Yamamoto's Folly: Paradigmblue(J) vs. Piratejoe(A)

[paradigmblue]

I've decided to start a second PBEM game of Focus Pacific, this time playing as the Empire of Japan.

I'm much less familiar with playing Japan, so this will be a challenge for me as I try to wrap my head around the Japanese economy and trying to keep on schedule with amphibious landings.

First Turn Strikes

It's going to be all about the Philippines on turn 1. I'm assigning KB-1 and all the Betties I can scrounge to hit the Manilla port, with the hopes of sinking the USN sub fleet at anchor.

Further south, KB-2 will hit the airfield at Cebu to try and destroy as many Vindicators and Devastators on the ground there as possible - leaving them intact would mean leaving a threat to my invasions in the area.

Other strikes and invasions will be more or less historical, with the exception of Kwangchowan, which I will try and level to the ground, both to destroy the French destroyer leaders at anchor there and to wreck the airfield. If left intact it can be a thorn in my side.

Here's my video overview:
https://youtu.be/zuzlTpZgMIA

[paradigmblue]

December 7th, 1941

Scratch 15 USN subs and 140 allied aircraft. Overall, a solid first turn.

[paradigmblue]

December 8th, 1941

In which the allies lose 200 planes, I lose 100, and one of my invasion TFs against all odds isn't destroyed by the allied carriers in range.

[paradigmblue]

December 9th, 1941
December 10th, 1941

A couple of eventful turns. I lose a CVE at the Marshalls with furious air battles above the islands all day on the 9th.

[paradigmblue]

Air Production and Research

I'm frankly terrible at this - I usually feel like I'm arbitrarily bumping up research factories for planes that I know I'll want, but the trick to chain-upgrading and ensuring that my research factories are bringing planes on faster is beyond me.

I've cribbed together a plane upgrade chart for Focus Pacific - any help on what planes I should be going for and how to get them faster would be appreciated.

Plane Chart Here

[paradigmblue]

December 11th, 1941 - The Fall of Hong Kong
December 12th, 1941 - Here Today, Guam Tomorrow

[paradigmblue]

December 13th, 1941 - On Rising Tides
December 14th, 1941 - Blood in the Air

[paradigmblue]

December 15th, 1941 - Ashes and Airfields
December 16th, 1941 - And Ajax, Deaf to All Relief

[paradigmblue]

December 17th, 1941 - The Slow March Onward
December 18th, 1941 - Dead Man's Chest
December 19th, 1941 - Run Silent, Run Deep
December 20th, 1941 - The Fall of Rabaul
December 21st, 1941 - Carriers on the Horizo
December 22nd, 1941 - Slowly but Surely
December 23rd, 1941 - Catalina's Revenge
December 24th, 1941 - Remember the Kasasagi
December 25th, 1941 - Big Trouble in Little China
December 26th, 1941 - Drums in the Deep
December 27th, 1941 - The Battle of Sambas
December 28th, 1941 - Remnants of Battle
December 29th, 1941 - So Close, And Yet So Far
December 30th, 1941 - A Red Day, Ere the Sun Rises
December 31st, 1941 - Bombs in the Night
January 1st, 1942 - C'est Dommage
January 2nd, 1942 - Wake & Bake

[Bif1961]

The P-26 aka Peashooter, is a first generation US Army Air Corps monoplane, with an open cockpit, fit undercarriage and wire stressed support wings. It was given to the fledgling Philippine Air Force when the Far Eastern AF acquired P-35s and P40s. I am enjoying your UTube replays and commentary. It is rare you get to see the suffering first hand, when don't go the way we hoped i.e., the Wake invasion TF. I am the Japanese in December 42 and things have started to turn against me already so a long path to final destruction awaits.

[paradigmblue]

Thanks Bif!

[paradigmblue]

January 3rd, 1942 - Disaster at Bataan
January 4th, 1942 - Yubari Makes the Rounds
January 5th, 1942 - The Fall of Loyang
January 6th, 1942 - The Fall of Clark Field
January 7th, 1942 - The Long Twilight Struggle
January 8th, 1942 - Raiding Darwin
January 9th, 1942 - Betty's Lament
January 10th, 1942 - Falling Skies

[paradigmblue]

Yamamoto's Folly - January 11th, 1942 - Ever Onward
Yamamoto's Folly - January 12th, 1942 - The Battling Bastards of Bataan
Yamamoto's Folly - January 13th, 1942 - The Changsha Pocket
Yamamoto's Folly - January 14th, 1942 - Singkawang Falls
Yamamoto's Folly - January 15th, 1942 - Lightning Strikes
Yamamoto's Folly - January 16th, 1942 - Carriers At Anchor - Here I find that my opponent has moved a significant force to the Java sea, including what looks to be his entire Flight-Deck Cruiser force, and he has also parked a lot of valuable ships at Batavia's port. I decide it's time to make a move south.

Yamamoto's Folly - January 17th, 1942 - On the Precipice of Battle - I move into position, using 7 surface TFs, 2 carrier groups and a gaggle of ASW, subs, and other support ships.

Yamamoto's Folly - January 18th, 1942 - Battle of the North Java Sea - Unfortunately, our CVE TF is held near Singkawang, so my 4 CVs fight alone.

Yamamoto's Folly - January 19th, 1942 - Yamato-Damashii - This turn things go my way, as the Yamato prevents his surface TFs from engaging my amphibious TFs and carriers. By the end of the day, I've earned a solid victory at sea.

[Bif1961]

Your December 16th video hyperlink replays your December 15th video.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue

Air Production and Research

I'm frankly terrible at this - I usually feel like I'm arbitrarily bumping up research factories for planes that I know I'll want, but the trick to chain-upgrading and ensuring that my research factories are bringing planes on faster is beyond me.

I've cribbed together a plane upgrade chart for Focus Pacific - any help on what planes I should be going for and how to get them faster would be appreciated.

Plane Chart Here

There's nothing wrong with your chart per se. However without notes regarding how many factories and what size there isn't much anyone can make in terms of comments.

As like most IJ players now: I build quite a few of the aircraft, but I only spend RnD on a very, very few, and those I spend a LOT of RnD.

[paradigmblue]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Your December 16th video hyperlink replays your December 15th video.

Thanks, fixed!

[paradigmblue]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue

Air Production and Research

I'm frankly terrible at this - I usually feel like I'm arbitrarily bumping up research factories for planes that I know I'll want, but the trick to chain-upgrading and ensuring that my research factories are bringing planes on faster is beyond me.

I've cribbed together a plane upgrade chart for Focus Pacific - any help on what planes I should be going for and how to get them faster would be appreciated.

Plane Chart Here

There's nothing wrong with your chart per se. However without notes regarding how many factories and what size there isn't much anyone can make in terms of comments.

As like most IJ players now: I build quite a few of the aircraft, but I only spend RnD on a very, very few, and those I spend a LOT of RnD.

Thanks, I'll add some columns for factories and factory sizes when I have the chance.

[Bif1961]

It has been a few weeks any more updates on the war?

[paradigmblue]

Sure!

January 20th, Requiem for Carriers
My opponent's surface TF smashes through my escorts and savages my CVE TF, sinking 4 of my CVEs. He pays a heavy price in cruisers.
January 21st - Blood in the Water
A strange, buggy replay that doesn't reflect the actual combat reports, which were more positive.
January 22nd - Echoes of Thunder
Surface combat continues in the North Java Sea.
January 23rd, 1942 - Shore Bombardment
I draw back my forces, but not before leaving a parting gift of a devastating shore bombardment of Batavia.
January 24th, 1942 - The Great Singkawang Turkey Shoot
Dutch bombers die in droves over northwestern Borneo.
January 25th, 1942 - Unforced Errors
Mismanagement of surface TFs lead to some embarrassing - but not critical - mistakes.
January 27th, 1942 - Soryu in Peril
The Soryu takes a torpedo east of Truk.
January 28th, 1942 - The Bombardment of Bataan
January 29th, 1942 - Bataan Falls
Luzon is finally mine.
January 30th, 1942 - Battlecruiser's Lament
My Betties and Mavis' find the BC New Zealand without air cover, and by the end of the day it is forced to hole up in port with 4 torpedoes in its side.
January 31st, 1942 - Battleships in the Java Sea
Piratejoe brings the American BBs to the Java Sea.
February 1st, 1942 - Setting the Stage
Beginning to prep for my next push in the DEI.
February 2nd, 1942 - CVL Lazarus
I swear I've sunk the CVL Nike 4 times now.
February 3rd, 1942 - Bottlenecks
My prosecution of the Chinese theater has been abysmal, leading me to be bottlenecked on the Chinese rail line.
February 4th, 1942 - CVL Houdini
I swear to god, it's like playing whackamole with these CVLs. Just when I think I've sunk them, they come back to haunt me.
February 5th, 1942 - Assault on Rangoon
Rangoon falls.
February 6th, 1942 - Taking a Breather

I have one more replay banked, but haven't posted it yet. Unfortunately, my opponent's rate of flipping turns has slowed to a crawl.

[Bif1961]

I am in Feb 42 now any more installments?