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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 11:11:15 AM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert
If you're not comfortable with an HR then the investment in NF is your only way forward. Some of the later model AA guns, like the 12cm guns in particular, will hit planes at night more often. If you're playing the beta (which by all means you should be with Japan) that has some help in AA effectiveness.

We are playing the beta.

I am hesitant at adding HR...so it looks like more r&d on the Irving might be the only answer...

Personally, I would like to see a large fatigue hit for squadrons that change to night operations or back to day operations. These daily shifts are just murderous.

< Message edited by Lowpe -- 7/15/2014 12:11:59 PM >

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Post #: 1291

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 11:36:26 AM

Lowpe

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China

Events are moving swiftly here. There are 50-60 units cut off from Chungking and they are being reduced pretty quickly here.

The 5th Armored Car in Changteh has not been attacked despite there being 15 units there. I suspect that most of these units are mere skeletons of what they once were.

For the most part the Chinese are simply holding their ground.

No supply really hurts, although he had enough supplies to fly some Lancers out of Changsha two days ago...

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< Message edited by Lowpe -- 7/15/2014 12:37:24 PM >

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Post #: 1292

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 3:26:57 PM

Lowpe

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I have reinforced Northern Burmese airfields with 150 fresh fighters, but I sure hope he doesn't go back to massed night bombing! In which case he trapped me good.

This might mark the first large scale dogfights of the KAI Dinah.

I am attacking again at Tuang Gyi, and figure the odds there are good it will fall throwing the Chindits, an air force unit, and American paratroopers into the jungle where they belong.

I should start loading the amphibious invasion of Port Moresby tomorrow, and should conquer Darwin today. That will be pretty much it for Oz then...

The Kagi upgraded three squadrons of Zeroes to the A6M5c model at the Home Islands and is heading back to Ponape.

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Post #: 1293

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 3:33:34 PM

Lokasenna

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert
If you're not comfortable with an HR then the investment in NF is your only way forward. Some of the later model AA guns, like the 12cm guns in particular, will hit planes at night more often. If you're playing the beta (which by all means you should be with Japan) that has some help in AA effectiveness.

We are playing the beta.

I am hesitant at adding HR...so it looks like more r&d on the Irving might be the only answer...

Personally, I would like to see a large fatigue hit for squadrons that change to night operations or back to day operations. These daily shifts are just murderous.

Actually, it's the scenario data updates, not the beta.

(in reply to Lowpe)

Post #: 1294

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 5:28:44 PM

Aurorus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have reinforced Northern Burmese airfields with 150 fresh fighters, but I sure hope he doesn't go back to massed night bombing! In which case he trapped me good. This might mark the first large scale dogfights of the KAI Dinah.

I am attacking again at Tuang Gyi, and figure the odds there are good it will fall throwing the Chindits, an air force unit, and American paratroopers into the jungle where they belong.

I should start loading the amphibious invasion of Port Moresby tomorrow, and should conquer Darwin today. That will be pretty much it for Oz then...

The Kagi upgraded three squadrons of Zeroes to the A6M5c model at the Home Islands and is heading back to Ponape.

Good luck at Moresby; Victory there for you would be very serious setback to the allies. I�m not sure your opponent quite understands the strategic importance of Moresby given his lack of defense there. It is a great location for the allies to make a stand, as it was historical, and stem the Japanese advance: close to Australian bases and air-cover and can be a trap for any large Japanese amphibious or surface fleet. The loss of all that Australian infantry and armor in Java (and the 4th ID in north OZ) was a telling blow to the allies in this game and may explain his lack of effort at Moresby.

Note that the Dinah is one of your fastest non-jet fighters, with some reasonable armaments, but look at the climb rate! It just cannot gain altitude rapidly. I think you will find that you will have to keep the patrol altitude on the Dinah at or above the altitude of his bombers or they will be unable to climb fast enough to intercept before the bombers deliver their payloads. Compare this to the climb rate on the Oscars, for example (which I am finding is a highly underrated low-altitude, air-superiority fighter- though useless against any large bomber).

One other note on your opponent. He seems to fight in the style of the "AI," preferring to mass large stacks of ground units at objectives and pays little heed to maneuvering, flanking, etc. It is probably a play-style that he learned playing the AI in scenario 1 or 2 (you just can�t do this in the nasty and ironman scenarios as you can never create stacks as large as the AI). You have outmaneuvered him several times now. He will probably learn and adjust his tactics in the future and possibly now in Burma, which is why I suspect he may invade Ramree to secure his rear position.

Do you intend to end offensive operations after Moresby and wait for the allies to start their counter-offensive?

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Post #: 1295

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 5:43:56 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
Actually, it's the scenario data updates, not the beta.

We installed AndyMac's scenario data updates, is that the ones you mean?

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Post #: 1296

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 6:13:01 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Aurorus
Good luck at Moresby; Victory there for you would be very serious setback to the allies. I�m not sure your opponent quite understands the strategic importance of Moresby given his lack of defense there. It is a great location for the allies to make a stand, as it was historical, and stem the Japanese advance: close to Australian bases and air-cover and can be a trap for any large Japanese amphibious or surface fleet. The loss of all that Australian infantry and armor in Java (and the 4th ID in north OZ) was a telling blow to the allies in this game and may explain his lack of effort at Moresby.

Note that the Dinah is one of your fastest non-jet fighters, with some reasonable armaments, but look at the climb rate! It just cannot gain altitude rapidly. I think you will find that you will have to keep the patrol altitude on the Dinah at or above the altitude of his bombers or they will be unable to climb fast enough to intercept before the bombers deliver their payloads. Compare this to the climb rate on the Oscars, for example (which I am finding is a highly underrated low-altitude, air-superiority fighter- though useless against any large bomber).

One other note on your opponent. He seems to fight in the style of the "AI," preferring to mass large stacks of ground units at objectives and pays little heed to maneuvering, flanking, etc. It is probably a play-style that he learned playing the AI in scenario 1 or 2 (you just can�t do this in the nasty and ironman scenarios as you can never create stacks as large as the AI). You have outmaneuvered him several times now. He will probably learn and adjust his tactics in the future and possibly now in Burma, which is why I suspect he may invade Ramree to secure his rear position.

Do you intend to end offensive operations after Moresby and wait for the allies to start their counter-offensive?

Lots here to comment on. I did notice the lack of the KAI Dinah Climb rate, and actually was thinking of using them on night duty at wrong altitudes of the incoming bombers. My experience shows that does a good job disrupting the attack without actually losing any planes. How is that for outside the box thinking?

I am pretty sure if I use the KB to support the Port Moresby attack, the Allies will be tempted to grab another island in the Marshalls. It doesn't really matter, since I can't expose my land based air to his night bombers for long anyhow...and he can streak in, land, streak out with only subs and mines as potential roadblocks. I have darted in a counter surface fleet a few times, but haven't caught anything yet and that just wastes fuel.

I have a lot of troops prepping for Port Moresby. 3 Division, 1 Brigade, 2 HQs, and support stuff (I won't go in with all that). I will attempt to provide as much air power from Rossel, Buna, Lae and Rabaul as possible for them...I know if I saw all that preparing, I would want to attempt to hit the troop transports, or at least have them sail thru a sea of submarines. But I think the submarine threat is minimal with most of them along the China/Java/HI convoy paths.

Allied naval search is very poor around Buna so I might get to sneak fairly close before he gets warning -- however I am planning on no surprise. Putting together the fleets now.

Ramree is forts level 3, with 100 AV, ART, ENG, air field level 2. I need to lay some mines, they are on the way, but I think a full out invasion here is unlikely in the short term. I also have a base force at Mergui that might come up...it has dp guns. Ramree is not a good island here for mini subs...would be spotted by planes and not last long.

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Post #: 1297

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 6:21:52 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Aurorus
Do you intend to end offensive operations after Moresby and wait for the allies to start their counter-offensive?

Horn Island looks attractive, Port Blair, and Katherine, Daly Waters.

Burma and China are more than enough though, I don't have unlimited supplies.

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Post #: 1298

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 6:44:20 PM

Lowpe

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Prome Operation

I plan on staging the vast bulk of the troops for the operation against Prome at Rangoon. What a great base...the Allies will think I am building up to take the city, but instead will race north up the paved road and hit Prome with 4-5 divisions, as many tank regiments as I can scrape up. One of the divisions will be the 1st Tank.

I should be able to move faster than his troops at Bassein, Rangoon, and will be able to take Prome and the road to the northwest pretty quickly.

I will use the IJN to bombard and suppress Rangoon's airfield. I will use bombers to hit Prome. Fighters will fly CAP over the troops in the clear.

The IJN will land more troops on Ramree, via fast transport and attempt to take a road hex that is empty.

Once I cut the road, I will turn the majority of the troops south to Bassein and eventually force everyone into Rangoon, unless I get the chance to drop my 3 paratroop regiments somewhere auspicious.

Overall, I might gain tactical surprise.

Comments?

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Post #: 1299

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 6:48:25 PM

Lokasenna

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
Actually, it's the scenario data updates, not the beta.

We installed AndyMac's scenario data updates, is that the ones you mean?

Those are the ones.

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Post #: 1300

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 6:54:30 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
Those are the ones.

They did help, primarily in giving Japan missing 8cm and 75mm AA guns that were missing. But it still is a rare day I actually destroy a bomber with AA fire.

I need to go hunting for the 12 cm babies,but I though most of them were in static units at the HI.

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Post #: 1301

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 7:19:45 PM

mind_messing

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
Those are the ones.

They did help, primarily in giving Japan missing 8cm and 75mm AA guns that were missing. But it still is a rare day I actually destroy a bomber with AA fire.

I need to go hunting for the 12 cm babies,but I though most of them were in static units at the HI.

There are the "Independent AA Gun Companies" scattered between Manchuria and the Home Islands using 10cm Type 14 guns. They make a excellent supporting gun for the 75mm Type 88 as they're far heavier hitting and a good deal more accurate. What's even better is that come 9/43 they'll upgrade to the 12cm Type 3.

There's only 4 guns per unit, so it's not an AA regiment, but they cost only 5 PP to buy ouy. Stack enough of them in a base and make things very nasty for anything wanting to bomb it. 25 PP buys you a AA regiment's worth of those things, and they'll get better with age.

Just be sure it's the right units you're buying out, and not the semi-useless AA Machine-cannon companies.

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Post #: 1302

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 7:30:39 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

There are the "Independent AA Gun Companies" scattered between Manchuria and the Home Islands using 10cm Type 14 guns. They make a excellent supporting gun for the 75mm Type 88 as they're far heavier hitting and a good deal more accurate. What's even better is that come 9/43 they'll upgrade to the 12cm Type 3.

There's only 4 guns per unit, so it's not an AA regiment, but they cost only 5 PP to buy ouy. Stack enough of them in a base and make things very nasty for anything wanting to bomb it. 25 PP buys you a AA regiment's worth of those things, and they'll get better with age.

Just be sure it's the right units you're buying out, and not the semi-useless AA Machine-cannon companies.

. I have quite a few of them out and about, but not concentrated.

I have spent most of the PP on getting the AA rgts out and about. I only bought out one machine cannon unit, that I sent to Iwo, bought it out again to General Reserve, and then still couldn't convert Iwo to General Reserve. Darn 4th Fleet won't give Iwo up.

I have quite a few of the Independents to buy out...coming right out this turn.

< Message edited by Lowpe -- 7/15/2014 8:32:51 PM >

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/15/2014 8:45:25 PM

Encircled

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quote:

though useless against any large bomber)

Manage to trade 3 Oscars for 3 B-17 last turn. I was frankly amazed (and no, it wasn't three rammings!)

Oscar the 4E killer

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Post #: 1304

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 10:32:40 AM

Lowpe

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Jan 29, 1943

No Allied night bombing.

Two American submarines hit IJN ships, damaging an xak in the PI, and sinking an xak that was carrying a splinter of an ENG unit to Rabaul. I lostt 55 men (1 engineer and 1 non support squad) plus supplies. Both submarines take several hits.

Australian operations are rapidly coming to a close, just wrap up now. The 1st Raiding Regiment sweeps the defenders of Darwin away, after a very nice bombardment by a BB group and the Ichiki Detachment and support troops land tomorrow to secure the town. Darwin is trashed with 100% Port, 99% Runway and 69% Service damage and all resource factories damaged. I took the base without letting those lousy coastal guns damage anything.

Now, I have to figure out how heavily I want to defend Darwin, and also whether I pursue and take Daly Waters and Katherine. I have plenty of troops in the area to accomplish this, just not sure I should.

Port Hedland is invaded by a Naval Guard unit, and they will take the port this next day.

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Post #: 1305

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 10:51:30 AM

Lowpe

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Burma:

Allies air force rest. Chinese units stop marching towards Mandalay, but he is flying a unit into Shwebo, most likely aviation support. We will see if I can't shoot some done tomorrow (1 hex range).

Naval search spots his BB that has been floating around the area, very close to my undetected CA force. I have been waiting for these guys to show up, perhaps for either a raid on my shipping near Moulmein or for an invasion on Ramree (they are 9 hexes away, but there is no detection level on Ramree).

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Post #: 1306

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 12:39:40 PM

Lowpe

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Marshalls:

Allied PT boat swarms sighted....

Allied 4Es attack, at 36,000 feet the small resupply convoy at Nauru. I think they were tasked with attacking the KB looking to degrade the CAP over the KB or doing recon by fire. The local fighters couldn't climb fast enough to attack the bombers and they all miss.

I keep losing Judy-C recon over his fighter bases, I will send some Irving recon over to see if they can survive a little better.

I worry about losing another base, when I move on Moresby, but what will be will be. I am debating sending a full division to beef up Nauru. I really need time to build up rear defenses in the Pacific. I think I could hold the Marshalls longer, if it weren't for night bombing, but at least the bombers are flying out of smaller bases here.

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Post #: 1307

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 4:51:58 PM

Aurorus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Marshalls:

Allied PT boat swarms sighted....

Allied 4Es attack, at 36,000 feet the small resupply convoy at Nauru. I think they were tasked with attacking the KB looking to degrade the CAP over the KB or doing recon by fire. The local fighters couldn't climb fast enough to attack the bombers and they all miss.

I keep losing Judy-C recon over his fighter bases, I will send some Irving recon over to see if they can survive a little better.

I worry about losing another base, when I move on Moresby, but what will be will be. I am debating sending a full division to beef up Nauru. I really need time to build up rear defenses in the Pacific. I think I could hold the Marshalls longer, if it weren't for night bombing, but at least the bombers are flying out of smaller bases here.

Naura is a close hop from his Makin, Tarawa, et al, meaning he can come in with task forces covered by land-based air and in great force, without tasking carriers to cover both themselves and surface or amphibious groups, which reduces the likelihood that he will leave a large surface fleet exposed. Ponape, in my humble opinion, is a better location for division-sized defenses, but that depends, I suppose, on how many divisions you feel that you can spare and what type of fighter cover you feel comfortable providing at both Ponape and Nauru.

All that being said, I think it is a great idea for a Japanese player to try to make the Marshalls and the more southern islands as big a thorn in the side of the allies as the Japanese can, to force the allies to spend the time and resources taking most of the chain, rather than simply bypassing it to the south or west. The more islands and atolls the allies have to take and the more they have to bring to bear at each, the more likely they are to make a mistake, exposing large amphibious groups or surface ships to counterattack. I think this theory especially holds true against your opponent. Of course the Japanese player can make mistakes too, getting caught in an evac operation or something similar.

I see now more clearly what is going on in Burma. He appears to be trying to maneuver: moreso, for example, than in China, and is clearly trying to isolate your units. I think the build-up at Rangoon and then quick move north is brilliant and will catch him completely off-guard. I grow more certain, however, that he has an amphibious group prepping for Ramree, now that he has isolated it.

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Post #: 1308

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 7:41:07 PM

Lowpe

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Why is he so focused on cutting my supply in Burma, but seems ignorant of it in china?

I am putting some mines at Ramree here in the short term....

I should really trash another Chinese corp near Ichang, it seems to me he is simply throwing them at me now for destruction and rebirth at Chungking.

Speaking of Chungking, I can be in the city within 2 weeks if I want to. Of course he has 59 units there.

Makin is 11 hexes from Nauru while Tarawa is 9. I want to hold here for a while yet, but it will take carriers to do so...but it may make a better counterpunch target...I can prep a division and have it waiting to re-invade.

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 7:46:22 PM

Erkki

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Hes probably avoiding moving units in China as it burns supplies... The Allied units in Burma are probably well fed.

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 7:59:07 PM

Aurorus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Why is he so focused on cutting my supply in Burma, but seems ignorant of it in china?

I am putting some mines at Ramree here in the short term....

I should really trash another Chinese corp near Ichang, it seems to me he is simply throwing them at me now for destruction and rebirth at Chungking.

Speaking of Chungking, I can be in the city within 2 weeks if I want to. Of course he has 59 units there.

Makin is 11 hexes from Nauru while Tarawa is 9. I want to hold here for a while yet, but it will take carriers to do so...but it may make a better counterpunch target...I can prep a division and have it waiting to re-invade.

He is learning as he goes, I suspect. I don�t think he really understood the basic concepts of the land-war when he was working out his defense of China, only the big-stacks-at-objectives strategy of the AI.

It can be a big mistake to assume one�s opponent will keep making the same mistakes. I have seen this in poker many times... a not-so-good player taking a monster pot off a much better player because the novice mimicked one of his earlier mistakes and the good player assumed his opponent was making the same mistake again.

I think that may explain some of the differences in his approach in China and Burma. Also the change in opponents really threw him off. He was having his way and trying to counterattack against a careless Japanese player who was not using his assets very well at all. Thus when you took over, he was slow to realize the danger that he had placed himself in and even slower to change his play, overestimating the allied position.

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Post #: 1311

RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 8:47:57 PM

Lowpe

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He is definitely short of supplies in China, big time.

When I took over, he mentioned that he burned way too much in supplies building forts early...

I definitely see lots of improvement in his play since the beginning. He is going to be tough late game, he will keep bringing bigger hammers to pummel me down. But he is still very aggressive, and I will use that against him I hope.

Turns away...dangling a nice attractive target at Nauru hoping to entice a surface battle there. My CA task force will swing by Ramree and then head back to Moulmein for reconfiguring...should take Port Hedland and will make a decision about katherine and Daley Waters in a day or two after some better recon.

I have more fighters in China now, protecting the bombers reducing the Chansha pocket.

My airforce is pretty spread out and forward, so I have quite a few units on night CAP set at 10%...hopefully that will be enough -- but I doubt it. 39% Moonlight, and the Allies have rested their bombers 2 days in a row.

4th ID, Aussie, is down to 600 or so troops. Bad weather is keeping my bombers off him.

Trying to catch some his transports in two spots (1 hex range) plus I am bombing the airports there too.

Bought out a lot of the Independent AA units with the 10cm guns. Thanks!

< Message edited by Lowpe -- 7/17/2014 9:49:15 PM >

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 9:07:09 PM

Lowpe

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It didn't take Mr. Kane taking Roi in Spidery's excellent aar to have me worried about a thrust on Roi and Kwaj from the east.

As most of you know, I am not using search arcs -- just random. But, several months ago I put a full squadron of Emilies on defined search due east from Kwaj. They should give me plenty of warning of an attempted sneak on the best bases in the Marshalls.

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 9:11:44 PM

Lowpe

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Ambush at Nauru: Heavy surface group moving in, after dangling a merchant ship there. Beefed up the fighters at Nauru too.

Another supply convoy moving off, and staging for the next day.

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 9:16:55 PM

Lowpe

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China

Attack near Ichang tomorrow after a very heavy, weather willing, bombing attack. Will be sweeping from multiple bases in addition to a small escort group.

Yellow circles upcoming attacks.

Moving quite quickly here after wading thru the nasty terrain...

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/17/2014 9:30:23 PM

Lowpe

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The Port Moresby plan:

All three squadrons of Lilly IIb will be at Buna or Rossel providing a little extra, deeper anti ship capability. Mini KB will cover from this side.

Fast transports will take the majority of the dot bases not taken yet.

Invasion force two divisions plus corp hq. Group HQ at Buna. Buildup at Buna has not be detected yet...unless by sigint.

KB will sortie and be within strike distance of likely target bases of the Allies in the Marshalls.

As far as I can tell the original 3 units are still in Port Moresby.

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< Message edited by Lowpe -- 7/17/2014 10:31:51 PM >

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/18/2014 10:36:28 AM

Lowpe

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Jan 30, 1943

No Allied night bombing.

Instead we have massive Allied fighter sweeps in Mandalay, and Roi followed by an afternoon 4E strike at Tulagi and Roi -- Roi takes 50% runway damage. Planes losses are 47 for Japan and only 11 for the Allies (6 Lightnings).

His sweeps came in perfectly, led by Lightnings which did all the heavy lifting, followed by other fighters.

In the Marshalls, there is no way to stuff enough AA onto an Atoll to do any good, and the air field lacks balloons so low altitude bombing is SOP.

Once we are past Allies flexing their air power muscles, Japan bombs Port Moresby and a hefty sized Chinese Corp near Ichang....it was a really strong division but gets manhandled today!

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/18/2014 12:55:51 PM

obvert

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A very odd move. Get out of the clear in China as fast as possible and hope never to fight an actually battle there after the first weeks. Yuck.

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"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/18/2014 1:00:23 PM

Lowpe

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Feb 1943 coming up. Sometime early this month I will start producing the Judy. SR3 is kind of poor, but ok for CV use especially with the 500kg gp bomb. Vals on land will still be the order of the day.

I have slightly more than 500 Aichi Ha-60 engines that will get eaten up for CV use -- then maybe kamikaze use?

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RE: Australia Invaded! - 7/18/2014 2:15:10 PM

Spidery

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quote:

Feb 1943 coming up. Sometime early this month I will start producing the Judy. SR3 is kind of poor, but ok for CV use especially with the 500kg gp bomb. Vals on land will still be the order of the day.

Does the SR matter that much for a dive bomber? The advantages of twice the bomb load and a plane that is faster than a Wildcat seems to make it such a big boost. Or are you just meaning that you will prioritise upgrading the KB so it will be months before you can get round to the LBA?

(in reply to Lowpe)

Post #: 1320