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It isn't that bad, if I manage to keep my things together.

As can be seen above, I plan my defense around "Torpedo Centers", where at least 3 airfields are able to operate Torpedo Bombers (I understand mostly MBs carrying Torpedoes, but also D7 and B6 in that category). Having various possible airfields, I have various options:
- I can move single air units around like a thimblerrigger, which increases their chance of survival. I can put fighters in each base and they should react to the other bases closeby and thus increase the CAP drastically.
I can station several hundreds TBs at each of those "Torpedo Centers".

The defense plan looks exactly this way:
- Early warning with FP-Subs and Picket boats (expendable ships set either "remain on station" or patrol 10 hex or more away from the Torpedo center.
- Initial Air attacks by Torpedo Bombers central reserve of Nettys and P1Y that can fly to a Torpedo Center in one step.

When the amphibious operations begin:
- Heavy Fortifications: I will commit my various construction batallions in the Torpedo Centers to build the airfields, then fortifications. When they've reached the economically logical size of fortifications, they will be transfered to the next line of defense to prepare that as well. When they are done there, I plan to send them back on the biggest Islands of the Torpedo Centers, if they have enough room for them. Having more engineers will help to repair damage by air attacks faster.
- Artillery: Thanks to the new patch, I can rebuild destroyed ground units. I plan to use that option extensively! That means, I will send as much heavy artillery and FLAK to the Torpedo Centers as possible. There are many artillery units in Manchuria with 28cm or even 30cm guns. They should do some damage once he starts landing operations.
- Most Torpedo Conters are close enough to each other, so they can support one another once one is attacked. This means, even when he has fought down the airpower stationed in the Torpedo Center, he won't be save. The air attacks will continue.
- I will try to find out which LBA is the most effective in night attacks on airfields. Maybe I'll get some Bomber units prepared for that role into transfer range to be able attacking newly won airfields immediately after they are taken to lessen the impact of his new LBA-Fighters in the attacked Torpedo Center.
- KB will be stationed closeby. I think about Truk, or maybe a smaller island to make it less obvious where they are. But something like the Truk region, which means that KB can be at any southern and eastern Torpedo Center within two or trhee days. If the LBA has done a decent job, the KB will go in and try to finish them off. KB will have the Battlefleet as company.

I especially plan to use the "rebuild destroyed ground unit" feature. It is really important to have as much AAA in Osaka and Tokyo as possible - but only when is able to attack both bases! He isn't able to do so when the first two Island chains are still in my hands.
Thus, I will send the AAA and artillery units on the where ther's room for them. If they are destroyed, smaller units should be rebuilt within two or three months, given I have enough supplies and armament points.

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Maybe I'll expand my company to the US one day to help you finally get some good beer! [8D]

Being from Oregon, I'd have to take some exception to this! [;)]There are a huge number of very impressive beers made in every style throughout the NW part of the US and N California especially, and this movement has extended across much of the US now as well.

My favorite from Oregon would be the incredible quality and creativity of the Rogue Brewery range.
http://www.rogue.com/awards/awards.php

Dechutes Brewery, Full Sail and Widmer are close behind.

My favorite beer in the US is Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/anderson-valley-boont-amber-ale/330/

I've got to try this then, when I'm back in the US this autumn.

Still, there are so incredible fantastic breweries in Bavaria, often not supplying more than one or two cities and a few towns around them - but each with a few hundred years of tradition.

Maybe I'll also offer "Bavarian Beer Tours" for US customers. Might be a market nieche [;)]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

I've got to try this then, when I'm back in the US this autumn.

Still, there are so incredible fantastic breweries in Bavaria, often not supplying more than one or two cities and a few towns around them - but each with a few hundred years of tradition.

Maybe I'll also offer "Bavarian Beer Tours" for US customers. Might be a market nieche [;)]

I'll be in Berllin in a few weeks if you'd like to give me some tips on some to look for. [8D]

About your plan to use the re-build to be able to get troops you would otherwise conserve into the forfront of your defense, I agree completely.

One thing to consider in your strategy, and you may already be planning this, is building at least the major 'torpedo bases' ports to use for quick supply unload and perhaps fortification or evac if needed later.

How well do Arty units really work to suppress invasions if they're not really CD guns? I've always wondered about this and haven't really seen a good example of it working well.

It'll get hard to find decent bavarian beer in Berlin [:(]

My favorites are mostly beers from really small breweries that only seldom deliver to shops more than 100km away.
Weißbier (Wheatbeer) is almost always good. You'll propably finde Erdinger, Paulaner or Augustiner there.
The "Berliner Weiße" isn't that bad either, though its a mix of beer and sirup. Still quite tasty (though propably just because of the sirup [;)])

Try to get Mönchshof Beer, preferably "Bayerisch Hell", "Kellerbier" or "Landbier".

ORIGINAL: obvert

About your plan to use the re-build to be able to get troops you would otherwise conserve into the forfront of your defense, I agree completely.

One thing to consider in your strategy, and you may already be planning this, is building at least the major 'torpedo bases' ports to use for quick supply unload and perhaps fortification or evac if needed later.

How well do Arty units really work to suppress invasions if they're not really CD guns? I've always wondered about this and haven't really seen a good example of it working well.

Of course, they'll recieve sufficiant ports. The biggest islands will get their ports enlagred extensively as well to increase the number of supplies that can be put there without spoiling. Also, this will help to save damaged ships.

One thing I've forgotten to mention:
I will rely heavily on my subs. I will think about that more later, but I plan to prepare everyone of my major operations by getting subs into position in time.
The reason for this is quite simple: I have sunk more allied CVs in all my games by sub than with all other means combined. At least I think so...
That means:
- Maybe I'm just not good enough to sink them in any other way
- Maybe I was just lucky
- Or maybe they can be a really effective weapon against enemy CVs.

As I have them anyways, I hope for the third conclusion of my observations.
Consequently, I hope to have a reserve of at least 10 capable subs in strikinig distance of each Torpedo Center when the time comes.
I will see whether this is achievable. I will also have to consider that this is only possible when I reduce any other other offensive sub operations drastically. I have to think whether this is worth it, but right now I think it is.


According to my small experience, every artillery matters. Whether this is true and how much it matters, I cannot tell. As they are ordinary howitzers, they might not stand long against heavy bombing from sea and air. But if such units only buy time by forcing him to prepare his offensive more extensively in advance, they should already be worth it. When he starts smashing an island to destroy the artillery, I should be able to guess that he might pay this island a visit with GI boots quite soon. Thus, I can react with my fleet.
This allone should be worth it, I guess.

I hope my subs begin to act like yours have in the past. Almost every time we've sen a combat ship so far the spread has missed or the hit has been a dud. Have I think two hits on separate attacks on CLs so far in five months, but lots of attacks at least.

One thing the subs have done well is see what is happening in far away places. You might suffer not making use of them this way if you kept groups close to major combat areas. Or maybe you could just use the RO subs in the role you're talking about.

ORIGINAL: obvert

I hope my subs begin to act like yours have in the past. Almost every time we've sen a combat ship so far the spread has missed or the hit has been a dud. Have I think two hits on separate attacks on CLs so far in five months, but lots of attacks at least.

One thing the subs have done well is see what is happening in far away places. You might suffer not making use of them this way if you kept groups close to major combat areas. Or maybe you could just use the RO subs in the role you're talking about.

I have to get into it in more detail.

My guessings for the prefred subs are:
- the more maneuver, the better (better chances to survive, maybe even better chances to get into position to shoot)
- the more durability, the better (better chances of survival
- the more torpedo tubes, the better (more Torpedoes fired = more chances for damage)

As I said, I have no clue so far, how much the first two points mentioned matter in the question of attacking BBs and CVs. I will have to find that out.
I don't mind their survivability that much. He is allowed to sink every sub after it has hit one of his CVs with each torpedo of a spread of 6 [;)]

Historiker,

I ran a bit of this campaign as Allied against Aztez until he (playing Japan) ran into economy troubles. Wrote an AAR as well, at whose beginning I wrote down a few of my ideas how to interprete the starting situation, which is quite interesting. Japan is way behind in revamping its AC industry, but has a completely undamaged DEI to work with and essentially the "nestegg" of fuel, supplies, oil and resources it has at the beginning of a GC.

One thing you should be aware of is that the Allied ground forces in China, Oz and India start essentially in the same shape as in the standard gc with respect to exp and equipment.

One other thing is that the Allied AC (specifically fighter) pools are virtually in a better shape than yours. In combination with the lacking development of your AC industry, this may mean you have to be more considerate when using your air force than usual.

All of the above, when adding the fact that you will actually have to start preparing your invasions, will most likely lead to a slow start and limit the possibilities of pushing the perimeter far out.

In any case, viel Glück !

Hartwig

Air production & R&D:

My basic idea is:
1. Get the best equipment to the best units
2. save as much ressources as possible for training
3. keep necessary plane pools, but don't produce too much.
4. to be able to provide needed planes even after heavy losses without a large pool, the factories should be have a little bigger size and be turned off once a pool reached the size I want it to have.


R&D:
A6M3 Zero (arriving in just one month): 0(80) THis R&D factory will be turned into a normal factory as soon as the A6M3 is in service. Except for CV-units, the rest of the Naval fighters will use that plane for the time being. Thus I don't enlarge the A6M2 factory any more.
A6M3 0(28), 0(30), 0 (30): These factories will hopefully stay R&D factories as they are set "upgrade: no". If that works, the factory will be following the path of the CV-Fighters.
A7M2 0(30), 0(30)
B6N1 0(14), 0(30), 0(30)
B7A2 0(16), 0(30)
C6N1 0(12)
C6n1-S 0(7)
D4Y1 0(30), 0(30), 0(30)
D4Y1-C (0(2)
D4Y2-S 0(3)
E16A1 0(8)
G4M1-L (5)
G4M2 (8), (2), (1)
H8K1 (1)
H8K2-L (1)
J1N1-C (7)
J1N1-S (6)
J2M2 (9), (30), (30)
J7W1 (30), (30), (30), (30)
J8M1 (2)
Ki-100-II (4)
Ki-102a (3)
Ki-102b (9)
Ki-109-I (2)
Ki-115a (31)
Ki-119 (2)
Ki-201 (2)
Ki-202 (2)
Ki-44 IIa (30), (30), (31)
Ki-45 KAIb (2)
Ki-45 KAId (5)
Ki-49-II KAI (3)
Ki-61-Ia (22)
Ki-61-Ic (2)
Ki-67-Ia (T) (30), (30), (18)
Ki-74-I (3)
Ki-84a (55), (30), (30)
Ki-94-II (30), (30), (30)
Ki-95 (1)
Kikka (2)
L2D2 (4)
M6A1 (1)
N1K1 (4)
N1K1-J (5), (6)
P1Y1 (11), (30), (30)
P1Y3 (2)
S1A1 (2)
Toka 2(0)

Comments:
All R&D start with 0(xx) except the Toka. Every Plane in bold has R&D with a serious intention to get it earlier. Everyone shall have 3x30 finally. Where factories are bigger than 30, they already had that size. Where they are smaller, they didn't have enough supplies to increase their size in turn 1.
As you will notice, I have no idea whether to resarch any fighter-bomber and whether or which night-fighter I shall research. The only mission for FB seems to be anti-4e role, because they are usually worse than fighters and worse than bombers in their respective main missions. I rather have good fighters and good bombers than a bad mixture.
Which NF is to prefered, I still don't know. I think about researching the Ki-74. With its enormous range of up to 36 hex, this plane might be absolutly great in attacking enemy B-29 airfields in night raids. If the bomber just had more bombload or even just the same amount in 50 or 100kg bombs...

ad1:
Never use secondary planes when something else is possible. This is obvious, of course

ad2:
Whenever possible, I use older planes for training. Whenever possible, I'll use 1e bombers for training instead of 2e. So every op-loss hurts less. For the same reason, I'll keep producing the Ki-36, the Glen and the Ki-27! Their engine production is turned off already, but as the engine pools are filled, everyone of that planes just costs half the usual costs.
My experiences are small, but I guess that despite still having frontline units with Ki-27, 227 in pool and 254 engines in pool, I should have spent all those up to 800 (no tracker running right now) Ki-27 for pilot training. As I want to keep the pools at a reasonable size, there'll be newer planes for training, but not in their thousands.

ad3:
The Ki-44IIa is just four months ahead. While it is a superb fighter in 42, it won't be so in 44. So why should I have any in pool, then? I will work out reasonable pool sizes that can replace even bigger losses at the frontline, but after reaching - let's say 200 or 300 fighters in pool, I plan to halt the production until the number drops below that. This should be good until late 43 to mid 44, when I will start producing what I can to have large pools once the bombing of Japan begins. While the Ki-84a will have its weaknesses in 45 and 46, she'll be better than a newer plane that can't be produced because the factory is bombed.

ad4:
When your factory is at size 50, you propably want to let the production run permanently. 50 planes can easily be lost in one day, maybe even 200 or more. So to even when reaching 200 planes in pool, you'd want to keep the production running. But when the factory for that plane has a size of 300, you can produce 10 of those planes a day.
I know that's a lot of investment, but I think it should be economically worth it if I can avoid useless planes in pool instead. At least if the factory has a decent upgrade path ahead.
I will have to look at that once the game is running. So right now, the running factories aren't increased to such big sizes. But that's a strategy I will have to see whether it can be implemented.

Production numbers:
A6M2 56 - should be sufficiant as A6M3 is ahead just one month. So A6M2 will be needed only for carriers from next month on.
A6M2-N 0(9)
B5M1 not yet in production. This will change though for training purpose, as there are 99 engines in pool so I get 99 TB-Trainers for half the price.
B5N2 0(30)
D3A1 12(12)
E13A1 27(0)
E14Y1 GLen 9(0) until engine pool is empty
G3M2 22(0) halted until upgrade of factory
G3M3 0(8)
G4M1 25(0) halted
H6K2-L 0(2)
H6K4 6(0)
Ki-21-IIa 23(0) halted, pool big enough. This factory will remain as it is to be able to increas Army MB bomber production if need be, but I don't plan to build any Ki-21 any more.
Ki-27b 10(0), 35(0) until engine pool is empty
Ki-36 32(0) until engines run out
Ki-43Ic 32(0) until Ki-44IIa is in production
Ki-45KAIa 0(13) to fill the ranks, but I don't know how long the production will continue (see above my comments about FBs)
Ki-45-II 11(0)
Ki-48-Ib 34(0) halted, see Ki-21-IIa
Ki-49-Ia 14(0) production will be increased, soon
Ki-51 30(0) halted. Will be turned on as soon as other 1e bombers run out. Mainly for training purpose of Army bombers
Ki-56 2(0) I like the range
Ki-57-I 6(0)

ORIGINAL: hartwig.modrow

Historiker,

I ran a bit of this campaign as Allied against Aztez until he (playing Japan) ran into economy troubles. Wrote an AAR as well, at whose beginning I wrote down a few of my ideas how to interprete the starting situation, which is quite interesting. Japan is way behind in revamping its AC industry, but has a completely undamaged DEI to work with and essentially the "nestegg" of fuel, supplies, oil and resources it has at the beginning of a GC.

One thing you should be aware of is that the Allied ground forces in China, Oz and India start essentially in the same shape as in the standard gc with respect to exp and equipment.

One other thing is that the Allied AC (specifically fighter) pools are virtually in a better shape than yours. In combination with the lacking development of your AC industry, this may mean you have to be more considerate when using your air force than usual.

All of the above, when adding the fact that you will actually have to start preparing your invasions, will most likely lead to a slow start and limit the possibilities of pushing the perimeter far out.

In any case, viel Glück !

Hartwig

We have modded the game a little to take the air production in account. As the industry is less deveolped than anticipated and as all R&D factories are damaged, I got each an additional 200 Ki-43Ic, Ki-27 and A6M2, as well as an additional 100 B5N2, D3A1, Ki-48, Ki-21 and Ki-49. This should help me a little.

Can you provide the link to the AAR(s)?

Transport Tycoon:

Ship conversions:
Ansyu: all PB
To'su: 20 ACM, 10 AMc, rest PB
Kiso-E: all PB

Comments:
ACMs sit in port all the time. So they neither need DC, nore long legs. To'su are prefered. Unfortunaltey, To'su ACMS can't be converted to anything else. I don't know whether this is inteded and historically justified, or just a nonadressed bug. Anyways, it is as it is. Still, I don't believe that I will somewhen sit there and say "If I just hadn't converted those...". Should this case appear anyways, the To'su still has one DC rack which makes it better than nothing as escort ship.

Anti-Mine warefare:
I will focus a lot on ASW. I hope to have a full aircover by FPs and LBs on ASW-Patrol througout most of my convoi routes. If this works out as planned, he'll be forced to rely heavily on mine warefare to give his subs any use - as I had myself in a CHS game where my opponent showed an admirable success in protecting his convois from my allied subs.
I don't have any data how well a convoy is protected against mines by PBs, but I'd guess its less good than with an AM in the convoy. Consequently, my goal is to have at least one AM or AMc in every major konvoy. I will also have AMc patrol between four bases (starting point + 3 patrol points) to clear mines continously. Other AMc will be ordered manually to check every port before any serious shipping arrives. This will cause a need for some more AMc s than are in the game, at least initially.
Luckily, the To'su AMcs can still be converted, so I can change them into PBs anytime should the need arise.
I will create ASW-Airbases along the route. AVs and small basesforces will be used for that purpose. Islands like Groot Natoena come in mind for that use.
The existant SCs have too short legs to use them in most convoys. They will group in 4 ships each along the convoy routs to hunt enemy subs.

Oil and TKs:
TKs are the ONLY ships that can transport (any significant amount of) oil. So they will be used mainly for that purpose. If possible, xAKs will be used to transport fuel to save TKs from unnecessary dangers.
The oil from Java Northern DEI and Burma will be transportet to Singapore. From there, fast TK-Convois will haul it directly to Japan. I am currenctly sorting my available transport to allow the TK-Convois run at all times with their cruise speed.
Fuel from this area will also be transported to Japan.
Fuel from Balikpapan will be transported to Truk. This should keep the fleets in the eastern and southern flank of my empire running at all times.
Oil from Tarakan and Belikpapan will be sent to either Manila or Takao, I'm not sure yet. It'll be collected there to get it to Japan.
Advice needed: If I am informed correctly, oil from Burma will slowly find its way via land route to Singapore or Saigon, right? So when I turn off the rafineries in Burma, I won't have to sent tankers. Can anyone confirm this?

Ressources:
Convoys from Sakhalin and Hokkaido to mainland Japan. Convoy from Port Arthur.
Convoys from the hubs at Singapore and Manila/Takao.

As all almost of my fleet starts in Osaka, I have to do serious planning. I'd usually first use what's at hand and then balance the convois as the game shows how it is needed. Now I must do serious planning from the beginning. As I am too lazy for that and want the game to get going, I only send the fast xAK and TKs to Singapore immediately. Then, I'll create a few new "collector-convoys" every turn. Japan has enough of everything for at least two months, so it isn't THAT urgent for turn one. As I convert more than a hundred PBs on turn one, I'll wait until the escort for those convois can be provided.

HI, LI, Refineries
If I am correct about the oilflow from Burma, those Refineries will be turned off. No Refineries will be created, as Japan has more then enough of them.
LI will not be created or increased. In fact, I even turned off every repair for those Ressource-Eaters.
HI will be increased, but only in the SRA. The game forces you to transport Ressources, Oil and fuel to factories. But it doesn't force you to transport HI points to the Shipyards and factories. Consequently, I'll try to produce as much HI in places where both fuel and ressources have surplus. IIRC, to increase a HI by one point takes 10HI. So after only 10 days (and 1000 supply spent), it already makes a surplus. So Singapore, Saigon, Bankok and the factories on Java will be enlarged as much as the supplies allow it.

ORIGINAL: Historiker
So Singapore, Saigon, Bankok and the factories on Java will be enlarged as much as the supplies allow it.

Don't forget about Hong Kong and Canton in expanding HI.

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Historiker
So Singapore, Saigon, Bankok and the factories on Java will be enlarged as much as the supplies allow it.

Don't forget about Hong Kong and Canton in expanding HI.

Canton is the right point for one of my questions:

How are garrison requirements handled in AE? In witp, it was defined by size of port, airport and industry. It seems to be different this time.
I don't want to increase HI in Canton when the result is the need for a bigger garrison. That's why I excluded Caton.

If I stick to the "the fewer road to transport the goods needed for construction" principle, expanding HI in Hong Kong makes sense. Better to send fuel for production to Hong Kong than to the HI.

Korea seems like a good place to increase production as well, as it has a surplus of ressources and will be safe from bombardement somewhat longer, I guess. When garrison requirements aren't increase by bigger HI, Manchuria should also be considered.

But still: Every work on the HI in the China, Manchuria and Korea area will only happen if there's a surplus of supplies. Combat first here!

Observation regarding pilot training:

If you convert a 2e bomber to 1e, you'll have to pay 75PP to get it back to 2e - except you have the "natural" upgrade path to a 2e bomber. Especially if the 1e doesn't have such an upgrade path or the 2e on the path won't be produced, it makes sense to convert a training unit to another 2e bomber with the "right" path first. Then convert to 1e and set "yes" to retain the original upgrade path.
This way, no 75PP have to be paid should I decide to reactivate the group for combat use in a 2e bomber.

Question:
What happens to airgroups that arrive with an aircraft that isn't in pool? AFAIK, it is NOT needed to produce a couple of each type to get the planes, right?

Base size or industry got nothing to do with garrison requirements.

ORIGINAL: Puhis

Base size or industry got nothing to do with garrison requirements.

great! Thank you very much! So finally no more worries about which airfield to increase or whether to increase at all

ORIGINAL: Historiker
If I stick to the "the fewer road to transport the goods needed for construction" principle, expanding HI in Hong Kong makes sense. Better to send fuel for production to Hong Kong than to the HI.

Yes. Which is why you should consider expansion of HI in Hong Kong and Canton. It's easier to send fuel for production there than the HI.

ORIGINAL: Historiker

ORIGINAL: Puhis

Base size or industry got nothing to do with garrison requirements.

great! Thank you very much! So finally no more worries about which airfield to increase or whether to increase at all

Well, you've still got to worry about this, but just not worry about it from the perspective of garrison requirements per se. Garrison requirements are based upon AV values only.