Tales from the First Time -DanSez (J) vs Przemcio231 (A) - no Przemcio231 please

[ny59giants]

Ki-44-IIa will come online at the end of this month and give some backup for the Oscars.
I have 1 fully repaired Ki-44-IIc factory chipping away at that delivery date.

Tojo should become your main IJA fighter for some time once they come on line. Mr Tojo is to be used mainly as CAP and Sweep fighter while Oscars are relegated to Escort duty. I would produce about 120 Tojo per month (maybe more depending on losses) and cut Oscar down to about 90. Your largest fighter groups get the Tojo and shuffle pilots around to put your best in them. The Tojo line is used for a very long time due to her SR 1.

[Lowpe]

What does engine production look like?

A little too much Emily production I think, but maybe not depending upon your uses for the plane.

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Ki-44-IIa will come online at the end of this month and give some backup for the Oscars.
I have 1 fully repaired Ki-44-IIc factory chipping away at that delivery date.

Tojo should become your main IJA fighter for some time once they come on line. Mr Tojo is to be used mainly as CAP and Sweep fighter while Oscars are relegated to Escort duty. I would produce about 120 Tojo per month (maybe more depending on losses) and cut Oscar down to about 90. Your largest fighter groups get the Tojo and shuffle pilots around to put your best in them. The Tojo line is used for a very long time due to her SR 1.

Thanks for the good advice (now and before).

Well, I may have to rethink how I have my factories allocated and boost the Tojo engine production.
I was considering the Oscar IIa as the front line fighter and the Tojo as the base/cap/production area protection plane with occasional deployment to the front line bases of high activity.


(Correction)
Small update on Ki-43-IIa delievery: my over-anxious projections miscalculated the latest advance (to 7/42 instead of 6/42) -- so it will be 20-22 days from the 13th of May before armored Oscars start rolling off the line.

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What does engine production look like?

A little too much Emily production I think, but maybe not depending upon your uses for the plane.

Emily is not on line yet (delivers next month)
Here are the Engine production numbers:
any advice is appreciated

[DanSez]

Here is the picture of IJN plane production as of 1942 05 14 orders phase:

[DanSez]

Here is the picture of IJA plane production as of 1942 05 14 orders phase:

[DanSez]

I have some Mavis production that I am watching closely.
Sonia... I am debating if I should
A. keep the line intact, but turn off production
B. switch this factory to R&D the Sonia B
C. switch this factory to produce Tojos when they come online next month
D. switch this factory to R&D another line (boosting an existing or start a new R&D line for Grace)

again, any advice will be considered and appreciated.
thanks

[ny59giants]

Tracker - Plz go under "Status" and sort by 'B + R&D' and then to far right by "Avail" date with oldest at top. Screen shot is an example to help others see what is actually going on. Pools are less important on airframes that are NOT being produced or researched.

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Tracker - Plz go under "Status" and sort by 'B + R&D' and then to far right by "Avail" date with oldest at top. Screen shot is an example to help others see what is actually going on. Pools are less important on airframes that are NOT being produced or researched.

Army Air Production:

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Tracker - Plz go under "Status" and sort by 'B + R&D' and then to far right by "Avail" date with oldest at top. Screen shot is an example to help others see what is actually going on. Pools are less important on airframes that are NOT being produced or researched.

Naval Air Production
(many thanks)

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: DanSez

I have some Mavis production that I am watching closely.
Sonia... I am debating if I should
A. keep the line intact, but turn off production
B. switch this factory to R&D the Sonia B
C. switch this factory to produce Tojos when they come online next month
D. switch this factory to R&D another line (boosting an existing or start a new R&D line for Grace)

again, any advice will be considered and appreciated.
thanks

The thing you have to remember about Japanese Army light bombers is every squadron can be upgraded to fighter bombers for PP cost. Most if not all bomber squadrons can be converted to light bombers.

This gives you a huge potential for fighter bombers. I remember reading one AAR where Japan had over 700 Nicks in 1944 pre Randy.

Now having said that Sonia has a camera, and will get lots of little hits for not that much supply cost in China and fly 4-5 hexes from small runways. It will keep disruption up among Chinese troops. However it costs as much supply to replace a lost Sonia as it does a Helen (fighter bombers are half as much or thereabouts).

Could Sonia make a good Kamikaze? Small bombs, short range, and slow...but you could have lots of them by the endgame with no additional change in factory allocations.

I think I would lean to having more fighter/bombers which seem to me more useful overall.

[DanSez]

I noticed in the B+R&D for Naval, the production line for A6M2 is not shown.

(added)
Just about every turn I consider turning on or off production.
As I have been concerned about keeping R&D bonus up for the Ha-35, the A6M2 and some others, were turned off the previous turn.

[ny59giants]

OK, here are my observations, but I hope other current and more experienced Japanese production experts can fine tune your production efforts.

IJA -
Sonia (30) - I would change this factory over to Tojo ASAP
Helen (30) - Your main Army bomber, but only 30 now, when does the IIa start production??
Oscars Ic (90) and IIb (150) - way too many IMO, but let others tell you how many in a PDU "On" game to produce

IJN -
Pete (30) - why produce these at all?? I go with Jakes and Glens (subs only)
Rex (30) - I've never built them. Has anybody found them useful?? if not, another factory to change over
Jake - A1 at (22) and A1b at (30). No need to have more than one factory for this airframe.

Again, my Japanese production knowledge is dated.

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

OK, here are my observations, but I hope other current and more experienced Japanese production experts can fine tune your production efforts.

IJA -
Sonia (30) - I would change this factory over to Tojo ASAP
Helen (30) - Your main Army bomber, but only 30 now, when does the IIa start production??
Oscars Ic (90) and IIb (150) - way too many IMO, but let others tell you how many in a PDU "On" game to produce

IJN -
Pete (30) - why produce these at all?? I go with Jakes and Glens (subs only)
Rex (30) - I've never built them. Has anybody found them useful?? if not, another factory to change over
Jake - A1 at (22) and A1b at (30). No need to have more than one factory for this airframe.

Again, my Japanese production knowledge is dated.

My thoughts on the above - not a defense but some reasoning/ planning on your points.

Sonia (30) could either go to Ki-44-IIa (starting production next month) - or once repaired, shift up to R&D the Ki-44-IIc.

Helen IIa (armored) production will come online late in June. One of the R&D factories will convert to production. I plan on increasing one of the production factory lines above the 30 level later. The other two will continue in R&D (final Helen or some other plane-- TBD)

Oscars -- those (150 R&D) are going for the -IV model as soon as possible. I have 1 production factory (30) and 1 currently (55/5). I might continue to expand the 60 size factory to be the total Oscar production plant and then shift that (30) over to either complete the -IV model or resarch a new line. But that is eating up HI/supply and instead leave the (30) and (60) factory combo alone as the total Oscar production source. Still thinking about this...

Pete (trainer/ ASW / night bomber defense). I plan on shifting out of Pete production toward the end of 42 as real night fighters start to become available.

Rex (I hate Catalinas) - those and Rufe are going to be used for island defense and snagging Cats. I don't know enough yet about how many squadrons can covert over to Rex and Rufe so I might be wasting potential resources, but that is part of the tale of a first time player.

Jake (production: 22 current model) - (R&D: 30 the upgrade model with radar).
My thoughts are the sooner I can get the next model, the quicker the effect of radar for nav and asw search will be felt.

[Lowpe]

Couple of problems....you can't speed up activating radar. 6/44 for your earliest models in planes.

Oscar IV isn't that much of an improvement over earlier versions and it does lose range. You will need Oscars to provide longer range escorts, and potentially kamikazes, I see nothing wrong with the amount you are making.

Tojo does suffer from a lethality problem starting in late 43. George is a good sweeper then...

Rufe and Rex, not that many squadrons upgrade to it. Can be useful, on the CS as low CAP,or if you convert some BBs. 30 a month may be a bit excessive. I am not sure you will be able to shoot many Cats down that are on search. Where they can be useful is to fly LRCAP from unexpected bases over islands that the Allies are using as training grounds. They have cannons and can destroy 4Es.

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Couple of problems....you can't speed up activating radar. 6/44 for your earliest models in planes.

Oscar IV isn't that much of an improvement over earlier versions and it does lose range. You will need Oscars to provide longer range escorts, and potentially kamikazes, I see nothing wrong with the amount you are making.

Tojo does suffer from a lethality problem starting in late 43. George is a good sweeper then...

Rufe and Rex, not that many squadrons upgrade to it. Can be useful, on the CS as low CAP,or if you convert some BBs. 30 a month may be a bit excessive. I am not sure you will be able to shoot many Cats down that are on search. Where they can be useful is to fly LRCAP from unexpected bases over islands that the Allies are using as training grounds. They have cannons and can destroy 4Es.

I know the radars can not be advanced, I wanted to have the boxes already attached to as many frames as possible when they do. Maybe overthinking on my part, but if 100 frames are ready when radars come active, I don't have to wait to produce the planes, with those boxes to put the radars. They are already out there and can get the upgrade out and on search faster.

30 is a default number for a lot of factories with Realistic R&D Off as they have been/are R&D-ing or will be switched back to R&D at some point.

Thanks for your help.

Since you are looking in, I wanted to ask you about balloons.
This is my base as Rabaul. At what point could I expect defensive balloons and/or what else do I need to build or transport to Rabaul for protection.

Allied High Command loves to run bombers in under 4k. I want to kill all those bastages possible.

[Lowpe]

The higher the forts the higher the balloon level...offset by pilot experience and 2E vs 4E.

Don't count on them helping too much.

[DanSez]

May 14, 1942 - Update Sumatra

As reported earlier, Palambang is now under Imperial Japan's control. Also the oil rich town of Djambi.
When the Allied forces were kicked out of Palembang, they retreated to the Northwest and I anticipated their retreat toward Benkoelen, but instead they have made a mad dash for Djambi. I flew in the Yokosuka 1st SNLF paratroopers to back up the 2nd Tank Rgt holding the line. Units from the siege of Palembang are trying to cut thru roadblock sacrifical units and finish the job.

This last turn, the 18th Brit Div got to Djambi and attempted a Shock Attack:

Ground combat at Djambi (48,88)
Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 5322 troops, 92 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 179
Defending force 1263 troops, 8 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 87

Allied adjusted assault: 13
Japanese adjusted defense: 45

Allied assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), fatigue(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
18th British Division
224 Group RAF

Defending units:
2nd Tank Regiment
Yokosuka 1st SNLF

Here is the overall situation map of Sumatra and Singapore as of 1942 05 14 orders phase:

[DanSez]

East Java Sea - 14 May, 1942

Batavia is the last Allied stronghold on Java.
The bases on the West and South coast of Borneo have been isolated and by-passed at this point but will need to be addressed soon. There are 4k or so troops reported in Singkawang and 3k or so in Bandjermasin.

Air elements are bombing Batavia, not enough resources to go to other than recon the other bases.

[DanSez]

West Java Sea to Timor: 15 May, 1942

In the 'planning phase' I am considering an invasion of North Australia and the goal is to take Darwin. This is still 6-weeks to 2 months away as I want to resolve Batavia and part of the Borneo coast before venturing south.

There maybe some 'jousting' in the Timor Sea during this period.
At Balikpapan, Carrier Division 2 sits at anchor
(Akagi, Junyo, Shoho and Zuiho)
3 BBs, 4 CAs 3 CLs and a bunch of DDs are all rested and repaired as well.

Ports, Airfields and Forts are building everywhere.