Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: PzB

Perhaps the latest patch will fix something?

Not aware any change made in this regard.

The excess pilots in Scen 2 is a known issue with the Scenario, as you note the monthly cost is quite high. You get your first training squadrons in early '45, at that point you can greatly reduce the pilot burden. Until then ....

Something's not working right with Jap production; heavy industry is eaten up by the vast pilot pool that can't be curbed.
- Supply production is way to small, home island bases are in yellow and red and I can only send a supply convoy from Tokyo every 2nd week or so.

A long time ago i have read here that this problem is caused by the design of Scenario 2. As Japan you will get may additional ressources and also pilots but in the late years this blessing will transpose into a curse. Here the pilot problem was mentioned because they strain your ressources which can be indeed a game breaker. I myself have edited the original scenarios to avoid such situations.

ORIGINAL: Tullius

I myself have edited the original scenarios to avoid such situations.

As have I ... Scen 1 isn't so much an issue, but Scen 2 ... yikes.

You just may be a victim of your own success. It probably is rare the Japanese player who will be in your position as far as remaining assets.
I suspect that game design was predicated on the Japanese fleet, army and air force being greatly reduced at this point in time.

Thx for the advice guys, I've messaged Andy and asked for his advice.
To me it seems like we need to remove excess pilots ..or possibly dump more supplies into Homelands.
Down to 2.2 million now and I've halted production of hundreds of ac.

Updated to r9 patch this turn!
The CV Ikoma arrived and KB is now complete - no more KB reinforcements.

ORIGINAL: PzB

Down to 2.2 million now and I've halted production of hundreds of ac.

Why? Does ac production use supply? I didn't know that ... thought it used only HI (18*#engine). Have I been missing something? [X(]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: PzB

Down to 2.2 million now and I've halted production of hundreds of ac.

Why? Does ac production use supply? I didn't know that ... thought it used only HI (18*#engine). Have I been missing something? [X(]

I'm usually wrong Pax, but I think what PzB means is supply is eaten up in general all over the map, particularly in the Home Islands, and the huge pilot training pools are what's eating into his HI. I am fully prepared to stand corrected on this one. [:D]

PzB, what you could do to save supplies is take a long, hard look at fort construction. Especially the levels above 6 need huge amounts so you might see some savings there. Also the DEI produces some surplus supplies so you might ship out some of that.

In my game against Castor I found that the HI tax was manageable. It was up to 100k+ per month in '45 but by reducing armament and shipbuilding expenses it was not that hard to pay for that.

Yup, what I meant; at the current tempo I'll be out of HI in less than 10 months so I've tried to shut down all non-essential factories.
AC production is at 2/3 with hardly any increases last year and armaments pools have gone dry so I had to restart these factories.

I'm stopping fort construction at level 5 (max 6 for important bases).
This is another step that may have to be taken (stop all fort construction).

Shipbuilding is still running at full tilt (not sure what consumes merchant yard points since all cargo ship and tanker construction has been halted).

Been talking with Andy and we're looking at actions to modify the scenario.
Hopefully this will normalize the situation [&o]

Ach, so you have both a supply and an HI issue due to the pilots?  Ouch.  Never thought you would have an HI problem given the area that you took and have held so long.

ORIGINAL: PzB

Older destroyers ( <4000 endurance) and E-type escorts will support the supply train.

I think you should create few defence squadrons from low endurance DDs/TBs. When Allies land, and you would like to strike a beachhead, you would make short run only, not send entire TF around, so ships in several possible places of Allied invasion can make something useful, instead of convoy duty, because there are hardly and surface threat now for them.

Read that Jap ships finally get their AA rockets - hope this works for old games as well [&o]

This is database error (0 effect), so it was not repaired in patch. Maybe Andy will repair it by hand, same as he did with Army Ground Radars?

Yup, what I meant; at the current tempo I'll be out of HI in less than 10 months so I've tried to shut down all non-essential factories.
AC production is at 2/3 with hardly any increases last year and armaments pools have gone dry so I had to restart these factories.

Only pilots in trainee schools use HI. If you have free week, you can find largest possible air unit, empty it to reserve, then draw new pilots, and immediately empty it again into reserve (eventually pool will be empty, and you will begin drawing from trainee schools). You have "only" 10k pilots to do this. So maybe even in 3 days you could finish the task [:D]

Shipbuilding is still running at full tilt (not sure what consumes merchant yard points since all cargo ship and tanker construction has been halted).

CVEs also use Merchant Points. Maybe even SSTs. Possibly minesweepers, and some of smaller escorts (E?).

But look at the bright side! In WITP you were lucky, if at the end of 1942 you could find more than 3 bases, with 20k supply [:D]

ORIGINAL: Tullius

Something's not working right with Jap production; heavy industry is eaten up by the vast pilot pool that can't be curbed.
- Supply production is way to small, home island bases are in yellow and red and I can only send a supply convoy from Tokyo every 2nd week or so.

A long time ago i have read here that this problem is caused by the design of Scenario 2. As Japan you will get may additional ressources and also pilots but in the late years this blessing will transpose into a curse. Here the pilot problem was mentioned because they strain your ressources which can be indeed a game breaker. I myself have edited the original scenarios to avoid such situations.

I have read, that whole HI tax for pilots was added far later, after Scenarios were finished, so nobody thought about possible consequences for late game.

I'm a little at a loss at what to expect in regards to supplies, fuel and resources.
Fuel isn't at a premium, resources are abundant and supplies scarce...not a good mix at all.
- Merchant fleet and tankers working @ 100% capacity and we hold all of Japans historical conquests ++

I have done that; light cruisers like Yubari will lead 4 4000 endurance destroyers in the form of fast response units.
These TFs are at sea near threatened regions and will be able to thwart any ad-hod effort that can be difficult to spot.

Annoying with the rockets, but guess they didn't work at all anyway...
No interest in manually emptying the training schools [:'(]

The ships constructed by the merchant yards are far fewer than the historical pool with only a handful of tiny CVEs remaining on the slips.
Weird that we can't keep up with such a modest demand. I've stopped all SSTs...what do I need em for.

Some modifications have now been done to our game with the help of Michael F.

- Added some HI to the pool
- Decrease the HI per trainee cost also.
--> Freeing pilots don't affect the HI cost. It is oriented to the replacement pool.

So we'll have to see how this works out! [&o]

ORIGINAL: PzB
Some modifications have now been done to our game with the help of Michael F.

- Decrease the HI per trainee cost also.
--> Freeing pilots don't affect the HI cost. It is oriented to the replacement pool.

PzB, these could be some quite useful changes. I suppose these are exe changes? Do you also you the 300 firing passes for air battles in this version? Any chance that this modified version may be publicly released?

Btw, I recently thought of the Rangoon-Bangkok RR again that you brought up in your AAR earlier. Has anything come from that? I guess you didn't look into it further since you can't benefit from it anymore?

Nah, this is a private mod only.
This issue needs to be discussed on the forums in a separate thread me thinks.

Not mentioned the railroad - could still be advantages, but they would - could become Andy's really quick so may just as well let it slide now!-)
Don't know about the 3000 firing passes either?

Ok, we are back at it.
Still not sure that adjusting HI cost / levels will solve the severe supply problems.
To me it seems that the increased number of ac, ships and troops cost more supplies than Japan can afford even when at optimum strength.

I'm expecting a heavy Allied attack against Gilbert / Marshall Islands soon.
As depicted on the map, you can see where I expect Allied attacks. Our main defensive zones are deep and layered.

I don't expect to intervene an Allied invasion of the Gilberts / Marshall Islands.
Enemy superiority with ships and subs will make it to dangerous - we need major LBA support to engage.
Still possible that we will mount hit and run missions.

Attacks in New Guinea - New Britain - Solomons can be made by Allies with LBA support.
Same is true to a certain degree in Dutch East Indies but not sure Andy wants to have another go here.
- Pretty sure he will return to Port Blair, but he needs a Navy to do so.

Strategic Map

ORIGINAL: PzB

Ok, we are back at it.
Still not sure that adjusting HI cost / levels will solve the severe supply problems.
To me it seems that the increased number of ac, ships and troops cost more supplies than Japan can afford even when at optimum strength.

Could be that simple. You are doing better than anyone I know. Your total daily supply cost has to be huge as you are getting all of those late war units and you haven't lost hardly anything.

ORIGINAL: PzB

Still not sure that adjusting HI cost / levels will solve the severe supply problems.
To me it seems that the increased number of ac, ships and troops cost more supplies than Japan can afford even when at optimum strength.

Probably this is because lack of testing for late-game, although I do not recall other AARs, where Japanese side reported shortages.
Considering, that there is rare combat action here, your supply usage is very low. Shortage could be because you increase your industry, or maybe lack of extra conquered China industry cause this?

Attacks in New Guinea - New Britain - Solomons can be made by Allies with LBA support.
Same is true to a certain degree in Dutch East Indies but not sure Andy wants to have another go here.
- Pretty sure he will return to Port Blair, but he needs a Navy to do so.

Strategic Map

You do not point Kuriles, as possible invasion spot.
New Guinea seems to be in stalemate, was there any more action on western coast so far? Lack of action here, and in Burma could indicate, that those theaters are not on the list right now.
I am actually wondering about full invasion on Java. Considering, that Allied fleet is not in great shape, quick invasion of several bases, on large island - so they can be supported by land links, could release fleet from longer engagement.

Overall - Allies should now strike either against your oil routes, so west/south DEI willl be quickest, or directly against your industry, so Kuriles or Jimas. Although islands can be easily closed by your fleet, so large islands are more probable.


And, why the heck, late CVEs arrive with CLAUDEs?

I see in you AAR that you have progressed to 1944. I'm currently working on revamping the economy for my mod...however I'm seeking some data. To that end I posted a poll on the public forum -

1. What is your PEAK HI USE (not production) on a daily basis?

2. What is your average HI Use on a daily basis?

2. What are you spending those points on?


Would it be possible for you to provide the answers to the above questions to me?

Also curious about this elevated supply usage that you are seeing....

ORIGINAL: PzB

Ok, we are back at it.
Still not sure that adjusting HI cost / levels will solve the severe supply problems.
To me it seems that the increased number of ac, ships and troops cost more supplies than Japan can afford even when at optimum strength.

I'm expecting a heavy Allied attack against Gilbert / Marshall Islands soon.
As depicted on the map, you can see where I expect Allied attacks. Our main defensive zones are deep and layered.

I don't expect to intervene an Allied invasion of the Gilberts / Marshall Islands.
Enemy superiority with ships and subs will make it to dangerous - we need major LBA support to engage.
Still possible that we will mount hit and run missions.

Attacks in New Guinea - New Britain - Solomons can be made by Allies with LBA support.
Same is true to a certain degree in Dutch East Indies but not sure Andy wants to have another go here.
- Pretty sure he will return to Port Blair, but he needs a Navy to do so.

Strategic Map

Welcome back john long time no see!