen subs that carry 827 Fuel to go 14000 Endurance - pretty much double the fuel efficiency).

I would argue that the other float plane boats are worth building as well, at least some of them, as you're bound to lose them throughout the war. And their recon/search abilities are very useful.

I agree with A/B/AM types (the ones with floatplanes) being usefull, but feel that I-400 is waste of resources and was just wondering if there was any special use for them that I had missed.

In my experience the planes on Sen Tokus don't get any more air time than Glens on A/B types - which means almost never. As for the Rule of Cool, that I get (as my nick states), but game wise I-400 boats have durability of smaller A/B/C type boats, but are far less agile thus being hit by every DE in game with full complement of DC's. And suberb range is hardly needed in 1944 as enemy is on the next island.

Those planes from I-400 are NOT FPs, they are actually Float Capable Torpedo Bombers!
I have not tried if they actually work, but think of the possibilities! Like catching heavy damaged CV in port at West Coast (preferably at night, as 3 planes will hardly survive any CAP)

[btbw]

Dont build subs with low maneur, low speed. low endurance, low numbers of TT and low depth. It just waste of HI and VP gift to enemy.
I-400 from this list.
Arm need to be around 300-350. Veh 100-150. Continously. You can calculate with tracker what amount you need till end of war and 4x it (for restore loses).
If you send save file with pass - i can look deeper.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: inqistor

The problem with production is that order at which things are produced is random every turn. That means, that if you have few spare engines in pool, does not mean, that your planes actually were produced, because engines could be made AFTER factory tried to make new planes. I see from those screens, that you probably missed lots of planes.

ORIGINAL: SenToku

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

They cost the same to build (33) as the other IJ subs and the Rule of Cool. The I-400s carry 3 float planes and come equipped with radars. They also have 8 tubes in the front, but that's less important than their 31000 Endurance. Yes, 31000. They can stay out forever. They also use less fuel for this Endurance (Tracker says 900 Fuel full load, compared to your other Glen subs that carry 827 Fuel to go 14000 Endurance - pretty much double the fuel efficiency).

I would argue that the other float plane boats are worth building as well, at least some of them, as you're bound to lose them throughout the war. And their recon/search abilities are very useful.

I agree with A/B/AM types (the ones with floatplanes) being usefull, but feel that I-400 is waste of resources and was just wondering if there was any special use for them that I had missed.

In my experience the planes on Sen Tokus don't get any more air time than Glens on A/B types - which means almost never. As for the Rule of Cool, that I get (as my nick states), but game wise I-400 boats have durability of smaller A/B/C type boats, but are far less agile thus being hit by every DE in game with full complement of DC's. And suberb range is hardly needed in 1944 as enemy is on the next island.

Those planes from I-400 are NOT FPs, they are actually Float Capable Torpedo Bombers!
I have not tried if they actually work, but think of the possibilities! Like catching heavy damaged CV in port at West Coast (preferably at night, as 3 planes will hardly survive any CAP)

They were originally built with a strike on Panama in mind, but that plan was pretty much abandoned. Hence the insane Endurance levels, and 3-plane capacity.