Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[zuluhour]

Sub War

I think I found the route that Ted's convoys use to leave San Francisco. I'm posting a couple of subs along it. We'll see....

Another scary IJF post.[X(] I have found the only port i can consistantly get to and from is San Diego, offering 2 primary and 1 (direct) route to blue water. As I only attach heavy ecorts (multiple SCs) to the TFs for two days I need to get to open sea quickly. My one wish as the allied player is a "bouy system" where we could mark way points (point lucks if you will) to quickly change orders to the merchantmen on the sea lanes ie. designate A,B etc and have the option to route convoys quicker and more importantly change the sea lane quickly. 2 cents. Very nice AAR Mike. I have saved a good deal of it for intel and info should I ever try the "other side". Smooth sailing.
Head TWIT
Zulu HQ

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
I had an MIA pilot found! Never in all my years of playing this game have I had that happen! [:D]

Really? This happens pretty often for me. Like, when I lose pilots MIA sweeping Singers; when I take Singers, I typically get 1 or 2 pilots back.

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Looks like the R&D factories aren't really having an impact on supply. The only issue is when they are increased in size. If I do a lot in one turn, then there is an impact on the supply. I'll probably do 1-2 a day and take a break if the supply seems to drop too much.

And you can always turn off the repair on any R&D factory. I do that a lot to control my supply in the HI. I'll have a couple of turns in a row where a lot of R&D factories repair ... then I just turn the repair off on a bunch for a few turns to let my supply stabilize again, switch them back on. I do this maybe twice / month ... something like that. Not too often.

[Mike Solli]

Good idea Pax. Last turn I had only 3 repair. I have 6 that will hit their mark in April and 6 more in June. I figure they should step it up soon.

Zulu, you crack me up. It's always interesting to get a comment from the other side. [:D]

[d0mbo]

Re: engines.

I am producing a dribble of HA-5 engines for MC-10 transport planes. Those are the best (most load and decent range) in my book.

What transports are you guys using and why?

[Mike Solli]

I'm using the Ki-57-I for the IJA right now because there are already engines available for them. Eventually, I'll upgrade to the Ki-57-II. I use all the other IJA transports as well until they're gone except the Ki-59. Those 36 pieces of (insert appropriate word here) are relegated to the 4 transport chutai in Manchuoko and serve admirably as trainers.

For the IJN, I use everything available. I build a few L3Y2s and will upgrade to Tabbys when they become available. I will also build the H6K2-L and will upgrade to the Emily transport when they become available.

[Cribtop]

RE: China. If I ever play Allies, I will abandon Loyang/Chengchow and the surrounding plains beginning on day 1. No upside and all downside to stay there in force, IMHO.

[Mike Solli]

That's the truth, Cribtop. I think Ted just realized he's going to lose a bunch of units.

I just realized this turn that the Wakaba will repair all of her flot damage (on the ARD) in 10 days. I love that ARD. Wish I had more of them.

[Cribtop]

Banzai! How many is a bunch?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

That's the truth, Cribtop. I think Ted just realized he's going to lose a bunch of units.

A liquidate them all tithe, Mike-san. [&o]

[Mike Solli]

I count 33 definitely entrapped with two other groups (2 and 5 units) that are or will be attacked soon and may or may not add to the total depending on which way they retreat. So 33 to 40 units.

[Mike Solli]

18 Jan 42

Sub War

Success! The I-26 found a convoy headed out of San Francisco and torpedoed an xAK. Probably a supply convoy, but I'll take it. There's another sub a few hexes down the route. Let's see if he sticks with this route.

5 Fleet

Nothing new to report.

4 Fleet

Nothing new to report.

SE Fleet

The Kaga is safely at Truk with the rest of KB.

I'm sweeping Pt. Moresby to try and kill off some more Allied fighters.

Philippines

Nothing new to report.

China

Nothing new to report other than what was mentioned above.

Malaya

The remainder of the Singapore assault force (2x Divisions, 3x independent engineer regiments and 6x artillery units) have begun marching to the sound of the guns, I mean, bombs.

Burma

Things should start hopping pretty soon.

SRA

Makassar is now home of Zeros, Mavis, Nells and some Army Babs. Java is being isolated from the rest of the world. Soon I will liberate Bandjermasin to start to liquidate the Dutch Air Force. I have bought out 2x infantry regiments and the engineer regiment of the 20 Division. They are at Babeldaob and are headed to Bandjermasin (and then Java).

Other Stuff

Not much more to report. I increased another Frank R&D factory to 30 (2 of them now).

[obvert]

How many subs are you using in the central pacific around Hawaii and how many near the west coast?

After no luck near the west coast I moved most subs back and I've been sending them more around to OZ, Suva and Pago Pago. Seeing more, but not so many hits yet.

[Mike Solli]

Less than normal. 4 around Hawaii and 2 off the west coast.

[Icedawg]

ORIGINAL: CT Grognard

Just to clarify air transport.

It's done very simplistically if you compare it to the naval transport model.

Firstly, a device with a load cost higher than 9 cannot be airlifted (i.e. friendly base to friendly base). Secondly, a device with a load cost higher than 7 cannot be air-dropped (i.e. paratroop assault).

The capacity of transport aircraft is almost moot if it is below 7500. All transport aircraft with capacities below 7500 are able to airlift/airdrop either 2 Aviation Support devices or 1 Squad/Engineer/Device. If an aircraft has a capacity of 7500 or higher, then it can airlift/airdrop either 4 Aviation Support devices or 2 Squads/Engineers/Devices.

So, whether a transport aircraft has a capacity of 2000 or 6000, both aircraft will only be able to transport only one squad.

There are very few aircraft with a capacity of 7500 or higher, and then almost exclusively Allied (I believe the Emily transport is the only Japanese one).

Hey, this is great stuff! Where did you find it? (Seems like it should have been in the manual, doesn't it?)

I've been doing some casual tests of air transport and the effect of capacity. All I was able to determine is that there is some kind of effect, but couldn't really make rhyme nor reason of my results. In one test, I actually had a unit of 9 Thalias tranport more devices than a unit of 9 Topsys (or Topsies?) - even though the Topsy has a greater transport capacity than the Thalia! [&:]

[CT Grognard]

I believe it was confirmed by Alfred in an earlier thread.

With regards to supply transport by aircraft, the number of tons (units) of supply transported is the capacity of the plane divided by 2000, rounded down.

[Icedawg]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

PS: since this is your first PDU On game, I strongly suggest that you take a break (really, ask Ted for a 7 day hiatus) and sit down and work out your R&D carefully. Since the allies can now shift around their a/c without limitation, you will see hordes more 4E's with MUCH better escorts earlierthan you are used to. To counter that, you need to have your fighter builds spun up a lot earlier.

Pax,

What does this (the underlined, boldfaced stuff) mean? Is there some change in a recent patch that I am missing? Was the allied replacement rate increased? Do they get more options for upgrading bombers?

[Dan Nichols]

ORIGINAL: Icedawg

ORIGINAL: CT Grognard

Just to clarify air transport.

It's done very simplistically if you compare it to the naval transport model.

Firstly, a device with a load cost higher than 9 cannot be airlifted (i.e. friendly base to friendly base). Secondly, a device with a load cost higher than 7 cannot be air-dropped (i.e. paratroop assault).

The capacity of transport aircraft is almost moot if it is below 7500. All transport aircraft with capacities below 7500 are able to airlift/airdrop either 2 Aviation Support devices or 1 Squad/Engineer/Device. If an aircraft has a capacity of 7500 or higher, then it can airlift/airdrop either 4 Aviation Support devices or 2 Squads/Engineers/Devices.

So, whether a transport aircraft has a capacity of 2000 or 6000, both aircraft will only be able to transport only one squad.

There are very few aircraft with a capacity of 7500 or higher, and then almost exclusively Allied (I believe the Emily transport is the only Japanese one).

Hey, this is great stuff! Where did you find it? (Seems like it should have been in the manual, doesn't it?)

I've been doing some casual tests of air transport and the effect of capacity. All I was able to determine is that there is some kind of effect, but couldn't really make rhyme nor reason of my results. In one test, I actually had a unit of 9 Thalias tranport more devices than a unit of 9 Topsys (or Topsies?) - even though the Topsy has a greater transport capacity than the Thalia! [&:]

There a lot of die rolls involved, most likely not all aircraft flew.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Icedawg

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

PS: since this is your first PDU On game, I strongly suggest that you take a break (really, ask Ted for a 7 day hiatus) and sit down and work out your R&D carefully. Since the allies can now shift around their a/c without limitation, you will see hordes more 4E's with MUCH better escorts earlierthan you are used to. To counter that, you need to have your fighter builds spun up a lot earlier.

Pax,

What does this (the underlined, boldfaced stuff) mean? Is there some change in a recent patch that I am missing? Was the allied replacement rate increased? Do they get more options for upgrading bombers?

This is Mike's first game with PDU ON, he has always played PDU OFF. When PDU On is played, there are consequences for BOTH sides. Mike gets to build all the stuff he wants and get Tojo's everywhere. Ted, however, can get his B-17's and P-38's out of the stateside training air groups as well now. With PDU OFF, a lot of the better allied hardware has to sit on the beach in CA until upgrades come around. Mike has never seen this aspect ...

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Dan Nichols

There a lot of die rolls involved, most likely not all aircraft flew.

+1.

That is my interpretation as well. You can see in the Daily Op's report how many actually flew.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: Icedawg

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

PS: since this is your first PDU On game, I strongly suggest that you take a break (really, ask Ted for a 7 day hiatus) and sit down and work out your R&D carefully. Since the allies can now shift around their a/c without limitation, you will see hordes more 4E's with MUCH better escorts earlierthan you are used to. To counter that, you need to have your fighter builds spun up a lot earlier.

Pax,

What does this (the underlined, boldfaced stuff) mean? Is there some change in a recent patch that I am missing? Was the allied replacement rate increased? Do they get more options for upgrading bombers?

This is Mike's first game with PDU ON, he has always played PDU OFF. When PDU On is played, there are consequences for BOTH sides. Mike gets to build all the stuff he wants and get Tojo's everywhere. Ted, however, can get his B-17's and P-38's out of the stateside training air groups as well now. With PDU OFF, a lot of the better allied hardware has to sit on the beach in CA until upgrades come around. Mike has never seen this aspect ...

I can't wait. Oh joy.