Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)

[Bif1961]

True the Allies have ships to burn, but should they really be burned? I find the psychological as aspect of war critical in real life but doesn't affect forces here except when one side or the other gets frustrated and quits. The Japanese are handicapped by countries that collapsed after they lost some units and territory, especially the Dutch in DEI or the Americans in PI. That flipped all remaining units when they surrendered and Japan was not forced to invade every occupied base and dot to have those ares become their territory. If possible it would be good if we could have that included in the game.

[Miller]

11th-20th Oct 43

In Burma he has about 100 ground units sitting at Toungoo not moving anywhere, guess he is resting them for now, next stop Rangoon and/or Moulmein...

I send Mr Tanaka and his ships from Rabual for a look to see what he had lying off Shortlands, he gets a nice little haul:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Shortlands at 109,131, Range 12,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Seagull V: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CA Haguro, Shell hits 1
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 2
DD Yamagumo, Shell hits 1
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 1
DD Asagumo
DD Arare, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Kasumi, Shell hits 1
DD Yudachi

Allied Ships
CA Australia, Shell hits 23, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 30, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Helm, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Mugford, Shell hits 3
DD Mahan, Shell hits 1
DD Case, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shaw, Shell hits 1
DD Warramunga, Shell hits 5, on fire

Meanwhile in Cenpac my subs finish off the sole surviving Omaha class CL Trenton as it headed for PH. He invades Wotje in the Marshalls, bombarding it with no less than 6 fast BBs. His CVs are in the area and I send my entire fleet more in hope than expectation of forcing a battle, but as expected he sends them scurrying back towards Pearl as soon as my fleets are sighted. I'm at the peak of my carrier based air power now, with 15 CVs, and 10 CVL/Es in play carrying roughly 1300 a/c. Reading the Allied reinforcement shedule he has roughly the same but his will go through the roof in 44[:(]

[Bif1961]

Now you know why he scurries away, to come back and fight another day, when he is on steriods.

[GetAssista]

Gosh, your surface combats of late are lit! I wonder if your opponent is on the brink of losing confidence in his electronic sailors [:D]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Miller

11th-20th Oct 43

In Burma he has about 100 ground units sitting at Toungoo not moving anywhere, guess he is resting them for now, next stop Rangoon and/or Moulmein...

I send Mr Tanaka and his ships from Rabual for a look to see what he had lying off Shortlands, he gets a nice little haul:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Shortlands at 109,131, Range 12,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Seagull V: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CA Haguro, Shell hits 1
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 2
DD Yamagumo, Shell hits 1
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 1
DD Asagumo
DD Arare, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Kasumi, Shell hits 1
DD Yudachi

Allied Ships
CA Australia, Shell hits 23, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 30, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Helm, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Mugford, Shell hits 3
DD Mahan, Shell hits 1
DD Case, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shaw, Shell hits 1
DD Warramunga, Shell hits 5, on fire

Meanwhile in Cenpac my subs finish off the sole surviving Omaha class CL Trenton as it headed for PH. He invades Wotje in the Marshalls, bombarding it with no less than 6 fast BBs. His CVs are in the area and I send my entire fleet more in hope than expectation of forcing a battle, but as expected he sends them scurrying back towards Pearl as soon as my fleets are sighted. I'm at the peak of my carrier based air power now, with 15 CVs, and 10 CVL/Es in play carrying roughly 1300 a/c. Reading the Allied reinforcement shedule he has roughly the same but his will go through the roof in 44[:(]

You're really causing him some problems, aren't you? [;)]

I think it's the turn of 44 when the extra Allied radar gunnery takes effect and your DDs begin to really suffer in every battle like this. Take advantage while you can and seek out any engagement possible.

[Miller]

21st-31st Oct 43

Not much of note. No troop movement from him in Burma, however a nasty sweep/B24 raid of Rangoon destroys 40 Oscars on the ground. He's starting to move troops around in China with the odd 4E raid thrown in so he is probably angling to start up hostilities again there soon.

The other area of note is around Rabual. I have the victorious cruiser force under Tanaka sitting under about 300 fighters there. He loads up all his bases in and around Shortlands with marine fighters and bombers and they attack the TF, he pays to the tune of 115 a/c for 3 losses and no hits by the few SBDs/TBFs to get through[:)] My CVs are currently hovering about 12 hexes NE of Shortlands so he may have hoped to get a shot at them instead but the result would have been the same. No sign of his death star the last few turns.

The Frank starts production next month, which is nice but it won't be a big game changer due to the poor service rating. Still waiting for a navy fighter squadron to arrive capable of upgrading to the George, I've even turned off production of it as I have about 300 in the pool!

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Miller

21st-31st Oct 43

Not much of note. No troop movement from him in Burma, however a nasty sweep/B24 raid of Rangoon destroys 40 Oscars on the ground. He's starting to move troops around in China with the odd 4E raid thrown in so he is probably angling to start up hostilities again there soon.

The other area of note is around Rabual. I have the victorious cruiser force under Tanaka sitting under about 300 fighters there. He loads up all his bases in and around Shortlands with marine fighters and bombers and they attack the TF, he pays to the tune of 115 a/c for 3 losses and no hits by the few SBDs/TBFs to get through[:)] My CVs are currently hovering about 12 hexes NE of Shortlands so he may have hoped to get a shot at them instead but the result would have been the same. No sign of his death star the last few turns.

The Frank starts production next month, which is nice but it won't be a big game changer due to the poor service rating. Still waiting for a navy fighter squadron to arrive capable of upgrading to the George, I've even turned off production of it as I have about 300 in the pool!

The Frank does change the game. It's just something you have to plan for with service 3. Rotate groups, use the rail, don't set them on islands.

The George is good enough you should just build as many as you can for later. Even the N1K1 can be useful late.

[Miller]

1st-10th Nov 43

Two very big downers during this period.

Number one, he attacks Shanghai port at extreme range with B24s and I had neglected to CAP it, his bombers sink a large TK and AO plus a few valuable PBs and Es. Lesson learned, CAP big ports or empty them within 20 hexes of his large airbases.

Number two was much worse. I've had my oldest CA's, the Aoba/Furutaka class at Singapore most of the game. After recon showed warships that looked to be threatening Rangoon I sent them north as a counter. It looked one of his TFs was going to visit Rangoon and sent them in to intercept it. However they find nothing and for some reason they are still at Rangoon during the daytime. I had neglected to LRCAP them (I expected them to be well clear in the day) and his low level B25s sink all but Kinugasa[:@] 3 CA's lost in one turn is a mini disaster for the IJN, even if they are the weakest in the game. Lesson learned #2, always CAP fleets no mater where you expect them to be next turn[:(] Nothing else of note to report.

[obvert]

That hurts. You hate to lose them for nothing.

You can use his aggression though, especially with ports and other targets. CAP traps will be useful later too, but I have a feeling Mr Kane likes to go all-in, s you'll also have cover carefully!

[Anachro]

I'm always with losing ships in an engagement initiated or in operations I have deliberately conducted for strategic or tactical purposes. Losing them for no reason or due to careless mistakes is always the most frustrating.

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

I'm always with losing ships in an engagement initiated or in operations I have deliberately conducted for strategic or tactical purposes. Losing them for no reason or due to careless mistakes is always the most frustrating.

It certainly is. I don't think they ever fired their guns at another ship the whole game[:(]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Miller

The Frank starts production next month, which is nice but it won't be a big game changer due to the poor service rating. Still waiting for a navy fighter squadron to arrive capable of upgrading to the George, I've even turned off production of it as I have about 300 in the pool!

Yep, waiting for George to arrive really stinks,but don't turn off production as you will eventually have the squadrons and boy will you ever work them hard. Even the first version is capable all the way thru 1944. You need to anticipate losing thousands.

The Frank is second only to SAM in a PDU off game with respect importance. You get tons of squadrons, and you should really plan on losing 6000 plus over the course of the game unless you planned on rushing the KI94.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Miller

The Frank starts production next month, which is nice but it won't be a big game changer due to the poor service rating. Still waiting for a navy fighter squadron to arrive capable of upgrading to the George, I've even turned off production of it as I have about 300 in the pool!

Yep, waiting for George to arrive really stinks,but don't turn off production as you will eventually have the squadrons and boy will you ever work them hard. Even the first version is capable all the way thru 1944. You need to anticipate losing thousands.

The Frank is second only to SAM in a PDU off game with respect importance. You get tons of squadrons, and you should really plan on losing 6000 plus over the course of the game unless you planned on rushing the KI94.

Actually, I'd say N1K1 is still usable into 45!

Some thoughts on airframes.

Don't turn off the N1K1 or upgrade all factories. It gets to 41k and that is important late.

Build the Ki-102A. It goes to 44k. I didn't research it, and wish I had.

Get the Ki-83 early. As early as possible. In my game with Loka they're killing it (meaning killing my guys).

In mid-43-early 44 think about training a LOT of fighter pilots of the IJAAF as it will be most important late after the big kill of IJN groups in mid-44. Looking back now I would begin to use PPs to convert 2E bomber groups to FB, train and also use these for rear area defence. It is also then important to research and build enough Ki-102B. I'm still building the Ki-45A Nick in late 44, and will be until the end I think.

Get the Sam as early as possible. I didn't.

The N1K5 and J2M5 work really well late at max altitude. I use them in low CAP and they're fine, but they have better manoeuvre than Allied planes up high and it seems to make a difference. They've both gone toe to toe with P-51D, P-47D25 and F4U-1D and have done really well. It's better to tackle the P-47D/D25 low though. They're dogs against a low CAP.

EDIT: This is PDU-off isn't it? Maybe you can't buy out 2E bomber groups in PDU-off.

[RangerJoe]

Subscribed and I read it all so far.

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Miller

The Frank starts production next month, which is nice but it won't be a big game changer due to the poor service rating. Still waiting for a navy fighter squadron to arrive capable of upgrading to the George, I've even turned off production of it as I have about 300 in the pool!

Yep, waiting for George to arrive really stinks,but don't turn off production as you will eventually have the squadrons and boy will you ever work them hard. Even the first version is capable all the way thru 1944. You need to anticipate losing thousands.

The Frank is second only to SAM in a PDU off game with respect importance. You get tons of squadrons, and you should really plan on losing 6000 plus over the course of the game unless you planned on rushing the KI94.

Actually, I'd say N1K1 is still usable into 45!

Some thoughts on airframes.

Don't turn off the N1K1 or upgrade all factories. It gets to 41k and that is important late.

Build the Ki-102A. It goes to 44k. I didn't research it, and wish I had.

Get the Ki-83 early. As early as possible. In my game with Loka they're killing it (meaning killing my guys).

In mid-43-early 44 think about training a LOT of fighter pilots of the IJAAF as it will be most important late after the big kill of IJN groups in mid-44. Looking back now I would begin to use PPs to convert 2E bomber groups to FB, train and also use these for rear area defence. It is also then important to research and build enough Ki-102B. I'm still building the Ki-45A Nick in late 44, and will be until the end I think.

Get the Sam as early as possible. I didn't.

The N1K5 and J2M5 work really well late at max altitude. I use them in low CAP and they're fine, but they have better manoeuvre than Allied planes up high and it seems to make a difference. They've both gone toe to toe with P-51D, P-47D25 and F4U-1D and have done really well. It's better to tackle the P-47D/D25 low though. They're dogs against a low CAP.

EDIT: This is PDU-off isn't it? Maybe you can't buy out 2E bomber groups in PDU-off.

Hi Obvert, thanks for your input. As much as I would like to research the likes of the Sam, Ki-83 and -102, I'd be starting from scratch now and would be unlikely to see any of them before the end of 44. I will turn on the N1K1 factories again to build up a big stock when upgradeable sqds come into play. Kicking myself as I took my eye off its research and allowed all the factories to convert to production when I had planed to convert most to research the N1K2, which has a better service rating of 2. I won't see that now until late 44 either[:(]

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Subscribed and I read it all so far.

Thanks, good to know people are still interested in this.

[RangerJoe]

. . . Kicking myself as I took my eye off its research and allowed all the factories to convert to production when I had planed to convert most to research the N1K2, which has a better service rating of 2. I won't see that now until late 44 either [:(]

Note to self:

Have a cheat sheet/reminder list of things to do/switch if I play the Japanese again! I only tried it once and I did not have tracker working. [:@]

One thing that I found out recently in my game against the Japanese computer - you can sweep your own base if there are enemy ground units there. I have even seen them in the bombers combat report but I have yet to see enemy CAP so I have not seen the effects on the enemy CAP.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Miller

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe



Yep, waiting for George to arrive really stinks,but don't turn off production as you will eventually have the squadrons and boy will you ever work them hard. Even the first version is capable all the way thru 1944. You need to anticipate losing thousands.

The Frank is second only to SAM in a PDU off game with respect importance. You get tons of squadrons, and you should really plan on losing 6000 plus over the course of the game unless you planned on rushing the KI94.

Actually, I'd say N1K1 is still usable into 45!

Some thoughts on airframes.

Don't turn off the N1K1 or upgrade all factories. It gets to 41k and that is important late.

Build the Ki-102A. It goes to 44k. I didn't research it, and wish I had.

Get the Ki-83 early. As early as possible. In my game with Loka they're killing it (meaning killing my guys).

In mid-43-early 44 think about training a LOT of fighter pilots of the IJAAF as it will be most important late after the big kill of IJN groups in mid-44. Looking back now I would begin to use PPs to convert 2E bomber groups to FB, train and also use these for rear area defence. It is also then important to research and build enough Ki-102B. I'm still building the Ki-45A Nick in late 44, and will be until the end I think.

Get the Sam as early as possible. I didn't.

The N1K5 and J2M5 work really well late at max altitude. I use them in low CAP and they're fine, but they have better manoeuvre than Allied planes up high and it seems to make a difference. They've both gone toe to toe with P-51D, P-47D25 and F4U-1D and have done really well. It's better to tackle the P-47D/D25 low though. They're dogs against a low CAP.

EDIT: This is PDU-off isn't it? Maybe you can't buy out 2E bomber groups in PDU-off.

Hi Obvert, thanks for your input. As much as I would like to research the likes of the Sam, Ki-83 and -102, I'd be starting from scratch now and would be unlikely to see any of them before the end of 44. I will turn on the N1K1 factories again to build up a big stock when upgradeable sqds come into play. Kicking myself as I took my eye off its research and allowed all the factories to convert to production when I had planed to convert most to research the N1K2, which has a better service rating of 2. I won't see that now until late 44 either[:(]

I'm always a bit lukewarm on the N1K2. It's fine, but the N1K1 just has more, and I'm beginning to think it's combination of guns and altitude override the service 2. I do like the J2M3, and that has service 2 also, so maybe that's my answer should I go through this again.

I'm only seeing the Ki-83 in Dec 44, and won't get the Sam for a few months still. They're still worth getting at this stage, and much better than waiting until mid-45. You need something to deal with the high and fast late Allied models beginning with the P-51D in November 44.

[Miller]

I see what you mean about the N1K2 as its max ceiling is 6000ft less than the N1K1, however that should not matter in this game due to a HR on max fighter ops, 20k 42, 25k 43, 30k 44, 35k 45, 40k 46 (unless I make it to 46 lol).

[Miller]

11th-20th Nov 43

No troop movement by him in Burma but he steps up the sweep/bomb campaign there. One day I lose 50 Oscars for a handful of P47s and I pull them out of the fight for good. A few are already upgraded to the Frank and I'm waiting for them to repair before committing them en masse, I should have 120 to play with flown by my best pilots by the end of the month.

I now have decent CAP over every major base in B24 range from China but I am yet to get a bite, I think he has them set to commander discretion which usually sends them anywhere with no CAP so there have been no raids the last few days.

No sign of his CVs at all during this period, I think they may be in port getting upgrades (I hope so anyway as I have something planned for my CVs, more details nearer the time). I'm facing a dilema at Rabual. It's basically surrounded now by 7 or 8 huge airfields. He is only night bombing for now but I'm wandering if its time to pull out whilst the going is still good....