EA Damian(J) V Nemo(A) "Renaissance"

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: BJStone

I have two other questions - does anything convert to the Ki-219? And can the Uhu switch from night fighting to day fighting? I'm just hoping there is a path to convert some of your AC to this frame - maybe your FB?

To my knowledge nothing converts, there isn't even a seed unit to do this (one F/FB group that can upgrade to it, allowing others to do the same) and all night fighters can do daytime iirc ... Realistically though the TojoIII, is just about as good and uses the same engine. There are 438 planes TBO, so that is a fair number too ...

Can I ask, have you started a game with this mod, or are just in the planning stage ?


Cheers
--Damian--

[BJStone]

Hi Damian,

Planning. This mod does intregue me. I guess it's the what-if factor. I don't know if I'll ever actually play a game but I'm at least looking into the economy for the Japanese side and what I would do for an initial war planning strategy.

AE will be coming out and I've currently got a stock game going - I'd like to play a game with this mod but I don't think I can find the time. I am enjoying the read of the game between you and Nemo121 though.

What I was looking at with the Uhu is the Max Altitude of 41.6k. The Uhu is the frame I'd want to use against the B-17s and the P2. Plus the Uhu has radar, mounts two 20mm and four 30mm cannon to the front (plus two more 30mm that are SM) and has a longer range then the Tojo. The Tojo can't engage the P2 or B-17s if they are flying near/at their ceiling. I think the radar plus an altitude advantage would make the Uhu one kick-butt aircraft.

Regards,

BJ

[n01487477]

BJ - all good points, just a pity it is going to arrive a little too late to save me, maybe if I were playing a less aggressive player then it'd be on my watch list too..

Still, I don't want to really ever go back to playing a less aggressive player than Nemo, it is a rush, more of a learning experience and a better indication of what Allied players should and can do...

Most players sit around planning an operation that was always going to succeed with enough force displacement, take one base at a time, in an orderly fashion and then sit back and pat themselves on the back "job well done" ... I've come to reject that notion, the Allies in this game can win it well before the historical date, you just have to do it as the superpower they are. Japan can be allowed to expand well beyond historical boundaries, if the Allied player allows, but should never be allowed to win.

Cheers

--Damian--

PS. I am trying to get it a month or two early anyway.

[modrow]

Damian,

ORIGINAL: n01487477

Still, I don't want to really ever go back to playing a less aggressive player than Nemo, it is a rush, more of a learning experience and a better indication of what Allied players should and can do...

I agree completely to what you say about playing against Nemo... it is a rush, more of a learning experience and a better indication of what Allied or Japanese players should and can do. And, as you state yourself repeatedly: It's painful...

Still, I am not sure there are many of his kind around, thus never ever going back may be some sort of a vow of celibacy...

Hartwig

[n01487477]

Hartwig,
guess I'll have to play you [:D]

--Damian--

[modrow]

Damian,

well... not so sure whether Nemo's lessons will change me that much... For now, I guess that based on Nemo's comments and on what is happening on the map, I am more of a specimen of an Allied player who may serve as an indication what Allied players cannot and should not do [;)].

But if Nemo achieves a miracle, why not. After all, he can make the seemingly impossible happen on the map all over again...

Hartwig

[n01487477]

30 Jan '43

Still the quiet before the storm, got a feeling Nemo is going to bypass Truk & maybe even Saipan... can't hedge the bet too much, but am looking into redeploying some assets.

HI attacks are starting to get to me, more fighters moved into Japan.

Day Air attack on Hiroshima/Kure [HON] , at 61,41

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 9
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 9

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 91

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe-FF: 3 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 10 destroyed, 10 damaged

Heavy Industry hits 25

Usual attacks in most places, tried to hit Soerabaja with LB and CV based planes, minimal success, 1 AK hit.

--Damian--

[Alfred]

Very nice map provided in post #570.
 
I would recommend that you make a hard copy of such a map.  A close study of maps showing daily movements(land and air as well as sea movements) in a consolidated manner will prove to be of great assistance in learning how your opponent operates.  Once patterns of play are discerned, the chances of correctly anticipating future moves by your opponent improve.
 
Alfred

[n01487477]

31 Jan '43

Still waiting with baited breath as to where Nemo will strike, nothing new to report except for the increased HI attacks...

Since the bombing campaign began some time ago 900 HI has been wiped off the map. In the last week possibly 350 of this, and he hasn't even tried yet, perfect knowledge combined with force of arms and it is going to get nasty soon.


--Damian--

[BJStone]

ORIGINAL: n01487477

BJ - all good points, just a pity it is going to arrive a little too late to save me, maybe if I were playing a less aggressive player then it'd be on my watch list too..

Still, I don't want to really ever go back to playing a less aggressive player than Nemo, it is a rush, more of a learning experience and a better indication of what Allied players should and can do...

Most players sit around planning an operation that was always going to succeed with enough force displacement, take one base at a time, in an orderly fashion and then sit back and pat themselves on the back "job well done" ... I've come to reject that notion, the Allies in this game can win it well before the historical date, you just have to do it as the superpower they are. Japan can be allowed to expand well beyond historical boundaries, if the Allied player allows, but should never be allowed to win.

Cheers

--Damian--

PS. I am trying to get it a month or two early anyway.

Cool - I hope to see the Uhu in action.

I don't know what most players do, truth to tell. In this mod the upgrade options/paths for air production themselves offer many options for Japan. The Allies do seem to have a *lot* of CVs tho. Does this mod do the auto-spawn thing for allied ships?

Regards,

BJ

[n01487477]

1 Feb 1943

After a few days waiting for a turn, Nemo finally launched what he termed a test run, if this is the test then I'm in real strife...

[*]Changkufeng & Moppo had HI hits from Allied LB.
[*]The Allied CV's parked themselves 5 hexes off of Truk, my forces, which are dialed in for 5 hexes, although I shouldn't have wasted the OscarII's this way, were creamed...

Day Air attack on TF at 71,78

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 4
Ki-44III Tojo x 15
G4M1 Betty x 18
Ki-43-II Oscar x 9

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 41
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 24
F4F-4 Wildcat x 47
F6F-5 Hellcat x 96

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 4 destroyed
Ki-44III Tojo: 15 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 18 destroyed
Ki-43-II Oscar: 9 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged
F6F-5 Hellcat: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 71,78

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44III Tojo x 9
D3A2 Val x 29
G4M1 Betty x 42
Ki-264 Behemoth x 4
Ki-43-II Oscar x 12
Ki-49 -I Helen x 4
G9M1 Marlina x 3

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 41
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 24
F4F-4 Wildcat x 40
F6F-5 Hellcat x 93

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44III Tojo: 9 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 24 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 40 destroyed
Ki-264 Behemoth: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-II Oscar: 12 destroyed
Ki-49 -I Helen: 4 destroyed
G9M1 Marlina: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Seafire II: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 CV Corsair: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed, 7 damaged
F6F-5 Hellcat: 10 destroyed, 16 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 71,78

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 7
Ki-44III Tojo x 27
D3A2 Val x 3
Ki-43-II Oscar x 14

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 39
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 20
F4F-4 Wildcat x 27
F6F-5 Hellcat x 68

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 7 destroyed
Ki-44III Tojo: 25 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-II Oscar: 14 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Seafire II: 3 destroyed
F4U-1 CV Corsair: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 11 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 8 destroyed

Nemo's email:
Using the CV Corsair as a 1:1 ( in terms of exchange rate ) I canexpect the Seafire to lose 2:1, the F6F to lose 3:1 and the Wildcat tolose at least 9:1. So, 20 Corsair Is vs Tojo IIIs is pretty much as good as 180 Wildcats. The other thing is that NONE of my F4U1-Corsairs flew (my thoughts: really - aren't they in the mix ??) ... This is good as the mod is working as designed but it does mean that I need to swapout those F4U1s in the USMC squadrons for Hellcats if I want to protect my carriers... and I do, I really do. So, mission accomplished, back to base to redesign my airwings and carrier TFs to make use of the lessons learned.

[*]Canton - the Allies finally deliberately attack and get a 1-1, reducing the fort to 8, this is expected as I have been flying troops out of here for the last month or so.

[n01487477]

2nd and 3rd Feb '43

Not too much to report, just the usual attacks on HI and airfields. Nemo has withdrawn to his smugglers hold of Eniwetok, where hundreds of ships have been sighted in Port and in TF's... this is the launch point, the slingshot is being drawn and the marble of fate is about to bowl me over, no doubt.

Map shows major attacks lately ... not much I can do but move around some air, do some LRCapping and hope for the best, but having had to split my airgroups due to the lack of groups able to cover these assets, even these do little to halt the spiral down...

[n01487477]

4 & 5 Feb '43

The Fourth, I'll just say was manouvering of CVTF's and in all honestly I was trying to get out of dodge waiting for CV Musashi and Shinano (no not the stock mouse), to get to the front lines...

The Fifth, according to both of us was by accident, Nemo was hoping to nullify my escort from Truk, as he did last time, but my planes have been set to range 1, not to fly offensive missions from there...

On the other hand cause he charged in with his CV's, my CVTF's couldn't do anything but strike, and strike they did against a huge wave of cap... Nemo must have just fighters on his CV's (or stood down a heap of DB's) cause that is all I saw.

Day Air attack on TF at 68,77

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 3 <--- really ? LOL

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 46
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 38
F4F-4 Wildcat x 110
F6F-5 Hellcat x 126

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 3 destroyed


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 68,77

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44III Tojo x 123
D3A2 Val x 55
B5N2 Kate x 65

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 46
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 38
F4F-4 Wildcat x 110
F6F-5 Hellcat x 126

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44III Tojo: 110 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 27 destroyed, 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 45 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Seafire II: 16 destroyed, 1 damaged
F4U-1 CV Corsair: 19 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 103 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 39 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Lexington, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CV Formidable, Torpedo hits 1
CV Saratoga
CV Indomitable, Bomb hits 2
BB Washington
BB Indiana, Bomb hits 1
CV Wasp
CA Chester
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 2
CV Enterprise

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 68,77

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44III Tojo x 16
D3A2 Val x 22
B5N2 Kate x 20

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 13
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 8
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
F6F-5 Hellcat x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44III Tojo: 6 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 13 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 14 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 CV Corsair: 2 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Formidable
CV Illustrious
CV Indomitable, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Enterprise, Bomb hits 2
BB Indiana, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 68,77

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 27

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 16
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 8
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
F6F-5 Hellcat x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 21 destroyed


Allied Ships
CV Formidable, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CV Enterprise
CV Wasp
------------------------------------------------------------

Day Air attack on TF at 68,77

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44III Tojo x 85
D3A2 Val x 17
B5N2 Kate x 11

Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 24
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 17
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
F6F-5 Hellcat x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44III Tojo: 35 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 8 destroyed, 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 9 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Seafire II: 12 destroyed
F4U-1 CV Corsair: 10 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 31 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CV Wasp
CV Illustrious, Bomb hits 1
BB Washington
CV Indomitable, on fire
CV Enterprise

I'm hoping this has bought me a bit more time, possibly another month, but who knows what goes on in the mind of the "Irish guy"! And essentially, while this seems to all a great victory, which it is, think about the implications of losing 300+ CV pilots...

[n01487477]

So here are the air losses, which are pretty huge ... I can cover the frames, but not the pilots, and reinforcements are being sent from all around the map to fill out my CV groups again... this will take a few days and then I'll see about pushing the envelope a bit, that is if he doesn't chase me today...

A2A, was pretty crazy, and I haven't sat down and analysed it yet, but look at the flak numbers ... 81 lost to flak ... now that is potent!

I figure, Lady Lex and the Hornet are in trouble, maybe not sinkings, but out for a few months, and the others will need a month in Dry Dock at least.

[n01487477]

6 Feb '42

As I predicted, Nemo's forces turn tail and run home for replenishment, he tells me that the damage isn't too bad, damn, or maybe a ruse. Whatever it is, they will be back in a few days, and I've got to make a decision whether to stay or run, or pull back to the Woleai/Guam line.

Seeing as plenty of people look, but very few comments on this log, I'll make up my own mind as usual...

[*]Okayama and Peking get visits from Allied LB ...
[*]Swatow gets some Allied fighters, so now I have to contend with that over Taiwan as well, here come the Pe's.

All the rest is basically the same, supplies are running short in the perimeter, but I'm stripping the land and selling the future for now... wasn't there a song about that ?

[ny59giants]

I'll chime in. [:D]
&nbsp;
As Nemo seems focused on the Central Pacific area in some way. I would look at different island groups from the point of defensibility and how its capture effects your economically. With Nemo, I would focus on economics and his love of his version of "psych warfare."
&nbsp;
Is his focus on Truk to divert your attention away from somewhere else?? Or is a way to wear you down??

[Capt. Harlock]

So here are the air losses, which are pretty huge ... I can cover the frames, but not the pilots, and reinforcements are being sent from all around the map to fill out my CV groups again... this will take a few days and then I'll see about pushing the envelope a bit, that is if he doesn't chase me today...

The good news is that your CV's didn't get scratched. Any way you can build the experience of your pilot recruits while Nemo's CV's are in the garage?

[n01487477]

7 & 8 Feb '43

A little correspondence... cause the war goes relatively slowly again. Well if you discount all the bombing and death etc.

The Taichu incident I will talk about in a bit, it refers to the butchering of Oscar II's there and on the 8th at Takao... these planes are intended to defend against Pe's and B-17 high alt, not fighters (as they swoop down from on high to become carnage littering the ground)

Damian: I don't have a month to prepare, and in all honesty, I'd rather this circus to be over so I can be defending HI... not that I don't love CV battles, it's just I'm losing the war by numbers ... as Arnold Palmer once said " Drive for show, putt for doe" ... this CV stuff is the driver, my HI the doe ...

But pride won't let me do what I should, and withdraw back to Japan, defend all the HI (which I'm not sure I could anyway) and wait for the LB to come... if I said that, then I might as well sign the Armistace and get on with making cheap electronics (well in the beginning, before I wack up the price).

I know what I'd do if I were you in the upcoming Pacific leg, I doubt I can defend against it, but I'll go down with the ship and let you write a bit more of your thesis on masochism and gaming

Anyway, all joking aside ... here is the turn and I too must turn in for the night...

Nemo's reply

Taichu. LOL, I hadn't expected Ki-43s to be in the air.... Well, if you discount them the results were pretty much 1:1 which isn't bad...The Ki-43 IIs skew it though. I don't think retreating back to Japan puts you on the defensive...Here are the advantages:
1. Allows you to build back your fighter groups and strike groups.
2. Allows you to repair and upgrade your CVs etc ready for the next battle.
3. WHILE rebuilding your flight groups ALSO lets you boost the CAP over the HI.
4. When you come out again then you have the odds stacked in your favour.

The only trade-off is that you'll lose a couple of islands between nowand then but if you win the CV battle you can isolate them and bombthem into the stone age once my CVs are gone. Anyways, not for me to tell you what to do . I prefer letting people decide just HOW they're going to take their beating themselves;)

7 Feb
Day Air attack on Taichu [Formosa] , at 48,44

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44III Tojo x 10
Ki-43-II Oscar x 31
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 27

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 13
La-5FN x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44III Tojo: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-II Oscar: 22 destroyed
Ki-44IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed
La-5FN: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
--------------------------------------
8 Feb - yes you guessed it I moved some Tojo's to Taichu

Day Air attack on Takao [Formosa] , at 47,45

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44III Tojo x 12
Ki-43-II Oscar x 85
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 38

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
La-5FN x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-II Oscar: 26 destroyed
Ki-44IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 7 destroyed
La-5FN: 13 destroyed

NY59Giants ... Nemo I would say intends on scampering to Ulithi, maybe with a side trip to Woleai and then jump up the chain to Iwo Jima or the Bonins, well that is what I'd do. This is just a great diversion from the great HI theft that is occuring under my nose. Do I think Truk will be assaulted, not really, there is not much need, unless I bloody his nose from here too much.

and Cpt.Harlock ... I doubt I'll have more than a few days to prepare for the next wave, I've recruited almost all my land based naval assets and as we speak am incorporating them into the CV squadrons. These pilots will make my CV's strong again, but my land based will be weak, which is all I can do for now...

--Damian--

[n01487477]

9 Feb '43

Nemo remarks he is about to put to sea again, but with a different tack, damn that was fast, the avalanche of ships is about to embark, can I hold the tide?

Not a chance, Nemo probably rationalises that I might hit and sink a load of ships, if I don't get cleaned up by his CV's beforehand, but those that get through will break the deadlock and send me into an early onset of infirmity & debility.

There really isn't much you can do against massed ships, but keep hitting them, Nemo has used this tactic before and I don;t expect a change here... the real issue is that they will get through, and I can't tell my forces to only attack AP/AK's/CV's ...

So in the next 3~4 days there will be another confrontation, this time will I be so lucky ? Well I have 3 more CV's in the mix this time, but I'm down on plane numbers, and it is just the luck of the draw... he will probably have the ability to fly in a second wave, once the first are annihilated... which I can't, I just don't have those numbers. So it is a one shot hit in open water, hopefully close enough to my bases for some LB in the mix.

If I wait until he is near his final destination, then it is too late, but my best chance, I think I'd rather hit earlier and then withdraw to a better position, but it depends where he goes...

[*]Arshaan [Manchukuo] gets a neighbourly visit, and 19 HI hits. (which like all these reports belies the real number)
[*]Usual bombing runs, Nemo stands down the sweeps at Swatow, expecting some Angels... I didn't send them.
[*]Borneo now has 3 units, so I guess he must be moving in a base force so that he can cap Jesselton.
[*] Canton, oh how I would've loved to keep this base, and how well it would have survived had I enough TojoIII's to defend it. I've been pulling out troops for a long time now, and the remnants are still rock solid.

Ground combat at Canton [S China]

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 160222 troops, 1974 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 9124
Defending force 27056 troops, 282 guns, 267 vehicles, Assault Value = 644

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 6
Allied max assault: 7428 - adjusted assault: 4445

Japanese max defense: 498 - adjusted defense: 4733

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 6)

[n01487477]

10 Feb '43

[*]Attacked Brunei in response to seeing 3 units there now instead of two, got 78 hits, because I haven't reconned it for a while, and still no fighters there, so the hording continues from Nemo and it is getting alarming.

[*]Normal supression attacks elsewhere, but supplies are really becoming a problem and I can't keep this up forever. Another large TF is about to leave Osaka with supplies but this will be the last one for a while. Have to go back to stripping Korea, Manchuria and China.

[*]Got a few days freedom at Tarakan, so I've loaded about 100K of Oil, not that I need it back to the Home Is.

[*]Still have about 185 days of Resources in Japan and that should be enough to last me.

[*]CV's are out to sea and awaiting Nemo's move ... more details tomorrow, when I move my planes back to them. I've run out of DB squdrons (pilots not planes) to replace my CV groups, my TB are most filled and the Tojo's fighters are mostly 80~100%. Once again, more tomorrow. I'm also placing a few sqdn of sabre (FB- range 4), to augment the fighters and they carry 800kg bombs [;)]

--Damian--