Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

So two weeks until A6M3 arrives and you say it will be in BIG production numbers. At this point in the war, it is very competitive aircraft. Not quite what George is if it arrives in early '43, but still pretty good. It should swing air war in your favor IF you can get enough built.

I can make anywhere from 90 to 210 from day one of activation. I probably really need the 210,probably for about 2 months, but then that would mean no r&d on the A6M3a which really isn't the end of the world with careful use of the KB. I have a ways to ponder it before deciding.

May 1 sees the Nick at 100 planes per month, a few days later the A6M3, and June the Tojo IIa arrives currently set at 60 planes per month (I am thinking of upping that to 90).

I am thinking the Frank A will arrive in May of 1943 if not sooner. For some odd reason this mod has the Frank arriving normally 1/44. The Sam is still 6/45 but I have a ton of r&d factories on it. A ton.

Obviously, I think if I frustrate the Allied air war then the game will devolve down to a night bombing campaign of Honshu and those darn Yankee bases in Manchuko. Allies will be able to night bomb far in advance of any night fighters showing up. I have gone Irving, Nick D, Frances and Peggy. Just the potential of it really changes the game.

I maybe able to sweep those bases and have air superiority there, but I suspect the Soviet AA will neuter the IJN bombers and the heavy bombers will be left to perform their horrors all of 1943. The question is can I mount an offensive against the Soviets in 1943? I guess we will find out.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Quite a few P40E around Singapore...and they are beefed up in this mod I think and quite nasty. I don't think the Oscar Ic at a blistering 308 mph can dance with these puppies and live to tell about it.

Allies are using Lightnings as CAP over Singers now...I think they are the high part of his layered CAP.

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ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

So two weeks until A6M3 arrives and you say it will be in BIG production numbers. At this point in the war, it is very competitive aircraft. Not quite what George is if it arrives in early '43, but still pretty good. It should swing air war in your favor IF you can get enough built.

I can make anywhere from 90 to 210 from day one of activation. I probably really need the 210,probably for about 2 months, but then that would mean no r&d on the A6M3a which really isn't the end of the world with careful use of the KB. I have a ways to ponder it before deciding.

May 1 sees the Nick at 100 planes per month, a few days later the A6M3, and June the Tojo IIa arrives currently set at 60 planes per month (I am thinking of upping that to 90).

I am thinking the Frank A will arrive in May of 1943 if not sooner. For some odd reason this mod has the Frank arriving normally 1/44. The Sam is still 6/45 but I have a ton of r&d factories on it. A ton.

Obviously, I think if I frustrate the Allied air war then the game will devolve down to a night bombing campaign of Honshu and those darn Yankee bases in Manchuko. Allies will be able to night bomb far in advance of any night fighters showing up. I have gone Irving, Nick D, Frances and Peggy. Just the potential of it really changes the game.

I maybe able to sweep those bases and have air superiority there, but I suspect the Soviet AA will neuter the IJN bombers and the heavy bombers will be left to perform their horrors all of 1943. The question is can I mount an offensive against the Soviets in 1943? I guess we will find out.

Yeah, 210 to start. If you can't get control of the skies, the KB in Dec won't matter.

You will have no choice but to mount a MAN/SOV campaign in the very near future. I think the real question is how much of the DEI can you secure?

My rationale is: Fighting for Soerbaya is pointless if Honshu is getting bombed. You have no need for additional oil/resources if your economy is under attack.

To me, that means:

1. more VEH than normal. A lot more. your 3 tank div's are going to be in the thick of it for a long time.
2. Can the Nick hold up as a ground attack bomber? It is going to have to, but I fear your losses are going to be really high. That means a LOT of pilots trained at low ground/strafe. Helen's too.
3. If ground attack doesn't work, then you are going to need to bomb from +15K, and my exp is that it just takes SO many groups to inflict any damage. Besides the number of units needed to commit, the supply expenditure is massive.
4. If that fails, (I think both 2 and 3 will be only modestly successful), it means a lot more attacks at less than optimal odds ... and more ground losses.

Bottom line is that your supply expenditure is going to be way off norm; much higher and you have to plan for that as best you can. There aren't many ways to save supply for IJ, you know them all. My thoughts on that are:

Review and re-consider your aircraft plans. Some models may have to be tabled, that 100K supply to get them into production might be better used to feed your armies.
EX: NF's. Yeah you need them, but can you suffer with just 2 models? Irving and an early IJA model and then worry about late NF's if there is a late game. Face it, any NF will distract the bomb run and that is what you need. Kills are a bonus, but those are rare until late war anyway.

If you can map a way to get through '43, honestly, I think '44 will resolve itself which is really rare. I say that as I think to get through '43 means getting control of CHI/MAN/SOV and if you can do that a lot of things in 44/45 become easier.
But, can you get through '43?

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ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

quantity has a merit of its own, so with enough Oscar I think you could effectively sweep. But you are reporting +200 aircraft at Singers. I would want 2:1 min sweep ratio going against P40/P38 CAP, so ... that's a lot of Oscar that I'm pretty sure you don't have.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

So two weeks until A6M3 arrives and you say it will be in BIG production numbers. At this point in the war, it is very competitive aircraft. Not quite what George is if it arrives in early '43, but still pretty good. It should swing air war in your favor IF you can get enough built.

I can make anywhere from 90 to 210 from day one of activation. I probably really need the 210,probably for about 2 months, but then that would mean no r&d on the A6M3a which really isn't the end of the world with careful use of the KB. I have a ways to ponder it before deciding.

May 1 sees the Nick at 100 planes per month, a few days later the A6M3, and June the Tojo IIa arrives currently set at 60 planes per month (I am thinking of upping that to 90).

I am thinking the Frank A will arrive in May of 1943 if not sooner. For some odd reason this mod has the Frank arriving normally 1/44. The Sam is still 6/45 but I have a ton of r&d factories on it. A ton.

Obviously, I think if I frustrate the Allied air war then the game will devolve down to a night bombing campaign of Honshu and those darn Yankee bases in Manchuko. Allies will be able to night bomb far in advance of any night fighters showing up. I have gone Irving, Nick D, Frances and Peggy. Just the potential of it really changes the game.

I maybe able to sweep those bases and have air superiority there, but I suspect the Soviet AA will neuter the IJN bombers and the heavy bombers will be left to perform their horrors all of 1943. The question is can I mount an offensive against the Soviets in 1943? I guess we will find out.

Yeah, 210 to start. If you can't get control of the skies, the KB in Dec won't matter.

You will have no choice but to mount a MAN/SOV campaign in the very near future. I think the real question is how much of the DEI can you secure?

My rationale is: Fighting for Soerbaya is pointless if Honshu is getting bombed. You have no need for additional oil/resources if your economy is under attack.

To me, that means:

1. more VEH than normal. A lot more. your 3 tank div's are going to be in the thick of it for a long time.
2. Can the Nick hold up as a ground attack bomber? It is going to have to, but I fear your losses are going to be really high. That means a LOT of pilots trained at low ground/strafe. Helen's too.
3. If ground attack doesn't work, then you are going to need to bomb from +15K, and my exp is that it just takes SO many groups to inflict any damage. Besides the number of units needed to commit, the supply expenditure is massive.
4. If that fails, (I think both 2 and 3 will be only modestly successful), it means a lot more attacks at less than optimal odds ... and more ground losses.

Bottom line is that your supply expenditure is going to be way off norm; much higher and you have to plan for that as best you can. There aren't many ways to save supply for IJ, you know them all. My thoughts on that are:

Review and re-consider your aircraft plans. Some models may have to be tabled, that 100K supply to get them into production might be better used to feed your armies.
EX: NF's. Yeah you need them, but can you suffer with just 2 models? Irving and an early IJA model and then worry about late NF's if there is a late game. Face it, any NF will distract the bomb run and that is what you need. Kills are a bonus, but those are rare until late war anyway.

If you can map a way to get through '43, honestly, I think '44 will resolve itself which is really rare. I say that as I think to get through '43 means getting control of CHI/MAN/SOV and if you can do that a lot of things in 44/45 become easier.
But, can you get through '43?

All good points that I have thought about, and agree with. I have three factories on Frances NF and won't change that, they are doing very well, and quite frankly come 4/44 IF I make it that far, will be needed. They do get kills once the 6/44 radar kicks in. Yeah, it is a splurge, but hey, I deserve one. Seriously, it is sooo depressing not having any new planes to look forward to as Japan....so much of the magic of the game goes away when that happens.

If I let my guard down, just one B17 strike at one of the big three can ruin my economy. Dern paper buildings.

Yeah, my thought was 210 or 180 on the A6M3. If you recommend 210, then I might need to think about increasing the production up to 250. Sheesh, you scare me.

Nicks will see a lot of action, another splurge I am researching Randy FB too. I just like Fighter Bombers. Once I get thru buying out the Honshu divisions, PP will go to converting LB to FB. No plans on building any other Nick FB...heck with them, A is good enough. Randy probably could go,,, but I won't.

Helen comes when she comes, until then Sally for a long time. I like Sally anyhow. Only non fighter I am r&d is the Grace (and only have one factory on it right now) so hard to even say that I am r&d'ing it. Frank, Jack, George and Sam, and really the George is only 4 r&d factories. I don't want to tell you how much I have invested in Sam, Frank and Jack.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Quite a few P40E around Singapore...and they are beefed up in this mod I think and quite nasty. I don't think the Oscar Ic at a blistering 308 mph can dance with these puppies and live to tell about it.

Allies are using Lightnings as CAP over Singers now...I think they are the high part of his layered CAP.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

quantity has a merit of its own, so with enough Oscar I think you could effectively sweep. But you are reporting +200 aircraft at Singers. I would want 2:1 min sweep ratio going against P40/P38 CAP, so ... that's a lot of Oscar that I'm pretty sure you don't have.

No thanks, can't afford Oscar Ic sweeping... Oscar Ic won't sweep anywhere outside of Soviets or LRCAP likely bases.

The tide will turn, for a while.

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ORIGINAL: Alfred



Not necessarily true.

I regularly read posts which claim that speed is the only variable that really matters in air to air combat. These disciples will always view a 308 mph max plane as being dead meat against a 374 mph max plane. This however is not how the combat algorithms operate. The importance of the other variables is always downplayed by these advocates.

The most important thing to note is that an aircraft's max speed is simply that, the maximum potential speed at the point of combat. It is not necessarily the speed flown at the point of combat. There is absolutely no guarantee that at the point of combat the Warhawk will be flying faster than the Oscar. The other variables will impact on the actual speed achieved by both planes at the point of combat. Also do not forget that the other variables are factored in to the combat algorithms to determine whether a hit is actually achieved and the degree of impact which results.

Experten can fly aircraft which on paper are inferior and still hold their own against far superior enemy airframes which are not flown by enemy experten. Even the most "inferior" airframe will usually have some design features which are not completely outclassed by the comparable design features of the enemy "superior" airframe. Maximising the design features together with the pilot attributes can go a long way to reducing (or even inverting) the speed at the point of combat.

Alfred

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ORIGINAL: Alfred
A side benefit of the parked sub is that it will also adversely impact on enemy industrial production.

Alfred

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: Alfred
A side benefit of the parked sub is that it will also adversely impact on enemy industrial production.

Alfred

You have to elaborate on that comment! That is news to me! Please, with sugar on top.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

So, I broke down and started a new tracker file today.

I exported a spreadsheet, did a few formulae, and I am down 436 fighters from a peak possible of 1303. Now probably 130 of them will go Nick A, but it is still a lot. I haven't done any supersizing of fighter groups, I think the largest I have expanded them was to 27 (I confirmed this). I suspect I will revisit that decision, but without the planes, it is a moot point (except for pilot training). So that gives me two size 45 Zero squadrons, then four 36 with the rest size 27 or smaller.

Claudes and Nates perform quite a bit of function for me even at this date...mostly providing the Allies with easy kills.

I was going to go Nell over Betty in this game and the incredibly long legged G3M3 arrives next month. She takes the Ha33 engine, while the Ha32 (Betty) is being reserved for Jack! I have 401 of those puppies in the pool, engines not Jack, and will easily have 500 for the engine bonus on Jack, and will get the J2M5 super early -- easily early 1943.

A quad cannon, 400+mph fighter lets say in 12 months -- should arrive with the Frank or a little earlier or later depending on the repair. The base Jack should arrive Dec of 42 I think or earlier, and I supersized one of the facilities so production will start at 200 a month. I might decide to accelerate the J2M3 with its SR2 instead of jumping right to the J2M5. Not sure, the J2M5 is better at altitude, a one hex better normal range (but shorter drop tank ranges).

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I think pilots are selected randomly, with some check for fatigue. More fatigued pilots are less likely to fly missions, at the least. Assuming you have more pilots than planes.

Also, it's hard for you to tell which pilots are being selected each turn in a CAP 20/Train 80 squadron. You can look at which ones increased that turn, but it's also possible some lower-skill pilots flew but didn't increase skill. I also suspect pilots with lower overall skill numbers are more likely to gain an increase in a skill, so lower-skilled pilots may appear to be flying more often when really it is just that their skills are increasing more often (because it is more likely to increase).

Thanks, I think that jives with my observations. I will keep an eye on it, and perhaps post another screen shot of the unit down the road. The number of missions flown will show the selection of pilots.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Afternoon strike, very few planes sortied here, because of the nasty weather in both the departure hex and the arrival hex.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

These guys have been nasty all game.