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I wanna see how my Hollandia garrison performs. He has a massive firepower there and my guys are out of supplies...but i'm pretty curious to see how 700 japanese AVs can perform against 2 Marine Divisions...it will be quite a test for what will come in the future...

Not well "IF" Brad can maintain high disruption values by either LBA set on ground attacks and/or by having warships bombard the base.

If you are out of supply doesn´t that mean a -90% combat modifier?

Well, Brad has managed to cut every attempt of mine to resupply Hollandia, Vanimo and Sarmi and has bombed the hell out of them for 3 months now. Yes, they are out of supplies and i know they will fall. But i wanna see how fast they fall in order to be able to act accordingly when the next push to Biak will be made. Biak, Nemonfor and the other close-by base will have, in complex, some 250k supplies. I wanna use Hollandia as a test to see and to learn from my previous mistakes. Here i got sloppy and thought i had much more time to devolp the defensive complex... for the next time i wanna be more ready!
 
ChickenBoy, I did resize moving out the Kaga groups and transfering the LBA group on it, then resize to 81 and splitted it into 3 groups of 27 planes, so to have 3 sentais instead of 1.
For the FPs, i am using them mostly on ASW duties and naval search, in order to fight the allied subs and create some "corridors" where my TFs can move safely.
 
However, i got the message. If even the JFBs think this is gamey, clearly it is. And i am sorry cause it's horrible to be indicated as a "gamey guy". I thought it was a common pratice, well accepted, to resize the air groups.
 
The problem is that there wouldn't be a worst moment to do that, cause the allies are in a full offensive movement and i badly need my CVs to be there.
 
However i think i found the solution. I will move back the CVL Ryuho (48 planes capacity) and use it to slowly resize all the 5 fighter groups from 81 back to 45 (which should be kosher cause the IJN has 45 organic sentais). I hate to renounce to a CVL in these moments, but think it's something i must do. Would hate to make Brad feels cheeted.
 
It will take some time, cause the groups are spread all over the map. But should be able to do it within a month.
In the meanwhile, the 3 81planes groups will always be operated at 50% rest.
 
 
BTW... the enemy bombed Taberfane and Dobo once again...clearly trying to close all the AFs around his next landing site...which may be Saumlaki or Selroe probably. I also think he's gonna use paradrops on some dot bases close to Boela...
 
Let's see if i can be a bit more lucky with the weather....[8|]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

However i think i found the solution. I will move back the CVL Ryuho (48 planes capacity) and use it to slowly resize all the 5 fighter groups from 81 back to 45 (which should be kosher cause the IJN has 45 organic sentais). I hate to renounce to a CVL in these moments, but think it's something i must do. Would hate to make Brad feels cheeted.

To downgrade them You will have to use Akagi. First You need to downgrade to A6M. But after that group will still have 81 planes and such group will not be allowed to fly to 48 size CVL. Solution can be do downgrade to model you have less that 48 in polls and then fly on CVL

Dont get into the trap of comparing AV.

You are past the stage where 1 IJA AV = 1 Allied AV.

The firepower of most Allied Infantry Divisions is well above any IJA Infantry Division, and as always its firepower that kills.

As for the resizing, IMVHO, because you had to put LBA onto a CV to manage it makes it pushing the boundaries. If you could do it on land the argument of being able to use your aircraft pools to their maximum.

PS With the weather, what are the regional weather forecasts, are you operating in an area with poor weather overall. What was the weather the day before at your target and over your CV's?

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Ok, here we are.

Nov 8,9 1943

Well, Brad had parked for a whole week 4 BBs right in front of Bathrust Island... a whole week...no movement at all....
I decided to give it a try. Waited for a day with good weather forecasted and then released my KB. Another run at flank speed, positioning 2 hexes east of Lautem and 7 hexes from the BBs.... set up all my search arcs in the right way... everything went smoothly...my CVs were unspotted... kept hidden for weeks just for that....

Guess what?

Storms both over the BBs and over my CVs...both morning and afternoon....[:o][:o][:o] Not a single a/c launched... instead the yankees did send 100 bombers, escorted by 100 fighters over Lautem... we fought back and downed 150 of his planes, losing 90 of mine own... then some 30 torpedo bombers escorted by corsairs attacked my CVs...but got mauled both by LRCAP and by my local CV CAP.... but damn, it's the 4th time my CVs raids get screwed......and Brad is getting so damned lucky with the weather on the naval encounters....

Then, on the 9th, Sweeps came over Magwe...and, once again, we fought back. 100 fighters downed for me, while he lost some 50...not bad, once again.

Brad also asked me about the numbers of my IJN fighters. A good friend wrote me an email saying Brad is a bit concerned about the resize of my IJNAF fighter groups....

I copy what i wrote to Brad

Not that massively. I had expanded 5 groups of IJN fighters from 27 to 81 and divided them in 3x27 (a part from the one you see at Mandalay) and upgraded them to George mainly. The float planes, tough, have been expanded all to 20 planes each (a part from those groups operating aboard AVs and AMCs). At Mandalay i have two groups of 45 N1K2 and one of 81. These were the ones you are seeing in combat.

I had done this during the first year when sentais around were very few and the IJAF was still very little. Stopped doing that in 1943 when the reinforcements groups finally start to arrive. Also the cost in term of supplies spent to maintain those big groups was getting too high and i have never enough pilots to them anyway.



Do you find it not "kosher"? I tried never to use them on sweep missions (i know that sweeping with big groups is, somehow, gamey, cause you have a much more advantage sweeping with big groups instead of smaller ones).



Personally i don't find the enlargements unbalancing (well, maybe if i had expanded the way Rader did ), but i am open to discuss it if you want. The way is see it is that if Japan is able to produce more planes for its pools it's somehow reasonable to create new groups if you have the resources (supplies, HIs etc) to do it, provided you don't "flood" the allies with simply too many planes to be handled.



But it's just my opinion...


I can resize them back, no problem. If Brad finds i did something wrong i apologise. I truly don't think so, but that's just my opinion and i may be wrong obviously.
Think it would be kosher to set an HR that limits the resizing to the max number originally available for the IJN...but, as you know, IJN groups can reach 45 planes... so if i'd resize all my IJN groups to 45 my air force would be much larger than what is now...

But i'm open to discussion. What do you think guys?

Well, the only issue is that the Allies can do the same and create 90 plane fighter squadrons with naval and marine units. I never did that (yes, it is gamey) but have increased the size of over a dozen units to 36-42 size groups so that I have some that can rotate to my carriers. I figured as long as I did not re size them beyond historical carrier groups size it would be OK. However, if my opponent was re-sizing to 90 plane units then I would not hesitate to do so. For the Allies, you really get so many groups by 1945 that the problem is finding a place to use them... but in a sweep, size does matter.

So for me it is OK as long as it is within reason.

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

As for the float planes I have also re-sized a lot of small unit to between 9-20. I've sacrificed a lot for better eyes and ASW, and paid the steep economic price (as well as the pilot price - the 'iron' price [:D]). What I can't remember is whether the Allies have float plane AVs to resize their groups? Do they? I know they get a ton of groups, so there isn't much of a shortage, but I'm serious if they're able to do the same if would wish.

The Americans get lots of 18 plane FP groups. The option most have is the ability to upgrade to SBD-3/5s. I have done so in my parallel game and then found the few that can go the Avenger route. I wish I could upgrade more to Avengers which I have in spades.

Slightly OT - Playing Allies I would LOVE to be able to re-size one of my Marine CVE groups to 90 and be able to fill it out with Corsairs. Just need to increase production from 30/mo to 90/mo. [:D]

You will eventually get a million 8 plane avenger units coming in on your CVEs. I did expand about a dozen of these to 24 because I do not like to use mixed plane groups on my carriers but have one carrier carry one type of plane. Plus, the avenger is one plane that you get plenty of. Might as well put them to work.

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Dont get into the trap of comparing AV.

You are past the stage where 1 IJA AV = 1 Allied AV.

The firepower of most Allied Infantry Divisions is well above any IJA Infantry Division, and as always its firepower that kills.

As for the resizing, IMVHO, because you had to put LBA onto a CV to manage it makes it pushing the boundaries. If you could do it on land the argument of being able to use your aircraft pools to their maximum.

PS With the weather, what are the regional weather forecasts, are you operating in an area with poor weather overall. What was the weather the day before at your target and over your CV's?

This is doubly so for the Marine Division with a higher squad firepower and an army squad, and a overlarge artillery compliment. Plus a Marine Division gets about 120 HMG and MMG squads. Basically, if you are out of supply you will be toast very fast. Out of supply units don't recover from disruption or fatigue so after a couple of deliberate attacks you will start to melt. Problem is a lot of players can't wait to shock and shock too early. No need to vs an out of supply unit. I think about a week's worth of deliberate attacks will do the job.

My late war American Infantry divisions are starting to get their own organic Pershing tank battalions. That can't be good for the IJA.[X(]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Well, Brad has managed to cut every attempt of mine to resupply Hollandia, Vanimo and Sarmi and has bombed the hell out of them for 3 months now. Yes, they are out of supplies and i know they will fall. But i wanna see how fast they fall in order to be able to act accordingly when the next push to Biak will be made. Biak, Nemonfor and the other close-by base will have, in complex, some 250k supplies. I wanna use Hollandia as a test to see and to learn from my previous mistakes. Here i got sloppy and thought i had much more time to devolp the defensive complex... for the next time i wanna be more ready!

This is exactly how I felt in this area, although combined with some poor luck with weather. But of course you can't rely on only air power to defend where the Allies can use LST/DD invasions. It's a tough spot as so much is dedicated to not allowing the Allies to turn the corner, but in late 43/44, once they do it's a power drive to the end of New Guinea. Your big bases might still hold him up for a while, and as they do make sure the next level in the Biak AND the Sorong areas are strong and supplied.

ChickenBoy, I did resize moving out the Kaga groups and transfering the LBA group on it, then resize to 81 and splitted it into 3 groups of 27 planes, so to have 3 sentais instead of 1.
For the FPs, i am using them mostly on ASW duties and naval search, in order to fight the allied subs and create some "corridors" where my TFs can move safely.

However, i got the message. If even the JFBs think this is gamey, clearly it is. And i am sorry cause it's horrible to be indicated as a "gamey guy". I thought it was a common pratice, well accepted, to resize the air groups.

The problem is that there wouldn't be a worst moment to do that, cause the allies are in a full offensive movement and i badly need my CVs to be there.

Not one player here would consider you gamey, Nic. You're going through this campaign for the first time and much of what you're basing things on is a game with the player who figured out more than anyone how to squeeze every last drop out of the IJ. I don't think you doing this is gamey, it's all in how you use the groups and the fact you're not trying to get a combat advantage with larger sizes.

It is common practice to re-size naval air groups, and we all do it to an extent, paying the inherent prices economically that result. Don't compromise your defense to change them back immediately. Split them and and wait until you can do it in a relatively less volatile moment, or even switch them out for training groups and send them home. You only have one chance to hold the Allies back from each spot, and once they have it the tetris pile builds up a little more, speeds up a little more, until it's game over. Fight now!

Thanks guys for all the help (not only pratical, but also ethical)!
 
November 13, 1943
 
Here we go again... Brad has assembled 4 hexes south of Selroe a HUGE invasion force. All his CVs and CVEs, along with BBs and Cruisers, seem to be assembled here. APA/AKA and many many many DDs are also present. They are lingering... while 30 allied subs are creating a safety belt south of Ambon and Boela.
One thing i'm sure about: those amphib TFs haven't been loaded at Darwin...  for the rest i don't know if this is another feint or a real invasion.
The target may be Saumlaki or Taberfane. Selroe could be another target but i don't think Brad would need another 0(3) AF base... he needs a (5) base here...
 
My KB (spotted) is fully refueled north of Ambon. I think i'll try to move a bit souther...and see if i can engage him at 8 hexes. Ambon and Boela will be my support bases, while 2 strong SAG will try to sweep towards Saumlaki, preceded by some DD TFs.
 
a Clash of Titans is waiting for us...
 
 
at the same time the 3rd Marine division has completed its unloading procedures at Hollandia, with many CAs bombing every day.
 
In Burma he's sweeping Sweebo, trying to lure my leaky CAP from Mandaly...with no success so far.
 
The first Frank-r unit is almost ready at Rangoon, while D4Y4 and KI-69T advanced to 3/44[8D]. Think i'll have them both by jan 44
 
The second regiment of the 54th Division is unloading at Tinian, which is growing fast. Now Pagan, Saipan, Guam and Tinian are all well guarded. The Mariannas are safe for the moment. He will need a long campaign to conquer anything here...
 
So, his only advancing route will be, for the next months, eastern and western NG

When you hit the "K" button to display the regional weather, it shows what for the "Clash of Titans" general area??

Hi Micheal,


To answer your question (but also Jeff's previous one), yes, I always check the regional weather forecast and also the local hex weather one.

In the last two situations (Colombo raid and the BB ambush of the last week), regional and local weather forecasts were actually pretty decent (partly cloud and light rain, clear sky and clear sky)... That's why I think I got particularly unlucky!

For tomorrow the regional weather is forecasted as partly cloud, with Molu being extreme overcast and with some hexes around Molu with severe storms. Overall, the weather shouldn't be that bad, but Mr.Murphy can always kick in, as we all know.

My KB is divided into 3 CVTFs, each of nearly 350/400 planes. Abe, Nagumo and Yamaghuchi in command, with Tanaka leading the SAG TF screening force.
The CAP should be provided by 300 crack zeros, the rest are all in full attack mode. It's pretty useless, imho, to have more than 300 planes on CAP, being the maximum detection provided by Japanese radars of 38 minutes... even 1000 zeros won't stop an allied raid composed of 100 Hellcats and 2/300 bombers. There's nothing more I can do by now if not just pray that the Gods of weather would smile upon me and screws Brad's attacking capabilities

Carrier clash
That's what tiggers like best.

This will certainly be interesting to watch!

Well guys, in November 1943 I don't expect to get out of a carrier clash without some broken ribs. By now the allies have superiority in terms of CVs and also in terms of quality.
I've only sunk 1 CV so far, so he should have 5 original ones + at least 3 Essex class, along with 2 CVLs and many CVEs...
I have to rely on luck if I wanna win this battle... luck in terms of range, luck in terms of weather. I'm pretty sure Brad will pack Molu with LBA to provide some extra CAP over his CVs and amphib TFs... I have some solutions to that but would be bloody... Molu has not less than 5 or six PT-TFs... The use of PTs really changes the course of the naval war..when they upgrade with radars they become deadly... But hey, I have to live with it.
This is my line in the sand... this is where we fight.

I've done my very best to keep my CVs at their best. All upgrades have been taken. All airgroups have best leaders, best planes, best pilots. The KB is at its zenith. I'm not building any more CV, so this is what I have and what will have till the end of the war.

Will my CVs see the arrival of the SAM? Will we simply get creamed by the Helldivers' bombs?

Here you will also be able to see what the allied late war flak can do... I did some tests... the modern BBs are deadly...

Wow. This could be big.

It may be after you've given orders, but one reason to keep a bigger CAP is for the post strike battle where I find the CAP destroys a bunch more planes. This can severely limit the next strike, as well as help your own if a lot of Hellcats go down, but that assumes some of the KB is still in good shape. Maybe 300 is fine, but I've not had a CV battle in late 43-44, so who knows?

We all set things slightly differently. It'll be interesting to see how this works.

ORIGINAL: obvert

Wow. This could be big.

It may be after you've given orders, but one reason to keep a bigger CAP is for the post strike battle where I find the CAP destroys a bunch more planes. This can severely limit the next strike, as well as help your own if a lot of Hellcats go down, but that assumes some of the KB is still in good shape. Maybe 300 is fine, but I've not had a CV battle in late 43-44, so who knows?

We all set things slightly differently. It'll be interesting to see how this works.

300 zeros on CAP is a lot Erik! it's 100 fighters above the 200 firing passes rule, so above 200 it's basically useless. I've already been through this...and saw my 1000 fighters on CAP (in late 1944) rendered absolutely useless after the 200 firing passes... so it's more like a phsycological feature to have a HUGE cap rather than a serious defensive strategy. What it's worth is the power of your striking package. If you get a good strike well escorted you're gonna do some heavy damage. And to do that you need a lot of escort... that's why I have devoted 220 zeros only for escort duties... CVLs and CVEs will just provide escort with their zeros group...while a sentai of 20 Kates with CRACK ASW pilots will give ASW interdiction.

Then, it's all about the dice... luck has a GREAT role in these battles... so, a part from setting everything in the right way, there's nothing much you can do except praying[:)]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: obvert

Wow. This could be big.

It may be after you've given orders, but one reason to keep a bigger CAP is for the post strike battle where I find the CAP destroys a bunch more planes. This can severely limit the next strike, as well as help your own if a lot of Hellcats go down, but that assumes some of the KB is still in good shape. Maybe 300 is fine, but I've not had a CV battle in late 43-44, so who knows?

We all set things slightly differently. It'll be interesting to see how this works.

300 zeros on CAP is a lot Erik! it's 100 fighters above the 200 firing passes rule, so above 200 it's basically useless. I've already been through this...and saw my 1000 fighters on CAP (in late 1944) rendered absolutely useless after the 200 firing passes... so it's more like a phsycological feature to have a HUGE cap rather than a serious defensive strategy. What it's worth is the power of your striking package. If you get a good strike well escorted you're gonna do some heavy damage. And to do that you need a lot of escort... that's why I have devoted 220 zeros only for escort duties... CVLs and CVEs will just provide escort with their zeros group...while a sentai of 20 Kates with CRACK ASW pilots will give ASW interdiction.

Then, it's all about the dice... luck has a GREAT role in these battles... so, a part from setting everything in the right way, there's nothing much you can do except praying[:)]

Yes! Been through that part!

Make your sacrifices to the weather gods now.

Your settings make sense, I've just never tried them, so I'm curious. I've still always used each group split to 30-50% CAP and escort with layering and had usually one or two dedicated CAP at 0 hex. I got burned on that recently against Torsten as my CVs reacted (against orders) and ended up in 3 different hexes, having much less mutually supporting CAP than they should have by design.

So as you say, the luck is perhaps the biggest part, and you have to ask yourself right now, "do you feel lucky?" [:D]

ORIGINAL: obvert

So as you say, the luck is perhaps the biggest part, and you have to ask yourself right now, "do you feel lucky?" [:D]

"...Punk?" [:D]

Dirty Harry would probably go to battle without any CAP.
Pure offensive POWER.