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On IJAAF anti-shipping: yeah Ki-43-II does carry 2 big bombs, but they are fighters so you need fighter air unit to use them. And the IIa still doesnt have armor or durability. Outside of massed kamikaze use I think you will find better quality-price ratio in just using Ki-49s or the later dive-bomber versions of the Ki-48, and you dont need to use a valuable fighter unit for the role.

I'm torn on the issue myself, and I've not decided what I'm doing in my game.

Does the lower cost of the Oscar (1 engine) make it better for anti-ship ops than the Lily dive-bomber (2 engines)?

You can pay for two engines to drop 4x100kg bombs, or one engine to drop 2x250kg bombs.

I suppose it comes down to how many losses you're willing to accept. The IJA doesn't get a decent anti-ship platform till the Peggy, so you need to find a stopgap. The question is what's best: Oscar's strafing or Lily's dive-bombing?

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
I suppose it comes down to how many losses you're willing to accept. The IJA doesn't get a decent anti-ship platform till the Peggy, so you need to find a stopgap. The question is what's best: Oscar's strafing or Lily's dive-bombing?

Or both. [:D] Or even Nicks.

The right answer is to have fun.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
I suppose it comes down to how many losses you're willing to accept. The IJA doesn't get a decent anti-ship platform till the Peggy, so you need to find a stopgap. The question is what's best: Oscar's strafing or Lily's dive-bombing?

Or both. [:D]

[:D]

Actually, the two might be a decent combo against warships. Lily's for the dive-bombing accuracy and to blast off AA guns and such off ships and the Oscars to lob 250kg bombs off the side.

It seems, that despite upgrading to the latest patches, we still have the missing guns. I loaded up a fresh scenario 6 game and the missing guns are still there.

We might edit them in.

How about Ki-49s at very low alt and Ki-48s dive bombing? Even Ki-45?

Yes they are double the price and need size 4 airfield, but unlike Ki-43-IIa they are both armored, much more durable and not fighters. They can also fly naval search and AASW.

Actually as this is not a DBB/RA game, the Allied flak isnt quite as murderous as the one I'm used to... Ki-43s could work and they dont need escorts. Its about how many plane and aircrew losses are you willing to take. An anti-shipping Ki-43 unit will be very ineffective in air combat(pilot training) and they wont be flying Ki-44, 61 or 84.

Part of what I was looking for is small airbase usage. [:)]

I am not planning on having a ton of Oscar IIa as naval bombers, but definitely at least one full squadron perhaps more if losses are low because the Allies are quiet. Fat chance of that.[:D]

I would like to use the Nick in that role also, but at present it is my main anti bomber plane and Allied 4es are eating my lunch all day long.

Oscars don't do anything but die against 4es, I might as well have them die against naval flak. [;)] They can bounce all over the place quickly, use small unexpected air bases, repair quickly, are probably very accurate, and most likely die in flaming explosions spectacularly. Worth a shot in my book!

October 16th, 1942

Kuriles: We lure in a group of 4 destroyers, and waste a lot of ammunition. A bombardment of his base yields 9 destroyed guns, an 1 engineer squad, and 7 vehicles and 11 support squads, damages 7 planes and destroys 2 Catalina's. No mine hits.

Another IJAF ENG unit unloads safely at Paramushiro, they were the bait, and everything is looking good for an invasion at the end of the month.

We upgraded to the latest Beta patch, x6. Thank you Michael.

China: Two Infantry Divisions win the race and capture the road leading to the plains of west central China. Once the armor catches up, they will race forward to see what they can cut off. I think this is big. [:D]

IJA forces capture Wasu in the far north...

The A6M5c advances to 3/44. It is absolutely obscene at how fast it is being researched. Only 17 points last turn, it has been as high as 23 points in a day. Can't wait to get my greedy hands on this plane.[:D]

No 4E raids, Allies usually always rest a day after a raid, or he might be doing it out of fair play until I get my AA guns. I told him to play as if it weren't a problem.

Allied ships are heading east in the Kurile theater...really quiet everywhere else. I boat misses against the damaged DD Nestor of Oz.

I moved three divisions out of Soerabaja and have them resting with two HQs in Malang. I will probably rest for two days and then head back in for the last attack -- then train up to Batavia where I have already assembled three divisions, 4 combat engineers, several artillery, and some armor. I hope to take Batavia faster than Soerabaja -- I will have more troops and he has half as many as Soerabaja. Forts will still be 6 though.[:(]

I will send at least one division from Soerabaja to take Port Moresby which has a tiny garrison.

Fixed the missing AA guns by applying AndyMac's unofficial patch 7 scenario update for scenario 6. Many thanks for AndyMac once again, and also Michael who pointed us in the right direction and was kind enough to delve into a save to understand the problem. [&o]

Turn is away, and now if Tiemanj can update the scenario and install the latest beta ok we are back on schedule.[:)]

Some heavy bombardments this turn on the isolated Yankees in the Kuriles, including the big guns! Taking a little circuitous route to avoid Allied submarines which now number 5 in the area between Etorofu and Paramushiro.

October 17th 1942

Two nice bombardments in the Kuriles, one of which features the Yamoto, but her spotter planes don't fly.[:(]

Then, later, during the day in the Kuriles, bombers actually fly, escorted by Tojo and find F4Fs in the middle of nowhere, but only a lonely APD is found.

October 18, 1942

Kuriles: The Tokyo Express keeps pounding the Americans in the Kuriles, with visits from both a heavy cruiser force and the Yamoto again. However, this time American Destroyers try to intervene...and are beaten off with superior seamanship. The bombardments go thru...

The KB arrives and throughout the day strikes at different destroyer groups until there are no more targets. Five confirmed sunk, more unconfirmed...

The bombardment results, look at those damaged ships in port! More bombardments on their way, the operational tempo is picking up steam, AKEs busily reload the Cruisers form local ports, things are looking good for Invasion Day.

Meanwhile, across the Empire in Burma, the Tone looks to deliver some shells on the airfields at Cox's only to cross paths with a cargo convoy...that will do nicely. Engage and Pursue!

And while the Tone is engaging these cargo ships, every 4E flies at night targeting Magwe! IJA High Command, in their infinite wisdom given the moonlight, stood down all night fighers!

Disaster in the makings as Allied bombers have a free pass. But, thunderstorms move in, and then surprise, surprise some of the Japanese AA units have guns bigger than machine guns, now...not many yet, but they are trickling in every day, and they put up a furious barrage damaging the bombers and disrupting their aim. Things have changed for the better as many a bomber leaves Magwe, their loads jettisoned harmlessly and trailing smoke from effective AA fire.

And at sea, the Tone makes the fateful decision to push on and bombard Cox's, but daylight catches him approaching the the Allies sortie out to destroy the Tone...this could be bad!

Severe storms move during the day, and Zeroes from Magwe do a stellar job at disrupting the attacking torpedo planes and the Tone survives the day!

The Tone then bombards Cox's. Not a great result, but we will take every damaged bomber we can!

It is getting messy in China. Troops cut off in the north, a temporary setback as planes fly them supplies and nothing prevents the relief column from arriving.

A big thrust for the north east is coming soon...the yellow arrow. Over 40 Chinese units in and around the Changsha pocket.