Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A)

[FeurerKrieg]

Option 1.

Can't afford any losses as Japan. Staying in one spot (one area anyway) just invites disaster if you ask me. How do you know the weather hasn't been causing problems for your opponent and you've just been getting lucky that there hasn't been some massive strike against your carriers? Maybe unlikely, but you just never know.

EDIT: And +1 to Solli's comment about the subs.

[Mike Solli]

Yup, FK just clinched it for me. KB is for lightning strikes. Some of them just plain miss. So what. Move on and plan another to hit him to your best advantage and his worst.

Edit: One of the best traits of KB is being hidden so your opponent is clueless. No matter what he does, he'll think KB is right around the corner, whether it is or not.

[Cribtop]

I think this is sound advice, especially because Options 1 and 3 are identical for a time (retire and re-fuel). If something weird happens I can always reverse course.

[Mike Solli]

Very true. Keep in mind that KB's next op may be a few days later in the same place when KB is off his scopes and he thinks KB is gone for good. KB could be hanging over the horizon waiting for a TF of damaged ships to creep out of Colombo. Or KB can skedadle off to another corner of the planet.

[Cribtop]

Another factor advising discretion is that many CVs are out of torps.

[Cribtop]

Ok, I've got enough Nicks to fill out a bomber "killer" group. What unrestricted groups can upgrade?

[ny59giants]

13 & 264 Sentai
4 Sentai (Restrictive) - Use on Formosa and can reach partially into China.

[jrcar]

Ref Nicks:

4th, 5th, 13th, 21st Sentai. The 4th is restricted to the home islands.

I'm building about 50 a month which feels about right.

Cheers
Rob

[Cribtop]

May 31, 1942

MKB is thwarted again by weather but we still sink 3 warships.

Subs

Today Cuttlefish orders a small task force to make a run for it out of Colombo. They run into 3 of the 7 subs in the hex and the end result is that I-153, I-157 and I-28 sink BB Warspite with 3 TTs and cripple CL Marblehead. This result is great but IMHO is a pale reflection of the massed sinkings that could have occurred had the air strikes been more successful. For tomorrow we shift our subs a bit in anticipation of angry UK ASW TFs.

Truant torpedoes CL Isuzu near Sabang, but fortunately the ship makes port there and will be fine, with 2 SYS and 38(30) Flot damage. We are a bit surprised that the UK and Dutch subs keep plying the top of the Malacca Straits rather than heading to intercept MKB. CF is probably hoping for a shot as we return home to Singers, but we plan to use another route.

4th Fleet

The USN CVs are spotted withdrawing due East. Fortunately for us they are probably bingo fuel and this is not a feint, but we will remain cautious. A sub transiting the area will try for an intercept, but we won't hold our breath.

SE Fleet

We are loading significant reinforcements for Merauke at Kendari, including AA and an Air HQ. Our first Nick unit may try to ambush the small number of B-17s flying against Horn Island from there.

Nadzab makes level 4 airfield. Nice. Mines disappear from both Rabaul and Umboi Island today despite the presence of ACMs. Not nice. Anyone know why this would occur?

14th Army

We load part of a regiment to finish the central PI bases.

16th Army

Mangole invaded. Darwin makes level 4 airfield.

25th Army

Large numbers of troops will load at Semarang tomorrow for China.

MKB's port attacks are scrubbed by bad weather at Colombo. However, Vals fly against CL Marblehead and DD Parrott and sink both ships.

15th Army

Quiet reigns as our Oscars are licking their wounds in rear area bases.

China

Cuttlefish has abandoned the siege of Wuchang. Is he going to try to rescue his isolated troops nearby, or is this another of several signs that he is shifting troops south for a new offensive? We will watch carefully, as a move south could have implications for our planned attack there.

5th Fleet

Atka Island occupied. A nice get for the rowboat corps that we may choose to garrison.

Other

The Ops report states: "IJ Navy instructors accelerate training of 139 pilots from month cycle 10." Cool. We are using TRACOM as a parking lot for elite pilots, but it's nice to see they aren't just sipping Saki on the beach.

[FeurerKrieg]

Taking out a BB with your sub screen is great IMO. I wouldn't be worried at all about the airstrike that didn't go as planned - just be glad an Allied sub didn't take out a carrier or something equally yucky.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

SE Fleet

Mines disappear from both Rabaul and Umboi Island today despite the presence of ACMs. Not nice. Anyone know why this would occur?

Each ACM will maintain 150 mines. How many ACMs are there and how many mines?

ORIGINAL: Cribtop
Other

The Ops report states: "IJ Navy instructors accelerate training of 139 pilots from month cycle 10." Cool. We are using TRACOM as a parking lot for elite pilots, but it's nice to see they aren't just sipping Saki on the beach.

Very nice. That will get 139 pilots out of training 1 month early saving 5*139 = 695 HI. Every little bit helps!

[Cribtop]

There are 2 ACMs and only about 150 mines at Rabaul. 1 ACM at Umboi and less than 150 mines. Umboi is a level 0 port so that kind of made sense to me, but Rabaul is a level 4 port and that one stumped me.

FK, you're right, I'm getting greedy I suppose. Don't look a gift Battleship in the mouth, eh?

[Mike Solli]

That's odd. Are they in a TF?

[Cribtop]

No, disbanded in port and not in a stood down repair mode either.

[Mike Solli]

Yup, that's how the manual says they're supposed to be to function properly. You may want to mention it to michaelm. Could be a bug.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

SE Fleet

Mines disappear from both Rabaul and Umboi Island today despite the presence of ACMs. Not nice. Anyone know why this would occur?

Each ACM will maintain 150 mines. How many ACMs are there and how many mines?

ORIGINAL: Cribtop
Other

The Ops report states: "IJ Navy instructors accelerate training of 139 pilots from month cycle 10." Cool. We are using TRACOM as a parking lot for elite pilots, but it's nice to see they aren't just sipping Saki on the beach.

Very nice. That will get 139 pilots out of training 1 month early saving 5*139 = 695 HI. Every little bit helps!

So it saves HI to have pilots accelerated? I just assumed when they came out early new ones were just put in and the same charge was taken.

As for the mines, I laid 75 in a size 1 port about 3 weeks ago, and there is one ACM present. Now they are down to 56. Should they diminish in a port with an ACM at all? Or could this be a beta problem?

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: obvert

So it saves HI to have pilots accelerated? I just assumed when they came out early new ones were just put in and the same charge was taken.

As for the mines, I laid 75 in a size 1 port about 3 weeks ago, and there is one ACM present. Now they are down to 56. Should they diminish in a port with an ACM at all? Or could this be a beta problem?

Pilots: The normal training program is 12 months. Each pilot costs 5 HI per month in the cycle. The 139 that were accelerated moved up to the next month or class. Now they will graduate in 11 months effectively eliminating the HI cost for the skipped month. That saves 5 HI per accelerated pilot or 695 HI, when they graduate, not now.

Mines: That's definitely a change. I have not played the beta. With the last official patch, that didn't happen. I suggest it be brought up to michaelm.

[Mike Solli]

Wait a minute. I don't like the way I wrote the pilot thing above. Let me try again. The 139 pilots who were accelerated are now one month ahead of the rest of their class. They will graduate 1 month early. When the rest of their class reaches their 12th (and last) month, the 139 pilots will graduate. The HI cost will be paid for the rest of the class but the 139 will not have to pay the HI cost since they have already graduated.

Does that make more sense?

[Insano]

Cribtop do you have fuel for your ACMs? I mean fuel in the port, not on the ships. The port needs fuel or they don't tend the mines.

[Cribtop]

That might be it. I've never put fuel in at Umboi and Rabaul has run dry (but only for about 96 hours with more on the way). Still, that is probably it. Thanks, Insano.