Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

Singapore

The third attack does the trick; the fortress city falls to the Empire! 33 units along with thousands of squads and devices are eliminated. Unfortunately, all the light and heavy industry, the resources, and the shipyard are entirely wrecked.

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

Singapore

The third attack does the trick; the fortress city falls to the Empire! 33 units along with thousands of squads and devices are eliminated. Unfortunately, all the light and heavy industry, the resources, and the shipyard are entirely wrecked.

What are you planning on rebuilding?

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ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Once you take Manila, just pound Clark to make him use his supplies and keep him from fortifying any more. Unless he brings in supplies, he won't get any more.

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

I know it's a lot of supply, but I am rebuilding at least the HI and a substantial portion of the repair shipyard. Bad idea?

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ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

I know it's a lot of supply, but I am rebuilding at least the HI and a substantial portion of the repair shipyard. Bad idea?

Both are a good idea. In fact, you may consider EXPANDING HI in Singapore; having supply production there is handy, and it's also close to fuel sources. It also gives you supply in case Singers is cut off from Home Islands by a landing in Luzon

The shipyard is very useful, though no need to expand

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ORIGINAL: Alamander

Tough break with Singapore razed. Such is the life of the Japanese player, and it seems to me that at least one key industry site is mostly destroyed every game, so if you are able to take some other key sites, like Manila, Bankok, and Wenchow intact, you'll be par for the course. At least Palembang came through in good condition, and if Balikpapan does as well, you will be fine. 100K supply fixing some things up is not going to break the bank.

Keep the divisions with disabled devices broken down into 3 parts in Singapore with 20K+ supply and at least 1 HQ. Lots of support devices and supply at a large base will have them all back in the fight at 100% in a couple weeks.

Have you formulated a plan for Luzon or still weighing the options? You can probably expect the allies to remain in supply there until sometime in August if you do nothing else. Controlling the south of the island and having units on Manila, even withot controlling the base, will result eventually in a deficiency of resources for Manila's industry, because resources do not produce if enemy combat units are in the hex (though industry will continue to produce so long as it does have resources).

You are doing very well and have yet to fall into any the traps that first-time Japanese players often fall into: such as not moving quickly enough on Palembang or committing enough to Singapore. Whatever you decide about Luzon, whether to heavily reinforce your position and have at it now or wear it down slowly, it will probably not make an enormous difference long-term. I suspect that you will have time and initiative for one major move beyond the historical conquest area regardless to Ceylon, or a push into India, or something more daring.

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ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

Beware of sneaking in supply to Luzon. Q-Ball can tell.

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

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ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

Beware of sneaking in supply to Luzon. Q-Ball can tell.

Haha fair warning. I do worry about that. Not much I can do about submarine supply but I have extensive recon over both Bataan and Clark so that shouldn't be a problem - I hope!

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

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ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

Beware of sneaking in supply to Luzon. Q-Ball can tell.

Haha fair warning. I do worry about that. Not much I can do about submarine supply but I have extensive recon over both Bataan and Clark so that shouldn't be a problem - I hope!

I always end up patrolling old destroyers to prevent supply attempts at PI and China coast...

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

ASW Altitude

Hey guys, a newbie question for you -

My opponent is starting to really encircle the Home Islands with subs, and I am bringing in ASW Air into play to help out. Assuming the air crew is well experienced and with high ASW skill, what is the optimal altitude for carrying out air ASW patrols?

I came across a thread where it was suggested to go as low as 100 feet - is that the correct recommendation?

Thanks!

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

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ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

Beware of sneaking in supply to Luzon. Q-Ball can tell.

Haha fair warning. I do worry about that. Not much I can do about submarine supply but I have extensive recon over both Bataan and Clark so that shouldn't be a problem - I hope!

I always end up patrolling old destroyers to prevent supply attempts at PI and China coast...

Good idea, I think I will do that too

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ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

quote:

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

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ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

Beware of sneaking in supply to Luzon. Q-Ball can tell.

Haha fair warning. I do worry about that. Not much I can do about submarine supply but I have extensive recon over both Bataan and Clark so that shouldn't be a problem - I hope!

I always end up patrolling old destroyers to prevent supply attempts at PI and China coast...

Good idea, I think I will do that too

Offensive minefields if you can safely lay them could also be a deterrence.

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ORIGINAL: Alamander

quote:

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

ASW Altitude

Hey guys, a newbie question for you -

My opponent is starting to really encircle the Home Islands with subs, and I am bringing in ASW Air into play to help out. Assuming the air crew is well experienced and with high ASW skill, what is the optimal altitude for carrying out air ASW patrols?

I came across a thread where it was suggested to go as low as 100 feet - is that the correct recommendation?

Thanks!

My opponent is doing the same, and my air ASW has been pretty effective at 2000 feet. In the first month of the war, he hit 7 or 8 Adens with torpedoes and sank 2. Since I put the 70-skill ASW pilots on patrol at 2k, he has hit 2 Adens with torpedoes and sunk none.

If you have other search planes supporting with naval search set at 4K or below, I suppose you could go down to 1000 feet or 100 feet. It is hard to spot subs above 4K, and it is hard to spot anything at 100 feet, but if other search planes or patrol boats are detecting the subs, your ASW planes will be more effective the lower that they fly.

I use Anns and Maries for ASW duty because they are easy on supply, which is depleted rapidly flying sorties every day, and because in DBB they carry 250 KG bombs. I seem to recall using Sonias in stock (it has been so long since I played stock). I like to break a couple size 27 and size 36 Ann units into parts and station the parts along my transport routes, especially the tanker routes. I generally keep one size 27 Ann unit intact for ASW patrols from Singapore. Remember that range is halved for ASW patrols, so Anns will only give you a 3-hex zone, and Maries and Sonias, only a 2-hex zone. Using Sallies or Helens will give you longer range, but a substantial increase in supply cost. Seems better to me to use more Anns, since you can put many more in the air for the same supply.

If possible, try to have a group of patrol planes on night search at 2K as well, and a dedicated group of SCs or the like patrolling the area. Effective ASW is all DL. The higher the DL, the better chance of getting hits. I am getting hits in the PM phase fairly regularly (when DL is likely to be higher), but not the AM phase, because my night search, thus far, has not helped much.

Be sure to upgrade all escorts to the modified type-95 depth charges as soon as possible. The regular type-95s are only effective in shallow water, and will usually "explode above the depth of the target" if used in any deep-water hex.

Sorry, I missed where you took Manila. Well, he will be out of supplies in a few months then. He can bring some in by subs, but not enough to keep the island going. In addition to Lowpe's suggestion (which I am not doing in my game). I recommend putting one of the little Val groups that you get on ASW duty with a AF coy unit at a base near Bataan.

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ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

If you pull off one of the two float plane units from the IJN cruisers that have two, then max resize them up to 27. You can split them up to thirds if you can. Put them at dot bases with an AV even.

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ORIGINAL: Alamander

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ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

If you pull off one of the two float plane units from the IJN cruisers that have two, then max resize them up to 27. You can split them up to thirds if you can. Put them at dot bases with an AV even.

Japan can create a massive float-plane naval air-force by pulling float-planes off capital ships and resizing them. Some players (including myself) view this as gamey, and it is probably a discussion that you should have with your opponent about what he views as appropriate. I make no judgements. People have different views of the game, and it is really a matter of preference and opinion.

Whatever the case, in scenario 1, Japan is always governed by supply, so however you resize your float-plane squadrons, keep in mind that every Jake sortie is one less CAP fighter sortie that can fly at some point in the war. Certainly, you need float-plane search, but don't overdo it at the expense of other things. As always with Japan, moderation is the rule.

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ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Don't forget Jakes! If you pull off one of the two float plane units from the IJN cruisers that have two, then max resize them up to 27. You can split them up to thirds if you can. Put them at dot bases with an AV even. Some of those can also train Low Nav to prepare for the Holy Typhoons.

Jakes trained in Low Nav work well against merchants and un/underarmoured escorts.

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ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101


but I am now going to see if training them on sweep would train the air skill - would love to get more IJN fighter pilot training going.

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ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

quote:

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101


but I am now going to see if training them on sweep would train the air skill - would love to get more IJN fighter pilot training going.

It will. I am doing that with US NAVY pilots.