Carrier Capacity

[Drex]

We're still in May'42 so there's no way he's gonna have that kind of firepower. He has 2 CVs and the Shoho to my 2 CVs so I could sneak out and check the neighborhood out. I do have some operations coming up and I really don't like sitting in port.

[Mr.Frag]

Just curious, when you do sit back and wait, just how far do you let Japan advance before *reacting* to his plan (seeing as you are playing the waiting game)?

Do you wait until he takes PM in May and mops up NG? Do you sit back while he then builds up his support chain down to Lunga?

Sounds like you waiters are playing right into Mogami's Japan "how to guide"

[Admiral DadMan]

I dunno...

Mogami "let" Arto advance right into Oz...

[Grumbling Grogn]

Originally posted by Mr.Frag
Just curious, when you do sit back and wait, just how far do you let Japan advance before *reacting* to his plan (seeing as you are playing the waiting game)?

Do you wait until he takes PM in May and mops up NG? Do you sit back while he then builds up his support chain down to Lunga?

Sounds like you waiters are playing right into Mogami's Japan "how to guide"

Who said anything about me just doing a "sit back and wait..."

I think the only ones that have mentioned that tactic are the ones suggesting you fight the IJN with few CVs, with less experienced crews and no ground troops to exploit any gains at sea.

I try to hit the Japanese where his CV forces are not.

First thing I do is garrison as many bases as possible with as many troops and supplies as possible. I mean it is a mad rush for the first week or so. If the Japanese want those bases by God they will have to fight for them!

I have been able to hold all bases I start with as Allies until mid end July with the sole exception of Lunga (I don't think you can save this one actually). I have even marched to the gates of Lae in early July (mopping up a few empty bases on the way), only to fall back sure. But it is another thing the Japanese have to deal with...

Right now (mid July), I have a division in Gili Gili, a BCT in Buna, Kanga Force and a BCT blocking the trail from Lae and a BCT (soon to be marine raiders) in Tulagi.

Sure, the Japanese can mass at any one of these locations and take my base. But, they will only be able to do that in one of these locations. It looks like the Japanese decided to secure Lae because they landed about a division there. So, to me that is a strategic win. I fall back along the trail and I still hold Buna, Gili Gili and Tulagi in force.

But, like I said I try to hit the IJN where his CVs are not. So, I spilt my CVs up into two TFs. One based in Brisbane the other Neumea. Then (especially in the early weeks) wherever the IJN CVs pop up I send my CV TF on the other side of the theater out to harass the heck out of his transports, bases whatever. This does several things:

1. It sinks IJN ships.
2. It gives my aircrews fast, easy, relatively safe and sorely needed experience.
3. It can cause supply, transport problems for the IJN (he had to abort a landing of Tulagi because I nailed a bunch of loaded transports)
4. It can cause the CV TF to cut it's job short on the other side of the theater in order to race to your CV TF and try to intercept it. Just make sure you are long gone by the time they get there! And if/when he does this you send out the OTHER TF and do the same thing on the otherside of the theater.
   [/list=1]
   
   The time will come when you will be able to create more/larger CV TFs. THEN I try to gang up on a lone IJN CV TF with a pair of mine. I never fight at even odds if I can avoid it at all.
   
   Oh, one more thing: NAVAL SEARCH, NAVAL SEARCH, NAVAL SEARCH, NAVAL SEARCH, NAVAL SEARCH AND RECON, RECON, RECON. If you lose the "battle" of recon you will not have a prayer trying to do this.
   
   As always, just my two cents

[Feinder]

Knavey never really got a chance at PM.

While he was grabbing Buna and steaming his CVs south, I had stuffed PM with 5 fighter squadrons, had moved up all the other elements of the New Guinea Division, and further support with additional AAA and base force units.

It took me all of 10 days (5 turns) to get an 80% of the forces to PM. I steamed Lex and Yorktown full speed to intercept the convoy as it left Australia (as it took 3 - 4 days to load). The next trip was mostly supplies and the other 20% of the troops.

He would have had the opportunity to risk an engagement at that time, as my CVs only had the 21 F4f3s that the time. But in order to get at me tho, he would have had to round Gili-Gili and have been in range of my 7 level-bomber squadrons at Cooktown plus the LCAP from PM.

Making PM the focus of Allied attention (and resources) sort of checks the initial IJN ambitions towards PM. It's the sort of situation that says, "I'm going to reinforce PM, one way or the other. If you want it, you have to go for it NOW with only 2 1/2 carriers and only a gaggle of troops. You'll be going up against my entire fleet (including both of my carriers), and every plane, and sub that I can scrounge anywhere near Australia. Do you really think you can pull that off with just Shok and Zui? I don't think so."

Yes, it leaves eastern side weak, but if he captures Lunga and Tulagi, who cares, he's going to anyways. You also immediately form up TFs to spread around the Americal Div around to defend Luganville and the other eastern bases. This requires that if he does land anywhere in east, he has to do so at least in division strength. And after having reinforced PM, he'd have to land with at least 3 divisions and keep them supplied. Theorhetical : Even if he goes after Luganville, that sort of thing gets telegraphed early (it's a LONG way to steam), you can scramble your bombers out of Australia to Noumea and divert your fleet back to engage him. Again, it's more of "If you want something important, you have to fight EVERYTHING."

At this point PM and Gili-Gili are fully operational with at least a division at each. There are subs, mines and shore batteries guarding each from bombardment TFs. The air war is still "pitched" over PM, as my P39s pretty much suck. I can exact a toll, but Zero vs. P-39 usually the Zero wins (there are never enough P-40s). Knavey is usually able to shut down PM for a day or two with massive raids by Bettys (his Nell squadrons have been decimated), but it appearently becomes too costly after a few days. He rests/rebuilds his bomber formations and I fill in the holes in the AF.

-F-

Edit : About the Nav Search and Recon. I -totally- agree. ALWAYS know where he's at. If you have not spotting reports on your desk, your bombers have nothing to bomb. There's no shame in setting some of those long-range Hudsons or B-17s to Nav Search. They're VERY good at this. Again, if they don't have any targets, your bombers just sit on the ground. And knowing where his CVs are means knowing whether or not to send the convoy, or just having it steam in a circle for 4 days until he leaves.

[CapAndGown]

Originally posted by Admiral DadMan
The thing that seems to be forgotten for the USN player is that there is a "0" production value for the F4F-3.

Only F4F-4's are produced, so don't be fooled. It takes all of 45 days to get enough to upgrade the -3's to the -4's for Lexington alone

This is incorrect. You only need enough F4F-4's to upgrade one carrier. This means you need 48 F4F-4's in the pool for the upgrade to happen, or 24 days. Once one of the squadrons is upgraded, all of its orginial F4F-3's are returned to the pool. Lets say this number is 16. Now your other F4F-3 squadron can draw up to 16 replacement planes. Let's say that other squadron had 16 planes as well (let's assume some losses, operational or air to air). On day 26, then, you will have one squadron of 36 F4F-4's and another squadron of 32 F4F-3's.

This is usually how F2/Tainan Datai is upgraded as well: One of the smaller A6M2 squadrons is upgraded to A6M3's and the A6M2's that are returned to the pool can then be used to upgrade the Claudes.

[crsutton]

In all my experiences an early carrier battle between the Japanese and Allies in early May, the Americans have come up short. Not only is the lack Amercian fighters a problem but the American ships stationed in the theater at the start have pitiful AA armament as well. Some of the DDs only have 50 cal. guns. The heavy crusiers and carriers are using the obsolete 1.1 inch AA gun. It is only when the allied ships start coming from Pearl do you see the cruisers and carriers armed with plenty of 40mm bofors guns. The additional AA armament will make a big difference fending off Japanese Air attacks. If losses and conditions are acceptible, it pays to rotate some of these early ships back to pearl for the AA upgrades alone.

This is not to say that the Allies carriers must hide in port. They must and can be used but carefully. In the early stages of the fight as the American player I try to use them to keep the Japanese carriers attention. Hopefull causing them to spend lots of time at sea and accrue system wear and tear. This will lessen the effectiveness of the carriers later. If you must fight the Japanese, then do so in the vicinity of your own ports. The odds then favor you a bit more as you will be able to get your damaged ships home and he may not due to the longer distances required. (crippled IJN ships seem to sink fast)

My goal early in the game is to sink as many Japanese transports as possible and avoid major surface and carrier battles. The key players here are land based air and subs. That does not mean I won't avoid a fight if I think I can win it.

[Drex]

If you do indulge in a carrier battle just don't forget to change the settings on your planes like I did. It just cost me two carriers.

[Admiral DadMan]

Originally posted by cap_and_gown
This is incorrect. You only need enough F4F-4's to upgrade one carrier. This means you need 48 F4F-4's in the pool for the upgrade to happen, or 24 days. Once one of the squadrons is upgraded, all of its orginial F4F-3's are returned to the pool. Lets say this number is 16. Now your other F4F-3 squadron can draw up to 16 replacement planes. Let's say that other squadron had 16 planes as well (let's assume some losses, operational or air to air). On day 26, then, you will have one squadron of 36 F4F-4's and another squadron of 32 F4F-3's.

You're right. Apparently I was using my own math..

Actually, combined with bad math, I also used the wrong replacement rate for the F4F-4's.

Something else here: Enterprise and Hornet start a scenario with 27 F4F-4's out of their 36 max. If either (or both) ships enter theater before the upgrade happens, they will suck up the difference in planes from the pool to fill out their VF squadrons. Add to that any losses those two take, and you could extend the upgrade out to the 35-45 day range.

[Knavey]

Originally posted by Drex
If you do indulge in a carrier battle just don't forget to change the settings on your planes like I did. It just cost me two carriers.

Been there, done that. Also don't forget that (as IJN at least) the CVs sometimes show up with the planes set to TRAINING.