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I just started my first PBEM game as Japan....and the Japanese AC production is confusing. I have seen "Zen and the Art of Japanese AC production", but it seems out of date, and before we had lots of upgrade choices.

Can someone point me in the right direction on:

*What I should change on engine production
*What changes in AC production
*What lines should be just halted and not converted (maybe Petes?)

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!!!!!

Well, I typed a long response but my server went down and it all vanished into the ether. I'll try again. [8|]

Engine Production:
Mitsubishi: I change 1 80 engine factory to Nakajima and some to Kawanshi (can't remember how many but see below).
Kawanshi: I initially increased it to about 120 and then slowly to 220 by mid-42. Used for Ki-61.
Aichi: I keep it at 40. Used for the Judy.
All the others: Convert to Nakajima.

**Note: Once you figure out what your airframe production is, set your engine production to a little higher than what you need to cover your airframes. The excess is immune from Allied bombing. You'll need them in late 44 to 45.**

Aircraft: (Note that I turn factories off and on based on pools and total unit strength by type as needed.)

Army:

Nate: Convert to Oscar. Upgrade your frontline Nate sentai to Oscars as soon as possible. Use the huge pool of them to train your replacement sentai that you use in your training program.
Oscar I: I set my production to about 150. They'll upgrade to Tonys later. This is the primary IJAAF fighter until you get the Tony and Tojo.
Ki-30, -32, -51: Change all of these factories to something else. I use them to increase Lily and Helen and maybe for some research. I use the ample pools though. I upgrade all the Army DBs in China to Lilys but keep all of the others as DBs. Early in the war they are very useful against Allied merchant shipping fleeing the SRA. After that, I use them for ASW along my shipping lanes. If the pools are ever depleted, I'll convert them to Lilys. Many people will upgrade the DB sentai/chutai to Ki-32, then Lily then Sally. I think this is gamey so I don't upgrade any light sentai/chutai beyond Lily.
Lily: I increase production to about 90. This is the ultimate light bomber for me.
Sally: I stop production on the Sally on 7 Dec 41 because of the ample pool. I do not convert this because I'll need spares later. Production stays at 20.
Helen: I increase production to about 60 for this model.
Ida: I use up the pool and then convert to Babs or Dinah.
Babs: I convert this factory to something else. I use up what's in the pool and slowly convert to Dinah.
Dinah: I double production to 62. Eventually all IJAAF recon chutai are this model. It's the ultimate recon plane.
IJAAF Transports: Pick what you like and product only that model(s). I like the Ki-57 and MC-21. The Ki-57 is an nice all around transport and I think the MC-21 is just plain cool. [:D] Use the L1N1 pool as trainers. I set production at 10 each for the Ki-57 and MC-21.

Navy:

Claude: Convert this factory to A6M2. Upgrade all frontline Claude daitai/chutai to A6M2 as soon as possible. Use the many Claudes as trainers.
A6M2: I set production at about 200. It's the primary fighter at the start of the war.
A6M3: When they come, use them for airbase security since they are a bit better than the M2 but their rangs is lower (6/8 vs. 8/11 for the M2). I set production at 72.
Rufe: I turn production on and off as needed. You only get 5 chutai for them (45 total planes) so you won't need many.
Val and Kate: I increase production (57 and 56 repectively). I use all the land based daitai/chutai as trainers for the carrier planes.
Nell: I immediately turn off this factory. In Jan 42 it will auto-convert to Betty for free. When this happens, turn it back on. I use up my Nell pool and then slowly convert the daitai/chutai to Betty.
Betty: With the autoconverted Nell factory, I increased production to about 50. Eventually you'll have to increase that but most of the Betty daitai/chutai have about 1/3 extra planes so it'll be awhile. It all depends on how careful you are with these planes. I am extremely careful with them. I use them almost exclusively against ships. Army bombers are for bombing airfields, for the most part. My Betty and Nell losses are pretty low.
Babs: You get 3 chutai (27 planes) of these guys. I keep the 4 airframe factory and run it only when my pool goes below about 15 or so. It's eventually replaced with the Irving-r. The Irving-r has a factory producing 8 planes and it autocoverts when you get the Irving in late 42. That'll give you 12 per month. I'd convert the 8 plane factory when you get about a dozen planes in the pool and then slowly convert as needed.
Mavis/Emily: Turn off the 4 plane factory on 7 Dec 41. It'll autoupgrade to Emily in Jan 42. At that time I turn it back on and increase it to 16. Slowly convert to Emily as needed. Use Mavis where you don't need the 24 hex range of the Emily. The Emily is wonderful for use in the Central Pacific.
IJNAF Transports: I use the Tina (huge range) and Tabby (huge payload). I set production at 10 for each. I also use the H6K2-L because it doesn't need an airfield. I have one factory set at 4.
IJNAF Floatplanes: Produce the Glen for your subs. My production is set at 4 and isn't on much. Of the other planes, I produce only the Alf. The rest I will use until the pools are gone. The Alf is set at 10. I use the Pete (max range of 2) exclusively on ASW. Put in in an AV or CS on range 0 and it'll provide ASW in the hex the TF is in. Works well. The rest I use on ASW or naval recon as needed.

Any other questions, just ask. I love to blather about Japanese production. [:D]

Perfect, thanks! I was not familiar with autoupgrade, so that helps as well. I didn't realize the IJA DB's could upgrade to Lily, that's alot more useful than the crap DB options.

Personally I don´t build the Helen much as IIRC it uses the Nakajima engine that I urgently need to build fighters. I´d rather have 2 Zero than 1 Helen.
 
I agree that, especially for transports, recon, float planes, producing small numbers of one model only is the way to go, with eventually converting all squadrons to that model.
However, in anything but transport planes, I like to keep enough squadrons (Home Defense, China Expeditionary Army or Kwantung Army) using the older models to prevent the planes in the pool from being scrapped - I want to keep those in reserve for later, mainly as kamikaze.
 
Oh, and I prefer Sally over Lily (and Helen) as army bombers, along with a few Sonia units, which can also serve as light anti-shipping bombers in a pinch, when there aren´t enough Val and Kate in the area.

ORIGINAL: SireChaos

Personally I don´t build the Helen much as IIRC it uses the Nakajima engine that I urgently need to build fighters. I´d rather have 2 Zero than 1 Helen.

Yeah, that's an argument many have and it does have merit. The only suggestion I would make would be to produce enough Helens to bring on your reinforcement sentai, say 45-50. When they arrive, change them to Sallys so you can have them ready for the next sentai.

ORIGINAL: SireChaos
I agree that, especially for transports, recon, float planes, producing small numbers of one model only is the way to go, with eventually converting all squadrons to that model.
However, in anything but transport planes, I like to keep enough squadrons (Home Defense, China Expeditionary Army or Kwantung Army) using the older models to prevent the planes in the pool from being scrapped - I want to keep those in reserve for later, mainly as kamikaze.

Yup.

ORIGINAL: SireChaos
Oh, and I prefer Sally over Lily (and Helen) as army bombers, along with a few Sonia units, which can also serve as light anti-shipping bombers in a pinch, when there aren´t enough Val and Kate in the area.

Oh yes, I agree, the Sally is much better than the Lily. The problem I have is that some players will upgrade all their light sentai/chutai to Sallys. Granted, some were upgraded during the war, but not all. That's why I don't upgrade a light sentai/chutai to Sallys. Just my preference.....

Edit: The big problem I have with the Sonia is it's (lack of) range. I usually use them on ASW in a choke point usually within 1 hex of it's airfield.

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Perfect, thanks! I was not familiar with autoupgrade, so that helps as well. I didn't realize the IJA DB's could upgrade to Lily, that's alot more useful than the crap DB options.

Upgrade to Ki-32 first, then you'll have the option to upgrade to Lily.

My preference for floatplanes is the Jake. It carries more bombs than the other aircraft. Alf has more range though.
For army DBs Anns are plentyful at start and they carry more bombs than Sonia.  Is there any good reason to use Sonia rather than Ann?

Many people prefer the Sonia because it has armor.

I prefer the Alf due to it's range. I use floatplanes for either ASW in the TF hex (and range doesn't matter) or for naval search (where range is all important).