Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

How many AMs do the Allies get? He seems to have an unending supply!

really a lot in '42. If he sailed some around the horn from India, double a lot. He start with quite a few and then get more in '42. Other than DD's, it is his major ASW platform until the SC's start to arrive late in '42. Then in '43 he gets ton's of DE's.

[PaxMondo]

When you get Adak to AF4, are you going to move some Helen/Sally there and start bombing his troops? Or are you focusing on getting the port to P7 so you can rearm all of your ships?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

And finally, here's central China. The 2668 AV army in the north is the 3 Army, which is heading along the road to hit the base to the east of Chengtu. That base has 1 unit. Chengtu has 2 units (I suspect it's infantry and a base force). The base to the west of Chungking has 1 unit and you can see the rest. I think the 200k Chinese army is more like 4-500k.

The 70k Chinese army has been sitting there for a couple of months getting pounded by artillery and assaults. The other hexes with Chinese each have 1 unit. I have units that are surrounding the 70k army. Then the 1600 AV army will move NW toward Chungking.

The 3 Army will take the two northern Chinese bases. The 2381 AV army will move NW along the road and take the base to the west of Chungking. Then all 3 armies will converge on and surround Chungking. In addition, there are 4 additional full strength divisions headed toward Chungking. I estimate the total AV that will attack Chungking will be ~7k.

If you're going to be facing the entire Chinese army there, you'll need more like 11 or 14 thousand...

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

When you get Adak to AF4, are you going to move some Helen/Sally there and start bombing his troops? Or are you focusing on getting the port to P7 so you can rearm all of your ships?

I haven't even thought of increasing the port or airfield any more. The port is definitely done, but now you got me thinking about the airfield. Hmm, maybe level 4 would be nice. Gotta ponder that a bit.

[Mike Solli]

Geez guys, you're full of good news about AMs (and DEs) and the Chinese army. Sheesh! [X(]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Mike, when is the Frank a due? And in what numbers?

You will be happy with Tony, you might want to think about jumping production there another 30 planes a month. I think you will need them.[;)]

Definitely try to re-take the air initiative. So very important.

I don't know if you have looked at the BB to BB/CS conversion. Turns the BB into a floating AA gun deck (some of it worthless late war rockets), but 20 additional Rex/Rufes flying low CAP doesn't hurt the KB.

Sorry for the hijack, but I was under the impression that the BB conversions were CVBB conversions. Can't you put proper aircraft on them? According to wiki they had Judy's on them historically.

I checked my conversion and I couldn't tell. I thought it took floats only, so that is all I put on it. Sorties are around 300...so perhaps you are right.

[Lowpe]

Mike,

I think you may have gotten the engines mixed up...the Ki100 doesn't use a Ha45 does it? Ha33 in my games.

I think you should check out Koniu's plane builds especially their magnitude...once you start getting these great planes you need to be adding to your pools substantially to prepare you for the 44, but especially for the 45 brutality.

The Ki100 will be usable for the rest of the game and is a wonderful bomber killer. Even the slow A6M5c is a great bomber killer, and of course George is George.

I would also double check your engines...seems low to me for the 45.

You sound strong on Frank A...I just wish you were getting that plane early.

Give some thought on how to stop invasions on your island chains. You rarely need range, but you do need to punch thru big CAPs and Franks really help here. Unfortunately the SR 3 really hurts unless you have a railroad like on Luzon.

One final plane to look at is the conversion of LB squadrons to Nicks/Randy. When those long legged bombers start to arrive you need to have deep defense wherever you have ships in ports, plus protecting deep industry. Plan now for it so you are ready.

You are getting to crunch time....great game![&o]

[Mike Solli]

Lowpe, you scared the hell out of me for a minute. Yeah, the Ki-100 uses the Ha-33 engine. My mistake. That's what I have in my spreadsheet and that's what's in the game. The Frank and George use the Ha-45.

I'll check out Koniu to see his numbers.

660 is low for the Ha-45?! [X(] Yikes! Right now I'm at just over 400 repaired with the rest repairing.

I'll get the Frank early. The factory repairs should become more frequent when I hit 500 Ha-45 engines in the pool. Then the completed factories double and I'll accelerate more quickly. As the months get closer, the remaining factories will begin to repair.

I have 3 Randy R&D factories repaired at 18, 13 & 13. I like that plane. Can't wait to get it either.

[rustysi]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Geez guys, you're full of good news about AMs (and DEs) and the Chinese army. Sheesh! [X(]

AM's, SC's, and DE's... Oh,my![:D]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Lowpe, you scared the hell out of me for a minute. Yeah, the Ki-100 uses the Ha-33 engine. My mistake. That's what I have in my spreadsheet and that's what's in the game. The Frank and George use the Ha-45.

I'll check out Koniu to see his numbers.

660 is low for the Ha-45?! [X(] Yikes! Right now I'm at just over 400 repaired with the rest repairing.

I'll get the Frank early. The factory repairs should become more frequent when I hit 500 Ha-45 engines in the pool. Then the completed factories double and I'll accelerate more quickly. As the months get closer, the remaining factories will begin to repair.

I have 3 Randy R&D factories repaired at 18, 13 & 13. I like that plane. Can't wait to get it either.

I'm building 570 Ha-45. At the moment, that's plenty. The only planes that use it are:

George 1 & 2
P1Y1 Frances (which you will move past)
Ki-67 Peggy
All Franks

So... Ha-45 production should pretty much just be your George, Frank, and Peggy production. The Denko and Myrt also use it, and I suppose the Grace, but those planes are either optional (Grace), low-production (Myrt), or too late to worry about (Denko).


It's the Ha-33 that is your big user. I've increased mine a lot lately and still might not have enough. The Ha-43 can be a big user also, but it's almost entirely for late war planes. The only factories I have working on an Ha-43 model right now are George-5 and the rest are still repairing for originally scheduled mid-/late-1945 planes. But I've had the engine producing for 5 months already, and have a stockpile built up into the 4th digit on 12/1/43... But if you can get them, the Ha-43 is the Shinden, Ki-83, Sam, and George-5. All extremely good fighters, so you'll want a lot.

[rustysi]

Mike,

I've been spending some time thinking about how to run things in the game (OK, all the time[:D]), and for IJ I'm leaning to something like this:
CarDiv1: Hiyo, Junyo, Hosho, 2 25knot BB's + other escorts. All major components 25 knots top speed.
CarDiv2: Kaga, Shoho, Zuiho, and the 48 plane CVL, Yamato and/or Musashi, +. All about 27 knots.
CarDiv3: Akagi, et al, and a couple of Kongo BB's, +. 30 knots or better.

Other CVL conversions added as available.

I know the BB's drink a lot, but if you could afford it, I like the idea. Besides they through up considerable AAA and attract some attention away from your flat decks. So my philosophy is what good is fuel without flat decks.

As for the BB/CV hybrid. This is my thinking. Capacity is 22 A/C. That's up to 88 (I think you can convert four [Japan actually did one that I know of IRL, but I don't remember its name]) armored Zero's flying CAP. Plus they have more heavy AAA added. Of course they take six months (180 days) to complete the conversion.

Myself, I want every piece of flat deck that Japan can possible get her hands on, and it still won't be enough.

Don't know if any of this is any good, but something to chew on. Of course JMHO.

Rusty

Edit: For length of BB/CV hybrid conversion. Don't know if all will see this or if anyone cares. Just wanted to correct a mistake.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Lowpe, you scared the hell out of me for a minute. Yeah, the Ki-100 uses the Ha-33 engine. My mistake. That's what I have in my spreadsheet and that's what's in the game. The Frank and George use the Ha-45.

I'll check out Koniu to see his numbers.

660 is low for the Ha-45?! [X(] Yikes! Right now I'm at just over 400 repaired with the rest repairing.

I'll get the Frank early. The factory repairs should become more frequent when I hit 500 Ha-45 engines in the pool. Then the completed factories double and I'll accelerate more quickly. As the months get closer, the remaining factories will begin to repair.

I have 3 Randy R&D factories repaired at 18, 13 & 13. I like that plane. Can't wait to get it either.

I'm building 570 Ha-45. At the moment, that's plenty. The only planes that use it are:

George 1 & 2
P1Y1 Frances (which you will move past)
Ki-67 Peggy
All Franks

So... Ha-45 production should pretty much just be your George, Frank, and Peggy production. The Denko and Myrt also use it, and I suppose the Grace, but those planes are either optional (Grace), low-production (Myrt), or too late to worry about (Denko).


It's the Ha-33 that is your big user. I've increased mine a lot lately and still might not have enough. The Ha-43 can be a big user also, but it's almost entirely for late war planes. The only factories I have working on an Ha-43 model right now are George-5 and the rest are still repairing for originally scheduled mid-/late-1945 planes. But I've had the engine producing for 5 months already, and have a stockpile built up into the 4th digit on 12/1/43... But if you can get them, the Ha-43 is the Shinden, Ki-83, Sam, and George-5. All extremely good fighters, so you'll want a lot.

I don't see the Grace as optional. The ability to combine the IJN torpedo and dive bomber forces into a single entity is just too good. Your TB pilots are trained in NavB anyways. If, for whatever reason they don't attack with torpedoes, you'd want them dive-bombing rather than trying to level bomb...

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
I don't see the Grace as optional. The ability to combine the IJN torpedo and dive bomber forces into a single entity is just too good. Your TB pilots are trained in NavB anyways. If, for whatever reason they don't attack with torpedoes, you'd want them dive-bombing rather than trying to level bomb...

+1
Grace is the best CV capable attacking plane Japan can have. Dual TB/DB role, faster than any other TB and same speed as Judy, range.. If Japan has sizeable carrier force left in 6/44+ it would want to have those planes on decks replacing Jills.

[Mike Solli]

I agree about the Grace. I have 4x30 R&D for this model, currently repaired to 21, 18, 14 & 13.

[Mike Solli]

7 May 43

Sub War

Nothing to report.

5 Fleet

The big event here was the US 41 Division and the engineer regiment making a deliberate assault on the defenses of Adak. That load of supply they got yesterday was what they needed to mount an attack. The 1:2 attack against level 6 forts broke itself against the Japanese defenses. Losses were 202(1) Japanese to 647(3) Allies. I lost a single infantry squad with another 9 infantry squads disabled. The only unfortunate event was that a fort level was lost. I had planned on increasing the airfield to level 4, but I’ve decided to work on the fort level. If my intel is accurate (flip a coin), half of the division’s infantry and most of the engineers are disabled. It should be a little while before they can attack again.

The enemy carrier(s) moved back to Unmak Island. Smart move. They are under cover of land-based fighters, but unless he reinforced, the LBA is composed of P-40Es and P-400s. If that TF remains there or withdraws, I’ll use KB2 to demolish the small ships around Adak, making sure to save their torpedoes for more suitable targets should they show up.

I bought a Sally sentai from Kwantung to fly to this AO to begin a bombing campaign on the US 41 Division. The ground bombardment isn’t doing nearly enough. In about a week, the Yamato, Musashi, Nagato and Mutsu will pay them a visit. I may split the BBs into 2 TFs and hit them on consecutive days. I have a DD division that will visit Adak first to clear out any small fry so the battlewagons are not sidetracked.

4 Fleet

Nothing to report.

SE Fleet

At Gasmata, 4x US DMS managed to avoid 2 rows of Japanese subs and entered the hex, encountering a Japanese fast transport TF of a single Ansyu PB. In the ensuing battle, the PB was hit multiple times by the DMSs 3” shells, and failed to hit any of them in return. She was moderately damaged and hit the road for Rabaul after unloading less than half her load of supply. After that battle, I heard a mine hit. I learned later that the US ships were battered by Gasmata’s DP guns (have I said lately how much I love DP guns?). They managed to clear only 18 mines. The minefield still contains 270.

The remaining US ships are still sitting in Gasmata’s hex. I have had a 4 DD division sitting 4 hexes to the east of Rabaul seemingly forever, just waiting for an opportunity like this. They’re pretty low on fuel, but I’m having them sail into Gasmata harbor to clear it out before retracing their steps and heading back to Truk. They don’t have quite enough fuel to do it (a couple hexes shy) but I’ll send a few ships out to meet them to refuel them near Truk. If this works, it should be fun and they’ll be clear of any potential danger by daylight. I heard sinking sounds so one of the DMS may have sunk. The rest are battered and ripe for the picking.

At first light, 102x 2E and 64x 4E Allied bombers hit the port of Rabaul. There were 96 Japanese fighter to oppose them, but most never made it into the fray. They were spotted only 13 minutes before they dropped their bombs. Really?! [8|] What were those radar operators doing? [:@] Anyway, there were damaged ships sitting in port from a previous raid. The bombers sank 2 ACM, a PB, 4 small cargo ships and the AS Rio de Janero. Only the AS was really worth something, 23 VP for those who care about such things. The Allied bombers were unescorted. I could have really hurt them if my fighters had more than 13 minutes to react. Only a handful of the 96 fighters actually attacked, and they shot down only a couple of 2E bombers.

Later in the day, two flights of B-25s (5 and 6 planes) attacked. In each case, all but 1 were shot down and the last one was shot down by flak. That made up for the first attack (sort of). On the bright side, I lost no fighters or pilots here and the port damage is only 13.

Over Gasmata, another swirling dogfight happened with the final totals being 11 Allied fighters to 7 Japanese fighters (and 1 IJN WIA and 2 IJA WIA).

There is a supply convoy arriving tomorrow at Rabaul (12k supply). Fortunately it didn’t arrive today or it most likely would be at the bottom of the harbor. Keeping fingers crossed for tomorrow.

I reinforced my fighters with a sentai of Nicks. Hopefully, they’ll do something (along with the rest of the fighters).

SRA

Nothing to report.

Burma

Well, I heard from the Brits today. If you don’t recall, my main army on the road between Akyab and Cox’s Bazaar (both British held) has been crawling out of that hex across the river to the SE. They’ve been travelling 2 miles a day and are 3 days (6 miles) from crossing the river. The British Army attacked, unsuccessfully I might add. The 1:6(!) [X(] attack caused 803(7) Japanese to 2033(162) Brit/Indian casualties. I was concerned that the attack might reset my troops so they would have to begin crawling all over again, but thankfully, that did not happen.

I’ve had my bombers set to bomb Akyab’s airfield for fun and to destroy British fighters, but they refuse to fly. Ah well, they will eventually. [8|]

Some Japanese minelayers dropped a bunch of mines off Ramree Island, in case the British decide to send ships to bombard again. I hope they do.

China

Killed a few more Chinese fighters on the ground at Chungking. My forces continue to close. Soon…

Other Stuff

Reinforcement: 52 Construction Company – rebuilt after being destroyed on one of the small islands south of New Ireland (Goodenough Island maybe?).

The Shokaku and Zuikaku completed their refit and are headed to Truk to reinforce KB. Not a moment too soon, I suspect. They’ll arrive in 4 days.

The B6N2 R&D advanced to 6/43. That R&D is complete. I’ll start to build Jills in June and have upgraded the 3x30 R&D factories to the B6N2a model, which I expect to be completed in mid-December 1943. After that R&D is finished, 2 of those factories will convert to the Frank and the third will convert to something else or become operational. I’ll decide later.

This turn went well for me, but it just didn’t feel good. Maybe because the ships were hit at Rabaul or the fort level dropped at Adak? Not sure but it was a good day for me. The Allies lost 35 troop points today, that’s 210 squads. Not a bad haul considering he did all the attacking. In comparison, I lost 1 troop point. His score dropped by almost 1300 points, which baffles me. Anyway, it was a good day, I guess.

I haven't shown this in a while. Easier (and better) than trying to explain:

[Lokasenna]

Except you'll run out of torpedoes on the carriers before you arm all of those planes with torpedoes.

I agree that it's good, but optional.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
Except you'll run out of torpedoes on the carriers before you arm all of those planes with torpedoes.

Umm, Judy stays, Grace replaces TBs. Torpedo situation does not change.
But you can divebomb with all your planes now.

[Mike Solli]

I never thought I'd be eating popcorn in my own AAR. [:D]

[GetAssista]

Sorry for hijacking your AAR [8|] let me quickly think on some question that may sound valid:

Like, why go for B6N2a? It seems to me like a year of research for higher-caliber trailing machinegun

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

Sorry for hijacking your AAR [8|] let me quickly think on some question that may sound valid:

Like, why go for B6N2a? It seems to me like a year of research for higher-caliber trailing machinegun

[:D] I like the radar the B6N2a has. Can't hurt. I'll get it in mid-Dec 43.