Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

Magwe's Air Defense. All oil and refinery operating at 100%.

1100 guns, too.

[Lowpe]

I have been told that 3 ships is the optimum number of ships in an ASW task force. The fourth ship is just diminishing returns. Heck with that, I am going to stuff four of these bad boys together and kill me some subs!

[anarchyintheuk]

The range on the Type 2 dc looks like its effective in to the earth's mantle or thereabouts.

[Lowpe]

I have today, tomorrow and all day Saturday to work on the turn.

Plan on fine tuning ship builds.

Pilot training.

Ship upgrades.

Building lcu back together again.

Shipping resources, fuel and oil.

Ground combat planning.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

The range on the Type 2 dc looks like its effective in to the earth's mantle or thereabouts.

Allies have one that goes to 800! But it is the best Japan gets. The mortar gets a few shots in,but usually never hits...but will cause light damage.

[Lokasenna]

I think it's that the 4th ship is just wasted, not so much diminishing returns as no return whatsoever. The 4th ship could be a different ship in every action, of course, so including a 4th ship could keep others in the TF in ammo supply for additional attacks. Or it might night, depending on the whims of RNGesus.

[Lowpe]

At Singers, the mechanics and pilots are overjoyed.

The new fighters are loaded onto awaiting rail cars and are off to a base north, near the front where they will be assembled, and pilots acquainted with the new plane before sweeping into Silchar for trial by combat.

[Lowpe]

And the pilots that will fly them.

[Lowpe]

SR3 goodness here!

Fortunately, those Japanese crews know how to load the trains, and when the planes arrive at their new base, the repairs won't take so long as long if there is adequate mechanics available.

[Lowpe]

A closer look:

[Lowpe]

Frank versus the nasty Allied fighters...

[witpqs]

The Frank has pretty good durability.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The Frank has pretty good durability.

Japan maxes out at 30.

[Insano]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Fleet Carrier builds:

Lowpe, how many Naval Shipyard points do you have producing? I see you are playing a mod where Shinano is a Taiho class. Does that mean Yamato and Musashi don't exist? Naval acceleration looks pretty good on carriers - just wondering how you are managing with all the SST builds as well.

[bigred]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Frank versus the nasty Allied fighters...

The ki-84r is a monster.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Insano

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Fleet Carrier builds:

Lowpe, how many Naval Shipyard points do you have producing? I see you are playing a mod where Shinano is a Taiho class. Does that mean Yamato and Musashi don't exist? Naval acceleration looks pretty good on carriers - just wondering how you are managing with all the SST builds as well.

Naval shipyards at 1540 with 10 in the pool...need way more but I need the Carriers. I want most of them prior to the B29's showing up which I will get.

I am not really managing it that well...no super battleships of course, and many lesser warships are delayed with the exception of some light cruisers the cream of the destroyers and subchaser and e's. The RO subs are halted...I recently had to do that, and I also recently slowed Shinano and Katsuragi back to normal but they are due in 14 and 36 days. Just in time for when the Hiryu and Soryu finish their upgrades making for a complete KB...the first time since the California debacle.

The third SST is almost finished, and 5 finish in the next 60 days. I have both active SST in the Rabaul area (or headed there), but I am leery of using them in such sub infested waters. May send them to Sorong. You really need to think carefully how to use them...but I love them.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The Frank has pretty good durability.

Japan maxes out at 30.

There are a few past thirty, but nobody normally sees them: Ki94II; Sam J, The Dinah Fighter (which I used a fair bit last game) but that is twin engines so doesn't count.

[Lowpe]

Just a really nice ship.[:)]

[Lowpe]

Should the KB upgrade to the 5c...or should half of it upgrade to the 5c and use those squadrons as defensive CAP where the heavier firepower and fighting against escorts helps offset the speed disadvantage and use the agile fast 5 or slightly better gunned but less agile 5b as escorts?

Or will the armor give the 5c more staying power as an escort?

I can remember Spidery pondering this question with regard to the 5 and 5b, and he didn't like his answer as his Carriers got crushed at Tjilatjap in 43.

Finally, the shorter range of the 5c really crushed me in the last game as the escorts simply didn't fly.

[obvert]

I've always found the 5c to be better as CAP and escort due to the armor. It's tough. I've never had escort not fly if set with drop tanks.

One key is to rest pilots and airframes for days before a battle if they're going to be flying a few days at max range. I've always thought the 5b was better than the 5, but that seems dubious looking at the stats. Only the one better CL gun and the climb, manoeuvre and speed are not as good as the 5.

For you at this point I'd do a combo of the 5 and 5c, and worry about converting all if you don't get the A6M8 before you have to make that choice! [:)]

Be good to do some tests on these versions since we all HAVE to use them for most of the war. See which do better as escorts, which do better as CAP, etc.