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Lastly, I don't think it's the airframes themselves that are the problem. I think it is the slow pace of air ops prior to you taking the game.

I humbly suggest there is one other factor: CR has taken the "Northern Route", which has its advantages, but doesn't interfere with Japan's access to the Southern Resorce Area. Given that in this scenario, Japanese ASW is more effective, and the USN submarine arm correspondingly less so, I would expect that the Japanese economy is turning out fighters (and other war material) at a much greater rate than is typical.

I don't think access to the SRA impacts the ability to build first-rate aircraft hardly at all. At the margins yes, but those circumstances weren't going to be at play here unless CR stalls out in the coming 6 months.

Those P-51Hs, P-47Ns and P-80s can't come soon enough, although I think you're getting the P-47N.

One random thought: Could the occasional B-29 night raid on manpower in big cities (Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, etc.) have a positive effect in forcing him to spread out his fighters?

Cheers,
CB

No single wonder weapon will crush the Japanese air (or so it seems). Instead try for "Mixed Arms" - that is the winning team. Use ground, air and naval forces to obtain the greatest possible effect on enemy air. Sure it wont be easy given the number of airfields Japan has available in the area, but by clever use of your mixed arms, you can at keep him at distance. Ops losses works both ways

Try to take out his Naval power - that way you will have superiority not only in Ground firepower, but also freedom on the seas. Then can you combine all three forces on his air (Although it could be costly to achieve).

I also think you need to be taking the odd, scattershot attempt at night bombing.

Send 50 B-29s here one night. Two nights later, send 50 to another spot. Then the very next night, send 100 to 2 spots. Etc. Be unpredictable about it. Maybe chance the odd daylight raid (at higher altitude) but at a lower value target that's less likely to have 200 fighters over it - yet still might give you a few dozen VPs towards AV and slightly impinge his industry (particularly fighters/engines, which he may burn supply repairing).

Thanks, Gents.

I've tried all kinds of bombing missions - high, low, day, night, specific target, manpower, large, small. Erik has his fighters and AA well deployed. As a result, the missions cost me more than they do him. So I changed my strategy a while back.

I feel sure that I'm better off waiting until I have big airfields close to his industrial centers (Kushiro will be a major step in that direction). If, in taking those big airfields, Erik's fighter strength is attritioned, all the better. In the long run, I think I'll score more net points by waiting for better circumstances than trying to shoehorn in results at the moment.

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: A key turn opens with DS steaming boldly and directly through enemy controlled straits and waters to a coastal hex west of Kushiro. The amphibious TFs are steaming separately at full speed for the beach head, escorted by some combat TFs, minesweepers, and ASW TFs. I've chosen speed over security. If Erik guesses right and sends in his combat TFs, things could get ugly.

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: With so many Allied TFs approaching a key enemy base, Allied TFs begin bumping into a lot of enemy ships. These are mostly riff-raff like ML, ACM and barges, but some good APDs, SSX and SS are mixed in.

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: Erik sends reinforcements to the Allied-controlled non-base hex west of Kushiro. Allied TFs like this one intercepts his APDs, but some (as here) only after they have unloaded their troops.

2/8/45

Kushiro: Many Allied TFs encounter SSX. No mini-subs score hits and about a half-dozen are sunk.

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: Five or six enemy subs intercept Allied TFs, sinking one DE. Two or three enemy subs take heavy damage.

2/8/45

Kushiro: Allied bombardment TF scores poorly at the major enemy airfield of Bihoro. This suppression mission is a failure, but the secondary objective of slowing ground movement may have succeeded.

So now you are going for Auto-Victory by sinking mini-subs? Genius! [:)]

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: The heart of the matter is to successfully land a major army at Kushiro in good enough condition to take the base within a reasonable amount of time. The landings go superbly - an estimated 10% disablements, which is minimal given prep ranging from the 40s to the 70s.

2/8/45

Kushiro: Whether Erik can wrest control of this hex from me in time to open the rail to Kushiro may be a key battle. Here, Allied DDs eliminate one good fast transport TF before it can unload.

Tomorrow, two armored units will come ashore (their transports are already in the hex) to help in the battle. I'll probably have 2EB and maybe 4EB target the enemy unit here and possibly my guys will attack.

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: A sight like this one would be the waving of a red flag in John IIIs face. Erik may feel the same way.

2/8/45

Kushiro: Allied sweeps of Bihoro do very well, clearing the airspace before the bombers come in.

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: Many enemy strikes target the hex where Death Star is posted - mostly good fighters sweeping, but occasionally escorted bombers or unescorted bombers. Some of the big sweeps included Erik's finest fighters (Ki-83, Frank-r), but Allied CAP performs well.

2/8/45

Kushiro D-Day: Usually sweeping enemy fighters clean up against Hellcats, but here the Navy fighters hold their own against Erik's best.

2/8/45

Kushiro: Bombers do a pretty good job suppressing Bihoro's big airfield.