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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 7:47:16 PM

HansBolter

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Dan,

My game is in March '45 and I have been strat bombing two targets sporadically only at night for about the last three months and have racked up 10k victory points with the effort.

I thought I saw further back where you referred to the B29-25 as the night bombing version.

That version has full armament in my game with the only difference between it and the B29-1 being the pair of .50 caliber tail guns where the B29-1 has a 20mm cannon in the tail.

In my gane its the B29-B that is stripped down with only tail guns, which would make it the 'night bomber' version.

The Ironman AI has massive fighter cover of all improtant bases with minor bases getting 250+ and major bases getting 400-600+ fighters.

As a result I have limited all strategic bombing to night missions flying against Nagasaki from Chansha and against Hiroshima from Tinian.

I've been pleasently sdurprised at the results from a pure night bombing effort.

Have you tested his night figher coverage for strategic missions?

< Message edited by HansBolter -- 8/23/2018 7:48:41 PM >

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 7:52:33 PM

anarchyintheuk

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Re your damaged ships. Don't know where your ARDs are but you could probably put a couple in Kodiak or even closer to help the queue.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 7:54:27 PM

anarchyintheuk

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Now I have the song 'Badge' stuck in my head. Good times.

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Post #: 2433

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 7:56:59 PM

Canoerebel

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I'd forgotten that there's a B-29-B, so perhaps I'm all confused about the -25 model. Thanks for the tip. I'll check out the stats next turn.

See Erik's post in Miller's game, referencing Erik's fighter/AA tactics. Erik is really good and prepared. He has all the main bases covered with nighttime fighters and heavy AA. Every now and then, I try a mission and regret it. The most recent was about 100 B-29-25s that targetd Maebashi's Jack Factory. They scored one hit, and 16 of the Superforts were lost.

There is no profitable way to engage in strategic bombing until I am in position to take control of air space over a base. Proximity is key. Right now, there's a possibility that I can do that at Kushiro and Sapporo, but there's no chance further south (except at small bases that have little to offer, and even those get bleedover LRCAP or CAP at night).

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Post #: 2434

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 7:58:07 PM

Canoerebel

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quote:

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk
Re your damaged ships. Don't know where your ARDs are but you could probably put a couple in Kodiak or even closer to help the queue.

ARDs are at Adak Island, further forward than Kodiak. They are helping, but they only handle FLT damage. Most of my ships damaged in combat also need ENG repairs, so that means the West Coast yards.

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Post #: 2435

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 8:16:36 PM

HansBolter

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Can't ARs repair engine damage? I always combine both ARs and ARDs at whatever port I allocate for forward repairs.

I have almost all of mine at Agrihan where my fleet is prepping for a leap to the PI and Okinawa.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 8:18:22 PM

HansBolter

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The few times I experimented with targeting factories the results were disappointing.

I have only been hitting Manpower for the fires it starts and the damage spreads to everything.

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Post #: 2437

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 8:22:23 PM

Canoerebel

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Nightime strikes on Manpower hasn't worked well either - the losses are too heavy.

Weather permitting, this next turn will offer a glimpse of my strategic bombing plan. I'll go into it in more detail (if weather permits the raids).

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Post #: 2438

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 8:31:32 PM

jwolf

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quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Can't ARs repair engine damage? I always combine both ARs and ARDs at whatever port I allocate for forward repairs.

I have almost all of mine at Agrihan where my fleet is prepping for a leap to the PI and Okinawa.

I believe an AR will only repair up to 5 points of engine and/or float damage. Nothing but a shipyard will repair engine damage greater than that.

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Post #: 2439

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 8:41:25 PM

anarchyintheuk

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

quote:

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk
Re your damaged ships. Don't know where your ARDs are but you could probably put a couple in Kodiak or even closer to help the queue.

ARDs are at Adak Island, further forward than Kodiak. They are helping, but they only handle FLT damage. Most of my ships damaged in combat also need ENG repairs, so that means the West Coast yards.

Thanks for the update. As always

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Post #: 2440

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/23/2018 11:40:31 PM

Canoerebel

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1/2/45

Adak: Here are some of the major support ships at Adak, including ARD and AR. Adak is a level 8 port with 260 naval support, so it's a good triage station.

But Shikuka is far better at it - level 9 port with 1145 Naval Support and five big ARs. It doesn't have an ARD yet, for obvious reasons. But two ARDs are inbound from Pearl to the western Aleutians. I'll try to get them to Shikuka when the circumstances seem to allow the move.

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Post #: 2441

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 12:16:54 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

NoPac: With Wakkanai's fall, this turn was a particularly hard one to plan for. I started with two main ideas:
1. Sweeps and strategic bombing of Kushiro resources. Enemy fighter numbers have been low there since the start of the Wakkanai invasion. I figured that would continue, as Erik would likely focus on Wakkanai and the woods hex today.
2. I feel like it's too soon and too "fluid" to withdraw Death Star to Shikuka, though that must happen soon. The first idea that came to mind: post DS at the woods hex, covering bombardment TFs and (hopefully) handling any enemy sweeps and bombing strikes.

After coming up with that plan, I next measured those two ideas against what Erik was most likely to do. I felt like an all-out air attack (sweeps and bombing) against the Allied troops in the woods hex was the most likely scenario.

I didn't like th idea of Death Star fighters facing 500 or more enemy fighters, so I reluctantly scrubbed this part of the plan.

The next idea was to post DS at the woods hex NW of Bihoro, where 8th Division is located. I felt like it was unlikely to improbably that Erik would commit his air force agains this hex. DS's presence would also cover the host of 2EB and 1EB from Toyohara and Shikuka ordered to hit 8th Division.

I also felt like this move would be unexpected and therefore probably not planned for. There would be a possibility that DS would come within range of enemy strike aircraft. DS CAP would probably chew up any inbound strikes, since (I felt) many fighters would be committed to Wakkanai and/or the woods hex.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:20:47 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Hokkaido: This is an interesting screen. I think this is a two DD-TF bombardment TF. I wanted to see if I could orchestrate bombardment of a non-base hex, which can be tricky.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:30:00 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Hokkaido: During the morning phase, a total of 690 enemy fighters sweep Hokkaido and the woods hex. No Allied CAP posted at either location.

I don't want Death Star CAP to face such an onslaught, but neither do I wish to cede control of the area to Erik. I have some thinking to do.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:39:49 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Spotted Enemy Carriers: Is this Mini DS (lately posted near Ominato) heading SE, or is this a new carrier force moving NW to the Hokkaido theater?

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:41:41 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Kushiro: Weather prevented morning ops against Kushiro, but clears for the afternoon. I am anxious to see if Allied sweepers can score well against the anticipated modest CAP, and if the 4EB can score well in daylight raid at 10k, targeting Resources.

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Post #: 2446

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:44:06 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Kushiro:

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Post #: 2447

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:49:07 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Kushiro: These two sweeps tucker out the enemy CAP. The bombers coming in won't face opposition.

The results of these sweeps aren't as encouraging as you'd think. These are second tier IJ fighters against first tier Allied fighters with good pilots.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:51:21 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Kushiro: Oops, I forgot about this final sweep. This one is encouraging, because usually the Hellcats don't perform well in this role.

Next come the bombers.

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Post #: 2449

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:56:53 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Hokkaido: First comes 2EB and 1EB from Toyohara against 8th Division. Damage inflicted is slight, but I wonder if this is a fragment that has now evaporated (considering what happened during yesterday's raids).

Erik gets a good look at Death Star CAP, but this should only be a fraction. In any event, DS definitely won't remain here tomorrow.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 2:04:52 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Kushiro: With enemy CAP out of the way, and apparently weak flak, Allied 4EB score well.

The future of Allied strategic bombing against Japan probably looks much like this - targeting bases that are proximate enough for Allied sweeps followed by well-escorted bombers.

Kushiro is just about done as a target - it's been heavily targeted. Sapporo is an obvious target but is protected by uber CAP.

For now, strategic bombing will be infrequent. But by March or April, the Allies should be in a position to hit Honshu targets efficiently.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 2:08:59 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Hokkaido: Unescorted SBDs boldly raid Sapporo, to their sorrow. Enemy CAP is fairly light. It won't be tomorrow.

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< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 8/24/2018 2:10:21 AM >

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 2:16:08 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Woods Hex: Probing IJ bombardment. I don't think Erik has nearly enough to win a battle here, but another US infantry division, anti-tank battalion, and two arty units are inbound from Wakkanai, probably two days out.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 2:19:51 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Wakkanai: Most Allied infantry and armor rested today, so this is good work reducing the tired enemy troops.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 2:26:09 AM

Canoerebel

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1/3/45

Air Losses: Allied sweeps do well. No Liberators or Superforts were lost today. Less than 100 resource points were damaged, which is disappointing.

This is the combination the Allies will use once the strategic bombing campaign commences.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 4:47:10 AM

BBfanboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

1/3/45

Hokkaido: This is an interesting screen. I think this is a two DD-TF bombardment TF. I wanted to see if I could orchestrate bombardment of a non-base hex, which can be tricky.

I think this means the DDs were set to bombard but did not have a good enough DL to target the LCUs, so nothing happened.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 1:45:49 PM

Squamry

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

The future of Allied strategic bombing against Japan probably looks much like this - targeting bases that are proximate enough for Allied sweeps followed by well-escorted bombers.

Is Sapporo in that list of targets? It's a major engine production base. It may be worth a few exploratory CL/CA bombardments and DMS sweeps to see what defences are there. If Erik believes you would do major Bombardments he may be reluctant to put LBA there and have to rely on LRCAP.

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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 8:53:02 PM

Canoerebel

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quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
I think this means the DDs were set to bombard but did not have a good enough DL to target the LCUs, so nothing happened.

Thanks. That's a helpful tip.

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Post #: 2458

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 8:54:36 PM

Canoerebel

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Squamry

Is Sapporo in that list of targets? It's a major engine production base. It may be worth a few exploratory CL/CA bombardments and DMS sweeps to see what defences are there. If Erik believes you would do major Bombardments he may be reluctant to put LBA there and have to rely on LRCAP.

Sapporo is armed to the teeth (see image in next post). There won't be any ****footing around, trying to figure out if Erik has his defenses prepared. He does.

To answer your fikrst question, Sapporo is definitely on the list of strategic targets. First, though, I have to reduce his fighter corps appreciably. That may be Job 1 over the next few weeks.

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Post #: 2459

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 8/24/2018 9:02:36 PM

Canoerebel

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1/4/45

NoPac: Wakkanai having fallen, there are several pressing missions for the Allies, but they are somewhat incompatible. There's also the possibility that Erik will temporarily take the initiative, trying to overwhelm the Allies at a single point (northern Hokkaido). If that should happen, all other Allied missions get put aside to deal with the emergency.

Here's what going on:

1. Proceeding with the next invasion is intriguing but problematic. The units are dispersed. Most are at Shikuka, which is good, but some are at Uruppu-Jima and a few are at Wakkanai. So the marshalling of units will take a few days. More significantly, it may not be wise to begin a new op while Wakkanai is still in a state of flux. Erik may pull out all stops to attack, in which case the Allies may have to apply everything to defeat the attack. It's somewhat more likely that Erik won't attack. I'll probably know in a few days.

2. There are a host of empties and damaged ships at Shikuka ready to return to West Coast. Death Star definitely needs to escort them to some point east of the Kuriles - perhaps further, if KB isn't accounted for. With Wakkanai still a potential cauldron, DS can't be spared to steam four or five days east at this time. Waiting at least a few days is necessary.