Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Yes, it seems more likely they could get that many planes in the air from a field in better shape, but would they be scrambling like that on the combat report? How could they possibly get to PH in time?

Tojo IIa standard ranges are 4/6. With drop tank 6/8. Why couldn't he (with droptanks) fly LRCAP from Broome to cover PH? Dunno why it is phrased differently on your combat report.

Also, he's had this model in production since 4/1942 (Scenario 2). Just because you're seeing a few in Australia doesn't mean they won't be the frontline fighter in Burma as well. You'll be seeing lots and lots of these guys until the later model Tonys (soon) and Franks (late 1943-early 1944, depending on research) come on line. I'd expect a Tojo IIa production of >150-200 / month by this time of the war.

Enjoy, Allied dogs!

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
I'd expect a Tojo IIa production of >150-200 / month by this time of the war.

Enjoy, Allied dogs!

Santa Maria! [X(] Clearly the Scenario 1 idea of attrition air battles is out. They still have Oscars in China and some Zeroes in Oz and Burma so perhaps they are having research problems?

Maybe the Stuxnet virus?

Still seems better to take the fight to them instead of waiting for the Essex class.

[Cap Mandrake]

How about it? Do we still get B-17F's? What does "replacment rate" mean?*


* Pretend I ddin't read the manual.

[Crackaces]

Tojo IIa standard ranges are 4/6. With drop tank 6/8. Why couldn't he (with droptanks) fly LRCAP from Broome to cover PH? Dunno why it is phrased differently on your combat report.

Just a thought . maybe Broome does not have the 2X supply to sustain droptanks?

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

How about it? Do we still get B-17F's? What does "replacment rate" mean?*


* Pretend I ddin't read the manual.

I am a big fan of WitP Tracker .. I would assume the same categories transfer over to WitP AE I assume the monthly rate? see below

[note: I first commented on Reinforcement]


1.ID - The ID number of the aircraftThe information in the top table shows for an aircraft model
2.Aircraft - The model name
3.Type - The type
4.Engine - The number and type of engines in the model
5.EngineU - The monthly engine use (according to how many engines are needed [Simple view])
6.Pool - The number of the model that are in the pool.
7.Bld/day - The approximate number of planes produced per day
8.Bld/month - The approximate number of planes produced per month
9.Repairing - The number of factories repairing to produce this model
10.Not Building - The number of factories halted on this model
11.Not Repairing - The number of factories not repairing for this model
12.Total Loss - The total number of this model destroyed
13.Turn Loss - The loss last turn
14.Used - The total used from the pool
15.TBO_YTA - The total being built that are yet to arrive (air group reinforcements), doesn't include upgrades.
16.Group Planes - The total active
17.Reinforcement - The number needed to fill existing air groups
18.Next(dd)- The number of days until the next air group needing this model arrives.
19.Avail - The date the model is available
20.Nation - nationality

[Cap Mandrake]

It looks like JJ is not going to defend New Scotland or the New and Improved Hebrides. Maybe they will defend the Marshalls? Still, not much enthusiasm for opposed atoll landings with the stuff we have now.

A campaign up throught the DEI with the entrapment of 6-8 Jap divisions in Oz has the biggest potential payoff.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Santa Maria! [X(] Clearly the Scenario 1 idea of attrition air battles is out. They still have Oscars in China and some Zeroes in Oz and Burma so perhaps they are having research problems?

Yes, based on other Allied dog testimonials about PBEM in Scenario 2, you can forget about air parity until sometime in 1944. Attritional air battles against the IJNAF/IJAAF ain't gonna happen for a long time.

Oscars in Burma? Ic? IIb or not IIb? [:'(]

The Zeroes (A6M3a?) in Oz are likely a supplementation of the IJAAF MLR with Navy airframes for the time being.

Your main offensive weapon for the forseeable future is specifically your B17s. Not fighters, not B-25s, not B-24s, but the B-17s. Not your surface fleet, not your carrier wing. Against airfields, or in open terrain against ground troops, the B17 still rules the roost. Everything else is to supplement the offensive capability of these beasts or defray some of the resistance. Leastwise, that's my opinion.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

A campaign up throught the DEI with the entrapment of 6-8 Jap divisions in Oz has the biggest potential payoff.

I agree...about the entrapment of 6-8 Divisions in OZ.

Dunno about the merits of extension into DEI from N. Australia-kind of depends on his force distribution / defenses / preparations there. What reconnaissance have you developed on Timor and other islands in the lower DEI?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
perhaps they are having research problems?

Oops, forgot to address this. I'm going to pretend you didn't read the manual and that you don't know that the Japanese automatically get all historically researched airframes at the historical timeframe, regardless whether they bork the research or not. They can never do worse than historical.

So, no-they're not having research problems on deployment of these airframes. They simply can't at this stage of your game.

Oh, and any Allied player that agrees to scenario 2 gets 'historical' Japanese research moved forward on most airframes by several months. In the case of the Tojo IIa, Scenario 1 production begins 9/42; Scenario 2 allows production to commence in 4/42. I'd expect most of the other airframes to be so moved forward as well.

One of the interesting vagaries of research is the automatic movement of the undamaged research to the next model in line. In other words, once Tojo IIa is nearing production (say, 3/42 in your scenario), the astute Japanese player will switch these fully repaired research 'factories' over to the next model number. All research on the Tojo IIb is now repaired and can immediately commence 'pulling' the next available airframe forward in the production cue.

In other other words: The Japanese get the Tojo IIa 5 months before historical in your scenario. Perhaps even earlier with successful research. They'll get the IIb *at least* 5 months before historical, the IIc earlier yet. It's not inconceivable that you can shave 6-8 months off of the historical arrival of these Japanese fighter types with manipulation of the system just so.

The Tojo IIc is a decent midwar airframe, upgunned substantially from the IIa. The Tony c and d models are potent gun platforms as well, but have poor reliability. The late war engine fixes this, but you won't see that for some time. IJN Georges have a potent punch against bombers-you'll start to see them soon, I reckon. The real brass ring is the Frank line of fighters for the IJAAF though. I'd expect these to be pulled through with all due dispatch...

Enjoy, Allied dogs!

[Cap Mandrake]

Yes..no doubt about the B-17. Way to go Boeing Aircraft. Capture or build airfield...move up B-17's...lather, rinse, repeat.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Enjoy, Allied dogs!

Simple...too many Jap planes? We just sink all their ships and exterminate their best divisions. What could possibly go wrong?

[sprior]

Frank line of fighters

That could get confusing.

General: "Where are the Flanks?"
Aide: "The left flank is based on Darwin, the right flank on Port Hedland"
General: "Only 2 Flanks? I was told we had hundreds"
Aide: "Hundreds of flanks? Are you feering okay sir?"
General; Yes, hundreds of Flanks in the air!"
Aide: "Sir, flanks in the air are bad"
General: "I want all our Flanks in the air! Now!"

etc, etc

[Cap Mandrake]

..

[khyberbill]

If I understand this correctly, the B-17F is out of production but we still get about 24 a month?

I hate to bring bad news and I dont read the manual either but once the date in the availability column turns red, then you dont get any more. Zip, Point, Squat, Nada, Period. For the B17F, I think the production/replacement stops on 9/42. You have to wait until the B24s start coming en masse and that is not for a fair bit. I would be careful with your B17s until then. Look on the bright side, you still have lots of Buffaloes in the pool.

[bradfordkay]

Cap... the replacement rate for allied aircraft is the rate at which they are allocated to the theater from off-map factories. The production rate is the rate at which they are allocated to the theater from on-map factories. The replacement rate does not upgrade (the replacement rate for the new version is representing the same factories) but the production rate does (if you choose to allow the on-map factories to upgrade - or, more correctly, if you do not choose to prevent them from upgrading). 

[Cap Mandrake]

Mr. Bradforkay, as you sit here today, is it your recollection that after the "on-map" production ceases, the off map production also comes to an end?


I've been reading depositions all day. This is how they ask the poor bastard being deposed the questions. Of course, to add insult to his aggravation, he is the only one not getting paid to be there. I have finally found something more painful than pilot management. In fact, after I couldn't take reading the depositions any more, I found that 20 minutes of pilot management had a calming effect where I could suspend all higher thought. Tragically, I accidentally broke up a hot-shot P-40B equipped squadron in New and Improved Zealand. When I discovered my mistake, I loaded the squadron with newbies and gave them the swanky P-43.

[Cap Mandrake]

*************Bali Hai Dance Club, Perth, Nov. 17, 1942(c)************

Man in fine linen slacks: <on the phone> Mr. Honda, what the Hell are you guys doing? What are all those Goddamn Tojos doing in Port Hedland?......

Well, yes, but you are supposed to LOOK like you are repairing the runway, not really do it.....

Just tell them to slow down. "Despacio, amigo, despacio." That's what you say....

OK, how is the Imperial Wizard doing?........

Rallies? You're kidding? Well keep them away from the airfield. We are going to pulverize the place today....

[bradfordkay]

Yes, after the end production date has been reached, "off-map" production (replacement rate) will cease. Nothing can be done to change this. On map factories will continue to build said aircraft IF they have had their upgrade turned off.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

The even more pitiable state of US heavy bomber replacements.

If I understand this correctly, the B-17F is out of production but we still get about 24 a month?

Also, what is the deal with the B-24D1? Does it have fancy drink holders or something?

No, no more 17fs for you...Two months is it. Repeat this mantra...If it is red, then it is dead. No more planes....

If it will make you feel any better I am playing scen#2 and am in 5/44, The Allied aircraft pools are no better. I kept promising myself it would get better but alas no. In fact in and around 6/44 the wonderful p 47 goes totally out of production until early 45. They must have had some sort of silly diversion going on in Europe around this time. And the useful P40 goes out of production leaving the Americans with three or four months of very low fighter production. Those damn Nazis!

"Man I just hate f**king Nazis, but they "are" cute when they're little." Sarah Silverman

[Moondawggie]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

The water bill was $810 lst month[X(] Santa Maria! I think I have a leak outside. I calculate 7 cu ft/day. Once you get above a certain point it's $3.40 a cu ft. [X(] I don't spend that much on generic gin. I'll have to put the Mayan to work with a little tiny pick axe to dig up the line.

At 7 cu ft/day, have the Mayan start near the head of new trout stream running thru your lawn...Of course, Frau Braun will need for you to make a proposal before the HOA Architecture Review Committee before excavation begins. And you will need an Environmental Impact Report approved by the state to make sure you aren't damaging critical habitat for the Kern River/Volcano Creek strain of endangered Golden Trout...

And you thought understanding a submarine training manual was hard?