Why did the Japanese decide to build LSTs in '45

[GuyTipton]

Hi Folks,
Does anyone have insight into why the IJN decided to build LSTs in '45 rather than, for example, DDs or Super-Es? My esteemed Japanese opponent was complaining about it vociferously.
Cheers,
Guy

[Platoonist]

I believe the Japanese saw them as a superior way to quickly land troops, tanks and cargo over a beach to contest control of an Island rather than as a means to offensively invade one. The Guadalcanal and the Solomons campaign proved that slow ungainly transports and high speed destroyers weren't an efficient way to land reinforcements and supplies in the face of enemy air power. Basically, a quicker and cheaper to build troop/cargo transport. If I recall quite a few were lost doing this in the Central Philippines during the battle for Leyte.

[BananaConvention]

Better late than never I always say!

[Platoonist]

I image being able to use virtually any beach in lieu of a port was a big selling point.

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[Gratch1111]

This is actually one of my main complaints about the game. As a Japanese you should be able to build what you want with the points that you have. Given that some things are already in the pipeline or the blue print isnt done. But if there is a ship being produced I should be able to produce a new one, starting dec 7th 1941

[RangerJoe]

This is actually one of my main complaints about the game. As a Japanese you should be able to build what you want with the points that you have. Given that some things are already in the pipeline or the blue print isnt done. But if there is a ship being produced I should be able to produce a new one, starting dec 7th 1941

Then you either want a different game or started editing the game to make your own mod.

But yes, it would be nice to order a bunch of nice Japanese destroyers early in the game but it takes a long time to build, train the crew, and so on. Plus there is a limited number of potential crew members not to mentioned highly trained officers and how would exceeding those limits be handled as a reduction of the quality of said crew and/or officers?

[Platoonist]

This is actually one of my main complaints about the game. As a Japanese you should be able to build what you want with the points that you have. Given that some things are already in the pipeline or the blue print isnt done. But if there is a ship being produced I should be able to produce a new one, starting dec 7th 1941

These LSTs would have been quite an asset for Japanese landing operations early in the war. However, it seems to be the consensus of naval historians that inspiration for the T.101 class were the results of photos and sketches provided by Germany to the IJN of the various Allied landing craft involved in Mediterranean amphibious operations. Based on that intelligence, most of the design work took place in 1943 at the IJN Technical Department and the majority didn't start hitting the water until 1944. That's the primary reason these Japanese LSTs show up so late in the production timetable when they would have been more useful earlier on.

However, I suppose even in naval design, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[Sardaukar]

Late war building might have been also because ferries between Kyushu and Honshu etc. were destroyed.

LST would ease movement of vehicles between mainland Japan islands.