Cavalry Corp
Posts: 3107
Joined: 9/2/2003
From: Sampford Spiney Devon UK
Status: offline
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Here are my golden rules for playing as Japan. a bit jumbled up but that's how they came to me.
I am playing scn 1 , 2 and RA - 1 or 2 days turns.
Any CV at sea is always in danger
KB can be split if you have a distinct CV advantage, never let the whereabouts of the KB been known unless its for a purpose of your making
Old BB are TT magnets- anything under 25kts seems terrible at evading TT from air or in surface battles. OLD BB are for invasion TF only where possible.
Allies never get as good CA as you start with – give them the best commanders and use them a plenty in 42. Tone and Chikuma should revert to pure CV escorts a soon as the initial rampage is over
Convert the old CL that convert into CLAA - these then free up any good CA you may be using
Always add a FAST BB (Kongo class) in a CV TF if there is any chance of bombs from the sky –
42 make up of CV TF is usually 2 CV same class is better and 1 CVL , BB if available , 1 CA ( until Aganos arrive ) and the rest DD ( you will never have enough)- keep below 200 planes. Sometimes if speed is needed only in EARLY/ MID 42, S+Z and H+S can be together but you need more fighters as 42 goes on. Sometimes I have a CVL or CVE trailing with just fighters on LRCAP over the main TF… It all depends and depends on CV balance and allied losses.
Convert Mogami it really is useful as the FP CV, only convert one of the BB and that is only if you have a BB advantage, also if you like a bit of fun, and can wait 180 days.
BB need not fear bombs too much but TT planes of all types you must respected.
Slow old BB - keep with Petes or Alf (you need to use them up and the range is not so important as mainly they do bombardment recon or asw) all CA, CL and fast BB must have Jakes. Later Norm = 15 hex range.
Yamato and Mushashi are very tough – give them good commanders and when the opportunity comes up - send them in with DD only, BANZAI. Trouble is they take a long time to repair as well.
Be very careful of putting the KB in the DEI. Dutch and French (RA) subs have good commanders and good TT
Go around fortified bass in DEI if the allied player has built any up before you arrive – starve them out.
Accelerate some CV if industry allows (scn 2) , Amagi class are pretty good, Taiho is excellent and quite tough against bombs. Junyo class are not really front line carriers they are slow easily damaged and fragile.
They only leap forward you get in CV planes is the Judy.
Try to avoid Atoll attacks after your initial blood rush - But if you need to always prep 100% for atoll attack if it looks well defended and you need it, be sure defenders are quite disrupted and low on supply. Make sure you can unload in one phase.
Do not make your defensive perimeter too big – the bigger the balloon the bigger the burst.
Watch for allied build up in DEI if you decide not to take Darwin (which I never do)
Do not mix gun ranges too much especially CL/BB OR CA/BB Anything with DD seems good and DD seem to get TT shot at them the most which mainly miss DD.
Look after the APD – Then I do not convert many old DD to APD.
Always fortify anything captured ASAP – any island unfortified is a death trap if allied planes are in range
Never capture anything you really want without the means to hold onto it for a while
Once detected any TF is in some kind of danger
Good sub commanders = good hit rates and lots of attacks. 1942 is Japans year after that you will suffer. Glen subs are best for detecting and scouting for CV use low aggression commanders.
Once detected always move the sub.
Consider using deep raiders like single CA off west coast of OZ. Use some Glen subs to help locate…
Train pilots fully before putting in units.
Good planes are only good with good pilots
Update all recon planes as priority, Japan get some excellent ones.
Make sure all Betty and Nell units have pilots with good TT skill they will probably only get one chance…
As Japan accelerate all DD as priority 1. Preserve all DD as priority 2. Akizuki 8,300 RANGE DD are only for ASW and CV escort.
Develop ASW assets as Japan in the air. CV Hosho is my prime ASW ship in 42, with 20 old Jeans and top ASW pilots.
As Japan get all radar upgrades without fail. Do not enter surface battles without radar in 1943, always prefer night time, do not rely on TT against fast allied ships. Do not be afraid of fletchers they are sinkable
Always cover an invasion TF with something
Make sure Naval Search covers all key areas you want to check and check with the Z key
Look out for LRCAP ambushes both offence and defensively
Sweep bases before using loads of frail bombers, also applied to CV raids on ports etc.
Always oppose Night bombers – even one or two fighters should make them miss.
Get oil and fuel out of the DEI ( I HAVE NEVER DONE ENOUGH OF THIS RULE), you will never get enough.
Look after you tankers – you will never have enough and subs will munch them in 43
Select good leaders for important land units (only started doing this in my current game)
Check each ships commander as it come in.
Sift through all Japan ship commanders and shuffle them around as needed
Good surface commanders always to command important missions even worth risking in DD
Smaller TF really do slip past detection at times – Big is not always better
Always have ASW DD with your CV Even if low ASW they will detect and drive off subs. Use some fp on asw in most TF
Always use night recon for bombardments but do loads of day time recon before hand
Lilly Bomb is no good for ASW, only 100kilo not enough to sink a sub. If you hit it must count.
Do not think the weather will ever help you
For the 4E bombers you need planes with cannons (GEORGE) before that all you can do is harass them – you are just wasting planes and pilots.
Make sure all bases in Japan have 10k min supply
Make sure other bases have enough fuel and oil, never take oil or fuel out of mainland Japan unless you really need to.
Do not expand shipyards too much, expand some planes and engines as required but with caution of breaking the industry
Suspend most of the little transport subs and cancel late arriving AK etc. accelerate regardless ALL DD and ALL ASW ships
Train pilots on map
Every ship is useful
Every plane is useful
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The Golden rules for Japan - 
Oh, I mean Perry. 
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