Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert
On the Allied side I can also tell you I don't fear even the last model A6M8, Ki-43 IV or Ki-61c right now in late 43 but I do fear the Ki-44 Ia, N1K2 and J2M1.

I have been disappointed with Ki44IIc...perhaps your house rules and pdu off make it much more fearsome than it is in my game.

I have noticed something about converting factories...there is a random die roll to determine how many factories are destroyed, but it seems that random die roll is good once for all the conversions that day.

I meant the Ki-84 Ia. Typo! [:)]

The Tojo IIc is good in 43 and early 44, but fades a bit after that.

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

The Frances night fighter is still not fast enough, IMO. If you can, I would look at getting some NF Judys or Zeroes. They don't have radar, but they are fast enough to catch B-29s. They also have better climb. The Judy's armament leaves a little to be desired, but it uses the "right" engine IMO. Same with the Zero version, though it's a bit better.

The Denko is obviously the best, but hardest to get by a large margin.

Maybe because it was in combination with others but the Frances caught up to the B-29s for me. It has staying power the 1Es and planes without armor don't which makes a big difference. I found this out by pure chance, just giving it a try.

Even the Irving at only just above 300mph works. I just read Fortress in the Pacific and when the Irvings showed up at Rabaul in 43 they were very effective from the start, which I had never realized. They worked by letting the searchlights spot a plane, then diving in to get under it and hitting before being seen.

Dec 12, 1943

No night bombing.

Another Iboat victory in the Bay of Bengal.

I notice that the Allied fighter presence is still weak at Akyab, Ramree, and I might very well try to pull off another raid....or I might try for a large CAP trap as the Allies are breaking up their Jugs sweeps.

Guam falls....doomed when it ran out of supplies.[:(]

Saipan has plenty of supplies for now, and much better defenses. We shall see how see weathers the Allied juggernaut.

Deliberate Attack in Chungking in two days...I should have over 6K AV ready for the attack on 3800 of Chinese defenders. I am thinking about turning off the Art bombardment for a day prior to the attack, not sure. Bombardments and bombing are causing about 750 casualties each day. The ART does 250 or so and this past day killed 6 and disabled 22 combat squads.

Looking much better here, still need to pull some engineers off and add some artillery. AV is simply not a good enough measure, to defend you need lots of units to absorb the attack, plus heavy artillery, tanks and coastal guns and infantry division for staying power. Too much AA and your supplies run out too fast...

Artillery...most of the heavy stuff is on the map. I can't wait for the Rockets, even though they have such a short range and are weak against tanks.

Most of my very heavy stuff is west of Raheng in Indochina. I do have lots of 150mm tubes at Chungking, and a lot if it I bought out from China back in Aug of 1942 so it is free to relocate if I can take Chungking.

The next attack at Chungking will mean a lot...I am the strongest I have ever been there at over 6K, and the forts have been reduced to 3, and the Chinese are near the weakest according to the latest bombardment at 3400 AV. I am hoping for a decent roll, reduce the forts again, and be in position to attack again very quickly. I won't move my troops out and have the next attack when the troops recover to 5000 AV...which will hopefully knock the forts down to 1 making everything more effective.

Then it is simply a question of getting a 2-1 attack.[:D] I need the win here badly. Very badly, but need to be patient lest I wear my troops out too much....walking the daggers edge here, folks!

ORIGINAL: obvert

I meant the Ki-84 Ia. Typo! [:)]

The Tojo IIc is good in 43 and early 44, but fades a bit after that.

I figured the typo out on my own![:)]

I was perusing your AAR again, looking at plane builds and decided to up the build of the Jack 10 more. Also, I was going to grab all the NF squadrons, it has been posted in my AAR, but it is easier to find in yours.[:)] Perhaps I will put a link on page one of my AAR.

I haven't bought out any AA in a while, letting it buildup on the HI. I need to figure out the future flow of reinforcements, but I think I will be super stingy with it from now on. I may start shipping the 12cm guns back to Tokyo from Indochina...not sure, they are needed in both places really!

I have pumped 7 torpedoes into the Prince of Wales this game....since 8/42 at least, and she won't die![&:]

I am debating a sweep and assault on her again...Egads, would that be sweet, since the Allies probably plan to use her in support on Sumatra or any other invasion against the Empire.

I have two Kongo class BBs nearbye, but I am loathe to tangle with the POW with a Cruiser too. We would both take a pounding, and perhaps put the Kongos' out for the rest of the game in effect.

But sweeps and Betties, yes there might be the solution!

Ok, mom is the word, I am going for them. Sweeps of Port Blair, Cap Nicobar and for good measure Akyab. Then escorted bombers will hit the airfields at Akyab (0 Fighters, 100 aux); Port Blair (50F, 87 Aux) and one sentai of Betties on naval strike, one sentai of Lilly DB on naval strike. One Sentai of Jills on Naval strike.

Please, please, let tomorrow be the last day I write about the Prince of Wales!

Hmmm

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

The Frances night fighter is still not fast enough, IMO. If you can, I would look at getting some NF Judys or Zeroes. They don't have radar, but they are fast enough to catch B-29s. They also have better climb. The Judy's armament leaves a little to be desired, but it uses the "right" engine IMO. Same with the Zero version, though it's a bit better.

The Denko is obviously the best, but hardest to get by a large margin.

Maybe because it was in combination with others but the Frances caught up to the B-29s for me. It has staying power the 1Es and planes without armor don't which makes a big difference. I found this out by pure chance, just giving it a try.

Even the Irving at only just above 300mph works. I just read Fortress in the Pacific and when the Irvings showed up at Rabaul in 43 they were very effective from the start, which I had never realized. They worked by letting the searchlights spot a plane, then diving in to get under it and hitting before being seen.

If only we could force them to actually use that behavior in-game... despite setting mine to 2000, with bombers coming in between 3000 and 7000, mine almost never attack from below. Not a lot of use, considering their only gun faces upwards... Can't wait until I get "real" night fighters like the Nick, Judy, and Zero.

Since the radar doesn't come online until later anyway, I'm not concerned with accelerating the radar airframes.

Dec 13, 1943

Wow, December is almost half gone and I am still holding in Indochina...pretty happy, I guess I will see my goal of oil shipments out of SRA into 1944, can I make Feb?

No night bombing.

Prince of Wales and company disappear. George destroy the Allied Cap over Trinkat and Port Blair, but only one bomber squadron flew into Port Blair where they executed one of the best airfield attacks I ever had. 24 Betties did beautifully.

Near Raheng, my CAP trap was swept by two groups of Thunderbolts, not one, and suffered accordingly. I still destroyed 9 of the beasties, for 175 total. Looking at Obvert's AAR he destroyed 1300 combined by July 1, 1945. The fighters did stick around and get some kills on other escorts and one group of unescorted bombers.

American subs nail a 2 vp tanker, but then they also nail twice an AK carrying a construction engineer unit. All lost despite all the E's there.

Pretty happy for the day in the air, and I need to keep doing this hit and run raids on the Allies to whittle down their planes and hopefully pilots. I just can't sit back and be a punching bag.



Some interesting comparisons to Obvert: Obverts kills in Jul 1945 P40K 420; Skytrain 1,047; SBD-3 497; B24J 1,191

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

The Frances night fighter is still not fast enough, IMO. If you can, I would look at getting some NF Judys or Zeroes. They don't have radar, but they are fast enough to catch B-29s. They also have better climb. The Judy's armament leaves a little to be desired, but it uses the "right" engine IMO. Same with the Zero version, though it's a bit better.

The Denko is obviously the best, but hardest to get by a large margin.

Maybe because it was in combination with others but the Frances caught up to the B-29s for me. It has staying power the 1Es and planes without armor don't which makes a big difference. I found this out by pure chance, just giving it a try.

Even the Irving at only just above 300mph works. I just read Fortress in the Pacific and when the Irvings showed up at Rabaul in 43 they were very effective from the start, which I had never realized. They worked by letting the searchlights spot a plane, then diving in to get under it and hitting before being seen.

If only we could force them to actually use that behavior in-game... despite setting mine to 2000, with bombers coming in between 3000 and 7000, mine almost never attack from below. Not a lot of use, considering their only gun faces upwards... Can't wait until I get "real" night fighters like the Nick, Judy, and Zero.

Since the radar doesn't come online until later anyway, I'm not concerned with accelerating the radar airframes.

My Irvings always attack from below and are real killers versus 2E beasties. I am hoping the Sa version with the extra cannon makes them lethal versus 4Es. Why are you having problems?

I love your use of real nightfighters like the Nick, Judy and Zero! Can't disagree with you more here.[:)]

Some radar starts 6/44 and it is the most important upgrade for nightfighters there is! You ignore it at your own peril, I think.

Upgraded one of my two night fighting squadrons to the Irving Sa version.[:)]

Looking at upgrading another Myojo divebombing squadron.

Adding a third Jack squadron to my air fleet...HI air defence as I don't have the production to keep them on the front line, but it does free up Georges for offensive use.

The Ki202 repaired 2 more factories yesterday. Gadzooks, I want this plane for HI defence against Mustang and Jugs. I view it a a potential game changer in protecting the industrial centers in the HI. If I can make great numbers of them: Frank r, Ki202, Ki100, Randy 102b; for the Navy it will be Sam J, George ver 3 and Jack ver 2 or ver 3.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: obvert




Maybe because it was in combination with others but the Frances caught up to the B-29s for me. It has staying power the 1Es and planes without armor don't which makes a big difference. I found this out by pure chance, just giving it a try.

Even the Irving at only just above 300mph works. I just read Fortress in the Pacific and when the Irvings showed up at Rabaul in 43 they were very effective from the start, which I had never realized. They worked by letting the searchlights spot a plane, then diving in to get under it and hitting before being seen.

If only we could force them to actually use that behavior in-game... despite setting mine to 2000, with bombers coming in between 3000 and 7000, mine almost never attack from below. Not a lot of use, considering their only gun faces upwards... Can't wait until I get "real" night fighters like the Nick, Judy, and Zero.

Since the radar doesn't come online until later anyway, I'm not concerned with accelerating the radar airframes.

My Irvings always attack from below and are real killers versus 2E beasties. I am hoping the Sa version with the extra cannon makes them lethal versus 4Es. Why are you having problems?

I love your use of real nightfighters like the Nick, Judy and Zero! Can't disagree with you more here.[:)]

Some radar starts 6/44 and it is the most important upgrade for nightfighters there is! You ignore it at your own peril, I think.

I always set my NY close to the expected altitude of the incoming bombers, not lower. If at 9k against a raid at 6-9k they seemed to attack using the 20mm just fine. From lower I'd think you don't get the dive and lose time as they climb.

The Sa with radar is much better.

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna




If only we could force them to actually use that behavior in-game... despite setting mine to 2000, with bombers coming in between 3000 and 7000, mine almost never attack from below. Not a lot of use, considering their only gun faces upwards... Can't wait until I get "real" night fighters like the Nick, Judy, and Zero.

Since the radar doesn't come online until later anyway, I'm not concerned with accelerating the radar airframes.

My Irvings always attack from below and are real killers versus 2E beasties. I am hoping the Sa version with the extra cannon makes them lethal versus 4Es. Why are you having problems?

I love your use of real nightfighters like the Nick, Judy and Zero! Can't disagree with you more here.[:)]

Some radar starts 6/44 and it is the most important upgrade for nightfighters there is! You ignore it at your own peril, I think.

I always set my NY close to the expected altitude of the incoming bombers, not lower. If at 9k against a raid at 6-9k they seemed to attack using the 20mm just fine. From lower I'd think you don't get the dive and lose time as they climb.

The Sa with radar is much better.

I haven't dug into it, but I will if there continue to be issues. I am pretty sure the bases with those first Irvings have radar to detect the raids...

I meant "real" night fighters in that they have guns other than an UP-mounted one [:'(]. Since the radar doesn't come online until 6/44 or 11/44 anyway, there's not much point in accelerating an airframe that uses it, unless it is so much better than another one. Given the number of losses in airframes that the 4Es cause, I'd rather use and lose 2* the number in Zeroes/Judys than in Irvings. Unfortunately, the IJAAF only has 2-engine versions.

Looking at my Tracker, there are actually 2 groups other than the Endo Detachment (321 Ku S-1 and 321 Ku S-2) that can only use the J1N1-S version and no others. The rest can all choose from any of the other IJNAF 2Es or the C6N, and only 4 groups are allowed to use the A6M or D4Y frames (3 each). It's worth noting that you can probably resize those 3 units...

As for the IJAAF, there are 2 units that can only use the Ki-46-III Dinah version. The rest of the IJAAF units capable of using NFs can choose among any.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
If I can make great numbers of them: Frank r, Ki202, Ki100, Randy 102b; for the Navy it will be Sam J, George ver 3 and Jack ver 2 or ver 3.

I cut the Jack off at version 2, and get the George to version 3. The Jack-v3 (the J2M5) just has an oddball combination of changes from the J2M3. It's 382 instead of 365, so less likely to be penalized by faster Allied fighters that are coming in for sweeps, but can't go as high. It is more maneuverable at its top band, however.

But compare to the George-3, the N1K5. Pretty much the same speed, George with more firepower (albeit a bit less accurate), same SR, same maneuver, and George can go to 39370 - high enough that P-38s can't get the dive on it although Mustangs and P-47s still can. Climb rate vs. the J2M5 isn't as much of a difference as the other versions. So it's as if the J2M5 is meant to be a filler in your CAP against sweeps, but it's SR3 which seems antithetical to the role of a filler. J2M5 and N1K5 are almost the same plane and so you're better off sticking with the faster-climbing J2M3. Also, if it ends up mattering, the N1K5 carries bigger bombs if you end up kami'ing them [:D].

*shrug*

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I cut the Jack off at version 2, and get the George to version 3. The Jack-v3 (the J2M5) just has an oddball combination of changes from the J2M3. It's 382 instead of 365, so less likely to be penalized by faster Allied fighters that are coming in for sweeps, but can't go as high. It is more maneuverable at its top band, however.

But compare to the George-3, the N1K5. Pretty much the same speed, George with more firepower (albeit a bit less accurate), same SR, same maneuver, and George can go to 39370 - high enough that P-38s can't get the dive on it although Mustangs and P-47s still can. Climb rate vs. the J2M5 isn't as much of a difference as the other versions. So it's as if the J2M5 is meant to be a filler in your CAP against sweeps, but it's SR3 which seems antithetical to the role of a filler. J2M5 and N1K5 are almost the same plane and so you're better off sticking with the faster-climbing J2M3. Also, if it ends up mattering, the N1K5 carries bigger bombs if you end up kami'ing them [:D].

*shrug*

Well, it costs nothing in supply to upgrade to the last Jack, so that is what I will do. It does cost to switch from Jack to George.

Jack doesn't have the range to be a good kamikaze - or the payload.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I cut the Jack off at version 2, and get the George to version 3. The Jack-v3 (the J2M5) just has an oddball combination of changes from the J2M3. It's 382 instead of 365, so less likely to be penalized by faster Allied fighters that are coming in for sweeps, but can't go as high. It is more maneuverable at its top band, however.

But compare to the George-3, the N1K5. Pretty much the same speed, George with more firepower (albeit a bit less accurate), same SR, same maneuver, and George can go to 39370 - high enough that P-38s can't get the dive on it although Mustangs and P-47s still can. Climb rate vs. the J2M5 isn't as much of a difference as the other versions. So it's as if the J2M5 is meant to be a filler in your CAP against sweeps, but it's SR3 which seems antithetical to the role of a filler. J2M5 and N1K5 are almost the same plane and so you're better off sticking with the faster-climbing J2M3. Also, if it ends up mattering, the N1K5 carries bigger bombs if you end up kami'ing them [:D].

*shrug*

Well, it costs nothing in supply to upgrade to the last Jack, so that is what I will do. It does cost to switch from Jack to George.

Jack doesn't have the range to be a good kamikaze - or the payload.

Also remember engines.
Jack is using Ha-32 for all versions while George changing from Ha-45(K1 and K2) to Ha-43(K5)

ORIGINAL: koniu
Also remember engines.
Jack is using Ha-32 for all versions while George changing from Ha-45(K1 and K2) to Ha-43(K5)

Great point Koniu. That funky engine is also used in the Sam J -- important to me.[:)]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: koniu
Also remember engines.
Jack is using Ha-32 for all versions while George changing from Ha-45(K1 and K2) to Ha-43(K5)

Great point Koniu. That funky engine is also used in the Sam J -- important to me.[:)]

Yeah. So I just make more Ha-43's... either way, you'll have to make the engines for it. You'll either need to expand Ha-45 more as your later models come online, or those Ha-43 factories, or the Ha-32 for the extra Jacks...

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Well, it costs nothing in supply to upgrade to the last Jack, so that is what I will do. It does cost to switch from Jack to George.

Jack doesn't have the range to be a good kamikaze - or the payload.

Aren't you already producing George? If so, the last model of the George wouldn't cost supplies to create, correct?

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Aren't you already producing George? If so, the last model of the George wouldn't cost supplies to create, correct?

Correct, but as you astutely point out the Jack is there for some between coverage in 44. So I upped my Jack production to 50, from 30 over the last 3 weeks. It will primarily be HI air defence, especially for when the B29 activates.

George is my primary fighter...so much more versatile than Jack. You are hard pressed to sweep with Jack, doesn't have the range or the altitude.