Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: rader

In defending home country cities from strat bombing, is it better to spread out the fighters on each base and set normal cap, or is it better to set most fighters to do short range LRCAP from larger bases like Tokyo? If I set all planes to something like 30-50 LRCAP at range 3-4, with only 10% or so normal CAP, am I going to get better reactions than if I set them to normal CAP over their own hex and hope they will leak into the combat hexes?

quote:

ORIGINAL: vicberg

You might try interlocking LRCAP, see how that works. At this point, you have so many targets he can hit, that it's a crap shoot. A couple turns of interlocking LRCAP (and fatigue) will give a picture.

The other option is to look at your production and figure out the factories you want to defend. Give up the rest.

quote:


Best option, IMO, is attempt to cut off his supply line to Hokkaido. Concentrate every sub, every ship and every air asset and the KB to closing down Hokkaido. If you aren't successful, it doesn't matter at this point. It's do or die. Every japanese player has taken note of this line of attack. It's deadly. He will hammer your production into the ground from short range. Doesn't matter how much territory you have. Your industry will die. He'll be taking Tokyo in a year.

He has a long supply line at this point. He has lots he has to supply. You could possibly strike within range of your land based air, which might make an attack against his own carriers equal if they are in the area. Doubtful at this point of the game, but possible. I haven't seen how big the KB is at this point nor have I seen your pilot quality. You can use kamkazies. Focus everything on killing his supply line and that brings the Hokkaido campaign to a halt. Then you can possibly even counter attack. Slim chances, but possible.

quote:

ORIGINAL: vicberg

Quite frankly, this line of attack is far and away the best for the allied player. I'm not sure how it can be defended. It's close to allied bases, as anywhere in the pacific. Even if the japanese have been aggressive in the aluetions, it's still close to anchorage. Brutal if the allies land. There's aren't many jap bases to defend the assualt against. It requires unrestricted jap units (and PP points) to build up the bases that could possibly defend against it. The typical jap disposition has their forces usually in SRA or SOPAC or Burma, not northern Japan. The forces that are in japan are usually trainers and not nearly enough to defend against it. Even if it could be seen in advance, whether by aggressive japanese expansion into the aluetions or via long range recon, do th japs have the ability to respond before the allies hit? Especially in 44? Perhaps it the northern jap air bases are all level 9s, and then kamakazies with sufficient air forces nearby? Nasty.

quote:

ORIGINAL: rader

quote:

ORIGINAL: vicberg

Quite frankly, this line of attack is far and away the best for the allied player. I'm not sure how it can be defended. It's close to allied bases, as anywhere in the pacific. Even if the japanese have been aggressive in the aluetions, it's still close to anchorage. Brutal if the allies land. There's aren't many jap bases to defend the assualt against. It requires unrestricted jap units (and PP points) to build up the bases that could possibly defend against it. The typical jap disposition has their forces usually in SRA or SOPAC or Burma, not northern Japan. The forces that are in japan are usually trainers and not nearly enough to defend against it. Even if it could be seen in advance, whether by aggressive japanese expansion into the aluetions or via long range recon, do th japs have the ability to respond before the allies hit? Especially in 44? Perhaps it the northern jap air bases are all level 9s, and then kamakazies with sufficient air forces nearby? Nasty.

I agree.

You know, my original plan for this game was to stick to a very short preimeter running down the Marianas to (only) Western New Guinea around Biak, and into the DEI. I wasn't going to even fight for the Solomons or Eastern New Guinea. Greyjoy sucked me in!!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: pauk

I would advise you not to be (over)confident about your's numerous air bases at HI. Allies will recive B29 soon, if they didnt already, and they can shut down your AFs. It will be much more difficult task than it was in Solomons, but with this current air model, "the bombers will always get trough" it is certainly doable. And he has many choices, he can put pressure on closer bases (within his fighter radius) and suddently attack your rear AFs which will be weaker defended (just one example)...

You dont have many options, except massing base forces and construction units at Home islands. I would pull out all BFs from the frontline (Burma, southern DEI, New Britain...) and move them to Home islands (anyway, Allies can shut down all your AFs at the frontline, if they want (but i suspect they will be concentrated on HI). Ofc, i would leave a significant air support at your big hubs (Bangkok and nearby bases, Singapore, oil centers...)

Where is KB at the moment? perhaps you could set an trap for Greyjoy... showing him near Hokkaido (so he will be careful with his supply transprots and navy, and he will have to strenghten his CAP - what means less fts on sweep over HI)

After that you can run under the protection of one your bases.... if you get lucky he might attack KB. With KB fighters on CAP and support from land based FTs you might hurt him (i guess, not sure with this current air combat model).

quote:

ORIGINAL: rader



The problem is that there are so many possible invasion beaches that it's impossible to adequately guard them all, and that since he is comign from so close (even less distance than the cross-channel invasion at Normandy), it will be very tough to respond with air and naval forces in time to make a difference. We are concentrating ground troops on the "red" bases in the north, with air-sea response lile yot play more of a role in the southerly beaches.


I bet he has taken that 10,000 AV indian army around the world and it is now in Hokkaido. I know he has at least 2000 AV in the Solomons/NG, but other than that, he could have everything else in Hokkaido by now. Anyone have a guess to how much AV the Allies can amass in mid-1944 if it's all in the same place?

The KB is mostly split up out raiding supply lines (we've sunk about 20+ AKs in the last month or so, but not much to write home about actually - it is more of a diversion from the main show).

In fact, I seriously considered (and am still considering) a port strike raid on a US West coast city. Might be a first for 1944.

quote:

ORIGINAL: pauk

I had to say this, cause i heard complaints about using kamis at 44 K feets

quote:

ORIGINAL: rader

quote:

ORIGINAL: pauk

I had to say this, cause i heard complaints about using kamis at 44 K feets

Actually, Nemo told me to try this, but it didn't work. Unfortunately spitfires and Thunderbolts have really high ceilings. Only works against Hellcats...

But you're right, I actually do think trying to fly over an enemy's ceiling is a bit gamey. Maybe I shouldn't do it? Any other opinions out there? I wonder if his 4Es could fly over might fighters?? Didn't B-29s have really high ceilings? (EDIT: Actually, no, according to the database, his $es generally can't fly above 34,000 ft...).

quote:

Maximum speed 357 mph at 30,000 feet, 306 mph at sea level. Maximum continuous cruising speed 342 mph at 30,000 feet. Economical cruising speed 220 mph at 25,000 feet. Initial climb rate 900 feet per minute at combat weight. An altitude of 20,000 feet could be attained in 38 minutes. Service ceiling 33,600 feet. Maximum range was 3250 miles at 25,000 feet with 5,000 pound bomb load. Practical operational radius was 1,600-1,800 miles. Maximum ferry range was 5,600 miles, rising to 6,000 miles with the extra fuel. http://flgrube1.tripod.com/id26.html

quote:

ORIGINAL: rader

Actually, Nemo told me to try this, but it didn't work. Unfortunately spitfires and Thunderbolts have really high ceilings. Only works against Hellcats...

But you're right, I actually do think trying to fly over an enemy's ceiling is a bit gamey. Maybe I shouldn't do it? Any other opinions out there? I wonder if his 4Es could fly over might fighters?? Didn't B-29s have really high ceilings? (EDIT: Actually, no, according to the database, his $es generally can't fly above 34,000 ft...).

quote:

ORIGINAL: rader

quote:

ORIGINAL: pauk

I had to say this, cause i heard complaints about using kamis at 44 K feets

Actually, Nemo told me to try this, but it didn't work. Unfortunately spitfires and Thunderbolts have really high ceilings. Only works against Hellcats...

But you're right, I actually do think trying to fly over an enemy's ceiling is a bit gamey. Maybe I shouldn't do it? Any other opinions out there? I wonder if his 4Es could fly over might fighters?? Didn't B-29s have really high ceilings? (EDIT: Actually, no, according to the database, his $es generally can't fly above 34,000 ft...).

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

rader, earlier in the game you marched a big army (five divisions?) across the Owen Stanley mountains in New Guinea.  Why would you worry about aircraft altitudes if you were comfortable doing that? 

P.S. It's hard to read the "tone" in an email - If I could convey my tone here, it would be curiosity only, not accusatory.

quote:

ORIGINAL: DTurtle

Well, the other thing Nemo has used to a lot of success is to come in at 100 feet - if you distract his fighters with other planes, those kamis can apparently get in with very low warning/engagement times.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

quote:

ORIGINAL: rader

quote:

ORIGINAL: pauk

I had to say this, cause i heard complaints about using kamis at 44 K feets

Actually, Nemo told me to try this, but it didn't work. Unfortunately spitfires and Thunderbolts have really high ceilings. Only works against Hellcats...

But you're right, I actually do think trying to fly over an enemy's ceiling is a bit gamey. Maybe I shouldn't do it? Any other opinions out there? I wonder if his 4Es could fly over might fighters?? Didn't B-29s have really high ceilings? (EDIT: Actually, no, according to the database, his $es generally can't fly above 34,000 ft...).

Rader .. I have commented on this before in the war room but..

First there is service ceiling and operational ceiling the game allows one to fly at service ceilings without any of the side effects .. flying higher than 28K feet even with O2 is risky .. above 34K in a 'recipt' engine is dangerious .. the operational losses would be extraordinary because of heat .. you would think "hey its so cold up there that would help" but the air density is so low or because of high density-altitude ...no real cooling effect occurs .. instead one uses excess fuel to cool the engine ...turbochargers really take the heat at these altitudes ...

So a B-29's service celing might be around 33K feet but the operational ceiling was closer to 24 - 28K and often flown at these levels ..

quote:

Maximum speed 357 mph at 30,000 feet, 306 mph at sea level. Maximum continuous cruising speed 342 mph at 30,000 feet. Economical cruising speed 220 mph at 25,000 feet. Initial climb rate 900 feet per minute at combat weight. An altitude of 20,000 feet could be attained in 38 minutes. Service ceiling 33,600 feet. Maximum range was 3250 miles at 25,000 feet with 5,000 pound bomb load. Practical operational radius was 1,600-1,800 miles. Maximum ferry range was 5,600 miles, rising to 6,000 miles with the extra fuel. http://flgrube1.tripod.com/id26.html

But in the game I can tool around at 33K with zero side effects and get maxium range etc ..


Then there are the phyisological effects of high altitude ..at 18K one can experince hypoxia .. at 24K .. well its assured if any oxygen problems occur .. 28K begins the process where the carbooxy hemoglobin curve gets in ther terrority of O2 leaving the body because the pressure inside is so much higher than outside .. unpressurized flights above 34K require sealed masks and special oxygen equipment .. 41K requires flight suits for very long (itsa real emergency to have a Lear lose pressure at 41K ] ..and there is a huge difference between 41-44K feet .. any failure of equipment means instant death including the freezing of O2 lines ..ask the Pilots for the Payne Stewart debacle ...

So therotically an airplane has a serivice ceiling into the stratosphere but in reality aircraft are flown at their operational ceilings ..

But this is a game not a similation ..


I posted in the War Room responding to this problem some articles I have published in Mooney magazines on this subject ..[Note the editor would catch my misspellings ..butnot always if you look carefully ... ]

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

rader, earlier in the game you marched a big army (five divisions?) across the Owen Stanley mountains in New Guinea.  Why would you worry about aircraft altitudes if you were comfortable doing that? 

P.S. It's hard to read the "tone" in an email - If I could convey my tone here, it would be curiosity only, not accusatory.

quote:

ORIGINAL: pauk

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

rader, earlier in the game you marched a big army (five divisions?) across the Owen Stanley mountains in New Guinea.  Why would you worry about aircraft altitudes if you were comfortable doing that? 

P.S. It's hard to read the "tone" in an email - If I could convey my tone here, it would be curiosity only, not accusatory.

You see rader, i was refering to that kind of posts

but lets get back to the game. Did you place your subs in northern Pacific... especially those equipped with float planes?

You may send a few PBs as picket ships as early warning system. Dont worry about gamey questions. Every Allied opponent used picket ships against me.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Olorin

Rader,

If the Emperor is sneaky he could get KB off Seattle and trash his B-29 factory there. Seattle is also the starting point of the allied SLOC to Hokkaido, so it could worth the risk. The difficulty is to get KB there and back again while avoiding detection and the allied carriers.

For such a move to succeed, you 'd need to know where his carriers are i.e. you 'd need to wait until he commits them in the next big operation of his. That means that you won't have KB available to meet the next allied offensive, so it's a pickle no doubt about that.

Just my two cents.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

One neat thing about this forum is that the concept of "gamey" and "right" take on new definitions. I try and tell teenagers that right can be defined if you feel comfortable with the issue being published in the local paper. If you feel ashamed .. then it is probably not right .. gamey follows this I beleive in posting in this forum ... but pauk would disagree I bet ..

quote:

ORIGINAL: pauk

is gamey to use northern route and conquer Hokkaido in 44? Is it game to attack and conquer India? Is it gamey to play Sir Robin defence?