Slitherine

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By mid-1944, the Japanese Navy can theoretically field 14 fleet carriers and 13 light carriers and 4 escort carriers for a combined aircraft capacity ~660 fighters and ~760 bombers. These numbers can of course be shifted around to enlarge the number of fighters for protection. When these numbers are added to the fact that this mod makes the George and Jack CV-capable, it is a very potent theoretical force.

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The US gets some upgrades and would theoretically be able to field 20 fleet carriers, 17 light carriers, and numerous escort carriers by mid-1944.

As we know from the analysis above, this is not a quantitative advantage of sufficient preponderance in my mind, especially given how strong his CAP fighters should be. Moreover, there are weaknesses in the Allied numbers: the Hermes isn't a true CVL, the British CVs have lower capacity and are slower, the Ranger has meany weak points and lower capacity. There is basically a high-speed and low-speed Allied carrier fleet and this creates tactical problems. In contrast, all the Japanese carriers excepting the Junyo-class are 32 knots or higher, meaning they are all as fast or faster than their Allied equivalents. They can operate with complete unity and uniformity - this is a great strength!

This necessitates attritional tactics in the early game, but not in a way where we can afford parity in losses. Attritional tactics must result in inordinate damage to the enemy, otherwise they will not be worth it, as later game invasions require domination of the local area. Parity of losses would fail to provide that. The Allies over the coming year must develop a way to seize the strategic initiative and force the Japanese to react in such a way as to place their forces in areas of tactical disadvantage. I feel John always likes the idea of charging in with his forces and should there be appropriate bait, he will come; it remains to be seen if he will eventually combine his carriers and always use them as such or continue to operate them somewhat separately.

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ORIGINAL: Anachro

Even later war comparison. It should be noted that the first and 2nd generation of the carrier-capable George are close enough in months that it might make sense for John, if he can, to upgrade the R&D factories to the 2nd gen once completed to get it more quickly. The 2nd gen George has a much better gun value rating, better than any late-stage Allied carrier aircraft. The George also gets roughly similar speed, better climb, better maneuver.

This should be offset by greater numbers of Allied carriers, but in one of my first posts I took stock of what Japan and the Allied would have barring no losses by mid 1944:

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By mid-1944, the Japanese Navy can theoretically field 14 fleet carriers and 13 light carriers and 4 escort carriers for a combined aircraft capacity ~660 fighters and ~760 bombers. These numbers can of course be shifted around to enlarge the number of fighters for protection. When these numbers are added to the fact that this mod makes the George and Jack CV-capable, it is a very potent theoretical force.

quote:

The US gets some upgrades and would theoretically be able to field 20 fleet carriers, 17 light carriers, and numerous escort carriers by mid-1944.

As we know from the analysis above, this is not a quantitative advantage of sufficient preponderance in my mind, especially given how strong his CAP fighters should be. Moreover, there are weaknesses in the Allied numbers: the Hermes isn't a true CVL, the British CVs have lower capacity and are slower, the Ranger has meany weak points and lower capacity. There is basically a high-speed and low-speed Allied carrier fleet and this creates tactical problems. In contrast, all the Japanese carriers excepting the Junyo-class are 32 knots or higher, meaning they are all as fast or faster than their Allied equivalents. They can operate with complete unity and uniformity - this is a great strength!

This necessitates attritional tactics in the early game, but not in a way where we can afford parity in losses. Attritional tactics must result in inordinate damage to the enemy, otherwise they will not be worth it, as later game invasions require domination of the local area. Parity of losses would fail to provide that. The Allies over the coming year must develop a way to seize the strategic initiative and force the Japanese to react in such a way as to place their forces in areas of tactical disadvantage. I feel John always likes the idea of charging in with his forces and should there be appropriate bait, he will come; it remains to be seen if he will eventually combine his carriers and always use them as such or continue to operate them somewhat separately.

Of course, Japan has lost two CVLs with the equivalent of 60 aircraft.

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Ground combat at 76,46 (near Chungking)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 38385 troops, 277 guns, 40 vehicles, Assault Value = 1185

Defending force 58730 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2142

Japanese adjusted assault: 250

Allied adjusted defense: 1981

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 7

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
10328 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 900 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 97 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 57 disabled
Guns lost 50 (1 destroyed, 49 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
868 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
63rd Division
110th Division
37th Division

Defending units:
89th Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
45th Chinese Corps
25th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
21st Chinese Corps
3rd Prov Chinese Corps
66th Chinese Corps

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"2.4.8 REALISTIC R&D
This switch controls whether the Japanese player can convert the production of factories which
are producing currently available aircraft into ones researching future aircraft, and vice versa.
If the switch is set to the “on” position, and the Japanese player wishes to change the aircraft
type being produced by a factory, the choice of aircraft to convert to will be restricted in
the following manner: When switching from an aircraft that is currently available and in
production, only other aircraft that are also in production can be selected. Similarly, when that
the Japanese player wishes to change the aircraft type of a factory that is performing research
(see section 13.5), only other aircraft that are also being researched (that is – not yet available
for production) can be selected. This represents the differences between mass production
factories and research and development centers. In reality these are two different things, and
freely swapping between them is not realistic.

If the switch is set to the “off” position, no such restrictions apply. This will allow the Japanese
player a greater ability to switch production of their factories to any aircraft type, regardless of
whether those factories are representing aircraft production or R&D facilities."

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ORIGINAL: Anachro

Elsewhere, my carriers fail to put out a strike against Wake Island despite okay weather and being well within range. Just what the heck is wrong with my carriers? Settings are naval strike/port strike or naval strike/airfield strike.

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That might have an impact on the game.

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Well…if you have thrown nearly EVERYTHING into India then you must be weak…elsewhere…

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

You mean Normanton, not Katherine, right?

I don't think I'd be in a hurry to attack unless you controlled the sea and air. If he's inserting strong units into places of little or no strategic value, let him keep doing so.

The only reason I can think of for Japan to take Normanton at this point would be to engage in strategic bombing of Australian industry. But that would be a real long shot if you have adequate fighters in Oz.

Do you get the feeling that John is flying around in haphazard, ill-thought-out fashion, trying to do something/anything/somewhere while failing to attend properly to defense in depth?

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ORIGINAL: Anachro
...Perhaps John's plan is to decimate some divisions in China and buy them out to reinforce some of these areas as I mentioned above.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

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ORIGINAL: Anachro
...Perhaps John's plan is to decimate some divisions in China and buy them out to reinforce some of these areas as I mentioned above.

I've never known John to think that way. There's no way he's thinking that way.

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ORIGINAL: Anachro

I do that of course, but I also make use of intel monkey which accumulates all the sigint reports for every base hex and then I periodically check interior areas to see what sigint I've been getting. After 1/2 a year of accumulation, it helps me construct a decent picture of what John has at various bases. Being a able to see all the sigint reports for the past year all together for one base hex is a great thing to have. Use Intel Monkey if you aren't already, just be careful with your anti-virus program as it often thinks Intel Monkey is a trojan virus.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

The instructions are indecipherable at my level of understanding. My brain broke.

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ORIGINAL: witpqs
I doubt you have tried them.

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ORIGINAL: Anachro

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ORIGINAL: witpqs
I doubt you have tried them.

Is there any way to stop my anti-virus program from thinking it's a virus. It auto-deletes the program. I use nod32.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I've tried it. I gave it an honest effort about four weeks ago. What I got done is still on my home computer. But there are common, simple terms used in the installation instructions that are beyond what I know. That's not the fault of the instructions or the instructor. It's my fault.

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Not really. Kodiak is in range of my Nells--just barely...