Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Drongo

2. Do hard core research on the A6M5/A6M8/A7M2.
If it is possible to upgrade a squadron from the A6M5 to the A7M2, then skip research on the A6M8. (I haven't been able to determine if you can skip an upgrade.)

The units with A6M5s can upgrade directly to the A7M. They do not require the A6M8 to have been researched or available before hand.

Cheers

Actually it does. I takes a 12 to 18 month process down to a 9 to 15 month process. Time reforming is unproductive time. Japan cannot afford unproductive time. Reforming a squadron should take less than 90 days imo, probably more like 30. Maybe the Grognards could debate it, but 90 days seems excessive.

ORIGINAL: Oznoyng

Production thoughts:

Transport Aircraft:
In general, transport aircraft should have the lowest attrition level of any aircraft in the game. They don't get shot down very often, and you should be able to minimize operational losses. In other words, you shouldn't need to have a very big pool of these guys sitting around. You should produce what you need, with a reasonable cushion, then convert production to other types. If it was possible to convert all transport production to the MC-21, L3Y, and H6K2-L, I would. Unfortunately, the only upgrade path available is one that makes little sense, so your job here is to get a big enough pool and use the factories for something else. Specifics follow:

1. Change production of L1N1 Thora
The TBO for the L1N1 is 84 a/c, yet you already have 34 in squadrons and 111 in the pool. Building 5 more a month seems like a pittance, but that is 10 Nakajima engines and 270 HI saved.

2. Convert Ki-54 production to researching another type after producing approximately 60 of them.
You need 48 a/c to upgrade one squadron of Ki-59's and bring your replacement group into play. Adding 12 more gives you a replacement pool. One month of Hitachi engine production then convert to Nakajima, and two months of Ki-54 production, then convert.

3. Produce another two months on the MC-21, then convert to another type.
You have one fully equipped squadron of MC-21's and get no others. You are only producing for the replacement pool here and you don't need that many for it. Producing two more months gives you a pool of 12 for 12 aircraft that should never see combat. If you run out, you run out. Meanwhile, same reasoning as on option 1 above.

4. Double production on the H6K2-L
The H6K2-L has long range, can deliver to dot bases, carries more than any other transport, is durable and armored. The tragedy is you only get two squadrons of this one - 24 a/c with only 8 a/c in them to start, a pool of 8, and production of 2 per month. With no operational losses, you will get your squadrons to full complements in April or May. Personally, I'd rather have this capability sooner and be able to sustain some losses, so I will double the production (to a whopping 4!).

5. Double production on one Ki-57 II Topsy plant and convert the other.
You get 168 Topsy's and 10 per month seems like a decent production rate for them. However, that production is split between two plants. I would double one plant to 10 and convert the other to diversify production on another aircraft or use it for research.

6. Leave the L3Y production alone for the first 6 months. Multiply your operational losses in the first 6 months by 12 and add 36. Stop production when you get to that number.

Torpedo Aircraft
1. Research the B7A.
The B7A is the best Jap torpedo plane. With a top speed of 352 mph and a TBO of 543 a/c, getting this one a few months early can make a difference.

2. Increase the production of the B5N.
At 20 per month, you can replace the aircraft losses of a days operations from KB every month. Granted, KB will not be losing 20 a/c everyday, but 20 is nowhere close enough. I plan to increase production of the B5N to at least 80 a/c.

Recon aircraft
Recon aircraft are important - as important as the skill of your fighter pilots. Nothing is more deadly than information and nothing provides more information than your recon planes. The better they are (and the better their pilots are) the better your strikes will be, the better your warning of invasions will be.

1. Halt the H6K4 plant and let it convert on 1/1/42 to H8K, then restart it and increase production to 16 or 32. You can halt the H8K later when you have a large enough pool.
As good as the H6K4 is, the H8k is better. It is faster (fater even than both the Claude and the Nate), has longer range, is more durable, has more defensive armament, and is more manueverable. Personally, in Jap shoes, I would have considered creating a bomber version of it. That aside, I highly recommend getting your H6K's replaced with H8K's asap. Remember, if you can see it coming, you can react. This guys can give you 2 extra turns of warning on an invasion fleet and that is priceless.

2. Double Ki-46 Dinah II production
The Ki-46 is a big upgrade for the Ki-15 Babs - 77 mph faster, 10 more durability, and a hex longer range. At game start you have 20 of these guys, but putting your *starting* squadrons at full strength will require 186 aircraft, then another 117 for your upgrades. Oh, and you have air-to-air losses and operational losses on top of those. With 31 a/c producing, you will take 6 months to get all of them operational with no losses. That is too slow. Double production to 62.

3. Convert the Ki-36 to something else.
I posted already about the Ki-36 being a dog. With a top speed of 216 miles per hour, this is just a death trap for pilots against any location with CAP. Use them til they are dead since they don't upgrade to anything else. If they can be used for ASW, do that.

4. Halt or convert C5M production to something else.
The C5M upgrades to the J1N1-R Irving in October 42. The pool on this aircraft is small, but you only have 27 TBO on them. If losses mount in this squadron, draw it back until the J1N1-R is available.

5. Don't research anything in recon.
Despite the importance of recon aircraft, there aren't enough of them to get bang for your buck here and the upgrades that can be researched are not significant enough. The best recon aircraft will be the Ki-46 III and TBO for it is only 303 a/c. In the meantime, the Ki-46 is a more than serviceable stopgap until you get the Dinah III in 1/43.

LBA
YOur current LBA is fairly good compared to your future LBA. The improvements are noticeable, but you are in okay shape. Given the upgrade paths in place, no model is a big enough upgrade over it's ancestor to warrant accelerating arrival dates.

1. Halt Nells and let them convert to G4M1 on 1/1/42, then restart.
You save 20,000 supply and the HI. Let the game upgrade you for free in return for delaying production a bit. Pools for both the Nell and the Betty are very large and you can let the Nells and Betty's range against naval targets early without fearing CAP as much, so it isn't really critical to convert G3M's to G4M1's early. You definately want these guys fully stocked, but they are overstocked with big pools to start with. Only when the G4M2 comes in should you try to build large pools of aircraft, since it is a terminal upgrade.

2. You might want to halt the Ki-21 for a while and see what happens.
With a pool of 401 a/c you can lose alot of a/c before you need to think about restarting. If losses get too large, you can restart the plant.

Float planes
1. The E7K2 Alf should be halted.
It has 140 in the pool already and 140 in operation. Evaluate the need for replacements after 6 months and look at what will be needed for new construction, then convert or restart as appropriate.

2. Consider cancelling the F1M2 Pete.
With a tiny range, the Pete is not all that useful for naval search. I plan to put every one on ASW. Given that, I am going to evaluate the need for replacements, build up a pool of them, and stop when I get the number I think I need. Since the majority of losses from this plane are going to be operational losses and going down with the ship, I do not plan to have much wiggle room in my stockpiles of it.

3. Consider canceling the A6M2-N completely.
I have never seen anyone extol the virtues of this aircraft. I probably need to look at it's mission options, but unless I can be used as an armed naval search, recon, or ASW, I probably will never have more than the one operational squadron I can get from the pool I have at start.

Fighter Bombers
There are only 3 Jap FB's and the A6M5c has no upgrade path. The only candidate for action is the Ki-102a Randy (TB0 = 468 a/c), which is the upgrade for the Ki-46 II KAI Dinah (60 a/c), the Ki-45 KAIb Nick (36 a/c), and the Ki-48 Lily (336 a/c). Another 36 a/c come as a reinforcement. The biggest hit on the Randy is a smaller bombload than the Ki-48. It is faster, vastly more manueverable, more durable, armored, longer ranged, and better equipped with guns. The Ki-48 can carry a torpedo, but the Randy can't. I would be tempted to research this one if I felt I could afford it. I put a premium on aircraft that give aircrews a better chance to survive. and the loss of bombload, while significant, is offset by the far superior ability to deliver it to a target. I dont't know if I will actually upgrade it or not, but I definately will give it some thought.

Fighters
This is the most complex category of aircraft, the place wehre you will research the most, and the place with the most opportunity for an impact upon Japan's fortunes in the war. Put simply, the faster you get better aircraft into your front line squadrons, the fewer pilots you will lose. Get the best fighters you can as fast as you can.

1. Increase A6M2 production.
There are 239 a/c operational now, you need replacements for them. Another 330 Claudes need to be converted to A6M2's. I plan to at least double my production of A6M2's.

2. Do hard core research on the A6M5/A6M8/A7M2.
It is all about pilots and numbers of aircraft. By the time you are done, you will have 1910 aircraft in Claude/A6M2/A6M5 squadrons. The faster you get upgrades - any upgrades - the more pilots you will preserve. If it is possible to upgrade a squadron from the A6M5 to the A7M2, then skip research on the A6M8. (I haven't been able to determine if you can skip an upgrade.)

3. Do research on the Ki-43 IIa Oscar.
No, I am not nuts. If you look at the upgrade paths for the Ki-27 Nate, they mostly go to the Oscar - and then nowhere. Unfortunately, there are around 1000 Nates that upgrade to the Oscar. The Oscar is not a bad aircraft, but by late 43, it will suck. It has *very long range*, more guns than a Nate (though still undergunned), is faster, more manueverable, and can carry a bomb. The sooner you get it, the more opportunity you will have to exploit it's strengths - and in more numbers than any aircraft other than the Zero series.

4. Ignore the Shinden
No. Again, I am not nuts. The Shinden is an upgrade to the George and the Jack - both of which are comparatively good aircraft with longer legs than the Shinden. You are better off upgrading 1900 odd A6M's early with A7M2's than you are if you upgrade 465 Jacks and Georges.

Dive Bombers
1. At least double production of the D3A Val
See notes on the B5N. Same deal.

2. Research the D4Y
See notes on the B7A. Same deal.

ORIGINAL: esteban

I usually convert the larger Nate factory in Gumma to production of Kates. I tend to leave the second Nate factory in Harbin as Nates, though I halt production. There are 710 Nates in the replacement pool at the start of the game, and that is enough for quite awhile, without having to build more. I do not know if Nate casualties jump dramatically in late 42, or not, so I keep the second facility around in case I need to produce some more to tide me over until the Oscar 2 arrives.

The Harbin factility converts to Oscar 2 production, which is nice to help speed the upgrade from the Nate to the Oscar 2.

ORIGINAL: Oznoyng

Hmmm... yep, I just missed it. All things being equal, I would probably convert those to A6M2's, but I have become more cognizant of IJA/IJN rivalry since then. Switching Nates to Zeros would probably not go over well with the IJA. If assuming the limitation of the IJA/IJN rivalry is important to you as the Japanese player, I would put both Nate plants into researching Oscars, or simply halt them until Oscars were ready to produce.

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

! usually convert the larger Nate factory in Gumma to production of Kates. I tend to leave the second Nate factory in Harbin as Nates, though I halt production. There are 710 Nates in the replacement pool at the start of the game, and that is enough for quite awhile, without having to build more. I do not know if Nate casualties jump dramatically in late 42, or not, so I keep the second facility around in case I need to produce some more to tide me over until the Oscar 2 arrives.

The Harbin factility converts to Oscar 2 production, which is nice to help speed the upgrade from the Nate to the Oscar 2.


The Claudes I convert to A6M2 turn 1 and increase the size to 16. By the time they auto convert I will have already
produced some a/c from it and be on my way to full production.

The Gumma factory will also convert if you want to wait that long.

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

The problem with allowing massive anhistorical changes in aircraft production is the player is able to look at the numerical values for a "future" aircraft (or game it out in a different scenario) then go back in time and otimize production in an omiscient fashion. The decision-makers could not have known these things for sure without protoypes or even combat use.

The history of military aircraft is replete with failed ideas that SEEMED like a good idea at the time (insert your favorite lemon here). There is the additional issue of turf battles on iaircraft production decisions...and perhaps..I dont even know in 1940's Japan...the profit motive.

Still...if it balances the fight in 44-45 it might be fun.

ORIGINAL: esteban

Wow! Paragraphs are your friend!!