Matrix Games

quote:

ORIGINAL: dukewacoan

I could really use some Air Production suggestions.

I'm in March 42 of a friendly PBEM game. We are still in the "playing to learn" phase. But I'm pretty lost on an Aircraft R&D strategy and how it really works. So far I have not touched it.

Looking at only the planes that will be available thru May 1943, can I get some help -

Currently researching
NAME (per month building/repairing) Current Arrival
A6M2-N Rufe (9/0) 4/42
H6K2-L Mavis (2/0) 4/42 KILL
Ki-49-Ia Helen (14/0) 4/42 Upgrade this instant to IIa, switch one or two other factories to researching the IIa
Ki-45 KAIa Nick (13/0) 5/42
A6M3 Zero (14/10) 6/42 Allow to completely repair or until 5/30/42, then upgrade to a later model-3a, 5, 5b, 5c; 3 model not very useful
H8K1 Emily (0/1) 7/42 Expand
Ki-44-IIa Tojo (2/6) 9/42 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to IIc model when fully repaired
D4Y1-C Judy (0/2) 10/42 Kill
J1N1-C Irving (1/6) 11/42 Kill
Ki-45 KAIb Nick (1/1) 12/42 Kill
Ki-54c Hickory (3/3) 1/43 Kill
Ki61-Ia Tony (4/18) 2/43 Upgrade to the d model after factory fully repairs
D4Y1 Judy (4/5)4/43 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to D4Y3 model when fully repaired
B6N1 Jill (5/9) 5/43 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to B6N2model when fully repaired
Ki-43-IIb Oscar (1/4) 5/43 Kill
Ki-49-II KAI Helen 5/43 Kill

Engine changes, particularly expansions, can be spaced out over time.
Here are my R&D Engines
Aichi Ha-60 (125/0) 4/42
Kawasaki Ha-60 (20/0) 1/43 Expand
Nakajima Ha-44 (10/0) 4/43 Expand
Nakajima Ha-45 (30/0) 7/43 Expand
Kayaba Argus (5/0) 7/44 Kill
Mitsubishi Ha-43 (10/0) 8/45 Expand
Mitsubishi Ha-42 (2/0) 9/45 Kill
Toko Rocket (2/0) 11/45 Kill
NE Turbojet (2/0) 12/45 Do you want jets?

So what should I do and why? I note that I am about to get all these Aichi Ha-60s next month, but can't produce any planes using them until the Judy arrives in 6 more months. So obviously I need to make adjustments. Build a stockpile

Also, what planes from 43-45 should I accelerate, and by how much?

For what it's worth, I have the following in current production
(I am turning on/off production as pools rise and fall):
Glen 10 Pool=40
Dinah 15 Pool=48
Sonia 30 Pool=105
Betty 70 Pool=91
Sally-IIa 25 Pool=5
Val 35 Pool=39
Jake 25 Pool=75
Mavis 10 Pool=25
ZeroA2M2 200 Pool=265
KateB5N2 35 Pool=51
Oscar-Ic 150 Pool=82
Lily-Ib 35 Pool=106
Topsy 6 Pool=16
Nate 50 Pool=178

Any of this look crazy?

My current engine production matches the needs for the above.

Engine pools are:
Hitachi (early) = 336
Hitachi Amakaze = 86
Kawasaki (early) = 85
Mit Ha-31 = 141
Mit Ha-32 = 6
Mit Ha-33 = 80
Nak Ha-5 = 89
Nak Ha-34 = 41
Nak Ha-35 = 2
Nak Hikari = 139
Nak Kotobuki = 158


Nak-Ha35 Engine (455)
Oscar

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ametysth

I would drop B6N1 and its engine. Jill isn't that much better torpedo bomber than Kate, so you can afford to wait for B6N2 (which uses more common engine type) and save one engine factory to produce engines used more than one plane type. I would do the same for Tony, dropping it and its Kawasaki Ha-60 from R&D/production, but Ki-67 has its good points, so it is a matter of personal taste and adopted strategy.

Third plane type with its own unique engine type is D4Y1 Judy, but as it gives IJN carrier dive bombers battleship busting 500kg bombs, I would research that one and its Aichi Ha-60 engine.

quote:

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ametysth

I would drop B6N1 and its engine. Jill isn't that much better torpedo bomber than Kate, so you can afford to wait for B6N2 (which uses more common engine type) and save one engine factory to produce engines used more than one plane type. I would do the same for Tony, dropping it and its Kawasaki Ha-60 from R&D/production, but Ki-67 has its good points, so it is a matter of personal taste and adopted strategy.

Third plane type with its own unique engine type is D4Y1 Judy, but as it gives IJN carrier dive bombers battleship busting 500kg bombs, I would research that one and its Aichi Ha-60 engine.

B6N1 has longer range. Also, even if you do not build the Ki-61 Ia (no reason to), it makes sense to research it until the factories repair, then upgrade it to a later model that you will build, such as the Id. Models arriving soon are more likely to repair R&D factories, so research the earliest model in an upgrade path even if it is a later model you want.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ametysth

quote:

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ametysth

I would drop B6N1 and its engine. Jill isn't that much better torpedo bomber than Kate, so you can afford to wait for B6N2 (which uses more common engine type) and save one engine factory to produce engines used more than one plane type. I would do the same for Tony, dropping it and its Kawasaki Ha-60 from R&D/production, but Ki-67 has its good points, so it is a matter of personal taste and adopted strategy.

Third plane type with its own unique engine type is D4Y1 Judy, but as it gives IJN carrier dive bombers battleship busting 500kg bombs, I would research that one and its Aichi Ha-60 engine.

B6N1 has longer range. Also, even if you do not build the Ki-61 Ia (no reason to), it makes sense to research it until the factories repair, then upgrade it to a later model that you will build, such as the Id. Models arriving soon are more likely to repair R&D factories, so research the earliest model in an upgrade path even if it is a later model you want.

B6N1 has range of 7 versus range of 6 that Kate is capable. This is of course range they can carry torpedoes, I don't remember if extended ranges differ, but since they can't carry torpedo there it is pointless comparison. Is it really worth developing and building Ha-44 engine just for that one hex? But I agree that building a R&D factory for B6N1 is good way to upgrade to B6N2 which has range of 10 using common Ha-32 engine and appearing less than six months after B6N1. Good plane.

I'm not sure what you mean by will build Ki-67 Id. Isn't it later model than Ki-84? Why would I want to build it and how it is worth of developing Kawasaki Ha-60 engine just for that one type of plane?

quote:

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

quote:

ORIGINAL: dukewacoan

I could really use some Air Production suggestions.

Ki-49-Ia Helen (14/0) 4/42 Upgrade this instant to IIa, switch one or two other factories to researching the IIa
.
.
.
Ki-44-IIa Tojo (2/6) 9/42 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to IIc model when fully repaired
.
J1N1-C Irving (1/6) 11/42 Kill
Ki-45 KAIb Nick (1/1) 12/42 Kill
.
Ki61-Ia Tony (4/18) 2/43 Upgrade to the d model after factory fully repairs
D4Y1 Judy (4/5)4/43 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to D4Y3 model when fully repaired
B6N1 Jill (5/9) 5/43 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to B6N2model when fully repaired

quote:

ORIGINAL: CV2

quote:

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

quote:

ORIGINAL: dukewacoan

I could really use some Air Production suggestions.

Ki-49-Ia Helen (14/0) 4/42 Upgrade this instant to IIa, switch one or two other factories to researching the IIa
.
.
.
Ki-44-IIa Tojo (2/6) 9/42 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to IIc model when fully repaired
.
J1N1-C Irving (1/6) 11/42 Kill
Ki-45 KAIb Nick (1/1) 12/42 Kill
.
Ki61-Ia Tony (4/18) 2/43 Upgrade to the d model after factory fully repairs
D4Y1 Judy (4/5)4/43 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to D4Y3 model when fully repaired
B6N1 Jill (5/9) 5/43 Expand, switch more factories to this, do not allow to go into production - switch to B6N2model when fully repaired

Generally any advice that says "do not allow to go into production" is bad advice. The above notes are also IMHO.

Helen 1A has MAD - an airborne ASW device available in 1944. You want a stockpile (couple hundred maybe) of 1As. And why not use them until the Helen 2 is available?
Tojo 2Bs are worthless, its true. But I build the 1As in droves. 12 a day (thats 360 factories). Why fight with Oscars and Nates when you could be flying Tojos?
J1N1-C is the upgrade for the C5M. You need 8-12 factories of these.
Nick B has 1 squadron that starts with these. Not totally sure if you get the squadron if you dont have some Bs in the pool. I keep it in production briefly. I built 9 of them before halting production and I got the squadron.

The rest again, cant see why you WOULDNT built them unless you like throwing away pilots in Vals and Kates when you could be flying these.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ametysth

My general strategy on Japanese plane production is two staged;

1) One plane type per mission and 2) Quantity has Quality.

This means that there will (optimally) only be one type one IJA fighter, one IJA bomber, one recon etc. in production in any given time (and another for IJN of course) and instead of constantly seeking minor improvements from new models coming available, the plane in production is "good enough" model produced in huge numbers and only replaced by another model when improvements are significant.
In latest test, in which I have taken this concept to the extremes, I am playing against AI  producing no light bombers at all. No Ki-51's, -48's or -30's, only Ki-21-IIa's were produced which were then switched to Ki-49-IIa's. Plans are to keep Ki-49-IIa in production as the only production IJA bomber until Ki-74-I is researched. I don't consider Ki-67 as replacement as it does not offer significant advantages over Ki-49-IIa and thus it would only complicate production.

I am in early 1943 now and I have yet to run out of light bombers in pool (few squardons are still flying Ki-30's, Ki-51's and Ki-48's) and when one these types is running low, I just switch one of the existing sentais to Ki-49, releasing more planes for the rest. Also I still have three or four Ki-21 sentais and some 60 planes of that type in pool flying regular operations, swithching over to Ki-49 one by one. No sentais of any types have run out of planes or had to be withdrawn form the front because low numbers of planes in pool and I don't seem to miss the 'slightly improved'- models at all.