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I would have gone with invasions at clear terrain hexes. First, the two up on northern Honshu to capture those four bases. Next would have been the two clear terrain around Sendai and one over on northern coast to move further down the island and capture even more. This would have put Tokyo on the target list.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

As to getting reinforcements there, air or barge, perhaps?


Cheers,
CC

How will I get them there without being savaged by either a naval bombardment TF, wandering Fletchers?

At the very least some more AA would take out more of the air transports.

A naval bombardment TF went touch a barge TF.

Send in the barges from one hex away and it is most unlikely that Fletchers will catch them. But just in case you pack night naval attack aircraft with night search to cover the short surrounding area. As long as the base remains Japanese, enemy air support will be limited if at all present.

Alfred

Here is the world.

Supplies are plentiful in the SRA, will last to 45 in Honshu and the PI, getting tough in China.

A strange game in that I am swimming in fuel and oil.

I find a lot of Conventional Japanese Wisdom to be thoroughly wrong. I wish I had more subs, more SSTs, for example. But a lot of it is correct.

I don't believe in the decisive battle.

Oscar IV are incredibly good, if used correctly. Lilly Divebombers are a godsend.

However on the major aspects of Japan you need Franks and the final Jack or George to fight really well in 44. I managed to accelerate the final George to Jan 45 before the facilities burned, but getting the final George, Jack and Frank A sooner would have been a game changer in the air. Of the three there is no excuse for not accelerating the Frank more. Live and learn.[8|]

I think building both the Jack and George is important for Japan, not focusing solely on one or the other. You can r&d one or the other heavily, but build both as they perform quite different roles and use different engines.

Not attacking the Deathstar en masse would have been a game changer too. A better understanding of how to face the Deathstar.

More aggressive fort building at Hokkaido, and understanding how to move restricted troops to Hokkaido would have helped.

Better use of the Iboats to recon troop staging areas, which I did none of. Perhaps even racing in with a fast small carrier and some Judy Cs to recon would have helped.

A better understanding of how to pull of bombardments -- cost me a fair number of BBs and CAs.

A better understanding of how supply moves, in Burma & Thailand, and the creation of supply stockpiles at strong points.

What a wonderful learning experience this game has been. Much more satisfying than the AI.

The latest victory point screen.

My first 20 plane Ace flying a N1K1 George. Army has an 18 plane Ace flying a Frank A.

ORIGINAL: Alfred

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

As to getting reinforcements there, air or barge, perhaps?


Cheers,
CC

How will I get them there without being savaged by either a naval bombardment TF, wandering Fletchers?

At the very least some more AA would take out more of the air transports.

A naval bombardment TF went touch a barge TF.

Send in the barges from one hex away and it is most unlikely that Fletchers will catch them. But just in case you pack night naval attack aircraft with night search to cover the short surrounding area. As long as the base remains Japanese, enemy air support will be limited if at all present.

Alfred

I am worried about the barges being intercepted, as the Allies have 3 Fletchers 1 hex away from the base.

I guess the barges could get there as the Fletchers are leaving in the morning.

Good thinking on the air transports, however, I am worried he might move some CVEs in.

In the last thirty days Japan has suffered 521 points in Airplane losses, while the Allies have suffered 1,000 points even.

Aug 25, 1944

During the night Myojo makes strikes against a fast battleship, Irvings target the fleet carrier Franklin and a CVE.

Both miss. Kingfishers miss against us, Nicks and Irvings intercept.

The Allied fleets move west, and Fletchers sure enough intercept my barges loaded with paratroops. The barges evade, but move back to the coast, their troops still on board.

During the afternoon the Allied fleets launch a strike at the Kongo.

Our fighters, such that they are, do a good job, but one SBD puts a 1000 pounder into the Kongo, destroying a 25mm AA gun and bouncing off the deck armor.

A good effort here.

Our transport fleet gets trashed, flying right into a horrendous Allied CAP, but some make it in.

Allied reinforce by APD



Those 40mm were flown in. I hope they got there in time to down some of his transports.

Tanks. Why did it have to be tanks.







My air transport fleet is probably gone...oh my.

Harsh day in the air.

Sadogashima falls...

33 Days ago the Allies crossed the magical 2-1 vp ration; the ratio has been flat for the last days and stands at 2.076 to 1.

What will the Allies accomplish in the next 125 days to make it climb to 3-1?

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

33 Days ago the Allies crossed the magical 2-1 vp ration; the ratio has been flat for the last days and stands at 2.076 to 1.

What will the Allies accomplish in the next 125 days to make it climb to 3-1?

Nothing!

If you get to the end game, and still have fuel, these SSTs are handy.

They are 22 VP each, with short endurance, but they can earn their VP back by careful usage. But, I don't think they can ever earn their fuel back.

Long time readers might remember I built 4 of them. I have 1 left, a victim of my poor usage of them. One was destroyed in a bomber port strike, 1 ran out of fuel fleeing in the Pacific and was sunk by a sub, and the third steamed right into the Deathstar near the time of the Guam invasion.

I could have prevented all three losses I think.

I have another SST coming in 4 days, and will use her to run supplies naturally...quite glad I am getting her.

It is the same as a cargo ship.  The cargo capacity of the SST is 100 points and it has currently 40 points on board.
 
Alfred

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

... The Allied fleets move west, and Fletchers sure enough intercept my barges loaded with paratroops. The barges evade, but move back to the coast, their troops still on board...

You had the wrong home port for the barges.

Alfred