What can i do to shot down b17s?

[Juliuspluvius]

My bases, Shorland and Rabaul are in the B17´s action ratios and my zeros shot down one or two per day, i´ve two squadrons in the defense, and what can i do to shot down b17s?[&:]

[Miller]

Very little, unfortunately.....the Jap fighters are too poorly armed to shoot down the well armored b17/24......all you can really do is cram as much AA into your important bases but even this has limited effect.

I know the feeling, there is nothing worse than having a single heavy strike wipe out 20000 points worth of supply[:@]

[Juliuspluvius]

Ok Miller i know, the zero is not good againts the B-17, but the B-17 is not good to Naval attack/Port Attack. In my actually game 27 B-17 attack Shorland is., my CVs is in the port, 32 zero in CAP. Results: 2 B-17 down, 5 damage, 5 zero damage, shokaku 1 bomb sd 34, Hiryu 2 bombs sd 54, kaga 1 bomb sd 17, zuhio 1 bomb sd 23, Akagi 1 bomb sd 18, Soryu 2 bombs sd 56 and 2 DD damaged. My flat tops going to kavieng to secure from B-17 and i lost the posibility of quick reaction if the allied goes to Lunga or Gili Gili. I think that it´s very hard, the B-17 is not a dauntless[:@]

[Miller]

One of the quirks of the game I'm afraid....once the b17's are in range of your main ports you have no option but to withdraw your ships to safe ports (usually only Truk by Mid 43!)

If you are playing a PBEM game and you are into 1943 whilst playing as IJN you have lost....LBA will pound all your ships/troops/airfields to atoms....[:-]

[Juliuspluvius]

Ok, but the date is september 1942!, the allied player use all B-17 and in one attack gain a great adventage, i think that a B-17 at 6000 feet never has many good shoots.

[timtom]

With the Forts you gotta take the long view. If your opponent is loosing 1-2 B-17 a day you're doing good, given that he's only receiving 7 replacements a month. The main source of new B-17's is through reinforcements. At this rate of attrition you should be able keep the raids at their current size - if you think 27 B-17's is bad, imagine what a 100 could do...

Honestly, and with respect, anyone disbanding CV's or any similar vulnerable, high-value unit anywhere within range of enemy LBA deserves whatever they've got coming.

If you want them forward, either keep them in TF's or better yet, 48 hours steaming north of Lunga or whatever distance you need to keep out of recon range of the nearest enemy base. Remaining undetected works as a force-multiplier.

[anarchyintheuk]

Another way to defend Rabaul and the Shortlands is to take all of NG and let those bases get bombed instead. Once B-24s, upgraded B-25s and P-38s come into action, its not pretty for the IJN/IJA.